Summary
High-definition graphics have never been a core feature of thePokemongames. It was not until recently that the series was given a graphical overhaul with HD graphics on the Nintendo Switch through games likePokemon Scarlet and Violet. Despite this, the currentPokemontitles lack the graphical fidelity of some of theirrole-playing gamepeers, restrained by the Nintendo Switch’s limited capabilities compared to current generation hardware.
While this may remain true into the near future until the release of the next Nintendo Switch, thePokemonCompany has done well to create stand-out titles that lean on specific device requirements to develop games that have become exemplars of different graphic styles that thePokemongames have become well-known for.
Heart Gold and Soul Silver (HGSS)are the bestPokemongames with top-down 2D graphics. Released in 2009, HGSS were remakes of the originalPokemon Gold and Silver,faithfully recreating the regions of Johto and Kanto for players to explore. The games improved upon the original titles in every way, featuring new elements such as theBattle Frontierand even a compatible walking device known as the Pokewalker to train Pocket Monsters.
Building on the first four generations of titles encompassing top-down 2D graphics, fromPokemon Platinum to Black and White 2, HGSS set the standard of making two-dimensional graphics look top-tier in an RPG setting. While no Octopath Traveller, for its time, HGSS had some of thebest 2D graphicsin gaming, pushing the Nintendo DS to its limit, effectively capturing the original feeling of traversing the regions of Johto and Kanto in full 2D.
Pokemon X and Ywas the first step for thePokemonCompany in adopting 3D graphics. Released on the Nintendo 3DS in 2013,X and Yhad players explore the French-inspired region of Kalos while stopping the evil Team Flare and its maniac leader, Lysandre, from consuming thePokemonworld in darkness.Pokemon X and Yleaned on the Nintendo 3DS’s unique 3D capabilities to blend 2D and 3D elements to create 2.5D. The games also included, for the first time, 3D areas, but these lacked longevity, with only short sections of the game dedicated to 3D.
To this day,Pokemon X and Yhave the best 2.5D graphics inPokemon,setting the standard for future games that lean on 3D immersion.
The newest games in the franchise,Scarlet and Violet,are the most accomplishedthird-person 3D titlesin the series.Pokemon Scarlet and Violetare the most graphically impressivePokemongames, pushing the Nintendo Switch to its limit in raw power and performance. Despite the technical flaws and often buggy performance,Scarlet and Violetare great examples of how far thePokemonseries has come since its original 2D roots on the Gameboy. Scarlet and Violet have consequently set the bar high for future titles in the series, such asPokemon Legends: ZA, releasing in 2025.
ThroughoutScarlet and Violet’sbase game and subsequent DLC, the standards of 3D are kept to a high level, giving players the immersion they need as they explore the open world of the Paldea region.
Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl,released in 2021, were faithful remakes of the originalPokemon Diamond and Pearlon the Nintendo DS. Loyal to their core, the titles did little to expand upon the original games, with only a few examples of new content added, such as the ability to capture theLegendaryPokemonDarkrai and battle thePokemongod Arceus - not present in the original games without attendingexclusive events.
One feature, however, that sets it distinctly apart fromDiamond and Pearlis its graphical style. Divisive in thePokemoncommunity due to its unique cutesy look, Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl adopted theChibi art style, for better or worse, depending on your taste. While the style is contentious for a good reason, there is no question that the graphics ofPokemon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearlare some of the best in thePokemongames, deserving a spot on this list.
Despite their simplistic nature,Pokemon Let’s Go and Eeveeare great-looking games in their own right, being some of the best top-down 3D games in the series. Remakes ofPokemon Gold and Silver, Let’s GO Pikachu, and Eevee incorporated core elements of thePokemon GOgames on mobile into the titles, merging them with traditional elements.
Unlike in other mainline games, players cannot battlePokemoninLet’s GO, leaning on features fromPokemon GOsuch as using the touch screen to throw Pokeballs for a successful catch. Despite their shortcomings, the games look great, with clean, crisp graphics that showcase what the Nintendo Switch is capable of when not dealing withlarge open-world environmentsthat require extensive graphical fidelity.
