Favourite Pokémon Per Generation: Generation Eight - Sword and Shield
It's been a while. Thank you all for coming back for the next part of my breakdown of my favourite Pokémon having taken time away from blog posting I can come back refreshed to the content I want to produce. Plus in that time I have played Pokémon Sword and Shield and can come back and rank my favourites (after much deliberation).
Pokémon Sword and Shield will hold a special place in my heart for a long time. Ever since I can remember I have wanted a Pokémon game based on Great Britain, as an English man myself I have wanted to see how they would implement Great Britain into the Pokémon world. I remember getting to Wyndon seeing the Millennium Eye, Big Ben, Wembley Stadium and its arch, even its entrance to the city based off of Trafalgar Square it felt like I was home the region felt just right to me except the trains working majority of the time (yes TfL I am calling you out), if anything this helped me work on what my favourite Pokémon in the region were I could just enjoy the setting a gauge the new Pokémon for what they were. As with generation seven I really like the regional variants perhaps even more this time. Adding regional evolutions was a great idea in my mind. Much like with Generation four adding new evolutions to old Pokémon this gives Pokémon not looked at in high regard before another look. Pokémon like Mr.Mime, Farfetch'd and Linoone now all got an evolutions makes them more viable for use on top of their new typings, I hope they continue with this trend for generations down the line.
Honourable Mentions: Inteleon, Corviknight, Orbeetle, Dubwool, Drednaw, Boltund, Coalossal, Flapple, Centiskorch, Grapploct, Polteageist, Hatterene, Perrserker, Sirfetch'd, Frosmoth, Copperajah, Duraludon, Zamazenta, Eternatus, Urshifu, Zarude
Number Six: Dragapult
Kicking of the list with the pseudo-legendary Pokémon of generation eight in Dragapult. Between the unique typing and having its first stage evolution Dreepy in its head ready to fire it is such a fun concept of a Pokémon. I like the fact it is a combination of an extinct amphibian and a stealth bomber its such a weird combo and somehow works. The firing of Dreepy out of its head with Dragon Darts (its signature move) was one of the rings that has really stuck with me from this generation and really helped put Dragapult into the top six.
Number Five: Rillaboom
I had a very hard time over if Rillaboom or Inteleon would be on the list when first checking through all the new Pokémon but in the end went with Rillaboom. This generation loves its music themed Pokémon and Rillaboom is a strong addition to it. It's the first time I really think a Grass starter looks menacing by its full look alone, while Torterra looked a mountain of a Pokémon and Decidueye had a aura of mystique to it Rillaboom is the first Grass starter to me that looks like a full on fighter. The fact it feels so unique when looking at all the Grass starters really made it stand out to me and gave it its place on the list.
Number Four: Obstagoon
Number Three: Grimmsnarl
When it comes to an evolution line it is always good to see a key theme or design choice continue through all stages. The Grimmsnarl line shows a Pokémon slowly being taken over by its hair until it reaches this final stage, The colouration of this Pokémon is one of its main standouts to me as all three colours mesh well to help the design, I think any other combination would not work as well (case in point I don't like the colour of the shiny). Combine this with the fact it looks like the Green Goblin makes this one of my favourite Pokémon of this generation.
Number Two: Cinderace
If the other posts on my blog haven't given it away, I am a massive football fan and it wouldn't have been right if the British region didn't have a Pokémon based of the nations favourite sport. The slick design of the Pokémon really makes it look like it is fully kitted out in a football strip. The Pokémon really fits what it is supposed to be based on. Not only this but its signature move Pyro Ball is so good. The animation is so well done and fits the gimmick of the Pokémon itself. It is a good mix of design and moves working together. Now if we could get a goalkeeper based Pokémon to be its rival that'd be great.
Number One: Toxtricity
The Pokémon really fits its punk rock aesthetic and with everything that has gone into this Pokémon’s design and backstory it was a clear choice as my favourite of the generation. After thinking about it Toxtricity probably fits at number 5 on my favourite Pokémon with me hoping the DLC expansion can help add to what is already as great addition.
Pokémon Sword and Shield will hold a special place in my heart for a long time. Ever since I can remember I have wanted a Pokémon game based on Great Britain, as an English man myself I have wanted to see how they would implement Great Britain into the Pokémon world. I remember getting to Wyndon seeing the Millennium Eye, Big Ben, Wembley Stadium and its arch, even its entrance to the city based off of Trafalgar Square it felt like I was home the region felt just right to me except the trains working majority of the time (yes TfL I am calling you out), if anything this helped me work on what my favourite Pokémon in the region were I could just enjoy the setting a gauge the new Pokémon for what they were. As with generation seven I really like the regional variants perhaps even more this time. Adding regional evolutions was a great idea in my mind. Much like with Generation four adding new evolutions to old Pokémon this gives Pokémon not looked at in high regard before another look. Pokémon like Mr.Mime, Farfetch'd and Linoone now all got an evolutions makes them more viable for use on top of their new typings, I hope they continue with this trend for generations down the line.
Honourable Mentions: Inteleon, Corviknight, Orbeetle, Dubwool, Drednaw, Boltund, Coalossal, Flapple, Centiskorch, Grapploct, Polteageist, Hatterene, Perrserker, Sirfetch'd, Frosmoth, Copperajah, Duraludon, Zamazenta, Eternatus, Urshifu, Zarude
Number Six: Dragapult
Kicking of the list with the pseudo-legendary Pokémon of generation eight in Dragapult. Between the unique typing and having its first stage evolution Dreepy in its head ready to fire it is such a fun concept of a Pokémon. I like the fact it is a combination of an extinct amphibian and a stealth bomber its such a weird combo and somehow works. The firing of Dreepy out of its head with Dragon Darts (its signature move) was one of the rings that has really stuck with me from this generation and really helped put Dragapult into the top six.
Number Five: Rillaboom
I had a very hard time over if Rillaboom or Inteleon would be on the list when first checking through all the new Pokémon but in the end went with Rillaboom. This generation loves its music themed Pokémon and Rillaboom is a strong addition to it. It's the first time I really think a Grass starter looks menacing by its full look alone, while Torterra looked a mountain of a Pokémon and Decidueye had a aura of mystique to it Rillaboom is the first Grass starter to me that looks like a full on fighter. The fact it feels so unique when looking at all the Grass starters really made it stand out to me and gave it its place on the list.
Number Four: Obstagoon
Now I’m not actually the biggest
Kiss song so the main part of the Pokémon’s design isn’t really a selling
point. The main reason this Pokémon ranks so high is the concept of it alone,
while its design is good the fact it builds on a Pokémon line I have fond
memories of really helps. I remember back with Pokémon Sapphire having a
Linoone on my team mainly as a HM slave but it’s ability to pick up items has
lasted long into my life as something I really liked. I remember wishing it was
better be it with typing or was stronger. Obstagoon makes that a reality 16
years later. With a new type and as such more it can do and the boost of
another evolution it means I can use the Zigzagoon line for more then just its
original ability. While I won’t appreciate the design as much as other
(although I do still like it) the story of its evolution line and what it does
for it places this Pokémon on this list.
Number Three: Grimmsnarl
When it comes to an evolution line it is always good to see a key theme or design choice continue through all stages. The Grimmsnarl line shows a Pokémon slowly being taken over by its hair until it reaches this final stage, The colouration of this Pokémon is one of its main standouts to me as all three colours mesh well to help the design, I think any other combination would not work as well (case in point I don't like the colour of the shiny). Combine this with the fact it looks like the Green Goblin makes this one of my favourite Pokémon of this generation.
Number Two: Cinderace
If the other posts on my blog haven't given it away, I am a massive football fan and it wouldn't have been right if the British region didn't have a Pokémon based of the nations favourite sport. The slick design of the Pokémon really makes it look like it is fully kitted out in a football strip. The Pokémon really fits what it is supposed to be based on. Not only this but its signature move Pyro Ball is so good. The animation is so well done and fits the gimmick of the Pokémon itself. It is a good mix of design and moves working together. Now if we could get a goalkeeper based Pokémon to be its rival that'd be great.
Number One: Toxtricity
When it comes to my favourite
Pokémon at least since generation four my favourite always seems to be the one
that feels the most care to it’s backstory or has multiple forms that all have
care to them. That is mainly why Toxtricity is number one for this generation.
Between the two forms it has evolving from different natures which is really
unique and the two forms both look really good, while I prefer the Amped from
much like Lycanroc no form is outrightly bad. I also like its connection to the
Geoglyph outside of Turrfield when it comes to its Gigantamax form and it
looking like the Pokémon depicted (the following link helps go over this https://twitter.com/tahk0/status/1204083797987217411?s=21)
The Pokémon really fits its punk rock aesthetic and with everything that has gone into this Pokémon’s design and backstory it was a clear choice as my favourite of the generation. After thinking about it Toxtricity probably fits at number 5 on my favourite Pokémon with me hoping the DLC expansion can help add to what is already as great addition.
With that all said and done it means we have ranked the top six Pokémon for Galar. A strong region with a lot of good designs I did have difficulty with this region narrowing the six as Inteleon, Corviknight and Hatterene were very close to being on the list but in the end the tough call had to be made. With that all said here are my favourite Pokémon per type.
That now covers all generations and I don't think one with be coming out soon. I am currently planning and looking at ranking all Pokémon in a list from favourite to least favourite which with over 800 will take some time. I will be waiting for all expansion pass content to be released so with that this may be the last Pokémon post for a while so I do hope you have enjoyed this list.
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