Pokémon is one of the biggest franchises in the world. Since debuting on the Game Boy in 1996, it’s spawned countless sequels and spin-offs alongside a hugely successful trading card game. The series has changed considerably over the decades, but one tradition has remained consistent: mainline games begin by asking players to choose between a Grass-, Fire-, or Water-type starter.
There’s plenty to consider when making that choice, from personal preference to what each Pokémon eventually evolves into. Mudkip and Chimchar may be adorable at the beginning of an adventure, but their final forms, Swampert and Infernape, can ultimately matter just as much when deciding which partner to pick. Every Pokémon starter trio has its strengths, but some rank above the competition.
Snivy, Tepig, and Oshawott From Pokémon Black & White Are the Worst Starter Trio
Pokémon Black and White introduced the Unova region, the first setting primarily inspired by somewhere outside Japan, with New York City serving as its biggest influence. The games also debuted 156 new Pokémon, including the starter trio of Snivy, Tepig, and Oshawott.
Snivy quickly stood out thanks to its smug personality and elegant design. Its final evolution, Serperior, was criticized for its design but became popular competitively once its Hidden Ability, Contrary, which reverses stat changes, became available. The other two starters received an even more mixed response.
Tepig eventually becomes Emboar, the third Fire starter in a row to end as a Fire/Fighting type, while Samurott moves far away from Oshawott’s adorable sadsack design. Black and White are widely considered to be some of the best Pokémon games, but they fall short when it comes to their starter trio.
Grookey, Scorbunny, and Sobble From Sword and Shield Are a Little Too Human
In Pokémon Sword and Shield, players embark on an adventure through Galar and choose between Grookey, Scorbunny, and Sobble as their first partner. Cinderace, Scorbunny’s final evolution, quickly became a major competitive threat during Gen VIII thanks in large part to its powerful Libero ability.
However, the other two starters initially received a more mixed response. Rillaboom, Grookey’s final form, eventually became a formidable competitive Pokémon of its own after gaining access to Grassy Surge and Grassy Glide, but its design wasn’t universally embraced. Inteleon, Sobble’s final evolution, drew in fans with its sleek spy-inspired concept but also got some criticism for its humanoid appearance.
Much of the criticism surrounding the Gen VIII starter trio focused on how strongly their final evolutions resembled human athletes or performers. Human-like Pokémon have existed since the franchise began, but some fans felt the Sword and Shield starters pushed that approach too far, and the trio ultimately wasn’t as appealing as earlier generations.
Pokémon Scarlet & Violet’s Starter Trio Lost Steam With Its Final Evolutions
Pokémon Scarlet and Violet kicked off the ninth generation and introduced players to the sprawling Paldea region, the setting for the series’ first fully open-world adventure. Players begin by choosing between Sprigatito, Fuecoco, and Quaxly, a colorful trio that starts strong, but their final evolutions have proven to be divisive.
Fuecoco eventually evolves into Skeledirge, but while its unusual Fire/Ghost typing made it stand out, its design earned mixed reviews. Sprigatito becomes Meowscarada, a Grass/Dark magician that lacks the cuteness of its original form. Quaxly’s final evolution, Quaquaval, has plenty of personality, but many players found its constant dancing to be off-putting.
Gold and Silver’s Chikorita, Cyndaquil, Totodile Couldn’t Compete With Gen 1
Pokémon Gold and Silver directly followed the original games, but their starter trio had a difficult act to follow. Chikorita, Cyndaquil, and Totodile are all memorable in their own right, yet they never quite matched the immediate impact of Bulbasaur, Charmander, and Squirtle.
Cyndaquil came the closest to reaching that level of popularity, with Typhlosion becoming a fan favorite thanks to its sleek design and later receiving a regional form in Pokémon Legends: Arceus. Totodile also brought plenty of personality, but Feraligatr never became as instantly recognizable as Charizard, Blastoise, or Venusaur.
Chikorita struggled the most, especially because its poor early-game matchups made it less appealing as a first choice. Meganium has an elegant design, but the line never had the same battle appeal as Gen I’s starters. Compared to Kanto’s near-perfect lineup, the Johto starter trio feels like a step backwards despite its cuteness.
Rowlet, Litten, Popplio From Pokémon Sun & Moon Are Underrated
Pokémon Sun and Moon arrived in time for the franchise’s 20th anniversary and introduced some major changes that have become series mainstays, like regional variants. The games also introduced Rowlet, Litten, and Popplio, a starter trio that’s extremely cute and slightly underrated by the Pokémon fanbase.
Part of the trio’s appeal comes from how distinct their final evolutions feel. Decidueye becomes Grass/Ghost, Incineroar is Fire/Dark, and Primarina is Water/Fairy. It helps that Incineroar is a competitive powerhouse thanks to Intimidate and a deep pool of support moves. It’s a balanced starter trio that deserves more love than it gets.
Pokémon X & Y Introduced the World to Chespin, Fennekin, and Froakie
Pokémon X and Pokémon Y brought the mainline series into a fully 3D world and introduced players to the Kalos region. Its starter trio of Chespin, Fennekin, and Froakie also offered three distinct personalities and final evolutions. Froakie ultimately became the trio’s breakout star thanks to Greninja, whose ninja-inspired design made it one of the most popular Pokémon of its generation.
While Greninja is clearly the most famous member of the trio, its counterparts have plenty to offer. Chesnaught combines Grass and Fighting typing with a heavily armored design that helps it stand apart from other starters, while Delphox turns Fennekin into a distinctive Fire- and Psychic-type mage with one of the more unusual concepts among starter evolutions.
Treecko, Torchic, Mudkip From Ruby and Sapphire Are an Iconic Starter Trio
Pokémon Red and Blue and Gold and Silver debuted on the Game Boy and Game Boy Color, respectively. Ruby and Sapphire brought the series to the Game Boy Advance, giving the franchise a major technical upgrade. The Hoenn region also introduced Mudkip, Treecko, and Torchic, one of the popular starter trios in the history of the franchise.
Torchic eventually becomes Blaziken, a powerful Fire/Fighting type that later became even more dangerous once it gained Speed Boost as a Hidden Ability. Mudkip evolves into Swampert, whose Water/Ground typing makes it completely immune to Electric attacks. Treecko’s final evolution, Sceptile, is arguably the weakest of the trio and holds it back, but it’s still a strong Grass-type option.
Turtwig, Chimchar, Piplup Are Some of the Cutest Pokémon Ever
Pokémon Diamond and Pearl were the first mainline games released for the Nintendo DS and kicked off the franchise’s fourth generation. The Sinnoh region introduced Turtwig, Chimchar, and Piplup, a starter trio that hasn’t been topped in the years since the games debuted in 2006.
Chimchar’s final evolution, Infernape, became a competitive standout thanks to its high Speed and ability to attack effectively from either side. Piplup evolved into Empoleon, whose rare Water/Steel typing gave it a unique defensive niche. Turtwig became Torterra, a bulky Grass/Ground type that could make good use of powerful moves like Earthquake.
Every Sinnoh starter is adorable, and none of them feels like a weak link. It helps that, unlike other Pokémon generations, Gen 4 didn’t drop the ball with its final evolutions, creating Pokémon with compelling lore and great designs that players actually wanted to keep in their parties.
Pokémon Red & Blue’s Starter Trio Is Unbeatable
The first generation of Pokémon debuted all the way back in 1996, but the series still hasn’t managed to top its original starter trio. Bulbasaur, Charmander, and Squirtle established the formula every generation has followed since, and their designs are still incredibly popular, with all three ranking among the most popular Pokémon of all time.
There’s a compelling reason to choose any of Red & Blue‘s starters. Bulbasaur is a fantastic option for the first two gyms, while Squirtle’s potential move pool, which includes Surf and Earthquake, is incredibly useful. Since Fire-types are relatively rare in Gen 1, choosing Charmander gives players a strong option in their roster.
It helps that every Pokémon in the trio has fantastic evolutions, with each Pokémon only getting better as it evolves. All three lines have received Mega Evolutions and Gigantamax forms, and it’s easy to see why Game Freak keeps returning to them. Bulbasaur, Charmander, and Squirtle are adorable and powerful Pokémon that helped define the franchise.
