Every Pokémon Region, Ranked From Lamest To Coolest

The core series of games in the Pokémon franchise has so far introduced eight regions. Each one has its own distinctive style and essence, reflected in everything from its towns and cities, to its music and landmarks. Players spend a considerable amount of time in each region, getting to explore every corner of their well-thought map.

But what makes a region memorable? It goes beyond the available Pokémon in each one. It has to do with the layout, the lore, the routes, the cities and towns, the characters, and even the inspiration behind them. Every region is unique and special in its own way, but some definitely rank higher than others when it comes to how distinctive and ultimately satisfying they are.

8 Kanto

The region that started it all, Kanto is the place that made numerous players fall in love with the Pokémon world. It is home to the original 150 Pokémon and the birthplace of the anime’s protagonist, Ash Ketchum. However, when looking objectively at it, it’s obvious it’s the most straightforward and simplest of regions.

Based on and named after the real Kanto region, it is home to numerous cities and towns named after colors, like Fuchsia City and Lavender Town. Celadon City is one of its most memorable settlements, and Mt. Moon its most famous landmark. It doesn’t have a clear Pokémon Champion, with the role filled by both Blue and the player character, Red. Kanto doesn’t have much of a backstory and it could even be said it’s the most uninteresting of all regions. And while its soundtrack is definitely memorable, it ends up being little more than the sum of its parts.

7 Galar

Going from the earliest region to the newest, Galar features a lot of interesting places and generally engaging lore, but it still ends up falling short in comparison to its siblings. Based on the United Kingdom, Galar is the setting for the Generation VIII games, Pokémon Sword & Shield.

Some of its most memorable landmarks include the colorful town of Ballonlea, the Steampunk-like city of Motostoke, and the Wild Area, one of the most daring and inspired features in the generation. Most of its music is fairly unforgettable, although it does have arguably the best Gym battle theme ever. Most of its native Pokémon are fairly interesting, but unlike previous generations, it has a rather underwhelming collection of Legendary Pokémon and its lore leaves a lot to be desired, especially considering the rich history of its real-life inspiration. In the end, Galar is good but it could’ve been so much better.

6 Kalos

Generation VI is widely considered as the easiest, and thus gets somewhat of a bad reputation. There’s truth to that, but as a region, Kalos is one of the best designed. Based on France, Kalos is the most regal and delicate of all regions, by far. Shaped like a five-pointed star, Kalos has an abundance of castles and chateaus, and features the most complete Pokédex in the Pokémon world.

With popular landmarks like the cities of Lumiose, Anistar, and Laverre, Parfum Palace, and Santalune Forest, Kalos makes the most out of the 3DS’s graphics to create a truly gorgeous collection of places. Its soundtrack is uniform yet safe and perhaps plain, but consistent with the region and its themes. Kalos also features the first mention of a full-scale war in the Pokémon games, where the so-called “ultimate weapon” was created. The event, clearly based on the French Revolution, is a daring concept for a Pokémon game, even if not much is done with it. Team Flare is a completely disposable evil team, as is the region’s champion, Diantha.

5 Hoenn

From this point forward, all regions are in the top tier. Hoenn is the setting for the Generation III games, Pokémon Ruby, Sapphire & Emerald, as well as their remakes. Hoenn made use of climate in several clever ways, even incorporating it into the storyline. Based on the real-life island of Kyushu, Hoenn was created by Primal Groudon and Primal Kyogre.

The legends of the region are far more intricate and detailed than the two previous generations and it was the first time that the franchise really explored lore-heavy concepts. Its Legendary Pokémon rank among the franchise’s finest, even if its villainous team is severely underwhelming. Known colloquially as the land of the trumpets, Hoenn’s soundtrack is filled with standout pieces like Route 111, Fortree City, and the battle themes for Wally and Champion Steven Stone. Most of its cities and towns have two-word names, and the entire region has a very consistent tone and vibe.

4 Alola

Based on Hawaii, Alola is the second region to be inspired by the United States. Four natural islands and an artificial one make up Alola. Some of its most memorable landmarks include the modern Aether Paradise, the dilapidated Po Town, and the abandoned Thrifty Megamart.

It houses a very interesting collection of Pokémon, including regional variants and some of the most inspired Legendaries in the franchise. Its soundtrack is understandably tropical, which does make it seem slightly flat and unremarkable. When it comes to lore, Alola’s reach exceeded its grasp. Sun & Moon follow a painfully traditional story, but Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon stepped out of the franchise’s comfort zone, providing an engaging and complex story that immediately differentiated itself from the rest

3 Johto

A sister region for Kanto, Johto is the setting for the Generation II games, Pokémon Gold, Silver, & Crystal, and their remakes. Based on the Kansai region in Japan, Johto is a distinctively Japanese region, as seen by the constructions present in two of its most emblematic cities, Ecruteak and Violet.

Johto is arguably the most tonally consistent region of all. Each of its places and landmarks has the same vibe and essence, making the entire gaming experience seem like a real and continuous journey. Johto is also the closest thing the Pokémon franchise has to a real open-world game, thanks to how non-linear it is. Mythology and tradition play a large part in the region, and it is home to the mysterious Ruins of Alph, one of the Pokémon world’s biggest unresolved mysteries. Johto’s soundtrack is also excellent, with standouts like Ecruteak and Cianwood City, and its home to two of the coolest Ledendaries ever, Ho-Oh and Lugia.

2 Sinnoh

The region with the richest mythology and lore, Sinnoh is the setting of the fourth generation games, Pokémon Diamond, Pearl, & Platinum, as well as their upcoming remakes and the recently announced Pokémon Legends: Arceus. Sinnoh is based on the island of Hokkaido. It is divided in two by the towering Mt. Coronet and is, according to many myths and legends, the first region ever created.

Tonally, Sinnoh is ancient, peaceful, and even mystical. It’s home to the Creation Trio of Dialga, Palkia, and Giratina, and to the Pokémon God itself, Arceus. Thanks to memorable landmarks like the aforementioned Mt. Coronet, Eterna Forest, and the Underground, as well as cities like Canalave, Hearthome, Jubilife, and Sunyshore, Sinnoh is instantly memorable. Its soundtrack features some of the most anthemic tunes in the franchise, including Routes 2013, 209, 210, and 216, Mt. Coronet, the lake theme, as well as Canalave and Pastoria Cities, and the Pokémon League. Sinnoh is certainly one of the most complete regions in the entire franchise, and fans can’t wait to revisit it.

1 Unova

Generation V was a turning point for the Pokémon franchise and Unova remains undefeated when it comes to engaging and intricate lore. Featuring the largest collection of original Pokémon since the first 150, and with a plot so complex and dynamic it puts all others to shame, Unova reigns supreme when it comes to Pokémon regions.

The backstory about the two brothers who fought one another for truth and ideals is certainly very interesting. However, the modern-day storyline is just as engaging, featuring Team Plasma, Ghetsis, and N, arguably the franchise’s best rival. Unova is based on New York City and features a distinctively more diverse collection of characters and landmarks. Musically, its soundtrack is filled with impressive tracks, like Routes 8 and 10, Nimbasa, Castelia, and Opelucid Cities, N’s Castle, and the unforgettable Emotion theme. Overall, Unova represents all the best parts of what a Pokémon game can be, and it still stands as the franchise’s highest creative point.

About The Author

David Caballero
(798 Articles Published)

David is a twenty-eight-year-old Mexican writer and reader. Having studied Marketing in school, he spent three years working a nine-to-five desk job before deciding to pursue a writing career. He now works as a Senior Writer in ScreenRant and does some more freelancing job, talking about the entertainment business he so loves. Currently, he’s also writing his second novel while actively working to get his first one published.

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