Selecting the Best Starter Pokémon is frequently a difficult choice, and each Pokémon lover has a favorite. Pokémon fans have flocked to Reddit to debate which Pokémon games have the worst starters from which a player can choose.
Since the initial Pokémon games, Pokémon Red and Blue, trainers have had the option of selecting one of three Pokémon to be their faithful companions on their trip. While the original trio of Charmander, Squirtle, and Bulbasaur are the most recognizable starters, every Pokémon enthusiast has a favorite grouping to choose from, most likely from their first game. The best, strongest, and the most well-rounded trio is hotly disputed, but as a group of Reddit users discovered, the debate over which region has the worst starting is just as heated.
On the Pokémon subreddit, a player going by the pseudonym negroleo03 asked the Pokémon community a question: which location has the worst starting Pokémon? In the poll, negroleo03 nominates Unova, Kalos, Alola, and Galar as the four areas vying for the “honor” of having the worst starters. Negroleo03 specifies in the post that they believe Galar will win due to recency bias, as it was featured in the series’ most recent games, Pokémon Sword and Shield. Galar is currently the leader, ahead of the Unova region of Pokémon Black and White. Grookey, Scorbunny, and Sobble were the three Pokémon available to players in Pokémon Sword and Shield.
The four regions competing for the region with the poorest starting are from the four most recent games, which could be related to nostalgia. However, it could also be a reflection of the newer Pokémon games’ quality. The next installment, Pokémon Legends: Arceus, is highly anticipated for providing a completely new perspective on the Pokémon paradigm. Instead of battling to beat gyms and conquer the Pokémon League, players will be charged with creating the first-ever Pokédex. Players will travel through completely new territory, the ancient Hisuian region, encountering brand new versions of familiar Pokémon.
Even if the newest Pokémon games aren’t well-known for their starters, they should be praised for broadening the scope of the games and introducing new elements. For example, Pokémon Legends: Arceus was rumored to be the first open-world Pokémon game, but that idea was eventually refuted. Pokémon Legends: Arceus should have better starters than those found in the Galar area.
