With such a rich heritage, I spent quite some time coming up a list of the best Pocket Monsters. These selections are not just the best in the game series. It takes into account the anime and complete Pokémon lore, which is built on more than 15 years of history and has spawned millions of fans across the globe. Of all the 649 unique creatures fans have to collect, this is the top 50 Pokémon of all time.

#50: Cubone

We start off the list with a Pokémon that makes it just because of its back story. Every Cubone wears the skull of its deceased mother, and even though they’re small, they have an unbreakable sprit.

#49: Jigglypuff

Jigglypuff has gained popularity through the anime and has been a main stay in Smash Bros. since the first game. With an unforgettable sing attack that only a Pokémon with Soundproof can seem to escape, this balloon Pokémon charms its way onto the list.

#48: Crobat

The first competitive battler on the list, Crobat is one of the fastest Pokémon in the game. The fully evolved Zubat will not sweep any teams, but is a reliable choice when you need poison and speed.

#47: Heracross

This blue beetle derives its name from Hercules for good reason. It hits very hard and has a decent defense stat, and while its speed holds it back, a well-trained Heracross won’t go down without leaving a couple of bruises.

#46: Politoad

Politoad is a decent water Pokémon at best and has a cool design. What makes it truly shine is its hidden Drizzle ability, which summons an endless rainstorm, making it hard to deal with on water teams. Outside of that it’s just a jolly toad.

#45: Weavile

Outside of a cool design, Weavile is an excellent Pokémon to have on any team. One with Ice Shard can revenge kill against most dragons. Despite this Pokémon’s hostility, they are comfortable with any trainer after being caught.

#44: Ludicolo

Ludicolo is the carefree Pokémon. Life is good when you have a pineapple on your head, but don’t let this Ludicolo fool you; it can tank with the best of them.

#43: Samurott

The fully evolved water starter from Unova might have a better design than Blastoise…might. This samurai otter has dual shell blades and enough power to make it a useful water Pokémon.

#42: Blissey

Support, tank, and annoyer, Blissey can do it all simultaneously. It won’t bring teams crumbling to their knees, but it will stop sweepers cold.

#41: Porygon-Z

This man-made Pokémon spends its time in cyberspace, and unlike its first two versions, it randomly exhibits emotions and feelings that cannot be explained.

#40: Empoleon

As far as the game is concerned, Empoleon is the best water starter. With excellent typing and a diverse move pool it can easily hold its own.

#39: Gardevoir

The embrace Pokémon is elegant and so noble that they will happily give up their life to protect their trainers.

#38: Spiritomb

A Pokémon that came to being when 108 malevolent spirits were bound to an old keystone. With no weakness and over 500 years of evil, Spiritomb is a dangerous creature.

#37: Slaking

This Pokémon has terrifying stats and power. The only thing holding it back is its laziness, which causes it to only attack every other turn.

#36: Blaziken

This fighting fire rooster was the first in the ongoing string of Fire/Fighting starters. It can leap over tall buildings and its hidden ability makes it a dangerous sweeper.

#35: Rayquaza

The first legendary Pokémon on the list is the dragon that lives in the ozone layer and protects the planet from foreign threats as well as keeping Kyogre and Groundon in check.

#34: Hydreigon

Based off a Hydra, this brutal Pokémon is a tough battler. It won’t 6-0 any teams, but it will definitely leave a team hurting before being taken out.

#33: Sceptile

Despite their huge size, the tree gecko is an extremely fast Pokémon. This grass Pokémon is excellent and can take on many different roles like sub-seeder or special sweeper.

#32: Gengar

Rumor has it that Gengar was born from Clefable’s shadow and came to life to cause mischief. Whether that is true or not, Gengar is a strong battler with a massive move pool.

#31: Ninetales

Touching one of its nine tales will curse you, and the abilities flash fire and drought make Ninetales one of the best fire Pokémon in the game.

#30: Lugia

The ruler of the legendary birds, Lugia is so strong that it lives deep within the ocean to keep itself from causing storms and other destruction.

#29: Lapras

Outside of being a ferry for people and Pokémon, Lapras is very capable. Learning electric and dragon type attacks, Lapras can also communicate with humans telepathically.

#28: Lucario

Lucario was one of the most popular Pokémon from the fourth generation, earning a spot in brawl. Even in the battling arena it is a popular choice, having the skills to be a special or physical sweeper.

#27: Gyarados

This Pokémon isn’t as powerful as it used to be, but entire coastal towns and teams have been destroyed by a rampaging Gyarados.

#26: Dialga

The temporal Pokémon has the power to control all aspects of time and looks good doing it. Its signature move Roar of Time and typing make it a fierce legendary.

#25: Pikachu

We are now in the top 25, and what better place to start than the 25th Pokémon in the Pokédex? Pikachu has become the mascot for the series and even though there are far better options when it comes to battling, none will ever have the popularity of this red-cheeked rodent.

#24: Shedinja

When it comes to unique and unusual Pokémon, Shedinja is right at the top. A Pokémon that can’t be caught and just appears in your party, the undead exoskeleton of a Ninjask is left behind after evolution. It is said if you peer into the hole on its back, you lose your soul.

#23: Dragonite

The original dragon type Pokémon is still a treat in the competitive arena as it was back in the day. These powerful creatures are as kind as they are strong.

#22: Vaporeon

The water “Eeveelution” is one of the best bulky water Pokémon in the game. With the hydration ability in the rain combined with rest, your opponents will have a very serious and wet problem on their hands.

#21 Serperior

Confidence is one attribute this Pokémon will never lack. With a superiority complex, superb sub-seed tactics, and an over-powered special ability, Serperior is hard to beat in the realm of grass Pokémon.

#20: Ho-Oh

This rainbow phoenix has the power to resurrect the dead and is the Guardian of the skies. Since the very first episode of the anime, this Pokémon was beautiful and mysterious, landing it at the number 20 spot.

#19: Kingdra

This sea horse is no pushover. True to its dragon nature, Kingdra is a fierce battler. Thanks to its typing, it has no major weaknesses.

#18: Golurk

The Automaton Pokémon was the world’s first man-made Pokémon. Golurk was constructed from clay by an ancient civilization and imbued with a mysterious energy that gives it life. This gentle giant also has the ability to fly like a rocket.

#17: Espeon

Espeon has always been a good psychic Pokémon, but magic bounce makes Espeon a great psychic Pokémon. With calm mind and baton pass tactics this peaceful Pokémon can be quite fierce.

#16: Mienshao

Hit fast and hard is Mienshao’s game. One of the more original Pokémon in the fifth generation, there are very few pocket monsters that can withstand a high jump kick form this martial arts master.

#15: Arceus

Arceus is basically God in the Pokémon universe or God’s Pokémon – either way, stat-wise it is the most powerful Pokémon in creation. It has the ability to be any type and was born before the universe even existed.

#14: Haxorus

This Pokémon looks fierce, but it loves to dance. Dragon dance two or three times and nothing can stand in this beast’s way in terms of raw power. You either finish it off early or get destroyed.

#13: Kyurem

Meeting this Pokémon is a bad omen. It eats people and Pokémon after if freezes them to death. It became so infamous that an entire town had a wall built around it and its inhabitants. To this day, the townsfolk still don’t leave their houses after dark due to decades of folk tales.

#12: Milotic

Considered one of the world’s most beautiful Pokémon, Milotic has been depicted in several works of art. Evolving from one of the most difficult Pokémon to find, Milotic is a jewel to be praised for is rarity, beauty, and battle abilities.

#11: Charizard

From Pokémon cards, anime, and the game series, Charizard’s popularity is a triple threat. Despite having a wide array of weaknesses, this Pokémon still manages to hold its own in the competitive arena.

We are now in the last phase of the list. From this point on, every Pokémon will get a full description of why it deserves to stand among the greatest Pocket Monsters of all time.

#10: Mewtwo

Mewtwo was the ultimate challenge. After the Elite Four, every trainer had one thing on their mind: making it to the end of Cerulean Cave for the ultimate confrontation. Not only did Mewtwo have no equal in the originals, it was a tormented by being a clone of Mew and not being recognized as its own being – it’s just a lonely copy of something great. This Pokémon’s power is only surpassed by its wisdom.

“I see now the circumstances of one’s birth are irrelevant; it is what you do with the gift of life that determines who you are” – Mewtwo

#9: Volcarona

This bug Pokémon is a threat to any team and should be dealt with ASAP. Volcarona is known as the sun Pokémon, and has six wings that scatter embers as it flies. It has a very slow development, but good things come to those who wait. Quiver dance makes Volcarona a special tank, sweeper, and speedster. Its signature move, Fiery Dance, deals good damage with a 50-percent chance of raising its attack. With an unusual typing and exquisite design, there is a reason it was worshiped in ancient times.

08: Snorlax

Snorlax is a familiar face even to those who aren’t familiar with Pokémon, and is the perfect analogy to a real tank: he’s slow, heavy, and hits incredibly hard. Unlike most tanks in the game, Snorlax is just as good at dealing damage as he is at taking it. Only a rookie would see its horrible speed as a weakness. This sleepy Pokémon has been lovable since day one and has only gotten better over the years.

07: Eevee

They say variety is the spice of life and Eevee is living proof of that. This charismatic Pokémon has seven evolutions all with their own beneficial uses. No matter your battle style or Poképreference, there is an “eeveelution” that fits your style. Almost every serious trainer has put many hours into this urban Pokémon, raising it to be a valued member of their team.

06: Tyranitar

Several game-changing things came from the second generation; Tyranitar is one of them. Sand stream is a great ability, weather control is an important key to a victory, and once you take care of Tyranitar’s average speed, it can do some real damage. Outside of the game, Tyraniters are great parents and will destroy mountains to keep them safe. They will never back down from a fight and even with all their destructive power; they show kindness to those who deserve it.

05: Zoroark

The Illusion Fox Pokémon was one of the premier monsters of the fifth generation. The reason Zoroark deserves so much respect is not only due to its great battle skill and cool design, but its ability to disguise itself as the last Pokémon in your party. The strategy potential can give you victory if your opponent has no idea what’s lying in wait. Outside of battle they can cast illusions over a wide area, concealing their nest from the outside world.

04: Metagross

When four Beldum fuse together, Metagross is born, the ultimate combo of brains and brawn. It has the intelligence to compete with Alakazam and the power to devastate almost anything. It uses its psychic power to float around and massive body to crush its prey and then devour them. Metagross is so strong in cannot be intimidated by its enemies.

03: Kanto Starters

Charmander, Squirtle, or Bulbasaur was one of the most important decisions to ever be made in Pokémon history. The original starters can never be forgotten because they opened the door to a whole new world. The world’s very first trainers had to decide who they were going to embark on a journey with; only you can decide who the rightful third spot goes to.

02: Garchomp

Garchomp is THE dragon Pokémon; excluding legendary's, this Pokémon’s power is the cream of the crop. He looks awesome, his stats are marvelous, and he has versatility. This land shark can fly at speeds equal to that of a jet plane and its wings are as sharp as blades. This is a Pokémon you should always be ready for and a reason every member of your team should know an Ice type move.

01: Mew

We have had Pokémon that can control time, destroy mountains, use remarkable psychic abilities, and form the universe, but none of them compare to the great ancestor of all living Pokémon: Mew. The original greatest mystery still lives; no one knows where or how Mew came to be, just that it contains the DNA of every living species on the planet. Arceus may be all-powerful, but it’s nowhere near as mystical as Mew. This Pokémon can learn every TM in the game and has the ability to transform into any Pokémon at any time. Known to be extremely playful and childlike, only one with a pure heart will ever have a chance to see this wonderful Pokémon.