I know it has been a while since I last posted. Four years ago I stopped writing for many reasons which I won’t go into because that is not why you are here. The most important thing is I have not stopped gaming. So what do I want to talk about today, the rise and fall of my most beloved of systems – the Nintendo DS/3DS
Since it has been so long let me explain my gaming history with Nintendo. Born in the 80’s I had the privilege to grow up in the Sega VS Nintendo age. This meant that during my childhood, my family chose a side and you may be surprised to know it wasn’t Nintendo but Sega we chose. In fact, my first Nintendo system did not come until around 1998. By then the Sega had come and gone and the Playstation 1 (PS1) had come around and the Sega was dropped off at goodwill. (I know…I know but we were young.) I never really bonded with these systems so to speak. I remember them fondly because of the time with my family, watching my dad and brother play them. I was never really great at side scrollers…something that has continued to this day as my pathetic attempt to play Vectorman can demonstrate (Poor Vectorman…we cannot even get past level 1). Then Pokémon came into being and I was gifted my first Nintendo system with Yellow. This moment in my history would turn out to be a significant moment for me. The Pokémon path would have me follow the handheld Nintendo systems.
So why would the DS/3DS be such an important system for me? Because it opened more doors to the gaming world for me. I would start to pick games I would have an interest in rather than was recommended for me. More Importantly, I spread out from my pokémon games to other titles and genres. My first DS was actually the lite, a little white one I got when I moved from home to college. I have had some version of a DS for a little over a decade now, from my DS Lite to a DSi to the 3ds to the New 3ds. I have loved most…except for the 3ds which has caused me to implement the rule…never get a system when it first launches. (Sacrifice a Gamecube and a PSP for the 3ds and still pay a significant amount of money for the new system and watch the price drop from 260 to 170 and see how happy you are about it.) This little moment in 2011 did cause me to step away from Nintendo…but, more importantly, it taught me a very important lesson….it doesn’t always pay off to be first to buy something brand new out of the gate. Something that I have applied to both cars and cell phones over the years.
The next question I am sure you are probably asking yourself is aren’t the DS and the 3ds two different systems. I would argue both yes and no. The 3ds is more than capable of playing all the DS games you want (including the downloaded DSi titles with a simple system transfer). Although admittedly trying to play a DS title on the newest 3DS model will cause a little glitch on the 3DS but it is doable with some patience. That being said, unlike previous handheld generations you can play and insert all DS games into the 3ds, However, games will not play on a DS, and I would argue not all 3DS games can play in a normal 3ds…in the last few years, there have been New 3DS exclusives. It’s the fact that all DS games can (but not easily) play in the New 3DS that makes me loop this whole system experience together.
When the DS initially launched it was arguably one of only two handheld systems out there (the Playstation portable being the other one). Back in 2004 however the handheld gaming market was mostly dominated by Nintendo…then something happened. While people were busily playing Mario party on their DS, the Apple iPhone came out and changed the course of gaming forever. Suddenly there was an app store and new games were coming out every day. Smartphones would change the way people played their games, and it began to reflect in the sales data. In almost every instance that you look at Nintendo’s eternal data, the DS and the 3DS outsold their console-based units, with the Wii selling 102 million units (rounded up) and the WiiU which only sold a measly 14 million units, leaving the home console only selling 115 million units as a whole. Compare these numbers to that of the DS and the 3DS, with the DS selling 154 million units and the 3DS (as of June 30th) selling 76 million units, a total of 229.89 million units. Outselling the home consoles by 115 million units. Making them arguably some of the best selling consoles out there. These numbers prove the growing shift in the market to the portable platform rather than the home console. I think Nintendo also saw these numbers and saw the consumer shift from at-home console purchase along with the growing cellphone gaming market and decided to build the Switch which is the Hybrid of the at home and on the go play, striking a nice balance appealing to the at-home players like some of my most lovable friends, to the on the go player who likes to sit in front of the tv and play some pokémon while rewatching some old Star Trek or take their car to the park and enjoy some outdoor time while fishing in Animal crossing (yes I know the irony here).
I purchased my first DS Lite in early 2006 when I first moved into the dorms. Unwilling to have a pink one…because yes I am a girl but I didn’t want it to be too girly I picked a pearl white one. When my DS lite fell off my nightstand in 2007 and its corner joints snapped off and went ripping across my dorm room…and the system still worked I knew I had to replace it…and I did with another white one… A system may be the binding of a book, but it’s the pages inside that tell the story. From page one to the epilogue it’s everything in between that makes up your gaming story.
My gaming story with the DS started with a few missteps as I tried to find my identity as a gamer, remember this is my first significant step outside of Pokemon and maybe a few games on the PS1, that were my choices. These games would define me…teach me, reach me, make me smile, laugh, and cry. Some of these games would sit with me like a good story and I would just have to sit there and think about them for a little while…before I was ready to move on to the next adventure. You know what? I think this will be easier if I do this as a list form….everyone likes lists right? Here is how I will break it down, since I arguably have or had played more DS titles then 3DS titles, I will have a top 10 DS titles followed by my top five 3DS titles. Now, these are my top favorites, games I have gone back and played over and over again….or whose stories have sat with me long past the time I played them. I acknowledge the fact that favorite games are a deeply personal thing and my list might not match up your list and that is ok…let me know your top favorites in the comments below. 🙂
DS titles Top 10.
10: Advance Wars Dual Strike: This little turned-based strategy series came to my attention with the GBA (Gameboy Advance). I really enjoyed the gameplay elements of this series…and often find myself longing for it. I did make a solid attempt at Days of Ruin which had a very solid and intriguing story…however I got stuck in one scenario and was never able to beat Days of Ruin. Why is it on the list…because it’s one of those titles that if a new one dropped tomorrow I would absolutely buy it…I may not be able to beat it but I would absolutely buy it. (Side note, there is a Switch title that is similar to Advance Wars called Wargrove…if you are like me and hankering for a little something like Advance Wars give it a try…and yes I got stuck in it as well.)
9: Glory of Heracles: This is a title that got my attention by its opening credits. I was at my local Gamestop when I heard the opening titles…and that just won me over. When I played the game, I found myself really enjoying the story…so much that I replayed it almost immediately upon completing it the first time. Now it’s been about a decade since I last played this RPG, but I still recommend it to anyone who will listen to me about it….and I still love the opening title (very much listening to it now :).
8: Digimon World DS/ Dawn & Dusk: Digimon is a series I have always enjoyed…but the Digimon worlds of the past have always left something to be desired. The Digimon games for the DS both world and Dusk & Dawn is where I felt the series finally hit its stride as a series. There was a story and adventure to go on, and it wasn’t just about fighting Digimon. Yes you could argue they were following Pokemon’s formula…but hey Pokémon’s formula works (sometimes a little too well). If you like Digimon I recommend this series…if you can find them. (If not I recommend Cyber Sleuth complete edition for the Switch which is another solid entry.)
7: Professor Layton: Unwound Future (Lost Future in the EU AND AU): Professor Layton is a series I have stepped away from in recent years…I wasn’t happy with going backwards in the timeline of the series. (I am not fond of this in any series…move forward not backwards people). The first three Layton games are wonderful but Unwound Future is my favorite of the Layton series. The only one to get me straight up bawling at the end of the game…the story was that good. I have never stopped thinking about this game…and sometimes I wish I didn’t step away from the series…but I guess if I returned…I would be going backwards.
6 Final Fantasy IV DS Remake: I didn’t start playing the Final Fantasy series until 7, and by the time IV had come out to the DS I had played 8 and 10. I tried 9 I really did but I had trouble with loading screens (which I later learned is the game just took its time and I was impatient..). Anyways because I had developed a fondness for Final Fantasy by the time 4’s remake came around it was a no brainer. I found like most Final Fantasys the story was fantastic. I can go on and on comparing 4 with its fellow Final Fantasy titles but that is another blog for another day…for now, this was a welcomed addition to my gaming Library. It like Glory of Heracles it also has a wonderful remastered opening sequence the introduces new and old players to this new world.
5 Puzzle Quest…the whole darn series: This combined two of my favorite elements…an RPG story..with the fun of gem-matching (think of bejeweled or candy crush with story elements.). When last year they announced that Puzzle Quest was coming to the Switch…I squealed..yes I actually squealed out loud I was so excited. I even play a version of it on my phone now (Marvel’s Puzzle Quest). While Galactrix played very differently then most of the Quest series it was still an enjoyable entry. The best part is it’s a game you can drop for a few years…and come back to and not be completely lost. Its replay value alone is why I love this series so much.
4 Pokémon Black and White: It is no secret I am a huge fan of Pokémon…It has been the driving force behind my system upgrades and the eventual exploration of different gaming titles. The DS was lucky to see two generations of Pokémon and a remake of Gold and Silver. While I adore the remake of Generation 2 of Pokémon…and think highly of Pearl and Diamond…It’s generation 5 Black and White I go back to most often. It was the first Pokémon series that had a storyline that treated me like an adult…and plus it’s the generation that has a lot of my favorite Pokémon in it…including my beloved Joltik. It had NPC’s who I enjoyed interacting with and was the last generation to be a core Pokémon that has some difficulty to it. One last point about this generation…it is the only generation to have the story continue with Black and White 2…all others have been a rehash of the story…so gen 5 rules!
3 Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney Trilogy. This series is the only one I have bought most often. I played the games first when they were sold individually..then again when they came out as a Trilogy set for the New 3DS…and will eventually break down and again buy it for the Switch…I just love the series. I think I have bought every title in the series at least once. It’s just a smart, quick-witted game. I love the detective elements and the courtroom elements and the Trilogy is just good. (Although I also recommend Apollo Justice as well…we will get to him in the 3ds section.) The rich characters and the stories…this is just a good series…and yes I think I will buy it again when it’s on sale :).
2 Tetris DS: Yes I know girls like Tetris…everyone likes Tetris. Yes, I have Tetris 99 on my Switch and there are a lot of elements in that game that it takes from the DS version…but the DS version will always be my favorite…just because of the hours and hours of fun I had with my friends with this game. That coupled with some Nintendo themed music like Mario and Zelda made me really love this game. It’s sad with the online play cut off now this game doesn’t get played as much as it use too…and like I said 99 is now around for the Switch…so I can get my Tetris fix when I need it…but it’s not the same as playing in your dorm room with your buddies.
1 Sid Meier’s Civilization Revolution: I had to give it to this game…the amount of times I have replayed this game and continue to play it is just amazing. The new one confuses and confounds me…but the DS version is just enjoyable. I cannot tell you how many lunch breaks I took playing this game. When my 3DS stopped working briefly and I went back to my DS games, this was the first one I picked back up. I will never ever sell this game. It is easy to pick up…you can win and lose just as easily depending on the moves you make. It’s just a fun game…and eventually, I will figure out the Switch version…or I will just keep playing the DS one.
3DS Favorites top five
5 Phoenix Wright Ace Attorney Dual Destinies: I like this game because of its combination of everything you have been through in the series so far. Both Apollo (who was a spin off character) and Phoenix’s story….In a way, it sort of feels like a goodbye the way it was written. While I hope this isn’t true…the way this series was written and played out…just feels like a love letter to the fans. Time will tell if there will be more…but for now, I will just have to be satisfied with this.
4: Radiant Historia: This was a game sort of like Glory of Heracles in my mind, under the radar at first, unlike Glory which got my attention with a song, Historia was recommended to me. Hadn’t heard of the game before, I looked at reviews to see that this game was a remake and it had such love around it…I had to try it. I fell in love with this game. It isn’t a simple straight forward RPG which I love…there are some back and forth, jumping between different timelines. It’s a game whose world is easy to get lost in and the end game villain is a pain in the butt to defeat…but because it’s just ever so different than the run of the mill RPGs I am used to this is what makes it a great entry to my list and a fun game to replay.
3: Pokémon X&Y: While not my favorite entry in the Pokémon franchise, this one holds its own. Though a victim of the gimmick it does have a pretty interesting side story…which I wish they fleshed out just a bit more. X & Y beat out Sun and Moon because of the friendship element. I spent a lot of time with my friend filling out the Pokédex to get a 100% completion. Plus the addition of Fairy helped make my buddy Bulbasaur really useful once more.
2 Professor Layton VS Phoenix Wright: This was the game I never knew I wanted until it was announced. It was everything I could have wished for and more, somehow combining two different styles of art and writing to create this masterpiece. I took one weekend, essentially locked myself in my room and played it through and it was glorious. If you are a fan of either series I highly recommend it.
1: Fire Emblem Awakening: This was another game that was recommended to me by a very dear friend. I had not played any games in the Fire Emblem series before, I had stayed away because I was afraid it would be a continuing story. I was assured Awakening wasn’t like that…an independent story…and an interesting one at that. Awakening drew me into the series and I have played a couple of different titles now, from Warriors to Fates…but it’s Awakening that will always hold a bit of a special place for me because it introduced me to this world. And no it is not lost on me that it is the same company that was behind Advance Wars…part of my top 10 from the original list is also behind the Fire Emblem series.
The DS and the 3DS have played such a significant role in my development as a player and as a person. Some stories have left deep thinking moments…others have helped me pass time through a difficult period of my life. These are the gaming systems of my adult life. In a life that throws constant curveballs, having a safe adventure to go on is important. Although I have the switch now, I don’t feel they are as durable as the DS’s were. Its clam-shaped design made it easy to stick in my purse and take it with me. I cannot say this of the Switch…and while it is hands down more powerful then my DS’s, It will never be as portable, as long-lasting or as diverse as the DS, the predecessor to so much. And while the last game for the 3DS has been produced…the legacy of this system will not be soon forgotten. The little Dual Screen system that stole my heart.
Thank you for reading…I am hoping to do more of these although not on a regular schedule at the moment. Please like and subscribe for more content….and if there is a past article you would like an update on or you have your own personal list of favorite games please feel free to comment below.
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Numbers for this article can be found: https://www.nintendo.co.jp/ir/en/finance/hard_soft/
Links in titles will lead to Amazon.
Aaa Spring is in the air, birds are in the air, bugs are buzzing and trees are (oh dear god) pollinating ugh. (I hate allergy season.) Anyways, speaking of getting in the mood of spring, it brings me to a brand new spotlight! I think given the blooming of flowers it’s only appropriate to cover Pokemon’s Grass starters.
Bulbasaur Family: one of the original three of Gen 1 and often times one of the most overlooked of the three starters, it doesn’t grow cannons on the back like Blastoise, nor does it turn into a “dragon” like Charizard. However it is one of the most consistent; balance is the name of the game when it comes to this starters. As I have mentioned before, it was Ash’s Bulbasaur I really fell in love with, along with the fact it helped stick up for weaker Pokemon and refused to change when others did. For me however its poison typing was a bit of a setback for the Pokemon, due to its weakness to the highly over-powered psychic type. The years however have been very kind to this Pokemon – with the introduction of fairy typing in gen 6 plus a new mega evolution this little one’s future is looking very bright.
Chikorita Family: I have a confession to make. While technically Bulbasaur was my first grass starter, since I chose Yellow as my first Pokemon game I didn’t really choose to play him (I collected him, not played him). So it wouldn’t be until Gen 2 that I would make my very first starter choice, and again influenced by the show I picked Chikorita which even I admit is one of the hardest starters to run in Gen 2. While I will admit right now I don’t believe I ever completed Gen 2 with Chikorita, I did run her for more than half of Johto. When you struggle so much in the early gyms, you grow fond of your starter. However despite all of this…I do admit Chikorita is one of the more forgettable starters. Like I said before, the gyms in this game actually work against this Pokemon. Bird, bug, normal, ghost, fighting, steel, ice and dragon….none of these gyms would this starter or its moveset have an advantage in. Sorry Chikorita…
Treecko Family: I honestly do not have too much experience with this particular family. Gen 3 was the generation I went with fire…but I will get to that maybe one day. This is not a bad family though, and the generation has more balanced gyms so there are opportunities to really shine. Like Chikorita, Treecko is a solid grass type, with solid grass moves. There just isn’t much that makes this starter stand out in my opinion. I had really stopped watching the show by this point so it is all personal experience and I am afraid I just don’t have it with Treecko. Hey at least he has a mega form.
Turtwig family: I have a special fondness for this family. I love turtles and this one was the very first that was a totally uninfluenced decision. Turtwig is the first dual type since Kanto, picking up the the ground typing in its final evolution Torterra. Having the ground typing can be both a blessing and a curse. The blessing is it makes getting through Gen 4 easy; I love multiple typing and Pokemon that can learn a variety of moves. However, it now becomes four times weak to ice types, making it not as successful in the competitive world. Still Turtwig is adorable and one of my favorite designs and I played him though not only Pearl but Platinum as well, bonding me pretty tightly to this little guy. I wait long for the day that Torterra can mega evolve!
Snivy Family: Poor Snivy, it’s not its fault that Gen 5 was the generation I drifted away from Nintendo and Pokemon. I did eventually return, and when I did Snivy was my choice. Snivy is another grass starter that I think is destined to be forgotten. Like Chikorita and Treecko it is another solid grass type. I always love Snivy’s final snake-like design; there are really not enough snake Pokemon in the game. The sad fact of the matter is that Snivy’s move pool is limited, and with pure typing there is just not much other than design going for it. I fear as we move further and further into Pokemon this family will grow to be forgotten like the other solid grass types.
Chespin family: Chespin is what happens to chipmunks when they eat too many acorns and they become one. That being said, I think poor Chespin like the rest of Gen 6 starters did not have the chance to shine in game. The reason I say this is before we even get to gym two we get to pick another starter, this time from Gen 1. On top of that, these Gen 1 starters have mega evolutions. Gen 6 starters were overshadowed in their own game, with so many old school Pokemon that I didn’t really give this one a chance. Also I want to note with Chespin that this is the fourth generation to include fighting as part of the dual typing.
Pidgey’s family: Pidgey is probably the most famous out of all the birds on the list, well known to fans of the anime and gamers alike. Pidgey is the only bird in this group of starter birds that not only gets two evolutions (pidgeotto at 18 and pidgot at 36) but it also gets a mega evolution. That is high praise in deed, from both fans and the pokemon company to give one of the first bird types that most players run into a mega. The train doesn’t stop there either for pidgey, no this birds fan base grew even more when earlier this year Twitch played pokemon. A whole lore built around the game and Pidgey became so much more to people. it became bird jesus…the protector of the helix. I tell you out of all the starter birds here…pidgey’s fame beats all of them.
Spearow: poor forgotten and neglected Spearow. This bird was released the same generation in the same areas as Pidgey, but this guy is often neglected and forgotten for one of two reasons. One likly reason, gen one is oozing with birds and it just gets worse after. two Pidgey has two evolutions Spearow just has the one fearow. dispite all this, fearow is a really decent flyer who learns one of my favorite flying moves drill peck. This is a ferce bird type that deserves just as much love as pidgey. Sadly though…i think pidgey got a better agent.
Hoothoot: I honestly don’t have much to say about this guy, all my playthoughs in gen 2 i rocked spearow all the way though. I really can’t think of single time i really played with this guy. i will say this though, i really like owls so i have always been a big fan of the design. Its kind of sad though that this is the only instance of owls in the game. I have used this bird to breed with snorlax though, Noctowl learns zen headbutt, one of my favorite psychic moves, breeding it with a snorlax (holding a full incense) you will get a little munchlax born that knows this move. It is a difficult process but to me makes this starter bird worth having around.
Wingull: Oh wingull so cute…so damn annoying. Its only when playing oras did i remeber how annoying this bird is, and how much fun it is to electrocute the crap out of it when i run into it. Most starting birds have it rough with electric, ice and rock out to get them, but add water to the mix, wingull can’t even look at an electric pokemon with out fainting. Do not even get me started on Pelipper, I just have never been a big fan of its evolution. Sure its nice the game gives you a water type, especially since the first gym you come across is a rock type, but no.
Taillow: this is another generation 3 starting bird and honestly the better of the two. Taillow has a little more durbility then wingull ever had, but i am afraid unlike wingull if it wasn’t for ruby and sapphire rerelease this might fall into to the forgotten bird catigory. like wingull and hoothoot this little one only has a single evolution. I honestly forgot this pokemon existed until i was trying to complete my dex in Y, that is really sad, because taillow was also featured in the anime as on of ash’s pokemon. the problem here i think is its move pool is very shallow and the first three gyms where starting birds can really shine. Hoenn is just not a good place for starter birds with shallow move pools and gyms that don’t really take advantage of thes starting critters, gen 3’s starter birds just get obscured. so while design wise taillow is one of my favorites, it never really makes into a party.
Starly: in gen 2 and gen 2 the starting bird types have ranged from not choosen because there were better and more familer options there, to competly useless and forgetable. When Pearl and diamond rolled around i think many pokemon fans were looking for a change in this trend, and what we got was starly. For me at least this little bird impressed the heck out of me, staying on my team though the elite four (five). This was the first starter bird in a long while that had pretty unexpected natually learned moves. I mean it learns close combat, then it has a pretty nice arrary of teachable moves as well. Plus this little guy is tough, i played though gen 4 twice, and both times i had a starly at my side. This one is one of the few starter birds you can take to the elite four and know they will be right there till the end. This is the only one on this list, i want to have a mega evolution to.
Pidove: this derpy thing, I can’t blame its design, honestly unova is more of a city scape, and supposdily designed around good old NYC. You can’t go a block in nyc without running into a pigion, so to have one in the game espeically in gen 5 must have been a no brainer to the designers or unova. My complaint with this isn’t pidoves design even though i really hate the male design, but thats ok i primarily go female anyways. My complaint with this guy, is more to the fact given how awesome starly was in gen 4 pidove is kind of a let down. no where near as strong as its predecessors i think pidove is doomed that as the years drag on to be forgotten like little taillow and hoothoot. Unlike hoenn though, unova has a few more bird types later game, so if you havn’t ditched by then you likely will by the end of game. its design is great its just if your a player like me who has been there for every generation, to see how stater birds can excel then the following generation we return to mediocrity. poor little pidove.
Fletchling: Well we have seen it all with starting birds, from gods, to forgetable and everything in between, but until gen 6 we hadn’t seen a starting bird quite like this one. Until fletchling all starting birds were normal flying with wingull being the only exception, now we have this one that as it evolves gains fire typing. None of these birds had been featured in a story. this all changed with the latest entry into the pokemon universe. the game starts off with as i would call it a smart ass little fletchling waking up out character, and when the game closes out we see probably the same smart ass fletchling flying away, talk about a good agent, (must be using pidgys). For a starting bird fletchling is probably the most useful bird on this list, not only does it gain a fire typing, it gets flame body, making talonflame the perfect pokemon mother(or father) to what ever pokemon you might be trying to hatch. Example pick up five eggs from the breeder, fly to Luminous city to bike around in a circle, until the five hatch, (hatching faster due to flame body) then taking flying to the next city to check on your new babies potential, just to start the process over again.
Scizor: Somehow this guy always finds his way on my teams. its no secret that i like bugs i always have ever since i was a little kid, so finding a praying mantis pokemon like Scyther was a real score. In generation 2 it evolved into Scizor and with that often found a place on my team. Its a tough bug and has proven itself at my side over and over again. I know it will always be there an now with a new mega evolution i know it will continue to have my back.
Greninja: When X and Y initially came out i was on team Chespin being someone who almost always picks grass starters it seemed only natural for me to continue down this path. To say i was disappointed in little Chespin is an understatement. fortunately for me i decided to play both versions of the game, and the second go around i got to know froakie. Boy did this froggie ever make an impression on me. i named my first one Kitt after a bullfrog i had had in my youth. I have since gone on to breed a competitive one that knows the annoying to go up against but super fun when its on your side ability protean. It being a frog doesn’t hurt its case either, for me this is the stand out starter of and X-Y and you better believe when i play smash its also one of my go to characters.
Chandelure: To say i am not a big user of ghost (or fighting) types is an understatment. It in most cases is because i never really take the time to get to know them the case with most fighters there is never a design i really like. For me I have always thought myself as someone who likes to go against the crowd as well so i tend to for this reason stay away from popular and over used pokemon such as gengar. i am not really sure what it was about litwig that i really liked. For some reason it apealed to me and to be honest i wasn’t really that disappointed. In most generations Fire types are often few and far between so when you find one you stick with it, and when you find a good one you are rewarded. I have used this guy a couple of times now both in game and casual compitition and i have yet to be disappointed. A lot of generation 5 pokemon are overlooked for no good reason and Chandelure is very much a hidden gem.
Espeon and Umbreon: I always seem to cheat a bit when it comes to these two. I like most eeveelutions but for me these two are hands down my favorite. When it comes to battling however it is almost always my espeon that is by my side, back in the day it was one of the best Psychic pokemon out there, and even today a lot of other blogs and players still use this guy in competitions. I use it because it really is still to this day one of my favorite psychic pokemon, and it doesn’t hurt it reminds me of a cat. So if I use Espeon all the time, why does it share the number seven spot with Umbreon. For me Umbreon is more of an emotional attachment. Some of you know and can see in my icon a black cat, that’s my buddy blizzard, and for some reason when i see Umbreon i think of him. I can’t help it, and blue i have always loved its design even its shiny as rare as that is to find. So for me i cannot separate these two, you can’t have light with out darkness, nor darkness without light after all.
Inkay: Inkay is different then the others i have featured on this list so far. Its not really on here because of its battling skills or its ever so weird type combination, no its on here because i am completely and utterly in love with its design. I am a huge fan of squids and octopus’s so when i met Inkay in the wilds of X I fell head over heals in love with this thing. While i am not as impressed with its evolution malamar, the way it evolves is kind of fun for me too. No Inkay is one of the few pokemon who earn a spot on this list because I just think its adorable.
Torchic: remember that hiccup I just mentioned, yeah Torchic is that hiccup. How could i resist such a cute little pokemon, i mean really. Torchic would mark the first and pretty much only occasion i would wonder away from the grass starter (for the first round of play) line. This little guy has never disappointed me, with a great move pool and lets be honest so few fires to pick from in gen 3 this was my best option and never one i was disappointed in. In every game i have had this guy in, it has come though for me, sure we have lost a few times to friends but i always had a good time. Lets be honest here Blaziken Torchic final evolution just keeps getting better as the years pass, and with ORAS around the corner i look forward to kicking ass and taking names once again with my little orange chicklet by my side.
Crobat: Crobat didn’t even make the list last time, because honestly i forgot it, years away from the game i had forgotten my history with this little bat. it wasn’t until X-Y did i get a reminder of why i like this creature so much. Since i mentioned it recently in another post i will try to keep it brief. Crobat has speed, and some power behind it. more importantly its a bat, and as you guys have gotten by now i was a weird little girl who like creatures most girls did not, and one of those things were bats. So of course Zubat once again falls into the catagory of weird creatures i should like but i do so there. Crobat has earned its time in the sun and a place on my list, with a promise to never forget it again.
Lapras: this one should come as a surprise to no one who has read my blogs before, i just love this pokemon. Lapras has been at my side since the beginning and in almost every single generation i have depended on her to get me though the end of the game and the elite four. Lapras only drops to number 2 on my list because the years have not been kind to my old friend. while in game she always helps me, in the world of competitive she just has to many flaws to ignore. I am just starting to break into this world, and i would love to have my old friend at my side, but to use her would be a mistake, so i am forced to sideline her with the hopes that one day maybe with a mega Lapras will rise again.
Joltik: Yup that’s right this adorable tiny bug pokemon has unseated lapras from the number one spot. How the heck did that happen you might be wondering. after all me and lapras have had a decade with one another and this little upstart just showed up about four years ago. Well here is how it happened, as it probably quite clear to you all by now i love bugs and other weird little things, So when i met joltik about a year ago i fell instantly heads over heels in love with this thing. However unlike the ultra cute inkay, Joltik quickly set about proving its worth in my team. Its Evolution galvantula is touch and its excellent in the world of competitive. no one knows what to make of this little eletric tick, and the fact i think the generation five is so unpopular makes this little guys a bit of a surprise when the meet it. Joltik just fits all my needs for eletric, bug, grass and what ever else i need in one adorable package. In the short time i have known this little bug it has proven itself over and over in game and in the competitive field. That is why joltik has earned a number one spot on my list.
Durant: This isn’t a bad Pokèmon, its on the list mainly because i am absolutely terrified of ants. When i was a little girl visiting my great aunt and uncle in texas. Me and my brother were playing with an ant hill, that ant hill turned out out to be fire ants. To this day i remember its pain they inflected. Since then i have been scared of ants, and Durant is an ant, so its on the list.
Pidove Family: This isn’t necessarily a bad bird, its just a huge let down after the predecessor Starly. Starly’s family in generation IV was just so good for a starting bird, and as it grew it got better. This guy in comparison is just not all that good.
Patrat: Another victim of two many better pokèmon out there. This one also freaks me out a bit. Those Eyes..i am just not a fan of it. At least Rattata was cute, and sort of stayed cute when it evolved. those crazy eyes….i just can’t deal with them.
Sigilyph: Ok this one just pissed me off. I battled it many times, and it always gave me a hard time. There in every generation that one Pokèmon that is over used by npc, that piss the crap out of you. For me its Sigilyph.
Tornadus, Thundurus, Landorus: I wouldn’t mind these three if they were not so difficult to get them. In a single black game you can only get two out of the three. In black 2 i could catch them using Dream radar, they were a pain to catch there, but at least they got me moving i guess. Still i am not a fan of these three.
The Pan family: I really don’t like the monkey pokèmon, and these three are annoying. I just don’t like these guys, and there evolutions don’t help. I really don’t like these guys.
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Golurk: This huge golem of a pokèmon, showed up for me in black and White, but i never played him until Y. He is very impresive for a ghost pokèmon. he actually scared me a bit when i first met him due to his huge side, but Golurk can be a gentle giant who can put a sever smack down on your opponents. I was very pleased to have him on my side on Y.
Haxorus: This seems to be a running theme for these first three. pokèmon whose power i would have never known if it wasn’t for Y. while i wrote up my reviews for X i also played Y shortly after i finished X. In Y Haxorus and Golurk became strong members to my final team, Neither one disappointed me, when i needed them the most. Something she reminded again recently when i did an online battle with a friend, and with half my team down she came though and protected me again.
Stoutland: Pokèmon is just full of normal type pokèmon, In every generation you get a couple of them, most are decent to useless with very few stand outs. This is a stand out of the normal family. This is just a power house, and if breed correctly you can have an elemental powerhouse that can leave your opponent crying. On top of it, this one really doesn’t have an awkward middle phase which makes this guy even better.
Joltik: By now i am sure you guys think i am crazy, I am terrified of ants but don’t have a single issue with spiders. I think by now you guys know i love this family and i have one currently on my Y cartage that i am working with. While its not the strongest of the bugs, its one of the cutest and one of my favorites to come out of this generation.
Hydreigon: I have said it before and i will say it again, you don’t spend 64 levels with anything and not grow a little attached to it. I first met Hydreigon fighting the final boss in Black Ghetsis, That sucker was tough and had a counter for half my team. This is a powerful Pokèmon, but a high level evolve. I knowing i was bouncing to black 2 quickly bred and sent over a baby Deino over to my black 2 game. Smart move on my part and it became a powerful ally, and honestly out of everyone on this list, he needs a mega.
Glaceon: This one almost got bumped from a list, but a friend argued with me and won. Glaceon is another eeveelition, its defiantly one of the prettier ones. Now we are getting into the more interesting way to evolve an Eevee, you have to be around a cold stone to get your new frozen friend. This is not one of my top eevee’s for one reason only, its sibling vaporeon can do most of what glaceon does. It is a beautiful pokèmon no doubt about it.
Mamoswine Family: This Ice ground type started off life in pokèmon with just two evolutions, then they added mamoswine, this ice tank is a pretty solid critter. While he isn’t as much fun to ride on on x as rhyhorn still a solid pokèmon and with a move pool to back it up this is a good one to have on your side.
Avalugg: Avalugg and Bergmite are new to the world of pokèmon. He impressed me while i was working on raising Bergmite up. he proved to have a solid defense and could take a blast from a flame thrower and stand for one more round, not many pure ice times can say that. He looks a little strange at first with his flat back, but you know by now you think strange would be nothing new in my world.
Walrein Family: speaking tanks, Walrein at first glance when introduced in Gen III reminded me of another water ice Seel from generation one Seel and dougong, and i promptly named it seel once i caught it. However it turned out to be much more impressive then Dougong ever was. This one has solid stats and the defense to back it up its a solid family who would make any trainer lucky to have it on their side.
Aurorus: Making her second appearance on the 
Onix: this Rock snake first came to my attention with the anime, first time i encountered in battle against Brock. Its been years since then but i still remember how powerful he became. like many early rock types this one shares the type with ground which is a nice mixing. Onix is an old early fav, and would not deny his spot on this list…(really i wasn’t going to put him on this list, but he insisted)
Tyrantrum: Most Anicent pokèmon are rock types, as a result there are a lot of really good ancients as a result, i picked two to be on this list. There was a lot of excitment when tyrunt was announced finally a ancient that was a t-rex, on top of that it got dragon attached to it. I must admit i was very impressed by this guy it has a nice move pool and yes having a t-rex on you team is king of cool…but it was not my favorite of the two that came out.
gigalith: I became friends Roggenrola, early in the Pokèmon Black game, he was at my side though the elite four. Thanks to a friend i was able to swap my boldore all the way up to Gigalith. For me if a pokèmon earns its place on my team it gets to go though the elite four with me. This one helped me though two gyms and countless battles, holding steady for me allowing one more move in sometimes a rough situation. He earned his place in my team and my heart.
Tyranitar: This guy has been on my lists before on the top 6 
Geodude Family: around since the first generation this family some how always finds its way into my team. However it really wasn’t until Gold and silver, did it really shine for me. I have been over this story, before. with my frist game silver the pick of my starter Chikorita the grass pokèmon. However this would prove to be a bad choice, however there was a little notch on the beginning route, i found my little geodude, a female named dudette. Dudette rolled over the flying gym, the bug gym and the normal gym. Surprisingly it even hanged tough in the fighting and steel gym. It has over the years continued to prove itself. i got mad at x-y for putting onix in so early in the game and only showing me graveler towards the end of the game because i am such a fan of these little guys. Geodude, Graveler and Golum have earned there place as number one on this list.
Munchlax: This preevolution to one of my favorite tanks Snorlax. this Cute little guy will eat your out of house and home but will also be a nice tank for you when it grows up as well.
Happiny: i have always felt that the Chansey Family was a little under appreciated in the past, but with each new gen, 2 and now 4 it gained a new evolution and i feel a new way to appreciate this special wall.
Gallade: Talk about under appreciated, Its counter evolution Garnivor got a mega, this guy did not, where is the love for him. While i have personally never used this guy, he is on the list to take a test run with me soon, i hope he is as impressive as he looks.
Yanmega: I have gone one and on about my love for dragonflys and this pokèmon so i won’t say anything more.
Mantyke: another One whose parent I adore and just blasted its way to level 100 and though Y. Cute and useful.
Togekiss: Togepi was on tv a lot in the beginning, and like many players we were a little upset on just how plain useless it turned out to be. Then in Gen IV the gave us Togekiss, a very very useful pokèmon to have on your team, with an impressive move pool and the stats to back it up this is one appoligy note i will gladly accept.
Finneon There is nothing really wrong with this guy really there isn’t. It is on the list for the simple reason that i forgot it existed. that doesn’t bode well when i forget about something.
Gastrodon: This water Ground snail, usually i like snails but i never warmed up to these two, sorry guys.
Burmy: Why just why do i need this, why does it need five different forms.
Pachirisu: Another useless cute electric type. Look Game Freak i understand why your doing it, but just stop your not helping your cause.
Chatot: There seems to be in every generation this useless novelty Pokèmon. The ds has a mic on it, this guy tried to take advantage of it. It didn’t really work out for it, and this one ended up in the box.
Mespite Uxie, Azelf: Have i mentioned how much i hate chasing Pokèmon around, Especially three that were not very useful. I actually named these three Pain, in the, Ass once i caught them.
Regigigas: Ok after last game i thought i was done with the regi family, but nooooo Game Freak had to add one more to my torture, and not only that you need the other three to even get him. Really Game! do you have any idea how much of a pain the first three was to get. Trust me there dad wasn’t much easier. Stupid Regis.
Garchomp: I didn’t grow to appreciate this creature until recently but this is one bad ass little dragon shark.
Lucario: another one that because of X and Y i grew to appreciate and love. It has proved itself as a valuable partner and like Garchomp i am sad that it took me that long to know what a great pokèmon it truly is.
Turtwig Family: Out of all the starters in this gen and trust me the water and fire are good too, but this was my favorite family. I wonder if he will see a mega?
Giratina: Hands down my favorite legendary of this generation, it stands head and shoulder above the legends of this generation. Two forms and raw power he became a fast favorite of mine of this generation. Devil or not he is a strong ally for your team.
Luxray: Finally a Good Electric Pokèmon, not only that this guy is tough, if taught well it can have ice, fire and thunder fang plus Crunch. Not only that its a cat, and a good cat shaped pokèmon, about time! i love this family and if you haven’t used it i highly recommend you do. But Alas this is not my favorite one, its close, so who took number on for me.
Bronzong: I love my little Bronzor. When i first met Bronzor, it reminded me of a tambourine, so i named it Tember at the time. With the ability of levitate it removed the problem that previous favorite Metagross had, had with ground types. While it eventually grows into a fairly large bell but it still continues to impress. I recently got a Bronzor though a wonder trade, i think i actually got up and did a happy dance, it was just days after i got Beldem. i look forward to raising it up to be my new ultimate team.
Scolipede family: Honestly i have never really used this family myself, however i have seen this family in battle and fought against them. There is no denying that this is a strong pokèmon, and it has peaked my curiosity as well. I love its designed and i very much hope that one day i get the honor of really test driving it.
Volcarona: This high level evolver turned out to be quite the interesting team mate when i sent it from black to black2. Turned out to quite powerful, and its a rare thing in the bug world of pokèmon for it to take so long to evolve. I found though that this guy turned out to be a nice ally to balance my team, i did however find it dying a lot as its first form larvesta, but like most things time and Patience is needed for this bug, but if you wait you will get a nice little mothy ally for you team.
Pinsir: Poor Pinsir as gotten very little respect over the years, When Gen I came out there were two bugs you could get that could be power houses for you team Scyther and pinsir. Scyther would grow over the years to get a new evolution and grow to be a powerful little bug…but pinsir was left behind. Then Gen 6 rolled around and so did Mega evolution. Both these guys got a mega form, however in my personal opinion i like Pinsir’s better. It really unleashes this guys inner bad ass. Maybe now he will get the respect he deserves.
Joltik. Ok Confession time in real life i hate ticks, they are all over the place here and there creepy and disgusting however this little tick is just to damn cute. I did not see a tick when i first met this thing in Chargestone cave. I thought actually it was a spider when i first met it…guess i am not as much of a bug expert as i thought. All i thought when i saw this guy was awww how cute. I just love how cute this guy is and it did make its way to my team, while not the strongest it maybe the cutest of the bugs. this little guy can nip on me any day.
Scizor: Scyther and I have been buddies from the beginning, when playing pokèmon with my brother he was always picked Pinsir I always picked Scyther. I honestly thought he was the best bug back then….then gen II game around and it got better. Scizor is just an awesome bug to have on your team, he is quite skilled in helping you catch other members of your team (best false swipe user in the game) and with his steel type he can take a real hit. i must admit though i am not quite sold on his mega form yet, but Scizor has been a constant on my team for a very long time, and the years have been kind to my favorite bug. Scizor i think shall always be my favorite bug.
Sharpedo: Sharpedo had to share the number three spot on 
Malamar: Pokèmon has always been know to have known to make weird combos, Inkay is defiantly up thier with weird combos and weird evolutions. This Psychic/dark type is just a weird but a powerful little guy, i named mine bloop when i spotted it because it reminded me of the Bloober from Mario. Lets get this straight Dark was created to balance out the uber powerful Psychic types, Dark became weak to fighting, and psychic is strong against it. However both suck against bugs. This guy also learns some flying moves like peck making it a pretty decent critter. Besides evolving upside down this weird combo slide easily into my top 6.
Houndoom Family: I think when most people think Dark Pokèmon this is the first guy that comes to mind. Houndoom is one of the original dark types that was introduced in gen II. He was known for his speed making him a great strike fighter. This guy hasn’t changed much, but did get a mega Evolution. Not the look people were hoping for but still anything to make this guy just a little more fierce is cool by me. Honestly it has never frighten me it had a great coloration, not the best defense in the world still i was happy to see it again.
Gamerwoman 