#All Pokemon Starters by Era

Table of Contents
It doesn’t matter how previous you might be or at what level you hopped on the Pokémon hype practice; there’s one factor that every one gamers have in widespread — the joyful expertise of choosing their first starter.
Whether or not you started your Pokémon journey again within the 90s with Pink, Blue, or Yellow, otherwise you’re both youthful or had been late to the social gathering and started your journey later with Solar or Moon, there’s a starter for each participant. In case you’re devoted to a sure kind of Pokémon, the selection is straightforward, however should you’re pulled in additional by look, then the choice will get slightly extra sophisticated.
Regardless, your starter is more likely to be by your aspect each step of the best way, so the choice is unquestionably a weighty one. Catching all of them is one factor, however your greatest buddy will help you thru evolutions and also you’re inevitably going to finish up fairly connected to them, it’s a tricky alternative.
All Pokémon starters by Era
There are a complete of 9 generations of Pokémon. In case you’re previous like me, you’ll bear in mind a time when there have been a complete of 151 Pokémon, however these days seem to be a distinct age now. Nowadays, there are 1,025 Pokémon in complete, and my aged mind can’t even start to recollect all of them. My four-year-old shamefully has me beat on that entrance.
However I can bear in mind all the starters from every technology. Starter Pokémon are at all times one in all three sorts (Grass, Fireplace, or Water), and find yourself being the face of every new period, the celebs of trailers, and beloved by their trainers.
Era 1 (1996 – 1998)
Starters: Bulbasaur (Grass), Charmander (Fireplace), Squirtle (Water)

Again within the 90s, Pokémon stole the hearts of kids, and it hasn’t ever stopped. The primary-ever starters are nonetheless beloved to this present day, and even in later video games, you’ll discover that gamers of a sure age will at all times attempt to have them as a part of their Pokémon social gathering far outdoors the bounds of the Kanto area. Even nearly 30 years later (ouch), these three nonetheless act because the face of Pokémon and are immediately recognizable to any participant.
This iconic trio had been the starters for the next unique video games:
- Pokémon Pink
- Pokémon Blue
Don’t fear, I haven’t forgotten about Pokémon Yellow, however we’re going to circle again to that one.
Era 2 (1999 – 2000)
Starters: Chikorita (Grass), Cyndaquil (Fireplace), Totodile (Water)
With the Kanto area and its 151 specimens of Pokémon thrusting the collection into worldwide acclaim, Recreation Freak surged forward and added the Johto area with a further 100 Pokémon to seek out, seize, and practice, together with these cute three starters. In case you’d already pinpointed a favourite kind within the earlier video games, then this alternative was easy, however the cute designs and badass evolutions positively sophisticated issues considerably.
Chikorita, Cyndaquil, and Totodile had been obtainable as starters in these video games:
- Pokémon Gold
- Pokémon Silver
- Pokémon Crystal
Era 3 (2002 – 2006)
Starters: Treecko (Grass), Torchic (Fireplace), Mudkip (Water)

With the addition of Hoenn, Orre, and Sevii Islands, one other 135 Pokémon had been added to the Pokédex, bringing the whole variety of Pokémon to 386. If I’m completely sincere, that is the place I began to lose observe of who was who and the place I used to be supposed to seek out them, however I do have fond recollections of the three starters from this technology.
Beforehand at all times favoring Fireplace sorts, that is the place I moved over to Water sorts due to Mudkip’s adorably derpy design, though Torchic’s eventual badass rooster evolution was positively tempting. And we will’t overlook about Treecko, who finally evolves into Sceptile, doling out large injury should you’re up in opposition to a Water, Rock, or Floor kind Pokémon in battle.
Anyway, listed below are the video games that provide the alternative between these three starters:
- Pokémon Ruby
- Pokémon Sapphire
- Pokémon Emerald
Era 4 (2007 – 2010)
Starters: Turtwig (Grass), Chimchar (Fireplace), Piplup (Water)

Era 4 added the Sinnoh area to the world of Pokémon, and all of its further 107 Pokémon, making the general complete variety of Pokémon a barely daunting 493. There are a lot of fan-favorite Pokémon from this period, together with Lucario, and two further Eeveelutions in Glaceon and Leafeon.
Nevertheless, whereas there are lots of memorable Pokémon from technology 4, the starters are thought-about by some to be the place issues started to go unsuitable, though I disagree with this deeply, however we’ll get there in good time. Turtwig and Chimchar are completely cute, every turning into their very own badass evolutions, however have you ever seen Piplup? It was the primary Pokémon that I used to be nearly tempted to forestall evolving purely due to how totally cute it’s. Virtually.
This very cute trio was obtainable as starter Pokémon within the following video games:
- Pokémon Diamond
- Pokémon Pearl
- Pokémon Platinum
Era 5 (2010 – 2012)
Starters: Snivy (Grass), Tepig (Fireplace), Oshawott (Water)

Era 5 introduced gamers to the brand new area of Unova and added 156 new Pokémon, the biggest addition for the reason that unique video games, bringing the whole as much as 649.
Okay, look, I do know some folks assume that that is the place Recreation Freak started to lose their method. The designs of the starter Pokémon for technology 5 weren’t fairly their greatest concepts, however I don’t assume it’s honest to low cost them utterly. Oshawott would possibly appear to be a creepy little clown-cross-otter, however I believe that’s a part of its attraction, and whereas Snivy is responsible of a relentless side-eye and Tepig appears overly completely satisfied, they’re all undeniably cute in their very own methods.
In case you assume even the weirdos deserve love too, you possibly can decide between these three within the following video games:
- Pokémon Black
- Pokémon White
- Pokémon Black 2
- Pokémon White 2
Era 6 (2013 – 2015)
Starters: Chespin (Grass), Fennekin (Fireplace), Froakie (Water)

Era 6 took gamers to the area of Kalos, with its European aesthetic, and added in the newest new Eeveelution, Sylveon. It was amongst 72 new additions, bringing the whole variety of Pokémon as much as 721.
I’ll admit it, technology 6 was a bizarre time for me. I deserted my now long-running dedication to Water kind starters as a consequence of Froakie’s weird fluffy frog look (I imply, think about a fluffy frog and inform me that you just don’t get barely perturbed by the concept, I dare you), and somewhat than switching again to Fireplace sorts, I shifted solely to Grass.
Chespin stole the present when it comes to the cutest technology 6 starters, however all of them had their strengths, and you could find them within the following video games:
Era 7 (2016 – 2018)
Starters: Rowlett (Grass), Litten (Fireplace), Popplio (Water)

Gamers had been welcomed to the Hawaii-inspired space of Alola in technology 6, which added a complete new 88 Pokémon to the ever-expanding Pokédex, bringing the whole as much as 809.
Era 7 noticed an enormous variety of folks making the swap (or switching again, in my case) to a Fireplace kind starter, all due to the cute little kitty cat Litten. With most starters, Rowlett and Popplio included, their cute unique kind is considerably misplaced as they evolve, however Litten someway manages to stay cute even because it transforms into its last badass Incineroar kind.
Rowlett, Litten, and Popplio take middle stage within the following titles:
- Pokémon Solar
- Pokémon Moon
Era 8
Starters: Grookey (Grass), Scorbunny (Fireplace), Sobble (Water)
Touring to the areas of Galar and Hisui, technology 8 added 96 new Pokémon, dragging that complete quantity as much as 905. We’re nearing the 1,000 Pokémon mark at this level, and a good distance from the very memorizable unique 151.
The starters from this technology are positively an odd combine, with slightly inexperienced monkey, an excessively sporty rabbit, and a tadpole that appears prefer it obtained caught in its transition to frog and adopted a everlasting “shocked Pikachu face” consequently. Nevertheless, you possibly can’t deny that every one of them are cute, and though their evolutions would possibly depart one thing to be desired, their unique varieties are positively memorable.
If you wish to select between them, you possibly can within the following video games:
- Pokémon Sword
- Pokémon Protect
Era 9 (2022 – Current)
Starters: Sprigatito (Grass), Fuecoco (Fireplace), Quaxly (Water)
We’ve lastly caught as much as the current period of Pokémon, and technology 9 has taken us to Paldea and Kitakami. With these new areas, the whole variety of Pokémon within the Pokédex rises to that eye-watering variety of 1,025, forcing many people to overlook that some even exist, however the starters stay in our recollections perpetually.
It’s apparent why Sprigatito rapidly turned the fan-favorite starter in Era 9. I imply, the little grass cat is totally cute, however the different two are just a bit odd-looking, though no much less charming in their very own methods. Fuecoco is perpetually completely satisfied and appears like it could be completely satisfied to set hearth to something to maintain its coach completely satisfied, and Quaxly is simply totally fabulous with an enviable hair construction.
These three are your alternative when enjoying the next titles:
- Pokémon Scarlet
- Pokémon Violet
Was Pikachu ever a starter Pokémon?

In case you can bear in mind a time if you had been handed Pikachu as your starter Pokémon and felt like I used to be making an attempt to gaslight you with this record, I promise you that’s not the case. When the unique two video games (Blue and Pink) had been launched in 1996, the trio listed at the beginning of this record had been the essential starter decisions.
Nevertheless, the success of the sport offered the baseboard for the now beloved and long-running TV animation collection, and that then became a possibility for Recreation Freak to capitalize on the love for Pikachu by releasing a 3rd technology 1 title in 1998 — Pokémon Yellow.
Quite than having a alternative, Pokémon Yellow thrusts Pikachu at you as your starter Pokémon, very like Ash’s personal Pikachu was thrust upon him within the collection. You might nonetheless get your arms on Bulbasaur, Charmander, and Squirtle as you progressed via the sport, however Pikachu positively took middle stage and Yellow has grow to be a favourite sport for a lot of of that technology’s gamers.
Sadly, Pikachu has solely ever been a starter once more as soon as, in Pokémon Let’s Go Pikachu, with the trusted Grass, Fireplace, and Water alternative remaining steadfast via each different sport.