Choosing a Starter Pokémon

Picture this: you’ve been waiting and waiting for what seems like forever to get your hands on the newest Pokémon video game for your Nintendo Switch. It’s felt like an eternity since you first heard the announcement about the newest game’s upcoming release, and today the wait feels all worth it, as it’s finally the first day that it goes on sale! 

You go to your favorite video game shop nearby, you tell them your name and that you’ve had the title reserved, and the staff member hurriedly gets you your very own copy that’s been waiting for you and places it in your hands. This is exactly the moment that you have long been waiting for! So, you make your way home, and as you pass by familiar sights and think about what kind of snacks would be good to enjoy with your new game, it suddenly hits you! There’s a very important choice that you must soon make, and it will affect how you go about gameplay, how quickly you progress through the game’s world, and whether your battles with Pokémon go smoothly or become dragged out and strenuous.

What could this gnawing question entail? And why is it seemingly so important? As a gamer on the way to become a Pokémon master, it’s the most pivotal choice that you will have to make as you set about your journey. The golden, all-important question is this: ‘Which starter Pokémon should I choose?’

And indeed! Exactly which starter Pokémon should you be choosing? It surely is a difficult question to answer, and there is plenty to consider before coming to a conclusion and making your selection final. However, it is also great fun to go through a list of all the pros and cons and compare the strengths and weaknesses of each possible starter character that could end up being your main sidekick.

You don’t need to go far for the best kawaii Pokémon goods! YumeTwins sends them straight from Japan to your door each month!

The starter Pokémon is your go-to partner as you battle and trek your way through the Pokémon world and meet new friends within the game. As a gamer, you’ll need to choose a Pokémon who suits your own personality and gaming style well. Surely, it may be best to avoid selecting a Poké-partner who is difficult to tame or who is too aggressive for your style, and instead choosing one who is mostly skilled at technique and fast surprise attacks. But also on the other hand though, if you are ready to power through the game and not willing to play second fiddle to anyone, then a Pokémon who has higher strengths, stronger attacks, and a skilled agility when it moves around on the battlefield is the kind of battle partner that you should seek. 

At the very beginning of the Pokémon series within the first game (and also at the start of the anime series), players are informed that there are three possible starter Pokémon that could be chosen to go along with you on your travels. These three are extremely well-loved and dear to many players’ hearts. They are none other than the Poké-trio comprised of: Bulbasaur, Charmander, and Squirtle!

It is nothing but natural and expected that these three cute and lovable Pokémon would be close to the hearts of so many gamers around the world. The world first got to know about the Pokémon world through these three starters, and each one of them is very cute in their own way, yet they can all evolve into a stronger and bigger version of their great selves once it is finally the time to evolve into the next form in the evolution cycle. The bond between an aspiring Pokémon master and their starter Pokémon is unbreakable and there will be nothing but loyalty between the pair.

That being said, it is absolutely the furthest thing from a secret that the main human character throughout the Pokémon series itself, Ash Ketchum, had a far from usual experience when it came to selecting his starter Pokémon. Ash is the odd one out, and instead of having the chance to traverse the world with Bulbasaur, Charmander, or Squirtle, Ash instead is very lucky to be given the opportunity to explore the world of Pokémon with cute electric mouse-looking Pikachu! 

What do you think? Would you rather go ahead with a member of the original trio? Or are you one hundred percent team Pikachu? There’s no right or wrong with this question, as either option opens up fun possibilities and unique chances throughout your journey through the video games.

In recent years, however, another super lovable and kawaii trio of starter Pokémon has come to the fore and made a name for itself. This group of three is none other than Grookey, Scorbunny, and Sobble from the Pokémon Sword and Shield video games! What do you think? Which is your favorite one out of this neo trio? It’s really hard to choose, as they’re all great battle partners with unique strengths and power as you progress through the game.  

Are you the type of gamer who would prefer to just choose any random Pokémon at all that you wish to be your starter partner? Or are you totally okay with having to choose one of the prescribed starters? We think that no matter what Pokémon you end up selecting as your starter, you will surely grow as a team and have the best journey together as you work your way through battles of strength and ability that will test your skills (not to mention constantly having to dodge Team Rocket’s random appearances!) as you get closer to your ultimate goal of becoming a Pokémon master!

With that, here are some key facts for some of the most popular starter Pokémon out there!

Bulbasaur

Type: Grass, Poison
Abilities: Overgrow, Chlorophyll
Japanese Name: Fushigidane

Charmander

Type: Fire
Abilities: Blaze, Solar Power
Japanese Name: Hitokage

Squirtle

Type: Water
Abilities: Torrent, Rain Dish
Japanese Name: Zenigame

Grookey

Type: Grass
Abilities: Overgrow, Grassy Surge
Japanese Name: Sarunori

Scorbunny

Type: Fire
Abilities: Blaze, Libero
Japanese Name: Hibanii

Sobble

Type: Water
Abilities: Torrent, Sniper
Japanese Name: Messon

We hope we've helped you out with your decision as to which starter Pokémon you'd like to choose when you start your next Pokémon video game! And if you're already on your journey battling to becoming a Pokémon master, we hope we've brought back fond memories of the early days when you first had to make your decision about who would be your first Pokémon friend!

Who do you think is the best or most battle-ready starter Pokémon, and which starter Pokémon do you think has the most potential as they evolve to help you win the most battles? Do you wish that any character in the Pokémon world could be a starter? Which Pokémon have you chosen as your own starter before? Let us know in the comment section below!