Pokemon is one of the most successful game franchises in history. The original games are nearly 30 years old and we’ve seen dozens of them released over the years. Initially, The Pokemon Company didn’t take mobile too seriously. Now, there are over half a dozen Pokemon games for Android. Plus, with emulators, you can actually play very nearly all of them from the comfort of your own phone. Here are the best Pokemon games for Android.
The best Pokemon games for Android
Magikarp Jump
Price: Free with in-app purchases
Magikarp Jump is one of the newest Pokémon games on the list. It’s a simple little casual game. Your job is to train Magikarp. The goal is to make him flop higher than your opponent’s Magikarp. It may seem a little silly because it definitely is. You’ll have to feed it, train it, and put it through competitions to make it stronger. It features cameos from other Pokémon along with some customizations. Like Camp Pokémon, it’s definitely made for casual gamers.
Pokémon Go hit the world like a ton of bricks. It is without a doubt the most popular Pokémon game on mobile. There aren’t a lot of people who don’t know how this game works. You walk around in the real world, catch Pokémon, level them up, and then use them to battle gyms. The real world element also motivates you to leave the couch and go meet new people. There are various things to make the game more engaging like in-game events. The fad has died down a lot. However, that just made more room for the real Pokémon Go fans. Updates continue to add new content, new game modes, new Pokemon, and new activities for trainers.
Pokemon Home isn’t technically a game. However, it is an add-on for other Pokemon games. It serves a bank and you can send your Pokemon there to transfer them between other games. Thus, if you have a Pokemon in Alpha Sapphire that you want in Sword or Shield, this is the app that lets you do it. Additionally, it has a Pokedex to keep track of your overall progress along with the ability to send Mystery Gifts and even trade with other players. It runs $15.99 per year, but it’s a small price to play for hardcore players. Do beware, though, because the app does still need some more features and tools than it currently has.
Pokemon Masters
Price: Free to play
Pokemon Masters is one of the newer options on mobile, comparatively speaking. You team up with other trainers for three vs three battles with all of your Pokemon at once. It’s by DeNA, the developers of Final Fantasy Record Keeper so the developers have some knowledge about doing free-to-play games from large franchises. The game features trainers from most of the Pokemon games as well as a PvP and co-op multiplayer mode. It’s brand new so there are still some growing pains, but it should be fairly popular. We also have a bunch of tutorials linked up at the end of the article if you want more info.
Joe Hindy / Android Authority
Pokémon Playhouse is a kids game for Pokemon fans. The game includes a large playhouse with tons and tons of Pokémon. Children interact with the house, the Pokémon, and other in-game elements. The game has super simple controls, lots of colors and noise, and other elements that kids might like. It’s intended for younger kids from ages three to five. Thus, don’t expect anything complicated out of this Pokémon game. Camp Pokémon is another excellent Pokemon title for slightly older kids. Pokémon Playhouse is also free with no in-app purchases or advertisements.
Pokemon Quest
Price: Free to play
Pokémon Quest is another newer Pokémon game from 2018. It’s also one of the few cross-platform Pokémon games. You can play on mobile or on Nintendo Switch. The Pokémon world is in cubes, but your goal remains mostly the same. You catch Pokémon, train them, and battle them. There is also a campground where players customize the space and make it their own. This is a full game unlike something such as Camp Pokémon or Pokémon Playhouse. Thus, we only recommend it for older kids and adults. There are a few bugs in the game play, but nothing overly serious. Admittedly, it’s not quite as fun as a main series Pokémon game.
Pokémon Shuffle Mobile was one of the first Pokémon games on mobile. It is essentially a classic match-three-style game with some added combat mechanics. You have to match up a bunch of shapes in order to attack your foe. You get larger attacks if you match more than three shapes at once. It otherwise acts like any other Pokémon game. It’s a casual game. Thus, it’s not difficult to play and you’ll be grinding for new stuff often (or paying for it). That doesn’t make it bad or anything, just more friendly to a casual audience. It is not as deep as some other Pokémon games on this list.
Pokémon TCG Online is a mobile, freemium version of the popular trading card game. Players collect various Pokémon cards, build decks, and challenge other players. It works a lot like games such as Hearthstone or Clash Royale, but with Pokémon mechanics. It has online PvP, AI opponents for non-PvP play, various customization elements, and a lot more. It’s a freemium game like we said earlier. That means there is a pay-to-win element with this one. Otherwise, it’s quite a bit of fun. It competes favorably with Pokémon Duel as a slightly more serious, but still very casual Pokémon game.
Nintendo DS Pokemon games
Price: Free / Varies
There were a few Pokémon games on the Nintendo DS. They include Pokémon Diamond and Pearl, Platinum, HeartGold and SoulSilver, Black and White, and Black 2 and White 2. Many of those games are older, but still very fun and very traditional titles. We don’t recommend piracy, so please try to buy these games before attempting to emulate them on your Android devices. That said, DraStic is likely your best option for a functional Nintendo DS emulator. You can check out our full list of Nintendo DS emulators by clicking the button above. This is an excellent way to get some classic Pokémon games on your phone or tablet.
Even older Pokemon Games
Price: Free / Varies
There are a bunch of Pokémon games for older game systems as well. Game Boy and Game Boy color saw the classic Pokémon Red, Blue, and Yellow along with Gold, Silver, and Crystal (Game Boy Color only). Game Boy Advance had Pokémon Ruby, Sapphire, FireRed, LeafGreen, and Emerald. Again, we do not condone piracy so do try to buy these games before emulating them on your phone or tablet. That said, we have a list of the best Game Boy emulators (including Color and Advance) at the button above. Check those out and find the one that works best for you. Between these, the DS ones, and the mobile games, you’re actually only missing a handful of Pokémon games on Switch and Nintendo 3DS. You otherwise have access to all of them.
If we missed any great Pokemon games for Android, tell us about them in the comments below. You can also click here to see our latest Android app and game lists.
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