Ever since Pokémon Go took over the world, those weird, cute, sometimes creepy pocket monsters have become more popular than ever. Everyone has their favorites, whether its the beloved Pikachu, the dashing Ponyta, or that elusive Gyarados that they've been chasing since day one. But which of the original Pokémon is the best --- and which leave a lot to be desired?

We asked a panel of pokéxperts to rate and review all 151 of the first generation Pokémon and create the definitive list, from worst to best! We look forward to your furious repudiations.

  • loading...

    151. Rattata: Pity poor Rattata. What was once a generic, low-level rat has become one of the most hated Pokémon on the planet by weight of sheer numbers and "ugh, you again?" disappointment. [Chris Sims]

  • loading...

    150. Mr. Mime: Probably the single creepiest Pokémon. Not a dude you'd want to find at your window one dark night. [Alex Spencer]

  • loading...

    149. Raticate: Just a big rodent. It's not even part dragon or anything. [Elle Collins]

  • loading...

    148. Jynx: She looks like she's up for a night drinking Skinny Girl and watching Channing Tatum movies, and I respect that. [Andrew Wheeler]

  • loading...

    147. Kakuna: Don’t just sit there, become a Beedrill already. [James Leask]

  • loading...

    146. Exeggcute: Succeeds at exactly one half of its name. Yup. Those are eggs. They're definitely not cute. [AS]

  • loading...

    145. Dodrio: An abomination that is an affront to our lord Arceus. [Kieran Shiach]

  • loading...

    144. Doduo: Come on, really? I don't have time for this goofy two-headed bird. [EC]

  • loading...

    143. Exeggutor: Three eggs clinging to a palm tree dinosaur. Well, they seem happy. [AW]

  • loading...

    142. Weedle: Squish it, squish it, squish it. [AW]

  • loading...

    141. Spearow: A Pidgey someone didn’t launder correctly. [JL]

  • loading...

    140. Drowzee: Yawn. [AW]

  • loading...

    139. Pidgey: They’re everywhere! [KS]

  • loading...

    138. Tauros: It’s just a bull. Sure, with three tails. Awesome. Great design work. [KS]

  • loading...

    137. Fearow: All that work to evolve your Spearow and this is what you got? Whoops. [JL]

  • loading...

    136. Metapod: Useless. [AS]

  • loading...

    135. Hypno: Creepy, but I’d rather have it on my side than mad at me. [KS]

  • loading...

    134. Electrode: How dare you not be a pokéball? [JL]

  • loading...

    133. Caterpie: Have you heard the Caterpie/Venomoth theory? Give it a Google and watch those handlebar eyebrows. [AS]

  • loading...

    132. Pidgeotto: Derided for a hairstyle that is either Trump-esque combover or hipster undercut, but I think Pidgeotto pulls it off. [AW]

  • loading...

    131. Magneton: How do they work? [AW]

  • loading...

    130. Weepinbell: Unnerving. I do not want this. My Pokédex is incomplete. I hope you’re happy, Niantic. [JL]

  • loading...

  • loading...

    128. Staryu: Throw this one back into the tidal pool. [JL]

  • loading...

    127. Victreebel: A little better than Weepinbell. That's the nicest thing we can say for it. [JL]

  • loading...

    126. Ekans: So very clearly just a snake that its name is just snake backwards. Zero effort. [AW]

  • loading...

    125. Krabby: I have a soft spot for Krabby's face. He always looks like he's freaking out, and I relate to that. [EC]

  • loading...

    124. Seaking: Seaking looks exactly as traumatized as it should, considering it looks like Seaking and used to look like a fabulous, beautiful Goldeen [KS]

  • loading...

    123. Starmie: I like how weird Starmie is, but it's hard to root for a Pokémon without a face. [AS]

  • loading...

    122. Pidgeot: Pidgeot has been done dirty by this list, and I am no longer speaking to my colleagues. A treasure of a Pokémon. [KS]

  • loading...

    121. Kingler: Krabby, but less goofy. [EC]

  • loading...

    120. Zubat: If Zubats were rarer, everyone would love them. Creepy eyeless poison bat creatures? Awesome. [EC]

  • loading...

    119. Electabuzz: Some sort of electric tiger, which is maybe also the name of the caffeinated alcoholic beverage it looks like it's been knocking back. [AW]

  • loading...

    118. Bellsprout: Nowhere near the best flower Pokémon, and that's not even a real category of Pokémon. [JL]

  • loading...

    117. Dewgong: This is just a sea lion. I can go see one of those at the zoo! [KS]

  • loading...

    116. Shellder: Great when nomming down on a Slowpoke's tail. Otherwise, pretty dull. [AS]

  • loading...

    115. Nidorino: Like a Barney the Dinosaur that evolved to survive predators. [AW]

  • loading...

    114. Nidoran (male): According to the Pokédex, Nidoran senses danger with his ears. That’s... that’s literally just called hearing. [CS]

  • loading...

    113. Nidoqueen: Doesn’t get the recognition she deserves compared to her male counterpart, which shows the Pokémon world isn’t too different from our own [KS]

  • loading...

    112. Lickitung: Aw, a new pink frien— oh no, oh no, why does it have that tongue?! [JL]

  • loading...

    111. Golem: Golem is a solid case against evolution, because it is worse than Graveler in every way. [KS]

  • loading...

    110. Paras: The embodiment of the Pokémon formula; take this one creature, add this other... semi-related thing… profit? [AS]

  • loading...

    109. Kabuto: A Pokémon resurrected from a fossil is pretty neat! Oh, but it's a trilobite, the most boring of the fossils. Never mind. [JL]

  • loading...

    108. Muk: Industrial waste Pokémon always feel like an all-too-plausible result of humanity screwing with nature. [AS]

  • loading...

    107. Kabutops: Not the most handsome fella, but underrated in the badass stakes [KS]

  • loading...

    106. Butterfree: I once dressed as Caterpie/Metapod/Butterfree for Hallowe'en, emerging from my sleeping-bag cocoon as Crazy Town's "Butterfly" started playing. [AS]

  • loading...

    105. Pinsir: Looks like a Power Rangers villain, which is always good. [KS]

  • loading...

    104. Goldeen: An angelfish with a unicorn horn? Sure, whatever, get in the truck. [EC]

  • loading...

    103. Mankey: A scrappy little fella that just needs a hug.

  • loading...

    102. Nidorina: Pokémon designs are, at best, a balance of cute and tough. Nidorina sits right on that threshold, pouting.

  • loading...

    101. Nidoran (female): A true pioneer, the first Pokémon by number to have a gender. In a punk rock move, she subverts traditional color schemes and... shoots deadly poison barbs at her enemies. [CS]

  • loading...

    100. Weezing: Despite the prominent poison skull logo, Weezing lacks the charm of Koffing. I guess in this case (puts on sunglasses) two heads aren't better than one. Yeeeeaaaaaa—[CS]

  • loading...

    99. Tangela: What's with Tangela's shoes? Are they part of its body, or are Tangelas just natural cobblers? [AS]

  • loading...

    98. Primeape: A giant furry ball of fury. Don’t ever look it in the eyes. [KS]

  • loading...

    97. Voltorb: Great, not only are we enslaving cute little animals, but now the balls look like they're mad at us. [AW]

  • loading...

    96. Golduck: If Venusaur is the awkward teenage years of Bulbasaur, Golduck is Psyduck turning 14 and shopping at Hot Topic. [CS]

  • loading...

    95. Grimer: Grimer is a puddle of poisonous goo. But like, a cute puddle of poisonous goo. [EC]

  • loading...

    94. Omastar: Literally the most terrifying mouth in the entire franchise. [CS]

  • loading...

    93. Abra: The starting seed of the best, most organic chain of evolutions in the original games. [AS]

  • loading...

    92. Nidoking: An utter tank of a Pokémon that shows why poison types aren’t to be messed with. [KS]

  • loading...

    91. Magmar: Just your typical duckbilled dinosaur made of fiery lava. That singularly Pokémon mix of goofy and intimidating. [EC]

  • loading...

    90. Tentacool: A jellyfish with mind control powers? You're right, that is tenta-cool. [EC]

  • loading...

    89. Tentacruel: The idea that "cool" evolves into "cruel" is some real Elvis Costello thinking, Pokémon franchise. [CS]

  • loading...

    88. Onix: It’s surprising that Onix isn’t a bigger deal, because he’s one of the toughest and scariest looking Pokémon. [KS]

  • loading...

    87. Kadabra: Bonus points for being the cause of an unlikely '90s lawsuit between Nintendo and noted spoon-bender Uri Geller. [AS]

  • loading...

    86. Magnemite: Why does it have screws? Did someone put those in? [JL]

  • loading...

    85. Diglett: Probably the laziest design in the original 151 — "stick some eyes on this brown thumb" — but charming nonetheless. [AS]

  • loading...

    84. Venomoth: Venomoth has the eyes of muppet, and that's enough to win me over. [EC]

  • loading...

    83. Arbok: Of all the Team Rocket Pokémon, the giant purple snake with a face on its flared head is the one that lends itself to the worst jokes, somehow beating even Lickitung. [CS]

  • loading...

    82. Omanyte: Not only adorable, but very probably delicious with some garlic butter. [AW]

  • loading...

    81. Beedrill: Finally, a Pokémon that looks like an animal that ruins your picnic! It’s not even a bee! It's a wasp! [JL]

  • loading...

    80. Rhydon: The only thing scarier than an angry rhino is an angry bipedal rhino [KS]

  • loading...

    79. Golbat: Have you met my bat with a giant gaping mouth big enough to swallow your whole head? Did you know it's also poisonous? [EC]

  • loading...

    78. Persian: The Pokémon of choice for a crime boss who constantly fails to murder a ten year-old. [CS]

  • loading...

    77. Graveler: Graveler is one bad dude, and the final point right before Geodude's evolutions go off a cliff. [AS]

  • loading...

    76. Wigglytuff: It is both of those things! [JL]

  • loading...

    75. Vileplume: A tiny, adorable goth flower. [JL]

  • loading...

    74. Parasect: Parasect is scarier than any ghost type. It's a crab that's been totally overtaken by a parasitic fungus. Look at its blank eyes! So creepy. [EC]

  • loading...

    73. Dugtrio: A lot of people like to bag on later generations where Pokémon are just, like, lamps, or trash bags, but never forget that Gen 1 had one that was literally just three Pokémon hanging out.

  • loading...

    72. Venonat: Inexplicably becomes a moth, despite being the adorable Tribble of the Pokémon world. (Science fact: Tribbles don't turn into moths.) [AW]

  • loading...

    71. Horsea: It's like if a seahorse and Q*bert had a baby. [EC]

  • loading...

    70. Alakazam: Alakazam isn’t just one of the most powerful psychic types, he has the best moustache out of all the original 151. [KS]

  • loading...

    69. Hitmonchan: Shoulder pads, boxing gloves, and head nubs. Not sure I see the resemblance to Jackie Chan, but a good look. [AS]

  • loading...

    68. Moltres: The third and least of the Legendary Birds, Moltres feels like a Pokémon that happened because it had to, rather than because there was a good idea to it. Why else would they make another legendary fire bird in the very next game? [CS]

  • loading...

    67. Cloyster: Not only does this Pokémon have some serious armor going on, but it has a spiky horn inside the armor, like a secret shiv. Don't mess with Cloyster. [AW]

  • loading...

    66. Rhyhorn: You can ride one of these big boys, for goodness’ sake! [JL]

  • loading...

    65. Venusaur: If you don't want this dinosaur with a tree growing out of its back to be your friend, I don't know what to tell you. [EC]

  • loading...

    64. Sandslash: The Wolverine of the Pokémon Universe. [AS]

  • loading...

    63. Seadra: This snooty seahorse is best known for a cameo appearance in the opening of The Little Mermaid. That was the same one, right? [AW]

  • loading...

    62. Raichu: The only Pokémon that will always be overshadowed by its less-powerful pre-evolved form, because who even wants one when we've been hearing for 20 years that Pikachu is the best? [CS]

  • loading...

    61. Ivysaur: The Awkward Teen phase of the Bulbatrio. Awkward teen flower dinosaurs must be cherished at all costs. [CS]

  • loading...

    60. Hitmonlee: Most fighting Pokémon are just boxers in monster suits. Not Hitmonlee, the weaponised Slinky designed only for kicking. [AS]

  • loading...

    59. Sandshrew: The pangolin is one of the coolest animals; it made sense to make a Pokémon based on it. [JL]

  • loading...

    58. Gloom: Gloom's eyes are perpetually closed, and it's drooling. Pretty sure this poison type is getting high on its own supply. [EC]

  • loading...

    57. Charmeleon: All three starter Pokémon have an awkward teen stage in their middle evolution, but Charmeleon's is the gawkiest. [AS]

  • loading...

    56. Chansey: Why on earth would you want any other egg-based Pokémon when this one's there? [JL]

  • loading...

    55. Porygon: The Pokémon too dangerous to show on television. And like Mewtwo, a Pokémon created by humans. Where’s the game about that sinister conspiracy to play God? (Or "Arceus," I guess.) [CS]

  • loading...

    54. Poliwag: A tadpole Pokémon that they only thought to evolve into a toad in generation two. So initially they just... wanted... a tadpole? [AW]

  • loading...

    53. Poliwrath: Not the best Poli- Pokémon, but you don’t want to mess with those fists of fury. [KS]

  • loading...

    52. Geodude: Geodude doesn’t let the fact it has no legs or torso get it down, it floats there — somehow — and gives its all in every fight. [KS]

  • loading...

    51. Machop: Machop gets buff by bench-pressing Graveler. It’s a Pokémon that works out by lifting another Pokémon. That’s some Crossfit stuff, y’all. [CS]

  • loading...

    50. Growlithe: OMG! So cute! Let's adopt a puppy! Hi, I'm Sarah McLachlan. Call the number on your screen. [AW]

  • loading...

    49. Wartortle: A tortle for whom there is only war. Only war. [AW]

  • loading...

    48. Marowak: Marowak overcame its tragic origin to become a fighter and hero. In many ways, it is the most superhero Pokémon there is. [KS]

  • loading...

    47. Kangaskhan: It's a dinosaur who's also a kangaroo, and it comes with a bonus smaller version of itself in its pouch. That's a lot of pokévalue. [EC]

  • loading...

    46. Slowpoke: I love pink Pokémon (there really are a lot of them) and Slowpoke is one of the pinkest. [AS]

  • loading...

    45. Slowbro: It’s literally two Pokémon. Is it cheating? It’s still cool, though. [JL]

  • loading...

    44. Koffing: Koffing has a good time, all the time. [CS]

  • loading...

    43. Articuno: The Canada of Pokémon: legendary, majestic, and ice-based. [JL]

  • loading...

    42. Clefable: Not super different to the higher rated Clefairy, but solid, cute design — and apparently the light version of Gengar. [AS]

  • loading...

    41. Oddish: Hey, isn’t it odd that we have a talking, semi-sentient turnip running around that’s capable of human emotion? Well yeah, but in this world, it’s only odd-ish. [CS]

  • loading...

    40. Blastoise: A giant tortoise... bear... thing with cannons on its shell! So rad they put it on the box. [JL]

  • loading...

    39. Zapdos: The highest ranked of the Gen 1 legendary birds! Team Instinct FTW. (FTW = fun time, wheeee!) [AW]

  • loading...

    38. Aerodactyl: Just a straight up Lockheed ripoff, but let's be honest, Lockheed is pretty great. [AW]

  • loading...

    37. Machoke: He's a dinosaur-faced pro-wrestler with a championship belt. He's probably the only fighting type whose fights are worked, but I'm okay with it. [EC]

  • loading...

    36. Scyther: In the Pokédex he sits between Mr Mime and Jynx, which would explain the expression of constant irritability. [AW]

  • loading...

    35. Charizard: The only Pokémon on record as Not Taking Any Of Ash Ketchum’s Nonsense, which is worth some credit even aside from being an actual terrifyingly violent dragon. [CS]

  • loading...

    34. Mewtwo: As hard as it might be to believe, most Pokémon occur naturally. But not Mewtwo; he's an abomination made in a lab, and he's angry about it. [EC]

  • loading...

    33. Gastly: Too spooky for me, but maybe spoopy enough for you! [JL]

  • loading...

    32. Poliwhirl: Superior to its evolved form Poliwrath, Poliwhirl is leaner, faster and just downright cooler than its beefy older form. [KS]

  • loading...

    31. Vaporeon: Not the coolest of the eeveelutions, but the one that takes the word "catfish" to its literal extreme. [CS]

  • loading...

    30. Dragonite: Straddling the line between imposing and cuddly, Dragonite is one of the toughest yet most adorable Pokémon in the franchise. [KS]

  • loading...

    29. Ponyta: Surely Tina Belcher's favorite Pokémon, and therefore one of your favorites as well, because we are all Tina Belcher. [AW]

  • loading...

    28. Vulpix: It’s a tiny, cute fire fox! Don’t read this entry in Chrome. Hahahaha get it? [JL]

  • loading...

    27. Ninetales: Absolute dreamboat. [AS]

  • loading...

    26. Dragonair: It’s sleek, it’s strong, and it bears a striking resemblance to Captain America’s fursona. [CS]

  • loading...

    25. Machamp: Combines the two greatest inventions of mankind: professional wrestling and Pokémon. [KS]

  • loading...

    24. Dratini: The best thing about Dratini isn’t that he looks awesome, but that you get one by talking to a weirdo in a cave about how Pokémon are your friends. [CS]

  • loading...

    23. Rapidash: It’s a unicorn made of fire. That’s cute, and metal as heck. [JL]

  • loading...

    22. Charmander: The original spicy boy! One of the most iconic Pokémon, this original starter has stood the test of time. [JL]

  • loading...

    20. Lapras: Actually riding around on a Lapras while surfing was one of the most satisfying moments of the X and Y games, matched only by Alpha Sapphire’s introduction of Sharpedo Surfing. [CS]

  • loading...

    20. Jolteon: The only eeveelution that lacks a tail. I don't know what that means. What does it mean? [EC]

  • loading...

    19. Meowth: In many ways, the true hero of the Pokémon story. Meowth put himself through standing-upright-and-talking school, and we can all identify with that determination. [AW]

  • loading...

    18. Bulbasaur: It might not have the immediate appeal of a tiny cute dragon or a squirrel-turtle that grows up to be literally made of guns, but Bulbasaur is a dinosaur made of trees, and that's awesome. [CS]

  • loading...

    17. Magikarp: So what if he’s useless in battle until he evolves? Magikarp tries, and that’s what matters. [KS]

  • loading...

    16. Clefairy: Fat femme fairies deserve your love. Don't you ever forget it. [AW]

  • loading...

    15. Flareon: The fluffiest of the eeveelutions, but she'll burn you to a crisp if you pet her the wrong way. [EC]

  • loading...

    14. Farfetch'd: It’s a duck that swings a leek like a sword. It’s just like me! My new best friend. Don’t eat it. [JL]

  • loading...

    13. Mew: Mew rules so hard that an entire generation of children spent years of their lives trying to find one. [CS]

  • loading...

    12. Arcanine: Who’s a good boy? This proud fire doggo is one of the most regal Pokémon in all of Kanto. [KS]

  • loading...

    11. Gyarados: Gyarados teaches us that the most important things about growing up are persistence and channeling your endless, all-consuming rage into something productive. [CS]

  • loading...

    10. Haunter: A poisonous purple ghost with free-floating hands and a gigantic grinning mouth? That's all I want out of a pocket monster. [EC]

  • loading...

    9. Gengar: It's all too rare that a Pokémon gets chubbier as they evolve. I love that Gengar manages to be both chunky and menacing. [AS]

  • loading...

    8. Jigglypuff: One of the all time greats, but I liked the earlier albums better. [AW]

  • loading...

    7. Ditto: Ditto can change into anything and everything, but we love them for their flubber-esque form and blank-stared smile. [KS]

  • loading...

    6. Cubone: Cubone wears the skull of its mother as a helmet. That's already the most drama going on with any Pokémon anywhere. [EC]

  • loading...

    5. Psyduck: The avatar for all of us who go through life feeling constantly overwhelmed, but manage to look adorable anyway. [AW]

  • loading...

    4. Pikachu: So beloved, it became the mascot of the franchise. A cultural institution, and deservedly so. [JL]

  • loading...

    3. Squirtle: Squirtle is perhaps the ultimate synthesis of cool and cute. You want to hug him, but you’re not sure you’re worthy. [KS]

  • loading...

    2. Eevee: Eevee is the ultimate in high-concept evolutions and, more importantly, a total cutie. Look at that ruff! [AS]

  • loading...

    1. Snorlax: Seriously the best. All it does is eat, sleep, and fight. Snorlax is an inspiration to us all. [CS]

More From WGBF-FM