Pokemon X & Y hit store shelves this week, and promptly flew off them to the tune of more than four million copies sold over the weekend. To celebrate, we’re chucking pokeballs left and right to collect our favorites.
A new game means new regions, and new creatures to catch and fall in love with. Players are busy conquering the Kalos region in X & Y, while snatching up the newly introduced fairy-type pokemon. This is the sixth generation of Pokemon, extending the list of creatures from the previous 649 to 718.
Keeping only to recently introduced 69 new pokemon means we can’t talk about Bidoof, which is a real shame. We’ll come back to him when Game Freak gets their act together and releases Pokemon Brown with Bidoof as the legendary.
Until that time, we’ll stick to the list of our 5 picks for best Pokemon in X & Y. See the gallery below:
Pokemon X & Y's 5 Best Pokemon (Our Favorites)
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5. Flabébé
Flabébé is a one of a kind Pokémon. Not only is it the only fairy-type Pokémon on our list, but it’s tied for being the smallest and lightest Pokémon ever. It’s also the only Pokémon to keep the accent marks on the English version of its name, saving us from accidentally mispronouncing it as a mash-up of flower and Justin Bieber.
In addition to the features listed above that make Flabébé a special snowflake, it’s also just plain fun to say. Every time Flabébé appears in the wild or soars into action from your pokéball, try saying its name in a different accent or character. To date, my favorite is Flabébé with a French Canadian fur trapper flair. “A wild Flabébé appeared!” You heard it too, didn’t you?
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4. Trevenant
Do you remember how cute and awesome we all thought Sudowoodo was when introduced in Gold & Silver? Trevenant is a like a twisted nightmare version of Sudowoodo who only wanted to look like a tree to avoid attention.
This Pokémon is part ghost, part tree and all business. Trevenant’s description in the Pokédex reads, “It can control trees at will. It will trap people who harm the forest, so they can never leave.” That’s some old-school, “scare your kids into not running off into the woods” story telling.
“If you go too far from the house, Billy, the haunted ghost-tree with creepy roots that look like spider legs will trap you in the forest and keep you there forever.”
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3. Zygarde
I almost feel cheap for putting a legendary Pokémon on the list, but Zygarde had to be the exception. He sports a passive ability that completely negates the potency of the other two main Pokémon displayed on the covers of X & Y. That’s pretty intense. Zygarde also looks like something straight out of one of my favorite cartoons, Futurama.
This Pokémon distinguishes itself by taking the moral high ground. Zygarde is described as a Pokémon that hides in a cave and monitors those who destroy the ecosystem. Keep an eye out for the crosspromotional buddy cop comedy, Captain Planet & Zygarde save the Rain Forest this holiday season.
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2. Tyrantrum
Tyrantrum combines a few of my favorite things all into one Pokemon. He’s got a beard, a popped collar, and he’s a giant t-rex. That Renaissance ruffled collar is a lot like a tuxedo t-shirt. Instead of saying, “I’m classy, but I like to party,” Tyrantrum’s unique style screams, “I’m classy, but I like to chomp your entire party in half.”
Even though he narrowly beat out fellow dragon bad-boy Zygarde on the list, Tyrantrum just doesn’t have the attitude to top our number one Pokemon.
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1. Pangoro
That’s right ladies and gentleman. Pangoro tops the list as our favorite Pokemon from X & Y. I know you took one look at his unevolved form, Pancham, and thought to yourself, “that’s so cute. It reminds me of that Youtube video where the baby panda sneezes!” Well what if that baby sneezed and its daddy thought your laughs were mocking his child, sending him into a berserker rage?
Pangoro stands tall and chomps on his bamboo leaf like he was Clint Eastwood playing the Man with No Name. His arms are strong enough to snap telephone poles, and he comes with a passive ability that boosts the strength of punching moves. A Pokémon who lets his fists do the talking is the kind of Pokémon I can get behind.
In my book, Pangoro is a must-have in any Pokemon X & Y party.
