And behind door number 22... a guide to some music of the more traditional kind
Catherine Munn and Jacob Martin list their Top 5 programmes to watch over the festive period.
And behind door number nine... some dazzling musical delights
The complete arts guide, for week 9
As was the case for most children of the Noughties I played more than my fair share of Pokémon games. I even completed the league a few times. The truth was that FIFA for Gameboy just didn’t cut the mustard, and pitting powers against powers happened to be the next best thing.
The first three games were truly epic successes while the less-well-known Green showed promise of being almost as good a game when I eventually found it in a thrift store long after the hype had passed. Among my childhood memories are the many hours I spent completing Pokémon games, comparing Pokedex with friends and family and saving just before reaching the birds or Mewtwo (although I once caught Zapdos with a humble PokeBall). But these to me aren’t Pokémon, they are just a means to an end. The real Pokémon are the ones that are developed and made through multiple battles and trawling for hours in long grass, as you will see by my following choices.
10. Magikarp
Nowhere in the history of literature, film, or opera can we find a more apt example of a ‘sleeping dragon’. From the beginning Magikarp shows little promise of anything with his solitary move (splash) and its inability to learn anything that can be of any use. To every persistent Pokedex filler’s surprise though Magikarp transforms into the ever-useful sea dragon Gyrados creating Pokémon’s greatest evolution.
9. Jigglypuff
Ever frustrating to fight against with that soporific lullaby, and looking like the offspring of a marshmallow and candyfloss, once captured Jigglypuff can bring down the best of them. It is only when you get to a strong enemy or an elusive bird that Jigglypuff is ever really valued. Plus it’s fun to be the frustrator.
8. Butterfree
Butterfree evolves from two of the most frustrating Pokémon (Caterpie with the poison and Metapod with the harden). What comes next though is a surprise. Proving to be the most useful insect with the ability to use psychic powers, what emerges from the cocoon floats like a butterfly and fires a death ray that stings like a bee.
7. Tauros
He’s a bull, who has no special abilities. The evolutionary chain is bare and he relies entirely on sheer force. But lurking beneath that great muscular exterior is a powerhouse who can shake off the best of attacks while offering the same offence against whichever enemy. Make no mistake, this is the German Football Team or the Ford Transit of Pokémon.
6. Hitmonlee
A nod to Chinese cinema’s greatest hero and a surprisingly resourceful and quick developing Pokémon that can take any budding master right through to the final of the Pokémon League. Like Taurus, Hitmonlee relies solely on the defensive block and the high kick, but what a high kick! Incidentally I once chose Hitmonchan, once and never again.
5. Alakazam
Far from being the prettiest Pokémon though he is (looking like a cross between Splinter and Dumbledore), Alakazam surely makes up what he lacks in looks in technical ability. Unfazed by the best of them and capable of leading any team into victory his psychic powers may prove to make him your biggest asset.
4. Geodude
Geo-Dude! 'Nuff said.
3. Bulbasaur
While it may not be the best Pokémon to get you through the first few towns, Bulbasaur’s brilliance lies in continual improvement throughout the game. Once you get to the poisonous attacks and the ivy whips you do begin to wonder why you may have doubted the little fellow.
2. Pikachu
Thanks to the TV show this was once the most popular bed ornament of teenage and tweenage girls across the globe. Within the confines of the game though it was somewhat less popular, spending weeks in the Pokebank in the first three games and then proceeding to follow you everywhere in the Yellow version. However, the special effects of the electric attacks and their potency, when used against the right enemy, give the short one high kudos.
1. Charizard
Despite being the most stubborn Pokémon to train due to his knack for developing to level 36 early and flying out of battle, Charizard is the most efficient ‘pocket monster’ around. His ability to use force, flight, and fire while being an intimidating dragon give him added depth. What’s more the quick evolution progress and the joys of using Char make him the one Pokémon you’ll never want to leave the house without.
Interesting list, one thing is that there is no Pokémon called Abracadabra. There are two seperate ones called Abra and Kadabra as well as their final evolved form Alakazam.
Errm Chansey, Articuno, Snorlax, Dragonite, and... oh, I don't know... Mewtwo!! I could go on.
For starters, the reason Green was less-well-known is because it was a Japan-only release. It was changed to Blue version before its release in the rest of the world, so when you 'eventually found it', you just played the same game that you had already played. Then we've got:
10. Gyrados is not a pokemon. You mean Gyarados. Also, in no pokedex entries ever is it described as a 'sea-dragon', and the fact that its typing is water/flying kind of implies that it is not a dragon at all. Oh, and Magikarp learns tackle at level 15 in generation 1.
7. Tauros*.
6. You seem to imply that Hitmonlee has some sort of a decent defensive stat? Well, I'll admit 110 base Sp.Def now is pretty decent, but back in Generation 1, which is what this article is talking about, Lee's defense came from base 53 Def and 35 Special. That's hardly going to take a hit.
5. That's already been pointed out. Seriously, what?
3. Bulbasaur certainly is "the best pokemon to get you through the first few towns"! Out of the starters, Charmander is not very effective (NVE) against and weak to gym 1, NVE against and weak to gym 2, and normal against gym 3. Squirtle is super effective (SE) against gym 1, NVE against and resists gym 2, and weak to gym 3. Bulbasaur is SE against gym 1, SE against and resists gym 2, and resists gym 3.
2. What is a 'Pokebank'? Oh, and Pikachu didn't follow you everywhere in Yellow, you could deposit him into Bill's copmputer system whenever you wanted. And as I've mentioned before, there were only two games before Yellow, Green and Blue are the same game.
1. Like Gyarados, Charizard is not a dragon.
Isn't this a list of Pokémon themselves rather than the actual characters? Also, you seem to forget that there are in fact more than 151 of them (the number hit 500 a couple of weeks ago).
Also, how is Charizard stubborn to train? "Stubbornness" only comes from lack of badges, where a Pokémon is too high a level. While in the cartoon it may have been stubborn, Charizard was just like any other Pokémon. And as Paul pointed out, it's Fire/Flying, not a dragon.
This seems more like a "list of Pokémon I think are cool from when I used to play the games"...
Looks like the n00b Brad Bailey has been called out by the pokefags 
But to be honest, even from someone who didn't play pokemon that much, some of these mistakes are ridiculous....At least double check how to spell the pokemon names.
In other news... There's war in Palestine...
I liked this article. I think it was a jolly amusing read. It was meant to be wasn't it Brad?
James, I talk of my feelings about one-of-a-kind maze-prize Pokemon near the start and I thought Chansey and Dragonite were too much work
Cieran, I considered your headline but it was too long,
Anonymous 1, I'll correct Abracadabra as Alakazam
Paul Oakley, impressive stats there but I stand by my decisions
Anonymous 5 take heed from Mick Jagger and 'chill, man'
Anonymous 6 it was meant to be deadly serious actually - lol
I disagree with most of the selections - geodude would never have made my list as throughout the game he's incredibly annoying and doesn't really do anything. If you're saying that some things that are 'too much work' then Alakazam really should be stricken from the list as it's pretty hard to evolve a Kadabra.
Most of the ones I'd put in, e.g. advanced dragons, are pretty predictable so I'll just say I loved having Persian and using Pay Day (though Meowth at level 30 is pretty shocking) and collecting the coins that came out. Fun times
Jason, Kadabra is one of the easiest pokemon in the game to evolve... unless, of course, you have no friends.
Awful pokemon knowledge, terrible article. As well as the other mistakes mentioned- Bulbasaur can get you through the first few towns on his own. He needs no help. Brock and Misty just can't cope with a good old grass type.
Paul Oakley: "Charizard is not a dragon."
Urrm, it's a giant lizard that has wings and breathes fire. I think we can safely call it a dragon.
It may LOOK like a dragon, but Charizard is a dual Fire/Flying type. There's a difference in Pokémon between simple dragons (ie, Charizard, Gyarados etc) and Dragon types. Many dragons aren't Dragon type and many Dragon types aren't dragons (Altaria or Kingdra for example)...
Cieran, I think I just remembered why I got sick of this game.
However, given that Brad has ensnared many Pokebuffs with a single article, I will ask a burning question which has annoyed me for years: are there any real animals in Pokemon? And if not, what do people do when they get hungry? Fry up a Pikachu (Pick 'n Chew?) with some Bulbasaur on the side?
It's sort of ambiguous. In earlier episodes of the cartoon there are "real" animals shown. Ash dresses up as a cow in order to make a pun in one of the very first episodes, there are fish throughout much of the first series, and at one point even a mongoose.
Even later on they imply that milk from Pokémon is "superior", implying that there's other milk out there. Even to this day Pokémon are referred to in the Pokédex, even in the game, in terms of real-world Pokémon. More info at http://bulbapedia.bulbagarden.net/wiki/Animals_in_the_Pok%C3%A9mon_world ...
Ah, thanks. That puts out a fire.
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