One good tip if you want to grow your Twitch channel is to play popular games that aren’t oversaturated on the platform. Some of those games are the Pokémon games. While Pokémon has numerous official and fan-made titles, there is still an audience that wants to see Twitch streamers play their favorite Pokémon games. And these streams vary from normal playthroughs, shiny hunting, or seeking out rare Pokémon. There is a community aspect to the game, as well, as we are all aware of the famous “Twitch Plays Pokémon” streams where viewers worked together to beat the Elite Four.
But out of the numerous titles in the franchise, only a small handful of games retain a large audience of Pokéfans’ attention on Twitch. These are the top five most popular Pokémon games on Twitch, ranked.
5. Pokémon GO
Pokémon GO managed to unite old and new Pokéfans in a game accessible for everyone — as long as you have good mobile reception and live in a good area. So for those who live in the suburbs or have no access to a car to catch cool Pokémon, viewers can play vicariously through other Twitch streamers’ Pokémon Go streams. They can either watch what it could have been like to have access to better Pokémon or see the regional variants unavailable in their area.
4. Pokémon Unite
Twitch is known for making eSports titles such as League of Legends and Dota 2 popular enough to become mainstream. And it’s no surprise that this Pokémon MOBA (multiplayer online battle arena) would also catch the attention of Twitch viewers. Pokémon Unite is a Nintendo Switch and mobile game where you need to score points in the enemy goals. This game is different from other MOBA titles because of its colorful nature and because the Pokémon you choose will evolve throughout the game. The game challenges you to grind and level up as it enables you to learn new moves and toughen up your Pokémon, giving MOBA’s that Pokémon flavor to the game.
3. Pokémon Legends: Arceus
Pokémon Legends: Arceus brought back the love PokéFans had for the franchise as it changed the layout for this adventure roleplaying game. Viewers are keen to watch Twitch streamers either shiny hunt or fully complete the Pokédex through finishing all the research tasks. In addition, the game has so much to do during the post-game that it’s somewhat refreshing to see someone else’s playthrough of the game.
2. Pokémon HeartGold/SoulSilver
Pokémon HeartGold/SoulSilver is one of the most popular Pokémon remakes because it allows newer players to visit the Johto region. The game also had day and night cycles and allowed players to visit the Kanto region. While this game is no longer available to the public — as it was made for the Nintendo DS — Twitch viewers can revisit amazing remakes through other people. Or they can watch them use randomizers and witness the chaos the game can provide.
1. Pokémon FireRed/LeafGreen
Of course, Gen 1 will always be loved by fans and remain the fan favorite. And out of all the remakes, nothing beats Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen. This Pokémon game is not only loved by PokéFans, but it is also sometimes the base model for some fan-made content. This old Nintendo GameBoy advanced game is considered the first Pokémon game for most PokéFans, as it was easy to emulate. While it wasn’t the chosen gen 1 game for “Twitch Play Pokémon,” FireRed and LeafGreen had major improvements that the original titles didn’t have, and it’s more accessible. And just like HeartGold and SoulSilver, adding new challenges such as randomizers, Nuzlocke, or even having Twitch control your game makes the gameplay and watching experience more exciting.
Pokémon playthroughs are fun to watch on Twitch. Viewers can either cheer for their fave creator or make their lives miserable by controlling the game. And while there are multiple titles a Twitch content creator can choose from, these games are good choices if you want to grow your audience.