Not counting the Pokedex or Dream Radar apps, there were thirteenPokemongames on the 3DS. That is a record for the franchise, although not too far from the norm. Since the series debuted more than a quarter of a century ago, Nintendo and Game Freak have been eager to experiment and release mainline games and spin-offs aplenty for almost every Nintendo console since the original Game Boy.
The 3DS, then, is no different, as evidenced by the wealth ofPokemongames available for the system. That number isn’t even counting the multiple versions of each generation of games likePokemon X&Yeither. In the rankings, they will only count as one to make things simpler. So, of the thirteen fantasticPokemongames on the Nintendo 3DS, which can be skipped, and which are the must-play classics?
Updated July 31, 2025, by Tom Bowen:There have been some truly fantastic Pokemon games over the past 25 years or so, many of which came during the 3DS era. It’s here that the mainline games finally made the leap to 3D, with many new mechanics also added to the series in the process. There were a fair amount of Pokemon spin-off titles created around this time too, although not all of them landed quite as well as their developers would perhaps have liked. Even so, the best Pokemon games for the 3DS are still fondly remembered by fans of the franchise and are well worth playing even to this day.
13Pokemon Shuffle
Average Critic Rating: 56
Pokemon Shuffle isa free-to-play match-three puzzle game that was released for the 3DS in early 2018. Players use special Pokemon blocks to fight other Pokemon in the hopes of “catching” them. It is by no means awful, but the free-to-play trappings certainly weigh the game down quite a bit more than they need to.
As withother freemium games, the game is loaded withpoorly priced microtransactions, which didn’t sit too well with fans or critics. That didn’t stop more than six and a half million people from downloading the game though, making it one of the most-playedPokemonspin-off games of all time.
How Many Pokemon are there in Pokemon Shuffle?
ThoughPokemon Shufflestarted out with just 158 Pokemon upon its release, hundreds more have been added in the years since. Once variants and regional forms are taken into account a total of987Pokemon can be caught in the game, excluding Mega Evolutions.
12Pokemon Rumble Blast
While Nintendo has worked with Koei Tecmo onDynasty Warriorsspin-offslikeHyrule WarriorsandFire Emblem Warriors, they are yet to collaborate on aPokemon Warriorsproject.Pokemon Rumble Blastfollows a similar gameplay concept but unfortunately has a far greater monotonous wheel.
Though undoubtedly a big step up from the firstPokemon Rumblegame,Blaststill has a lot of problems. The graphics are poor, the gameplay is repetitive and the story is incredibly lackluster too. It’s not bad in short bursts but lacks the substance required to justify the decision to release the game as a full-priced title.
How Many Pokemon are there in Pokemon Rumble Blast?
Pokemon Rumble Blastfeatures every Pokemon to have featured in the franchise up to the release ofPokemon Black&White. This means there are a total of646Pokemon available to players, though, like the previousPokemon Rumblegame, these come in the form of Pokemon toys rather than actual Pokemon.
11Pokemon Rumble World
Average Critic Rating: 58
Four years on from the release ofRumble Blast, anotherRumblegame arrived in the form ofPokemon Rumble World. Sadly, the developer Ambrella didn’t seem to learn much from its past mistakes, although did at least opt for afree-to-playapproach, which was a slight step up from the game’s predecessor.
It may not have felt like a waste of money like the previous game, but it still had a lot of issues. LikePokemon Shuffle, the trappings were too high to really sink time into the game without paying money and the overall experience remained fairly underwhelming even for those who did.
How Many Pokemon are there in Pokemon Rumble World?
Releasing four years on fromPokemon Rumble Blast,Pokemon Rumble Worldups the Pokemon count by more than 70, with toy versions of719different Pokemon available throughout the game. This means that every single Pokemon up to the release ofPokemon X&Yare featured, from Bulbasaur right through to Diancie.
10Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Gates to Infinity
Average Critic Rating: 59
Gates toInfinitywas the firstPokemon Mystery Dungeongame to grace the 3DS. For aroguelike game, it offers up a very kid-friendly take on the genre, which, although great for children, did not sit well with some older players. Critics were generally in agreement on this front, with many bemoaning the game’s shallow combat and overall lack of difficulty.
Though none of thePokemon Mystery Dungeongamesare bad, some feel that they just don’t offer enough of a challenge to seasoned fans of the genre. The games all tend to feel incredibly similar to one another too andPokemon Mystery Dungeon: Gates to Infinityis no different in this respect.
How Many Pokemon are there in Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Gates to Infinity?
Like otherMystery Dungeongames,Gates to Infinityfeatures a fairly random selection of Pokemon, though fan favorites like Pikachu and Eevee are once again present. In total, there are144recruitable Pokemon, most of whom come from the Gen 7 games. There are also 7 non-recruitable boss Pokemon, including Lugia and Ho-Oh, and several of theBlack&Whitelegendaries.
9Pokemon Super Mystery Dungeon
Average Critic Rating: 69
Two years on from the North American release ofGates toInfinity,Pokemon Super Mystery Dungeonmade its way to western shores. Spike Chunsoft seemed to learn a lot of lessons from the previous title too and even evolved some concepts, from gameplay elements to graphics.
Again, it’s not a spin-off that one has to play in order to become a mega fan, but the series was at least getting better at this point. It certainly helped that the game includedall 720 Pokemon that had been introduced to the series at the timeand also provided plenty of unique customization options for people to play around with.
How Many Pokemon are there in Pokemon Super Mystery Dungeon?
Unlike its predecessor,Pokemon Super Mystery Dungeonreally pushed the boat out when it came to the number of available Pokemon. It features720Pokemon in total, which is all 719 from the first six generations of Pokemon games as well as the Mythical Mischief Pokemon, Hoopa.
8Pokemon Battle Trozei
Average Critic Rating: 70
Pokemon Battle Trozeiis a lot likePokemon Shuffle, but it is not free to play. Unsurprisingly, perhaps, it’s a far better game for it. It won’t have any Tetris fans jumping ship, butPokemon Battle Trozeiat least manages to blend the concept ofPokemonand puzzle games together in a coherent way.
The strategic combat system works incredibly well and is just one of many great mechanics to have found their way into the game. The art style is solid too, although is let down somewhat by the game’s poor music and the lack of online multiplayer functionality.
How Many Pokemon are there in Pokemon Battle Trozei?
Despite being a fairly basic puzzle game on the surface,Pokemon Battle Trozeicrams in a surprising amount of content. The game features718Pokemon in total, those being all of the Pokemon from the first six generations ofPokemongames with the exception of Diancie and Hoopa.
7Detective Pikachu
Average Critic Rating: 71
The idea of aPokemon-themedadventure game may have seemed a little ludicrous to some, yetDetective Pikachuended up being a pretty solid game. It looks great, it has plenty of funny moments and it can be fairly challenging at times too. Most importantly though, it’s a lot of fun.
Even though it is extremely easy to get through, the story is strong enough to keep players hooked. It was so good, in fact, that it spawnedthe series’ first-ever live-action movie, which was also fairly well-received by fans and critics. Whether or not fans will ever get a sequel to either remains to be seen though.
How Many Pokemon are there in Detective Pikachu?
As players explore Ryme City they’ll encounter almost 100 Pokemon, many of whom will provide clues that will help them to solve cases. Including Pikachu, the game has97Pokemon in total, though given that this number accounts for both regular and Alolan Rattata, it could be argued that there are actually only 96.
6Pokemon Picross
Average Critic Rating: 75
For those looking for a more traditionalPokemonpuzzle game,Pokemon Picrossis a fairly decent shout. Much like theMario Picrossgame that came before it, the game doesn’t really have too much to do withPokemon, but thanks to the strength of thePicrossformula, that needn’t really be an issue.
Granted, thePokemonskin doesn’t really bring much to the table, but it certainly doesn’t detract from the experience either. The end result is an excellent puzzle game that’s aesthetically pleasing and capable of keeping players entertained and mentally stimulated for hours at a time.
How Many Pokemon are there in Pokemon Picross?
Including Mega Evolutions,Pokemon Picrossfeatures304different types of Pokemon, which isn’t at all bad for a simple puzzle game. Even when accounting for the 49 Mega Evolutions, there are 255 different species of Pokemon available, with a broad selection taken from the first six generations ofPokemongames.
5Pokemon Art Academy
Average Critic Rating: 76
Pokemon Art Academyis another 3DS game that’s effectively just been given aPokemonskin. In all fairness, it at least offers tutorials demonstrating how players can draw their favorite Pokemon, although the 3DS itself can be somewhat limiting when it comes to the actual drawing part.
In a lot of ways, it’s more like a coloring book than an actual game, but it’s arguably a very good coloring book with high production values all around. Older players may not enjoy the experience all that much, but those aged below five or six will likely have a great time with the game.
How Many Pokemon are there in Pokemon Art Academy?
Sadly, given the scope and scale ofPokemon Art Academy, it’s difficult to pinpoint the exact number of Pokemon to feature across its 40 lessons. Given that the game focuses heavily on drawing though, it could be argued that it includes every single Pokemon in existence, depending on how good an artist the player is.
4Pokemon Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire
Average Critic Rating: 83 (Omega Ruby)
Though the likes ofFireRed,LeafGreen,HeartGold&SoulSilverwere all perfectly serviceable,Pokemon Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphirereally raised the bar when it came to Pokemon remakes. Pretty much everything about the original games was improved and many newer series mechanics were added into the mix.
Mega Evolution was perhaps the biggest addition, with many Gen 3 Pokemon being treated to Mega forms. Mirage Spots allowed players to adda ridiculous number of Legendary Pokemonto their Pokedexes too, while the leap to 3D made returning to Hoenn an absolute delight.
How Many Pokemon are there in Pokemon Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire?
Despite being remakes of the Gen 3Pokemongames,Pokemon Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphireallow players to catch all719Pokemon up to and including those found inPokemon X&Y. LikePokemon Rumble WorldandPokemon Battle Trozei, Hoopa is not included.
