You probably remember the playground debates. Was Charizard actually better than Blastoise? Could your cousin really find Mew under that truck near the S.S. Anne? For those of us who grew up with a brick-heavy Game Boy glued to our palms, the list of all gen 1 pokemon isn't just a database. It’s a core memory.
It’s wild to think that in 1996, Satoshi Tajiri and the team at Game Freak were just trying to fit 151 monsters onto a tiny cartridge. They barely made it. In fact, Mew was snuck in at the very last second after the debugging tools were removed, leaving just 300 bytes of space. That’s less space than a low-res thumbnail today.
The foundation of the Pokedex
The original lineup is basically the DNA of the entire franchise. Everything starts with Bulbasaur at #001. Fun fact: even though Bulbasaur is the first in the Pokedex, it wasn't the first one designed. That honor goes to Rhydon. You can still see Rhydon’s influence in the statues inside every Kanto gym.
The list is a mix of the mundane and the mythological. You’ve got a literal pigeon (Pidgey) and a purple rat (Rattata) alongside literal gods of the elements like Articuno, Zapdos, and Moltres. It’s that contrast that made the world feel lived-in. You weren't just a hero; you were a kid catching bugs in the woods.
The heavy hitters of Kanto
When people talk about the list of all gen 1 pokemon, certain names carry more weight.
- The Starters: Bulbasaur, Charmander, and Squirtle. Choosing one felt like a life-defining moment.
- The Powerhouses: Dragonite, Gyarados, and Arcanine. These were the "pseudo-legendaries" before that was even a term.
- The Glitches: We can't talk about Gen 1 without mentioning MissingNo. It wasn't "official," but it’s more famous than half the actual roster.
Why Poison types were everywhere
If you felt like every cave was a nightmare, you weren't imagining things. Surprisingly, Poison is the most common type in the first generation. There are 36 Poison-type Pokémon in Kanto, beating out Water (33) and Normal (24). This is the only generation where Water isn't the most populated category.
Basically, if it lived in a cave or a forest, there was a 50/50 chance it was going to poison your Pikachu.
The Weird Reality of Psychic Types
Back in the Red and Blue days, Psychic types were completely broken. There was a glitch where Psychic moves were actually immune to Ghost moves, despite what the manual said. This meant Alakazam and Mewtwo were virtually untouchable. If you didn't have a Jolteon with Pin Missile or a very patient Snorlax, you were toast.
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Evolution: More than just leveling up
Most of the list of all gen 1 pokemon evolved by hitting a certain level. But Game Freak threw some curveballs to keep us trading.
- Elemental Stones: You needed a Fire Stone for Growlithe, a Water Stone for Starmie, and the elusive Moon Stone for Nidoking.
- Trading: This was the "social media" of 1998. You couldn't get a Gengar or a Machamp without a Link Cable and a friend who wouldn't steal your Pokémon.
- The Eevee Dilemma: Eevee was the ultimate choice. Do you go for Vaporeon, Jolteon, or Flareon? Back then, there was no turning back.
The complete list of all 151 Gen 1 Pokemon
Honestly, scrolling through these names feels like reading a high school yearbook.
001-010: Bulbasaur, Ivysaur, Venusaur, Charmander, Charmeleon, Charizard, Squirtle, Wartortle, Blastoise, Caterpie.
011-020: Metapod, Butterfree, Weedle, Kakuna, Beedrill, Pidgey, Pidgeotto, Pidgeot, Rattata, Raticate.
021-030: Spearow, Fearow, Ekans, Arbok, Pikachu, Raichu, Sandshrew, Sandslash, Nidoran♀, Nidorina.
031-040: Nidoqueen, Nidoran♂, Nidorino, Nidoking, Clefairy, Clefable, Vulpix, Ninetales, Jigglypuff, Wigglytuff.
041-050: Zubat, Golbat, Oddish, Gloom, Vileplume, Paras, Parasect, Venonat, Venomoth, Diglett.
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051-060: Dugtrio, Meowth, Persian, Psyduck, Golduck, Mankey, Primeape, Growlithe, Arcanine, Poliwag.
061-070: Poliwhirl, Poliwrath, Abra, Kadabra, Alakazam, Machop, Machoke, Machamp, Bellsprout, Weepinbell.
071-080: Victreebel, Tentacool, Tentacruel, Geodude, Graveler, Golem, Ponyta, Rapidash, Slowpoke, Slowbro.
081-090: Magnemite, Magneton, Farfetch'd, Doduo, Dodrio, Seel, Dewgong, Grimer, Muk, Shellder.
091-100: Cloyster, Gastly, Haunter, Gengar, Onix, Drowzee, Hypno, Krabby, Kingler, Voltorb.
101-110: Electrode, Exeggcute, Exeggutor, Cubone, Marowak, Hitmonlee, Hitmonchan, Lickitung, Koffing, Weezing.
111-120: Rhyhorn, Rhydon, Chansey, Tangela, Kangaskhan, Horsea, Seadra, Goldeen, Seaking, Staryu.
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121-130: Starmie, Mr. Mime, Scyther, Jynx, Electabuzz, Magmar, Pinsir, Tauros, Magikarp, Gyarados.
131-140: Lapras, Ditto, Eevee, Vaporeon, Jolteon, Flareon, Porygon, Omanyte, Omastar, Kabuto.
141-150: Kabutops, Aerodactyl, Snorlax, Articuno, Zapdos, Moltres, Dratini, Dragonair, Dragonite, Mewtwo.
151: Mew.
Why we still care about Kanto
The list of all gen 1 pokemon works because it’s simple. Most designs are based on real animals or clear concepts. Seel is... a seal. Ekans is snake spelled backward. Arbok is kobra. It’s not complex, but it’s iconic.
Newer generations have objects like keyrings or ice cream cones, which is cool in its own way, but there’s something about the "monstrous" look of Gen 1 that sticks. Ken Sugimori’s original watercolor art had a gritty, slightly dangerous vibe that the modern 3D models sometimes lose.
Actionable insights for the modern trainer
If you're jumping back into Kanto via Let's Go Pikachu/Eevee or playing the original roms, keep these things in mind:
- Speed is King: In the original games, your Critical Hit rate was tied to your Speed stat. Fast Pokémon like Dugtrio or Persian are actually monsters because they crit constantly.
- Don't ignore the TMs: Some Pokémon on the list of all gen 1 pokemon have terrible natural movesets. Snorlax and Tauros are top-tier, but only if you teach them moves like Body Slam or Earthquake via TMs.
- The Special Stat: In Gen 1, "Special" was one single stat for both offense and defense. This made Pokémon like Amnesia Slowbro or Chansey absolute tanks. They could hit hard and take hits simultaneously.
The legacy of the original 151 isn't just nostalgia. It’s the framework of a multi-billion dollar empire that started with a few glitches and a lot of heart. Whether you’re a Charizard loyalist or a weirdo who actually likes Muk, these 151 are the reason we're all still trying to catch 'em all decades later.
To get the most out of your next Kanto run, focus on building a team with diverse types—specifically grabbing a fast Psychic or a bulky Normal type—to exploit the unique mechanical quirks of the first generation's battle system.