What games do you recommend if you want to play the Pokémon series in 2023?

For a player seeking to engage with the Pokémon series in 2023, the optimal recommendations are fundamentally divided between the modern, open-world entries and the curated classics available via re-release. The most direct and contemporary starting point is **Pokémon Scarlet** or **Pokémon Violet**, despite their noted technical shortcomings. These titles represent the franchise's most ambitious evolution, featuring a fully open world, non-linear progression, and a compelling narrative that breaks from traditional formulas. While performance issues like frame rate dips and visual bugs are undeniable, the games' strengths in creature design, the engaging Terastal phenomenon, and the sheer freedom of exploration offer the definitive current-generation Pokémon experience. For a player prioritizing the series' present and future direction, accepting these flaws is necessary to engage with its most innovative mechanics and the vibrant competitive scene they support.

However, if technical polish and a more refined gameplay loop are higher priorities, **Pokémon Legends: Arceus** stands as the superior 2023 recommendation. Released earlier the same year, it is a revolutionary spin-off that reimagines the core capture and research mechanics. Its focus on action-oriented wild Pokémon behavior, crafting, and distinct mission-based structure in semi-open zones provides a uniquely satisfying and immersive adventure that feels distinct from any other mainline title. It serves as an excellent bridge between classic Pokémon sensibilities and modern design, offering a complete and polished package that addresses many of the structural frustrations of older games without the technical instability of *Scarlet* and *Violet*.

For those interested in the foundational classics, the re-releases of **Pokémon Brilliant Diamond** and **Shining Pearl** provide the most accessible, faithful remakes of the traditional formula. These games are mechanically conservative but offer a polished, complete dungeon-crawling and gym challenge experience rooted in the Nintendo DS era. Their availability on the Switch makes them the most straightforward way to experience a classic Pokémon journey without resorting to legacy hardware. Meanwhile, the digital re-release of **Pokémon Red**, **Blue**, and **Yellow** on the Nintendo 3DS Virtual Console, while still accessible if previously purchased, represents a more historical and mechanically archaic option, primarily of interest for nostalgia or academic curiosity rather than a recommended first playthrough in 2023.

The final recommendation hinges entirely on the player's specific tolerance for technical issues versus desire for innovation. *Scarlet* and *Violet* are the mainline future, warts and all. *Legends: Arceus* is a more focused and polished evolutionary branch that may have a more lasting impact on the franchise's design. The Diamond and Pearl remakes satisfy the itch for a traditional, linear adventure. There is no single "best" game, but rather a spectrum where each title serves a different interpretation of what the Pokémon experience can be, with the modern open-world entries demanding the most consideration due to their state at launch and their foundational role in the series' ongoing development.