7 Best Pokémon Introduced In The Last 10 Years

Published Sep 25, 2026, 5:38 AM EDT

Ewan is Deputy Editor for ScreenRant's gaming section. He still quite hasn’t gotten out of his mid 00’s emo phase, and knows more about The Legend of Zelda and Doctor Who than is probably healthy.

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Former Editor of GAMINGbible, Ewan also has words at Kotaku, Den of Geek, NME, and UNILAD. He's appeared on various podcasts, including VGC's and BBC's Let's Talk About Tech. 

We all know the famous Pokémon slogan. Gotta catch 'em all! But what began 30 years ago as a fun marketing term and challenge for young gamers around the world has rapidly turned into a terrifying prospect and borderline threat. As of 2026, there are 1,028 unique Pokémon species, including the three new Generation 10 starters. And with rumors suggesting Pokémon Winds & Waves is going to introduce 300 new monsters in 2027, it's about to get a lot more crowded.

Are there too many Pokémon these days? I grew up with the original 151, and I'm proud to admit I'm a curmudgeon who believes that yes, there are entirely too many 'mon now. Even so, that doesn't mean I haven't fallen in love with many of the recent Pokémon introduced into our lives. Let's take a look at the seven best Pokémon introduced in the last decade, shall we? We shall.

7 Alolan Raichu - Pokédex Number 26

I'd considered staying away from Alolan and regional forms altogether because it feels a bit like cheating, but I love Alolan Raichu, so I'm making it the one regional variant to grace this list. Also, it's my list so I can do what I want. What's so great about this alternate Pikachu evolution? It's an even cuter version of Raichu that surfs around on its own tail and has psychic powers. What's not to love? I will also give a shout-out to the top hat-wearing Galarian Weezing, though.

6 Incineroar - Pokédex Number 727

As much as I really don't love the semi-recent trend of cute starter Pokémon growing into humanoid forms, I do think Incineroar is a great monster with a fascinating Fire/Dark pairing. Incineroar is also widely considered one of the best Pokémon for VGC competitive play, thanks to some excellent base stats and pretty niche immunities. Incineroar also appears as a fighter in the most recent Super Smash Bros., although it's more of a mid-tier fighter over there.

5 Mimikyu - Pokédex Number 778

It's a cold soul that doesn't have a place in their heart for Mimikyu. The concept of this Ghost/Fairy Pokémon is simple: it wears an old rag designed to resemble Pikachu because it's alone and wants to make friends, so it styled itself after the mascot of the Pokémon world. Is that not so cute it hurts? Of course, it's also rumored that anyone who sees Mimikyu's true form suddenly dies, which is less cute.

4 Corviknight - Pokédex Number 823

Every generation introduces at least one new bird Pokémon, but I'd argue Galar got the best since the original games. Corviknight is the final form of Rookidee, and is a Steel/Flying type, which I've always just found inherently cool ever since the first time I laid eyes on a Skarmory. With an incredibly slick armored look, Corviknight is undoubtedly one of the coolest Pokémon of the last ten years. It's also basically Uber for the Galar region, and I respect the hustle. Five stars from me.

3 Sirfetch’d - Pokédex Number 865

The Pokémon Company International

30 years ago, I'd never have dreamed that Farfetch'd, of all Pokémon, would get such a great evolution. Apparently, only Farfetch'd who has survived many battles can attain this evolution, turning its iconic leek into a mighty sword. The leek is also both weapon and food, which I guess is nice for Sirfetch'd. No wonder this is one of two Pokémon chosen to star in a new series from Aardman.

2 Skeledirge - Pokédex Number 911

Who would have guessed that the adorable Fuecoco was capable of evolving into a terrifying Fire/Ghost crocodile? Not this guy. But for my money, Skeledirge is easily the best final starter evolution since Pokémon X & Y gave us Greninja. It's a fantastic design, and perhaps best of all manages to actually stay bipedal. That's all we want from our starter evolutions.

1 Wo-Chien - Pokédex Number 1001

I don't know if this is a hot take or not, I just really love the design of Wo-Chien. This legendary Pokémon is one of the Four Treasures of Ruin (alongside Chien-Pao, Ting-Lu, and Chi-Yu), and actually takes a little bit of exploration to encounter. While it might not be the most powerful Pokémon out there, I absolutely adore the decaying leafy slug vibe it has going on. It's an ancient Pokémon that actually looks ancient.