It’s a common misconception among non-Pokemon fans that a wild amount of them are designed and modeled after dinosaurs. It’s true some dinos do make up the numbers, but you might be surprised to find that there’s only a handful among the Pokedex population.
But the pressing question is, which of these prehistoric pets are the best and brightest? Grab your Poké Balls and your paleontology degree (I’m kidding, you don’t actually need one) so we can dig up every dinosaur Pokémon.
This whole list is judged purely by vibes, aesthetics, and their involvement in the overall franchise rather than focusing on their strengths against others.
I also want to note that while I recognize that there are some Pokemon, like Palkia and Dialga, that really do resemble dinosaurs, they aren’t added here for meta or story reasons.
15
Relicanth
#369
Relicanth might as well still be a fossil. While they don’t actually come from in-game Fossils, they resemble coelacanths, which are often recognized in science as being ‘living fossils.’ These fish also lived alongside dinosaurs while those guys were still around and remain unchanged to this day.
It’s so low on this list because, really, they aren’t all that important. It doesn’t have any evolutions or any real importance throughout the games. Relicanth was even forgotten in the Hoenn Pokerap, alongside Zigzagoon.
I very much think it would have had a cool Paradox Pokemon version of Mega Evolution, but alas, Relicanth is a relic best forgotten, it seems.
14
Tropius
#357
Tropius is on this list because it’s a dinosaur, but that’s pretty much it. It doesn’t have any known evolutions, and honestly, it has been pretty forgotten since the third generation.
It’s an odd-looking design, and it’s not a particularly powerful party member. So, unless you’re looking for an inexplicably good HM slave on account of its ability to fly, it’s probably not worth tossing a ball at.
13
Chikorita, Bayleef, and Meganium
#152, #153, and #154
It seems like the Pokemon artists really took to sauropods after drafting up Meganium in the second generation, seeing as there are going to be many more on this list. This evolutionary line is among the OGs in the Pokemon games meta, with Chikorita being one of the partner Pokemon you can choose from in Johto.
Similar to Pokemon like Lapras, Meganium also happens to fit its way into many other Pokemon games, seeing as it’s in Pokemon Rumble Rush, New Pokemon Snap, and Pokemon Trozei, to name just a few.
I am also a pretty big fan of its Mega Evolution, which adds various flowers to the flower wreath on its neck, but I’ll admit to almost never actually having chosen Chikorita as a partner Pokemon. As a result, I really don’t have any emotional connection to this evolutionary line. However, I clearly have a little bit more of one than the above two.
12
Archen and Archeops
#566 and #567
Based just on appearances, Archen and Archeops are a bit of a stretch when categorizing dinosaur-like Pokemon. However, seeing as it’s a Pokemon that comes from a Fossil, it’s a little difficult to say otherwise.
Despite their heads resembling snakes more than anything, their bodies are reminiscent of flying dinosaurs that were theorized to have wings and feathers. Most of their Pokedex entries also support the idea that the two are dinosaurs, stating that they’re ancestors of bird Pokemon.
While not being as high up on this list as some of the other dinos in the Pokemon lineup, I do find it interesting that Archen and Archeops are the only two Pokemon that can learn the Ability Defeatist.
11
Amaura and Aurorus
#698 and #699
Amaura and Auroros are another pair of Pokemon that stem from a Fossil in the mainline games. The two resemble a sauropod if a glacier ate them and spat them back out, but in a really cute and adorable way.
Something really cool about these two, specifically, is that they are among the three known Pokémon that can have the Ability Refrigerate. The move changes all Normal-type moves into Ice-type ones, which is actually pretty awesome if you’re going against a Dragon or Ground-type Pokemon.
Another really interesting fact about Aurorus is that, according to the anime, when they whinny, auroras appear in the night sky.
10
Larvitar, Pupitar, and Tyranitar
#246, #247, and #248
While I wouldn’t really say that Larvitar or Pupitar are dinosaurs, it’s hard to say the same for Tyranitar. In fact, I’d argue and say that Tyranitar is based more on Kaiju like Godzilla than dinosaurs.
Tyranitar also has a future Paradox Pokémon version named Iron Thorns, which puts it a little closer to dinosaur territory. I also think that its Mega Evolution resembles a dinosaur a little bit more, albeit a scarier one.
The main reason why Larvitar, Pupitar, and Tyrantar are so high on this list is because of the nostalgia I have for them. In the second generation of Pokemon games, I always felt that Tyranitar was a rare, out-of-reach Pokemon, and that just gave it more of a magical feel to me in a way.
9
Shieldon and Bastiodon
#410 and #411
Shieldon and Bastiodon are two Pokemon from the Sinnoh region that come from Fossils. Lore even states that this species spawned roughly 100 million years ago. So, it’s pretty hard to argue again this one’s dino chops.
Aesthetically, there’s a lot to love about these two, as their defensive nature matches the bulwark-style faces they sport. They look like a brick wall, and they act like one in battle.
Another reason why this evolutionary line is so high up on this list is that, instead of being a carnivore, it feeds on grass and berries, making it a little more docile than expected. In short, a tough little fella, but a cuddly fella.
8
Cranidos and Rampardos
#408 and #409
Cranidos and Rampardos are another set of Pokemon that are basically carbon copies of real dinosaur designs. The two were introduced during the Sinnoh games as one of the Fossils that can be regenerated.
According to legend, the weird little dome on Rampardos’ head was used as helmets for warriors who dug them up from the ground long after they passed. That single fact is one of the reasons it’s so high up on this list; that’s pretty rad.
7
Tyrunt and Tyrantrum
#696 and #697
Tyrunt and Tyrantrum are dinosaurs, no doubt. However, the two are dual-type Rock and Dragon, which I’ve always found useful when building unique parties on repeat playthroughs. Modeled after the Tyrannosaurus Rex, the two are as high on this list as they are because of their appearance alone.
I am also a pretty big fan of its Shiny version, which is a royal blue in opposition to the original brownish-orange. Like Aerodactly, Tyrantrum also tends to typically be the skeleton replica on display in different Pokemon museums throughout the mainline games.
Now that I think about it, Tyrantrum and Rampardos should really have awesome Primal Reversions or Mega Evolutions to really bring out those dinosaur traits. Hint, Game Freak.
6
Aron, Lairon, and Aggron
#304, #305, and #306
I feel that the final Pokemon in this evolutionary line is designed to be modeled after a Triceratops. In my research, other people think it could be based on the Ankylosaurus, which I think is way more evident in its Mega Evolution.
When it comes to Aron and Lairon, I think their dino qualities shine through a little clearer. Their territorial personalities and protection over mountains and large scales of land are also pretty reminiscent of dinosaurs.
However, the biggest reason they’re as high as they are on the list is that, alongside Garchomp, it is the only dual-type Pokémon that Mega Evolves into a single type.
5
Nidoran, Nidorina, and Nidoqueen
#29, #30, and #31
While Nidoqueen and Nidoking are essentially gender specific versions of each other, they depict the classic war between gendered animals in the context of the prehistoric evolution of dinosaurs. But they couldn’t really be more different competitively and thematically. For starters, Nidoqueen has higher Defense and Special Defense than Nidoking.
Visually, Nidoqueen just has a more maternal resilience. This makes total sense since her lore revolves around defending her young by using the poison spikes on her back and causing tremors in the ground.
I also very much like that Nidorina can’t just evolve into a Nidoqueen and needs to be presented with a Moon Stone. It’s almost like they need to earn their keep in a way, or be a friend to humans who can trust them to continue breeding and creating more Nidoran.
4
Nidoran, Nidorino, and Nidoking
#32, #33, and #34
Continuing this Nido-thread, we have the Nidoking line, which is the superior of the two in almost every sense. For example, they’ve got much higher Attack and Special Attack. This makes Nidoking’s lore pretty interesting, which includes that its horn is powerful enough to crush diamonds. I would love to know why it would need to do that in the first place.
In contrast to Nidoqueen, Nidoking is a little more aggressive, and can apparently take down steel transmission towers unless, of course, he is calmed down by a Nidoqueen.
The main reason Nidoking is so high up on this list has nothing to do with him being strong so much as it does with being one of the first 151 Pokémon and being my go-to pick, alongside Nidoqueen, for my Pokémon Stadium party.
3
Groudon
#383
I have a pretty long relationship with Groudon, seeing as how Pokemon Ruby was the very first Pokemon game I had ever purchased with my own money. Alongside that nostalgia, the Pokemon is a dinosaur through and through, with its lore depicting it as one of the longest-lived species, seeing as it’s one of the super-ancient Pokemon alongside Rayquaza and Kyogre.
The story between Team Magma and Team Aqua has always been my favorite in the mainline Pokemon games, so that bias might also be sprinkled in there.
However, the biggest reason it’s so high on the list is because it has a Primal Reversion, which pretty much makes it a super dinosaur. This was introduced when Hoenn debuted again with Pokemon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire, but hadn’t been seen since until the latest Mega Dimensions DLC for Pokemon Legends: Z-A.
2
Aerodactyl
#142
Aerodactyl radiates pure, prehistoric vibes. Not only is it among the first 151 Pokemon ever introduced, but it’s also one of the first Fossils, the Old Amber, that players can receive in Pokemon Red and Blue, regenerating into the flying dinosaur. As a result, it really comes as no surprise that Aerodactyl has been injected into every single mainline game.
The Pokemon’s Mega Evolution also somehow makes it seem even more dinosaur-like, which is really why it’s so close to the top of this list. The Mega Evolution awakens some of Aerodactyl’s more dormant dinosaur genes, making it look more like what it probably did before fossilization.
Beyond the nostalgia, Aerodactyl is a lot like Lapras in the context of constantly being placed in other franchise spin-offs, like Pokemon Mystery Dungeon, Pokemon Rumble Rush, Pokemon Shuffle, and even New Pokemon Snap. It’s awesome to see that no one’s really forgotten about the OGs.
1
Lapras
#131
Lapras takes the top spot for a multitude of reasons. For starters, it is among the original 151 that introduced the world to Pokemon as a whole.
Second, it’s a dinosaur Pokémon that slips into just about every bit of the franchise in some way. After appearing as one of Ash’s Pokemon in the anime, it has become similar to Pikachu in having become a mascot of the games when it comes to transportation across bodies of water.
Alongside being excellent modes of travel, Lapras are also incredibly interesting in the meta, with their first few Pokedex entries stating that their numbers were dwindling near extinction due to poaching. I’ve always heard that these entries made some children sad, encouraging them to breed Lapras for the sole purpose of releasing them into the wild and helping repopulate them.
After a while, their entries started to reflect this, stating that the Pokemon are now thriving. For their involvement in helping the Pokemon community come together as one, Lapras gets the top spot.
