Ranking the Pokemon: #89- Squirtle

If you asked someone to name as many Pokemon as they could, I'd imagine most normal people and/or folks who haven't played the game would be able to get between one and 12 (because, come on, EVERYONE knows Pikachu). The three "starter" Pokemon would probably follow soon after. Which makes Squirtle one of the more well-known Pokes to the casual fan. But it's also the worst of the three starters (in my opinion, though it's close). Its adorableness certainly helps in getting it this high, but the main issue with the Squirt is that while Charizard and Venusaur are ultimately the best in their respective types, I'd argue there are a few better Water types than Blastoise (and I'd be right). That doesn't mean Squirtle is bad--after all, it's in the top 60%--it's just that compared to its other starting brethren, I'd want it the least. Of course, you could just do the ol' Pokemon Stadium or even just the "multiple Game Boy" trick and pick a starter, then send it to either the Stadium game pak or the other Game Boy game and restart your game, repeating the process until you have all three starters. It's a cheap move, but hey, you're a cheap player.

I'm not entirely sure this actually happens but I really want to believe that Squirtle hides in its shell when it uses a move in Pokemon Stadium, which, for a move like Surf, is almost too cute to stomach. Speaking of moves, Squirtle doesn't learn a ton of them normally (and the ones it does kinda suck). Fortunately, though, Squirtle picks up a good amount from TM/HMs to make it have a viable moveset. According to Bulbapedia--which really deserves a shoutout by the way, since I get the stats/moveset info from there--Squirtle cannot learn Earthquake, while Blastoise can. That's probably your best deterrent against an Electric-type (since Ground moves are the only thing super-effective against the 'Lectrics), and since Squirtle can't learn it, it has to settle with Dig, which is less powerful and takes two turns to move. At least one of those turns you're underground, though, so you most likely won't get hit. Slap an Ice attack on (while normally I'd take the more accurate moves over the more powerful ones, for whatever reason Blizzard is very accurate in this game, so use that) and you've got a well-rounded sonovagun.

Battling Grade: C+

Previously: #90- Koffing