Can You Name All These Psychic-Type Pokémon?
- by Scott Baird
- – on
- in The Geek Corner
Psychic-type Pokémon were the original kings and queens of the competitive scene. This was due to the fact that the coding in Pokémon Red & Blue was screwed up. It's believed that Ghost-types were supposed to have had an advantage over Psychic-types in the first generation of games, but a programming error messed this up. This confused a lot of fans of the Pokémon anime, who wondered why Ash had to go find a Ghost-type Pokémon to fight Sabrina.
The reason Psychic-type Pokémon were so dominant in Red & Blue was due to the fact that they only had one weakness (Bug-type) and the Special stat hadn't been split yet. This meant that all Psychic-type Pokémon were powerhouses. Only the absolute best of the other types (like Dragonite, Chansey, and Snorlax) could keep up.
Pokémon Gold & Silver introduced numerous changes to the series which were made to balance the gameplay. Psychic-type Pokémon were the biggest victims of this, as the two new types that were introduced (Dark & Steel) were made specifically to take them down. This meant that the age of Psychic-type dominance had ended.
Psychic-type Pokémon still remain some of the most powerful creatures in the series. They pack a powerful punch and can use some of the best utility moves in the series (such as Amnesia). The telepathic Pokémon still see regular play in competitive battles to this day.
If you clicked on this quiz, then you probably think that you know your Psychic-type Pokémon. These mindful monsters have been ruling the roost since Pokémon Red & Blue, which gives us a lot of creatures to choose from. So, Can You Name These Psychic-Type Pokémon?
This Pokémon was the subject of a law suit
There are very few Pokémon that have been inspired by real life people. This is one of them and it got Game Freak into trouble. This Pokémon's Japanese name is spelled in a similar way to that of Uri Geller. He was a man who claimed to possess psychic abilities (though he later admitted to being a fraud), who used to bend spoons with his powers. Uri Geller took Nintendo to court. This led to this Pokémon not appearing in the Trading Card Game for a long time.
This creepy Pokémon lives with Ash's mom
This creepy Pokémon is actually one of the longest running characters in the anime, as it still makes regular appearances. One of these Pokémon lives with Ash's mother and we still see it doing chores around the house whenever Ash returns to Pallet Town at the end of the season. This Pokémon was a pure Psychic-type for a long time. Things changed in Pokémon X & Y when it was revealed that this creature was actually a Psychic/Fairy-type Pokémon the whole time.
This was the original powerhouse of Pokémon Red & Blue
There are a handful of Pokémon that are confirmed to have been created by man. Magearna is one and Genesect is another. This Pokémon might be the most notorious of the artificial Pokémon, as it was created through genetic engineering. This Pokémon has remained one of the most powerful Legendary beasts in the series. It was briefly overtaken in overall stats by Arceus. This Pokémon came back with a vengeance in X & Y, when it was revealed that it would receive two powerful Mega Evolutions.
A friendly Eevee can turn into this Pokémon
Pokémon Red & Blue introduced Eevee to the series. This was a Pokémon that was unique in that it had three different evolutions. You needed to use an evolutionary stone in order to create the three Pokémon. Pokémon Gold & Silver introduced two new mechanics which became important to the Eevee line; the friendship stat and the day & night cycle. If you increase an Eevee's friendship stat and then level it up during the day, then it will evolve into this Pokémon.
This Pokémon is hiding under the truck. Seriously, go check it out!
Pokémon Red & Blue were notorious for being glitchy and full of bugs. The games could have been even worse, due to a last minute decision to add a 151st Pokémon to the game. When the debugging tools used during game testing were removed, it was discovered that there was more memory in the game. The developers at Game Freak added this Pokémon into the game and intended for its existence to be a secret. This secret didn't last long, as people encountered this Pokémon by glitching the game.
This Pokémon can send you back to the past
The secret 151st Pokémon captured the imaginations of fans across the world. Nintendo held live events where you could actually acquire a Mew. They decided to do this again in Pokémon Gold & Silver by adding a secret 251st creature. This Pokémon would later have a special event tied to it in Pokémon HeartGold & SoulSilver. If you acquired this Pokémon, then you could go back in time and battle Giovanni of Team Rocket. This encounter explains Giovanni's fate after the events of Red & Blue.
You need a King's Rock to create this Pokémon
Pokémon Gold & Silver introduced the King's Rock to the series. This is an equipable item that will occasionally allow your attacks to cause the enemy to flinch. The King's Rock had another use in Gold & Silver. It allowed Slowpoke and Poliwhirl to evolve into new forms if they are traded while holding the King's Rock. It is similar to the Metal Coat item in functionality. You need to perform this trading method in order to create this Pokémon.
You need to flip your 3DS upside down to create this Pokémon
As the Pokémon series progressed, there were numerous new methods of evolution that were added in each generation. Originally, you could level up the Pokémon, trade them, or use a specific item. The later games added in things like the friendship stat and the day & night cycle. This Pokémon might have the weirdest evolution of all, due to the fact that you need to level up its previous form while holding the 3DS upside down. The gyroscope in the 3DS will detect what you are doing.
Ash kissed this Pokémon in the movies
There is a section of the Pokémon fanbase that is interested in something called "shipping". This is the idea of coupling two characters together. One of the most popular involves Ash and this Pokémon. This is because this Pokémon took on a human form and kissed Ash. Ash met the human form of this Pokémon in the fifth movie. It took on the identity of Bianca and became attracted to Ash throughout the course of the story. Thankfully, it never went further than a kiss on the cheek.
This Pokémon looks like it was designed by John Lennon
This Pokémon might have the most disturbing design in the whole series. It seems like this creature escaped from The Yellow Submarine and wound up in the Pokémon world. The Pokédex claims that this Pokémon likes to use its psychic powers to paralyze its foes and eat them living with its razor sharp teeth. Even a Shellder's shell won't last long against this creature's jaws. This Pokémon can possess the Dazzling ability, which protects it from priority moves and causes them to fizzle out.
This is the signature Pokémon of Steven Stone
This is the signature Pokémon of Steven Stone. He is the Champion in Pokémon Ruby & Sapphire. Steven stepped down from this role in Pokémon Emerald, where he was replaced by Wallace. He returned in Pokémon Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire, where his signature Pokémon now gained a powerful Mega Evolution. If you bought Pokémon Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire around the time of its release, then you could download a shiny version of the first form of this Pokémon for free.
This Pokémon can praise the sun!
There are certain Pokémon that are confirmed to have come from another planet. The Ultra Beasts might be the most famous modern example of this, as they come from another dimension. This Rock/Psychic-type Pokémon is found where meteorites strike the ground. Many fans take this to mean that this Pokémon is an alien. It's a shame that this Pokémon was not created recently, as it would have made for a perfect mascot for Pokémon Sun. Lunatone could have been the mascot for Pokémon Moon.
This is the most controversial Pokémon of all time
Game Freak never expected Pokémon to be the smash hit that it turned out to be. If they did, they probably wouldn't have included a Pokémon that resembles a blackface caricature. The origins of this Pokémon have been widely contested by fans. There are some who believe it is based on Zwarte Piet, while others believe it is based on a creature from Norse mythology. Regardless of this Pokémon's origins, it still caused controversy when it debuted in the West. This Pokémon has had its appearance altered so that it has purple skin and smaller lips.
This might be the best Pokémon in the competitive scene
Misty used one of these Pokémon in the anime. Little did she know of the power that she had at her disposal. There is a strong argument to be made for this being the best Pokémon in Red & Blue. This Pokémon is a Water/Psychic-type, which gives it access to some of the best moves in the game. Its high Speed stat and high Special stat make it one of the fastest and hardest hitters in the game. The fact that it can use Recover also gives it the ability to heal its wounds in battle.
This plant can turn into a dragon if left out in the heat for too long
Don't let this goofy palm tree's appearance fool you. This has remained one of the most powerful Pokémon in the competitive scene since the days of Red & Blue. The combination of its Grass/Psychic-type and its amazing set of moves have kept it a force to be reckoned with. This Pokémon received a new form in Sun & Moon. It had evolved differently in the Alola region, due to the warmer temperature. Alola turned this Pokémon into a Grass/Dragon-type instead.
This is the mascot of Pokémon Sun
Legendary Pokémon seldom have evolutionary forms. They usually cannot evolve, but some of them have alternate forms which they can transform into. The mascot of Pokémon Sun is actually the third stage evolution. Its original form is Cosmog, which you may remember as the Pokémon that wouldn't get in the bag and who needed to be rescued all of the time. This Pokémon has another form called the Radian Sun Phase. It can only use this form when it uses the Sunsteel Strike attack.
This Pokémon is number 000 in the Unova Pokédex
There are two versions of the Pokédex for each region. The first only takes into account the Pokémon in that region, while the second is a National Pokédex, which includes all known Pokémon. The Regional Pokédex for Unova has a Pokémon listed as number #000. It is this Legendary Pokémon that holds this unusual distinction. We still don't know why this is the case, as this Pokémon doesn't really have much of a backstory that requires a unique position on the Regional Pokédex.
The Alola region turned this classic Pokémon into a totally tubular dude
The Alola region is the setting of Pokémon Sun & Moon. There are some Pokémon from the previous games that evolved differently in the Alola region, as they had to adapt to the tropical environment. This means that some classic Pokémon look totally different in Alola. This is the Alolan version of Pikachu's evolution. It gains Psychic as its secondary typing and floats on its tail like a surfboard. It also gains the Surge Surfer ability, which doubles its speed when Electric Terrain is in effect.
This is the mascot of Pokémon Silver
This Psychic/Flying-type Legendary Pokémon has been the mascot of both Pokémon Silver and SoulSilver. It also featured heavily in the second Pokémon movie, where it faced off against the three Legendary birds of Kanto. This Pokémon would appear again in the anime. It was revealed that this kind of Pokémon can breed, as one of its young appeared before Ash, Brock, and Misty. This is odd, as this Pokémon cannot breed in the games. Most Legendary Pokémon are unable to breed.
This Pokémon is based on the cells within living creatures
This Pokémon is one of the countless examples that have been cited when people claim that Game Freak is running out of ideas. It is a Pokémon that is based on the structure of a cell. According to the Pokédex, these Pokémon have the ability to crush boulders with their psychic abilities. The green goo is part of its body and it helps to amplify their psychic powers. This Pokémon usually possesses the Overcoat ability, which protects it from the damage inflicted by certain weather effects.
This Pokémon is based on a fashion style
This is another Pokémon that is cited when people want to try and prove that Game Freak has run out of ideas. It's harder to defend this Pokémon, as it seems to be based on the fashion style known as Gothic Lolita. This is when people dress like young girls in Victorian clothes. The Pokédex makes no mention of this Pokémon's bizarre inspiration. Instead, it focuses on this Pokémon's ability to predict the future by looking at the stars in the sky.
This Pokémon is the protector of the realm of dreams
Pokémon Diamond & Pearl introduced the Lunar Duo to the series. These are a pair of Pokémon that deal with the world of dreams. One of them is Darkrai, who rules over the realm of nightmares. This is accurate, as Darkrai is one of the most feared Pokémon in the competitive scene (when it isn't banned outright). This Pokémon is the other member of the Lunar Duo. Those who can find a feather from this Pokémon are assured to have pleasant dreams when they sleep.
This alien Pokémon is based on DNA
This was once the most feared Legendary Pokémon in the competitive scene. It had unparalleled stats and several forms which made it even more powerful. This Pokémon is one of the few creatures that are confirmed to have come from another planet. You actually get a chance to battle this Pokémon in the Delta Episode of Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire, as it arrives on Earth within a meteorite. This Pokémon's design is based on DNA strands and structures that are seen in nature.
This Ultra Beast may be the key to understanding Pokémon Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon
Pokémon Sun & Moon introduced the Ultra Beasts to the series. These are fearsome Pokémon that come from another dimension. They are attracted to the Alola region by the machinations of the Aether Foundation. It is up to the player to hunt these creatures down after they have finished their Pokémon journey. It has been suggested that this Pokémon will have a larger role in Pokémon Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon, as elements of its design have been added to those of the mascots for those games.
This genie has power over portals
The creators of Pokémon have struggled to hide their event Legendaries due to things like emulation and hacking. It usually takes fans about five minutes to comb through the files of the game and discover the secret Pokémon that haven't been revealed yet. That was true of this Pokémon, as it did not remain a secret for long. This is the alternate form of a Pokémon called Hoopa. You unlock this form by using an item called the Prison Bottle.