Pokémon on Nintendo DS had the best battles, here are the most iconic

The Nintendo DS era in the Pokémon franchise is one of the most memorable. I think Pokémon was at the height of its quality then, with games like Platinum and Black and White being praised as the the best in the entire series. It’s also one of the longest spanning generations; Pokémon Diamond and Pearl released in 2006, while Pokémon Black and White 2 came out in 2012. In that time, we had time-travelling mythical beasts, alternative dimensions, and universe ending events. Here are the best of the best battles from those games.

Sinnoh vs Cyrus in the Distortion World

Towards the end of the game in Pokémon Platinum, Team Galactic’s leader, Cyrus, tries to capture Giratina and control it for evil. You will have journeyed through the puzzles of the Distortion Realm, and be preparing for the end-game in this time, though you will need to confront the game’s main antagonist first.

Fighting against Cyrus for the third time is one of the most iconic moments in the Nintendo DS games. At this stage in the game, you will be feeling the real power of your team for the first time as they square up against an offensive team nearing level 50 at times.

Unovah vs N at N’s Castle

Towards the end of Pokémon Black and White, just after you’ve caught your game’s respective Legendary, you will have to face N at their castle. The Unovah games have some of the most complex plots in Pokémon, with N as quite a morally grey character. His motivations are not incomprehensible nor inspired by greed, and it’s one of the first games with such a young antagonist.

The fight begins, and you are poised up against the Legendary that you can’t catch in your game. Two levels stronger than the one you just caught, it’s probably going to take down your freshly caught God in a few hits if you’re not careful.

If N’s Reshiram/Zekrom doesn’t wipe your entire team, you’re going to be up against a team formidable enough to finish you off.

This is one of the most iconic moments in the entire Pokémon franchise’s history. This is the first time that anyone uses a Legendary Pokémon against you, and it’s going to be accompanied by one of the toughest fights too.

You finish up the fight, and next up is Ghetsis, one of the most evil characters in the series. It’s a truly spectacular pair of events.

Johto vs Red at Mt. Silver

In Pokémon HG/SS, you get another attempt at one of the series’ most iconic battles as a whole. It’s Gold vs Red, and you’re going to be fighting the same brutal team you first faced in Generation 2.

His team is identical to its 90s counterpart, except from the fact his time is far higher levelled, and with new abilities to before.

It’s hard not to include one of the only opportunities you get to fight another game’s protagonist, and I almost think this should be a staple feature in all Pokémon games to round them off.

Unova vs Cynthia in Undella Town

It was either between this battle with Cynthia, or the battle with Cynthia in the Sinnoh games. Ultimately, I decided this was even rougher. After you’ve beaten the main story in Black and White 2, you will arrive in the post-game.

To set the scene a little, the last battle you would have had against Cynthia would have been in Sinnoh, where she throws at a Pokémon with no type weakness whatsoever, and steamrolls your team in the most brutal fashion. If you manage to withstand the Spiritomb, you’ve got a souped up Garchomp waiting for you, and that’s only two of the six Pokémon you will face.

Back to Unovah, and you’re in Undella Town. It’s populated by trainers pushing Pokémon level 60 and above, and yours are nowhere near this level just yet. You reach the town, and before you head on over to the Pokémon Center, you decide to have a nosy around. Just a few doors away, there’s a house. It has a sign in-front, so you go inside. You see her, the owner of that Spiritomb. Cynthia.

Her team is brutal. She throws out a Level 76 Spiritomb, and you could easily be Slow Poke Tail in most cases.