Must Play Nintendo 3DS Pokemon Games

Pokemon is one of the most popular gaming franchises of all times, and it's become an international phenomenon for decades. Everyone around the world knows what a Pikachu is, who Ash Ketchum is, and what a pokeball looks like.

Pokemon is just that popular a series — and that means every single Nintendo device these days has at least one or two epic titles involving everyone's favorite pocket monsters.

If you have a Nintendo 3DS, you're in luck. There are a ton of must-play Nintendo 3DS Pokemon games on the market, and we decided to show our picks for the best of the best.

Let's kick off this list of our must play Nintendo 3DS Pokemon games with some classic Pokemon action, shall we? Pokemon Sun is one of the hottest Pokemon games featuring classic-style gameplay and storylines, and that makes it an awesome nostalgia item for old school Pokefans.

Catch 'em all, battle your Pokemon, and work to become a Pokemon Champion in the brand new Alola region of the Poke-world. It's old school Pokemon fun, in a new school presentation. We can all dig that, don't you think?

In Pokemon Sun and Pokemon Moon, you get to check out brand new "Z-moves" that can give you the power to overcome opponents that would typically be out of your league. So, there's new tweaks to a classic formula — and that means more fun than ever before.

Both Pokemon Sun and Pokemon Moon have similar premises — and that's why they're often bought together. In Pokemon Moon, you're an aspiring Pokemon Champion who needs to explore the Alola Region, gather up Pokemon, and train to become the very best.

In this installment, you can choose one of three new buddies to be your starter Pokemon: Rowlet, Litten, or Popplio. Choose wisely, and set out to conquer in the 7th installment of the core Pokemon gaming series.

Fans who love collecting pocket monsters will find both Sun and Moon to be must play Nintendo 3DS Pokemon games. So, don't be shocked if you end up getting hooked once more on this classic series.

Pokemon Alpha Sapphire is yet another classic gameplay-style Pokemon game that reached our list of must play Nintendo 3DS Pokemon games currently out for release, and it's simple to see why. It's an easy-to-play game that takes classic Pokemon fun to a whole new level.

Great graphics, plus great sound and new Pokemon make this one of the best 3DS games for kids who love catching them all. In Alpha Sapphire, you're trekking through the Hoenn region, in hopes of finding a mysterious cave that might just hold the coolest Pokemon ever.

What lies in the cave? And, can you survive Hoenn? Can you solve the puzzle that is known as Mega-Evolution, too? You gotta play to find out.

Pokemon Omega Ruby is Pokemon Sapphire Alpha's counterpart, and that means you, a lone Pokemon trainer, will help make sure that an evil group will not harm the Hoenn region through the power of Pokemon.

In Omega Ruby, you get great gameplay and riveting stories — as well as the chance to check out Primal Reversion, a powerful new transformation process that has been undergone by a couple of legendary Pokemon in the region.

If you love Pokemon games, then this definitely is one of the coolest must play Nintendo 3DS Pokemon games you can buy. (Note: This game works really well with certain Nintendo 3DS accessories, so if you're a gadget geek, you'll be pretty happy.)

Voted as one of the best Nintendo 3DS games for girls and guys who want to sharpen their art and anime drawing skills, Pokemon Art Academy gives us a welcome break from catching and training...to give us better real-life drawing skills.

Art Academy lets you learn how to draw your favorite pocket monsters, and gives you ample time to practice. Better still, you get cool coaching on how to improve your artwork — giving you a brand new skill to show off in real life.

Okay, this is the last "catch em all" game we're adding, because there are a plethora of great games — and we do need a little more variety. Pokemon X transports you to the beautiful and metropolitan region of Kalos, where players work on becoming the best Pokemon masters they can be.

For people who want a little more challenge, Pokemon X's international Player Search System allows you to battle Pokemon through the net. (Note: It's also available on Pokemon Y, too.)

That alone is reason enough to buy this game and why it's one of the coolest must play Nintendo 3DS Pokemon games we've seen. But, when you add that with the cool storylines and awesome starter Pokemon, you have a knockout game no matter how you look at it.

Last on our list of the must play Nintendo 3DS Pokemon games is Pokemon Super Mystery Dungeon, an awesome role playing game that allows you to befriend Pokemon and explore tons of dungeons with them.

You start off with Pikachu and other favorite Poke-pals, and will need to band together to battle other creatures, uncover secrets, and eventually, save the world! All 700-plus Pokemon are in this game, so make no mistake about it, your favorites are included.

If you're done with all the evolution and old school gaming, this game will be a breath of fresh air — all while keeping it true to the franchise's roots.