Legendary Pokémon are the most valuable part of any generation of the Pokémon series. They are the rarest, most powerful, and sometimes the most extravagant Pokémon you’ll find in a generation. For many players, they even determine which game you get.
With nine generations and counting, here are all legendary Pokémon you’ll find throughout the 1000+ Pokémon that exist today. This includes both the legendary and mythical Pokémon that have been released.
Generation 1 Legendary Pokémon
The first set of Pokémon games included only five legendary Pokémon for players to collect, one of which wasn’t even officially available without cheats or glitches.
Articuno
The first legendary Pokémon in the Pokédex is Articuno, the Ice and Flying type bird. Arguably the most beautiful and valuable of the legendary bird trio, it would gain a new Galarian form in the Gen 8 games.
Zapdos
The second of the legendary bird trio is Zapdos, the Electric and Flying-type Pokémon. Like its sibling, Articuno, the powerful thunder legendary would get a Galarian form to bolster its popularity in Gen 8.
Moltres
Rounding out the first legendary trio of all time is Moltres, the Fire and Flying legendary Pokémon. Like the others in its group, it would receive a Galarian regional legendary form in the Gen 8 games.
Mewtwo
The Genetic Pokémon at Pokédex #150 is none other than Mewtwo. Before Mew became readily available, Mewtwo was the legendary Pokémon players sought as the most important part of the postgame for the Gen 1 titles. The Psychic type legendary is compelling and beloved as the star of the first Pokémon movie.
Mew
#151 in the Pokédex is Mew, the basis for Mewtwo and every Pokémon in existence. The strange part about this first mythical Pokémon is that you can’t even catch the Psychic type in the first set of games without the use of glitches or cheats.
Generation 2 Legendary Pokémon
Gen 2 followed in the footsteps of the first set of games, introducing a legendary trio and one mythical. The difference this time was the introduction of box art legendaries that would define the series.
Raikou
The first of the legendary dogs are Raikou, the pure Electric type. It mirrors its Gen 1 counterpart by being a thunder-based Pokémon and having some unique sabertooth tiger inspiration.
Entei
Entei is the second of the legendary beasts, being a pure Fire type. It is perhaps the most popular of the bunch, being the star in the third Pokémon movie, arguably the best in the entire series.
Suicune
Suicune had the unique distinction of being the only legendary trio Pokémon in the series to get its own game in the form of Pokémon Crystal. It was also part of the legendary beast trio, resurrected along with its siblings after its death in the Brass Tower. Its original form is unknown.
Lugia
The box art legendary for Pokémon Silver, Lugia is a Psychic and Flying-type Pokémon that rules over the legendary beasts and is one of the lead Pokémon in the Pokémon 2000 movie.
Ho-Oh
The Fire and Flying type Ho-Oh is featured in Bell Tower in the Gen 2 games. It brought the legendary beast trio back to life and, more importantly, was featured in the first episode of the Pokémon anime. In this way, it was also the first legendary in the popular anime adaptation series.
Celebi
Celebi is the only mythical Pokémon for the Gen 2 games. Sadly, it wasn’t readily available in those games without an exclusive event, glitches, or cheats. The Grass and Psychic Pokémon was also the star of the fourth Pokémon movie.
Generation 3 Legendary Pokémon
Gen 3 vastly expanded the legendary roster, introducing more than just the typical formula of legendary trio, box arts, and a mythical.
Regirock
If you haven't guessed it already, the first of the legendary trio in Gen 3, Regirock, is a pure Rock type. It had a unique puzzle in its dungeon that players had to complete to unlock and capture it.
Regice
The Ice-type Regice is found in the Island Cave on Route 105 in the Gen 3 games. It is the second of the legendary titan trio and also requires a puzzle to find.
Registeel
At #379 in the National Pokédex, Registeel is the final member of the legendary titans (at least in Gen 3). The Steel type legendary could be found in the Ancient Tomb when players solved its puzzle.
Latias
Latias is a Dragon and Psychic Pokémon that players would get after beating the main game in Gen 3. In the Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire remakes, players could fly on the legendary across the Hoenn region.
Latios
Latios is Latias's duo partner, a Dragon, and Psychic-type Pokémon. It is the Ruby counterpart and is readily available in that game. Like Latias, it can also be ridden in the ORAS remakes and is capable of Mega Evolution in those games.
Kyogre
The box art legendary for Sapphire, Kyogre is a Water-type Pokémon that rules over the seas in the world. It is caught in an eternal battle with its legendary counterpart.
Groudon
The weather partner for Kyogre is Groudon, the ruler of continents on the planet. It is a pure Ground type and is locked in a battle against Kyogre. It also received a Primal form alongside its Gen 3 counterpart in ORAS.
Rayquaza
The final member of the legendary trio in Gen 3 is Rayquaza. Widely considered the best legendary in the series, it is a Dragon and Flying type that rules over the skies in the world and brings balance to the fight between Kyogre and Groudon. It also has a Delta form.
Jirachi
Jirachi is the first of not one but two mythical Pokémon in Gen 3. It is the wish-granting Pokémon and is a Steel and Psychic type. It was challenging to get this Pokémon in Gen 3, but possible, especially with the use of the Colosseum.
Deoxys
Deoxys is an intriguing mythical in that it isn’t from the Pokémon world but comes from outer space. It is a bizarre alien Pokémon with three different DNA forms players can shift between. It was also the star of its animated film.
Generation 4 Legendary Pokémon
Gen 4 added a whopping 14 legendary and mythical Pokémon for players to find and capture, one of the largest groups in the series to date.
Uxie
The first of the legendary lake trio, Uxie, is the yellow legendary, a pure Psychic type.
Mesprit
Mesprit is the second of the trio in this generation, being a pure Psychic type and being notably red.
Azelf
Azelf is the final member of the Psychic legendary trio and is blue. It was found at Lake Valor.
Dialga
One of the box art legendaries for Gen 4, Dialga is the beloved and immensely powerful Steel and Dragon-type Pokémon. It rules over time in the Creation Trio.
Palkia
Palkia is the box art legendary for this generation and is a Water and Dragon Pokémon. It rules over space as part of the Creation Trio.
Heatran
This Fire and Steel legendary Pokémon is a powerful creature found in the Stark Mountain area in the Gen 4 games.
Regigigas
Regigigas was added in Gen 4 as the master of the legendary titans and Regis. It is a pure Normal type that is quite strong and was found in Snowpoint Temple.
Giratina
Giratina is the final member of the Creation Trio with two different forms. The Ghost and Dragon Pokémon is seen as the ruler of the underworld known as the Distortion World.
Cresselia
Cresselia is a pure Psychic-type Pokémon and is exclusively female, able to take away nightmares from people. It is the counterpart to Darkrai.
Phione
Phione is a pure Water type mythical that is only available through breeding Manaphy with a Ditto. Despite this connection, it doesn’t evolve into Manaphy for some reason.
Manaphy
The Water-type Manaphy is the parent of all Phione, despite not having evolved from it. Players could only get it in the Gen 4 games through Pokémon Ranger.
Darkrai
The titular Dark type Darkrai is one of the most famous legendary Pokémon. Its exceptional design and starring role in its movie make it one of the best legendary Pokémon.
Shaymin
The Grass-type Shaymin is an adorable mythical Pokémon that players could get in an event. It even has two notable forms it can switch between.
Arceus
The Normal type mythical Pokémon Arceus is the god of all Pokémon. It can have all 18 types through plates and has its own starring game in Pokémon Legends Arceus.
Generation 5 Legendary Pokémon
Gen 5 was no slouch in the legendary department, introducing several mythical and legendary Pokémon, including not one but two groups.
