Pokémon games are great, and can lead to some amazing experiences. Part of what makes the games so successful and fun is their replayability, largely in part due to their wide selection of party members in the form of different Pokémon. Something as simple as choosing a new starter can dramatically change your team composition. Due to this, many players are constantly going back through and replaying these games. I don’t think I’ve beaten a game as many times as I’ve beaten FireRed.

Gym leader’s serve as boss battles in game, and after defeating all eight gym leaders, the player can head to the final set of boss battles, the Elite Four. Even if you’ve never finished a Pokémon game, you’ve probably faced off against the first few gym leaders of these games a couple of times. So which of these early game bosses is your favorite?

First up, we got Brock. Made popular through his appearance in the anime, Brock is a rock type gym leader who’s the player’s first major obstacle in their journey through Kanto. While the anime gives Brock a fun personality of being obsessed with girls and great at making terrible jokes, none of that comes from the games. In the games, he seems confident and cool. Personally, I don’t like Brock that much. He uses a Geodude and an Onix, both of which are four times weak to two of the three starter Pokémon. He’s only hard if you start with Charmander, and even then, Geodude typically doesn’t have a Rock type attack and Onix’s stats are ridiculously bad. If Brock’s your favorite, that’s totally fine. But for me, he doesn’t make the cut.

My personal favorite has always been Cheren from Black 2 and White 2. The main rival of the previous game’s protagonist, Cheren uses Normal type Pokémon. Not only that, but his team consists of the basic early game Pokémon you’d encounter, a Patrat and a Lillipup. While these Pokémon are typically overlooked, they make formidable foes here with their move Work Up, raising their stats. Add in the fact that the move Tackle got a boost in power in Black and White, and you’ve got one heck of a boss fight. Oh, and he keeps popping in during the game to help you out with fighting Team Plasma, playing the role of a mentor as well as a gym leader.

Who’s your favorite early game gym leader? Are there any that have given you a hard time? Let us know in a comment, or join the conversation on the Boss Rush Discord.

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