Ever since Pokémon stopped including every monster in every game with Sword and Shield, someone’s favorite probably gets left behind in each new release. Sure, they might show up in the next game or two, but there are over 1000 of these guys now, and everyone’s bound to get benched now and then. Up until last week, only three Pokémon could claim to be catchable in every single RPG. Now that Pokémon Legends: Z-A is out, two of those are off the list, leaving only one left in every game. And no, it’s not Pikachu, the electric mouse and mascot of the whole franchise.
Magikarp is, as of this writing, the only Pokémon you can obtain normally in every Pokémon RPG. This means without trades, hacks, or anything outside the scope of the game. The floundering fish that evolves into one of the most fearsome monsters in the franchise has kept this streak for almost 30 years, thanks to a salesman in Pokémon Black and White who would give you the water Pokémon. Black and White was the combo breaker for almost every other Pokémon because its dex was made up almost entirely of brand new Pokémon from the Unova region, meaning Pikachu, Charizard, and many other mainstays were only available in the post-game. Psyduck and Magnemite were also catchable in Black and White through some extremely roundabout means, but they were there, too.
Now, however, Psyduck and Magnemite are nowhere to be found in Z-A. This might change with the Mega Dimension DLC, as they were both reinstated to the ranks of Magikarp through Sword and Shield’s DLC, but for now, there’s no sign of the headache-ridden duck or the sentient magnets, making Magikarp the reigning champ. For now, at least. Things might change in the Gen X games that are reportedly coming next year.
