If you’re looking for a list of the best monkey Pokémon, you’ve found it. We’re massive Pokémon fans here at Pocket Tactics, so we felt well up to the task of picking out finest primates from across all generations of the monster-taming series, from early icons like Primape to later arrivals such as Zarude, and beyond. So, let’s swing into our list, shall we?
Before we dive into this barrel of monkeys, be sure to check out some of our other great guides covering all things Pokémon. Such as our best cat Pokémon, dog Pokémon, Pokémon Scarlet and Violet mystery gift codes, Pokémon Scarlet and Violet gym leaders, and Pokémon Go Ultra Beasts guides.
Here’s our guide to the best monkey Pokémon:
Mankey / Primeape
Sometimes you just get something right on the first try. Back in the first generation, the simple days when Game Freak would just change a single letter and call a Pokémon Mankey, or Seel, and then call it a day. This glorious duo of angry apes was introduced to a young generation and has been beloved ever since. If you want to use them, though, you better get your head around our fighting Pokémon weakness guide first.
Honestly, with so many different games featuring jungle-based locations since Kanto, it feels weird to me that we somehow don’t have a regional form of either Mankey or Primeape yet. They’re not anything to write home about competitively, so hopefully, the future shines a light on these two, and maybe we’ll even get a regional evolution like the incredible Obstagoon. If you want to go one step further and get the last in this evolutionary line, check out our guide on how to evolve Primeape.
Oranguru / Passimian
I’m gonna lump these two bad boys together because their games link them anyway, plus it’s a bit hard to argue that Passimian is a monkey, so it’s gonna be easier if I double up. Technically lemurs are not monkeys, but they’re so close, and Passimian is so cute that I didn’t want to leave it out. Plus, it has a little football. You can’t deny, this ‘mon is great.
Oranguru, on the other hand, is definitely a great ape, based on the mighty orangutan and giving off wise shaman vibes that I always really liked. A normal/psychic type is an interesting mix, and Oranguru is one of the only Pokémon that can learn the move intrude.
Aipom
Sometimes, it takes the anime to make a Pokémon that didn’t stand out in the games become a fan favorite. This is very true of Aipom, who Ash chose as one of his party members during his iconic Battle Frontier challenge. After going under the radar for a generation and a half, we Aipom finally got some solid screentime, and its mischievous nature and drive to do Ash proud made it a popular primate with countless Pokéfans.
Still, Aipom has its place in the games, especially in Pokémon Diamond and Pearl and the subsequent Nintendo Switch remakes. If you teach Aipom Double Slap, it can evolve into the Pokémon Ambipom, but sadly this double-tailed ‘mon is nowhere near as cute. Just keep an eye out for fellow monkey Pokémon Primape, whose fighting moves can exploit the one normal Pokémon weakness.
Chimchar / Infernape
Just look at these guys. Absolute dudes. While not every generation of starter Pokémon can be top-tier, something was in the water when Game Freak made Pokémon Diamond and Pearl because that generation SLAPS. Every starter is a classic, and Chimchar is arguably the best among them (though I adore Piplup).
It’s made even better by the fact that Infernape doesn’t fumble the evolution like so many starter Pokémon, and actually delivers a stunner of a final evolution with great typing and solid stats. Just a great evolution line from top to bottom.
Darmanitan
This big goofy guy is great. Its pre-evolution Darumaka is based on the Japanese Daruma doll, but when it evolves, it turns into a huge, spherical, lumbering ape that possesses a really interesting ability that allows it to enter ‘zen mode’. This fiery friend is a beast to deal with, and a huge asset to your team when you use it correctly. It also has a huge toothy grin like a Cheshire cat that I love so much.
In Pokémon Sword and Shield, both Darumaka and Darmanitan received a regional form that took the previously fire-type Pokémon and gave them an icy makeover. When Galarian Darmanitan goes into zen mode, it gains the rare dual type of ice and fire, which, coupled with its impressive stats, make this one of the most interesting Pokémon currently in the Pokémon VGC community.
Grookey
While I think it’s fair to say I wasn’t the only one disappointed in Pokémon Sword and Shield’s starter Pokémon, Grookey makes the case that one out of three ain’t bad. Just look at it, giving you a little wave. This monkey Pokémon is a certified sweetheart, and I won’t hear any different.
Admittedly, Grookey’s first evolution, Thwackey, is as uninspired as almost every middle form has been since the first generation of Pokémon, but I don’t mind the final form, Rillaboom. That great ape packs a mean punch and has a pretty successful time in the competitive metagame. Still, this guide isn’t about the metagame, it’s about the best monkeys, and there’s no doubting that Grookey is one of the few iconic designs out of the eighth generation of Game Freak titles.
Slaking
While Slaking begins life as a sloth, its fully evolved form is a true ape, with its relaxed pose, gargantuan body, and fur all over the place. Still, just because Slaking isn’t a sloth anymore, that doesn’t mean it’s not lazy, with this Pokémon’s idle nature its most defining feature. So much so, it only attacks once every two turns, opting to slack off every other turn. Yes, that’s just as annoying as it sounds in battle.
However, when Slaking does summon the effort to attack, it can be a terrifying force of nature. The best example is Gym Leader Norman’s Slaking in the third-generation games, where Slaking’s massive attack damage can prove a problem for any team lacking a fighting Pokémon. It’s not quite as tricky a battle as taking on Whitney’s Miltank in Pokémon Gold, Silver, and Crystal, but it’s up there.
Zarude
Arriving after the initial release of Pokémon Sword and Shield, Zarude is a mighty monkey with a penchant for mischief. While it’s a little strange that Game Freak decided to introduce another grass-type monkey when five already exist, we’ll take it if it means adding this powerful primate to our party.
Zarude is also the only monkey Pokémon on this list to have its own feature film, Pokémon the Movie: Secrets of the Jungle, which makes it pretty special. We hope to see more of this brilliant baboon in future Pokémon games.
Worst monkey Pokémon (AKA, Bad Monkey Corner)
Panpour, Pansear, Pansage, Simipour, Simisear, and Simisage
This list is all about celebrating monkeys, but what is writing if not the expression of the writer’s passions? Well, reader, I have a burning passion, and it’s my hatred for the monkeys from Pokémon Black and White known as Pansear, Pansage, and Panpour. These three elemental monkeys represent fire, grass, and water, respectively, and are also meant to be a nod to the three monkeys from the old adage “see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil” from Japanese folklore. Well, let me tell you, folks, I DO see evil, and it’s the evil design of these three monkey monstrosities.
Each is awful in its own way. While almost every list of “best (X) Pokémon” invites some healthy discussion within our team, I have never seen us so united as in our disgust at these foul little guys and their useless, basic, and ugly designs. But wait, do you know what is worse? They all evolve into even uglier monkeys. That’s right, six whole precious Pokedex slots are taken up by these knock-off curious George little freaks, and I despise the fact I have to collect them to complete my Pokedex. If I was a Pokémon trainer, I’d hide a grenade in a banana and wipe these atrocities out of this dimension.
Well, that’s more monkeys than you can fit in a barrel and plenty of great new ‘mon for you to find if you wanted a new ape pal. If you just love Pokémon and want to read more of our great guides on the series, be sure to check out our guides to the best gen 1 Pokémon, gen 2 Pokémon, gen 3 Pokémon, gen 4 Pokémon, and gen 5 Pokémon.