Dinosaurs are a common sight in pop culture. Even without looking up on Google, you can identify famous dinosaurs in mass media. Name them: Godzilla, Barney, and Rex from “Toy Story.”
In the Pokémon franchise, some of your favorite pocket monsters have designs inspired by dinosaurs. So, let’s get them stomping their feet now on Earth as you get to know the most popular Pokémons inspired by dinos.
The Most Popular Dino-Pokémon Is… Haxorus
Haxorus is the leader of the pack. This Ace Pokémon trained by Unova Gym Leader and Champion Iris has dino features that are uber identifiable. It is inspired by the design of the heterodontosaurus or the different-toothed lizard.
Best move: Giga Impact
Other Popular Dinosaurs In The Pokémon Franchise
Let’s continue the countdown.
Tyrantrum
Sadly, Haxorus is not the most powerful dinosaur-Pokémon. If this list were that of the most powerful, Tyrantrum would be on top. This Rock- and Dragon-type fossil Pokémon will be very familiar to you as it takes inspiration from the design of the Tyrannosaurus Rex, commonly known as the T-Rex. This Pokémon has tiny arms – like Rex in Disney’s “Toy Story” – a big head with a mouth filled with sharp teeth, and a bipedal walking movement like the prehistoric dinosaur.
Best move: Head Smash
Dialga
Name a legendary dinosaur Pokémon, and Dialga will surely be on your list. This monster can manipulate time, so it is often revered as an ancient deity. Its appearance won’t immediately remind you of a dinosaur, as it has blue, icy-like features. In the Pokémon story, it is believed that its birth gave rise to the first movement of time. Its design is based on the sauropod Amphicoelias, with its lengthy neck and quadrupedal form.
Best move: Roar of Time
Meganium
In “Pokémon,” you have fearsome dinosaurs, and then you have cute and adorable ones, such as Meganium. This beautiful dinosaur Pokémon is the last evolution of Chikorita in the Johto game series. It is of the Grass-type and takes its design’s cue from sauropods, particularly the Brachiosaurus – as you see in “Jurassic World” – with its long neck, then smaller head and limbs.
Best move: Leaf Storm
Baxcalibur
Now, that name is quite classic. Baxcalibur is a Dragon- and Ice-type Pokémon who can spew cryogenic air that can freeze everything that goes against its way – Mr. Freeze from “Batman,” is that you? It also has a dorsal blade that can finish off weapons in battles.
Some fans link Baxcalibur with Godzilla, as its design is based on the Concavenator or Spinosaurus, which has sail-shaped thorns along its spine. This Pokémon is a scary foe to fight with as it can sustain itself in hailstorms with its icy body.
Best move: Glaive Rush
Sceptile
Sceptile isn’t proud much of its fangs but proud of its tail. This last evolution of Treeko is a fan-fave as it can run at high speeds. Its reptilian-like look resembles that of a Velociraptor. This is also a Pokémon you don’t want to mess with.
Best move: Leaf Bade
Archeops
You might get too engrossed with dinosaurs roaming the land, but look up in the sky, and you might see flying dinosaurs. Scarier, isn’t it? Archeops is touted as the first Bird Pokémon who can run at 25 miles per hour before launching itself into the sky. Think of an airplane about to take off.
Its appearance can be hinted at its name, a wordplay for Archaeopteryx, a real-life winged dinosaur, also known in scientific history as the “first bird.”
Best move: Head Smash
Rampardos
This Rock-type fossil monster is characterized by its thick skull and limb structure comparable to that of the Pachycephalosaurus. It is the evolution of Cranidos. Its movesets include the Zen Headbutt and Head Smash using its formidable skull. It also knows ancient powers and the move called Stone Edge. If there’s a dinosaur who loves sumo wrestling, it’s going to be Rampardos.
Best move: Head Smash
Rhyperior
Ah, the superior Rhyperior. When you have the Pokémon Rhydon that holds the Protector, it evolves to Rhyperior, a dinosaur with a carapace to protect its body and strong arms with holes that shoot rocks at its enemies.
Its design is based simply on the rhinoceros, but looking at it more closely, particularly at its tail club and carapace, will lead you to conclude that its design is also based on the armored dinosaur Ankylosaurus.
Best move: Rock Wrecker
Bastiodon
Bastiodon, a Rock- and Steel-type Pokémon, is the mirror image of Rampardos. It’s got some frills and horns that will remind you of those of a Zuncineratops or Triceratops. Iron Head and Heavy Slam are among its movesets.
Best move: Iron Head
Lapras
If you’re watching the opening billboard of the first-ever “Pokémon” show, you’ll spot Lapras drifting on the waters. Believe it or not, this Pokémon is based on a dinosaur. What’s unique about Lapras is that it can understand human speech. But, because of this ability, Lapras species were poached and became extinct. Thankfully, protective regulations were imposed to prevent its disappearance from Earth, so there is now a large population of Lapras species that people also rely on for sea transportation.
Lapras is a crossbreed between a tortoise and the Plesiosaur, a Mesozoic aquatic reptile. Forgive PVP Live for spending too much time on this character, as Lapras is gorgeous. It is believed to be the descent of the Loch Ness Monster from Scottish folklore.
Best move: Freeze-Dry
Groudon
Groudon, not Groupon. But kidding aside, this legendary Pokémon is also among the most powerful. It is one of the weather trio legendaries introduced in the third generation of the franchise. Its spikes can be compared to those of the Ankylosaurus, but it also resembles the Theropods.
Best move: Eruption
Conclusion
Note that dinosaur Pokémons are distinct from dragon-inspired Pokémons, though some of the dinosaurs on this list are Dragon-type. Dragonite, Dratini, Salamence, Altaria, Bagon, and Garchomp are some of your dragon-inspired monsters.
