Pokémon evolved into an international cultural phenomena shortly after the release of the original Game Boy games in the mid-1990s, and the truckloads of officially licensed Pokémon merchandise that followed shortly thereafter can hardly be considered a surprise. More and more products flooded toy store shelves as the Nintendo Powers That Be realized that people couldn't get enough of anything emblazoned with the Pokémon logo. As more games were released the number of Pokémon ballooned from 151 to over 700, and the opportunities for Pokémon-themed merch continued to expand in kind. Meanwhile, the Pokémon anime, manga, and movies continued to provide even more inspiration and demand for merchandise associated with the brand.

In addition to Pikachu, the electric Pokémon who became the brand's mascot, there are literally hundreds of marketable pocket monsters just waiting to be shoehorned in to any number of likely (and unlikely) products! Some Pokémon merch, such as clothing and gaming accessories, were to be expected. But as the PokéPandemic continued in full force, some extremely bizarre products were released into the wild, where any unsuspecting trainers might stumble upon them. Twenty years after the release of the original game, the Pokémon brand continues to offer apparently inexhaustible marketing appeal, and even more new products continue to be released on a regular basis. But with two decades worth of licensed Pokétoys, there are bound to be a few Grimers in the bunch. Here's your guide to the 15 best Pokétoys (and 10 to toss out with the Trubbish)!

25 BEST: G.E.M. TEAM ROCKET TOYS

You can double your trouble with the G.E.M. Team Rocket toys: figures of Jessie and James in dynamic action poses! With finely painted detail that captures the spirit of the antagonists from the anime, the permanent pose in which the figures are positioned instantly calls to mind your favorite Team Rocket scenes.

Included with each figure is a Team Rocket-themed display stand, as well as an action-posed Pokémon figure: Meowth accompanies James while Jessie comes packaged with Wobbuffet. These detailed Pokétoys are sure to make any Team Rocket fan blast off with delight!

24 BEST: NENDOROID POKÉMON FIGURINES

When it comes to cute Pokémon toys, the Nendoroid Pokémon figurines have captured the market. With a style that includes oversize heads and facial features, the Nendoroid line of Pokémon toys takes Nintendo's cute characters and makes them even cuter.

A number of different Pokémon trainers have been adapted as Nendoroid toys, including Red and Blue from the original Pokémon games. Trainers are often packaged with their respective Pokémon as accessories, as well as stands for display, making these figures among the best available.

23 TOSS: PIKACHU NINTENDO 64

Packaged with Hey You, Pikachu!, this Nintendo 64 system has a special design featuring Pikachu. Unfortunately, unlike some of the more successful special edition Nintendo systems, this pocket monstrosity leaves much to be desired.

With a molded Pikachu relief that protrudes from basic shape of the system, the limited edition Pikachu Nintendo 64 is sure to seize the attention of onlookers, but their reaction is unlikely to be favorable. While making one of Pikachu's feet the reset button was a nice touch, it can't redeem this misshapen MissingNo. of a system.

22 BEST: DETECTIVE PIKACHU AMIIBO

Nintendo's amiibo toys offer detailed models of their characters standing on bases that can be used to unlock content on compatible games for the Nintendo 3DS, Switch, and Wii U systems. While the overwhelming majority of these amiibo are of uniform size, there are occasional exceptions to the standard.

The Detective Pikachu amiibo is just such an exception. Standing over eight inches tall, Detective Pikachu towers over other amiibo, and the attractive city map design on its base makes for a visually pleasing display stand.

21 TOSS: POKÉMON CAT COSPLAY HATS

There are few things more likely to incite the ire of cats than dressing them up in ridiculous costumes, and these Pokémon cat cosplay hats are among the most ridiculous feline outfits available.

While there's nothing wrong with apparel plastered with images of Pokémon, it seems unfair to force these costumes on unwilling cats. Perhaps the most outrageous Pokémon cat cosplay hat takes the form of Meowth, the cat Pokémon. Have these people never heard of the expression "cat on a cat"?

20 BEST: PIKACHU EDITION GAME BOY COLOR

Released alongside Pokémon Yellow Version: Special Pikachu Edition in 1998, the Pikachu edition Game Boy Color provides all of the features of a Game Boy Color complimented by a tasteful Pikachu aesthetic.

In addition to a Pikachu-yellow case, this Game Boy featured brightly colored red, blue, and green buttons (representing the original Pokémon games released in Japan). Art featuring Pikachu and Pichu framed the screen, and the red power light caused Pikachu's cheeks to cheerfully glow when the power was turned on.

19 BEST: SNORLAX BEAN BAG

Trainers who need a suitable place to collapse for a nap need look no further than the Snorlax bean bag! This enormous bean bag chair offers trainers the chance to curl up on Snorlax's belly and take a break from catching em all in order to catch some much needed Zs.

Although this bean bag is large enough take up quite a lot of space, ask yourself if Snorlax would pause to consider such inconsequential issues before using Sleep. We didn't think so!

18 TOSS: POKÉMON NANOBLOCKS

While there is significant potential to the notion of Pokémon building toy sets, the Nanoblocks line fails to deliver the Pokégoods! These crude representations typically bear a passing resemblance to the pocket monsters than inspired them, but fail to adequately capture the charm of the Pokémon they're meant to depict.

As though these design flaws weren't enough, the blocks themselves are frequently colored differently than the Pokémon they claim as their source. More ambitions trainers are more likely to find satisfaction by appropriating pieces from Lego sets and designing their own Pokémon models!

17 BEST: MARIO PIKACHU MERCH

Over the years, limited edition merchandise has been exclusively released at the Pokémon Center stores in Japan. While many of these special designs have lasting appeal, the Mario Pikachu collection, released in October 2016, stands out among the rest.

The collection included a number of irresistible products, including Pikachu plush dolls wearing Mario and Luigi overalls, as well as notebooks, playing cards, and 3DS systems featuring images of the most famous Pokémon wearing Mario's classic outfit and iconic 'stache. When it comes to Nintendo merch, it doesn't get much better than this crossover!

16 TOSS: POKÉMON TREAT KEEPERS

Pokémon Treat Keepers were a line of stuffed Pokémon that could be opened up to serve as a stash for candy. Released in 1998, these five-inch plush dolls each had a compartment that would allow sweets to be concealed inside the toys.

Unlike Pez dispensers, which eject a single piece of candy when opened, the Pokémon Treat Keepers were essentially small plush animals that included a pocket. Hardly qualifying as a suitable container for keeping candy, it's hard to imagine too many trainers falling over themselves to add these mediocre beanie baggies to their collection.

15 BEST: FIGMA POKÉMON FIGURES

While there are many different figures available that resemble the pocket monsters who headline the games and cartoons in the Pokémon series, with the possible exception of Ash Ketchum, fewer figures of the Pokémon trainers who serve as the avatar for the players are available.

For those searching for finely detailed figures of the trainer protagonists, the Figma Pokémon figures offer detailed representations of the human characters. These figures are poseable and come packaged with a number of faithfully reproduced trainer accessories and several scale Pokémon figures.

14 TOSS: HASBRO POKÉMON BOUNCY BALLS

A bouncy ball with a small figurine contained inside hardly qualifies as an unprecedented idea, and when adding Pokémon to the mix for this toy, Hasbro didn't bother to improve upon the design by making the rubbery exterior resemble a Pokéball.

On top of being an uninspired spin on an already cliched product, the Hasbro Pokémon bouncy balls seem to be especially vulnerable to damage, causing the rubber of the ball to disintegrate around the pocket monster figure contained at its center. This unfortunate side effect is accelerated when the ball is exposed to sunlight or bounced, solidifying this toy's place of honor in the Trubbish heap.

13 BEST: EEVEE MUG

As a up-and-coming Pokémon trainer, you want to get out of bed each morning with limitless potential for the rest of your day. Nothing could be more effective in accomplishing this aim than sharing a cup of coffee with Eevee, the Pokémon whose genetic code offers unlimited potential for evolution!

This mug is shaped to resemble Eevee's head, with painted-on detail to complete the appearance of its countenance. For Pikachu fans, an alternative mug shaped like the electric Pokémon's head is also available.

12 TOSS: KFC POKÉMON BEAN BAGS

By the late 90s, Pokémon fever had reached critical mass, and even those who didn't understand the phenomena were eager to cash in on an obviously profitable market. While many product tie-ins were successful in identifying the epicenter of the Pokémon explosion, others feel somewhat wide of the mark.

One effort that left something to be desired were the Pokémon bean bags that could be purchased alongside a meal at KFC restaurants. With four bean bags to collect, the KFC line featured Seel, Dratini, Vulpix, and... Zubat? Savvy trainers chose to use repel on this limited-time offer.

11 BEST: POKÉMON CENTER PLUSHES

It's understandable that trainers would want plush dolls resembling their favorite Pokémon. Many of the pocket monster designs are timeless, and with an accurate design and quality construction, plush Pokémon make for a cuddly addition to any trainer's collection.

The official Pokémon Center Plushes deliver a wide variety of different Pokémon in a spectrum of sizes and poses. Whatever their favorite Pokémon might be, any trainer can find several official plush options from which to select, and many of the pocket monsters enjoy variant releases featuring limited edition costumes and accessories.

10 BEST: HELLOPIKA

This diminutive robotic Pikachu cheerfully responds to voice commands by turning his head to look at the speaker and responding with a series of purposeful "Pikas"! The more the trainer talks to HelloPika, the better it learns the sound of their voice, resulting in more emphatic and adorable responses.

While HelloPika does not walk around on its own, its front paws can be opened and clipped onto a pocket so you can carry your partner Pokémon with you wherever your adventures may lead.

9 TOSS: POKÉMON EAU DE TOILETTE

The Pokémon Eau de Toilette fragrance by Air Val is a spray-on product that includes notes of vanilla, musk, and flowers. Featuring a simple bottle emblazoned with the image of Pikachu, the manufacturer suggests that this scent is best used during the daytime.

While this perfume is labeled as "unisex," it's hard to imagine who the target audience for this product might be. At the very least, the package designer should have considered including Bellossom, or any number of other Grass-type Pokémon who would have made more sense on a bottle of floral fragrance.

8 BEST: PIKACHU COIN BANK

Many trainers are familiar with the standard novelty cat bank: shaped like a cardboard box, when a coin is placed in the proper location, a cat's head emerges from the lid and a paw reaches out to pull the coin into the box before the cat disappears into the "box" again.

While replacing the cat with a Pikachu isn't exactly a revelation, the devastatingly cute result is ultimately impossible to resist. On top of the adorable coin-catching action, one assumes Pikachu will protect your cash stash with his electric powers. Be wary of Thunderbolt, thieves!

7 TOSS: POKÉMON MONOPOLY

After Habro acquired the rights to manufacture Monopoly board games in the early 1990s, they were eager to utilize the license to its full earning potential, and soon a plethora of new versions of the seminal game were filling toy store shelves. With the exploding popularity of Nintendo's pocket monsters, it was no surprise that Hasbro released Pokémon Monopoly.

What was surprising was the poor quality of the poorly painted plastic game pieces. Furthermore, the poorly considered properties on the game board were individual "gym Pokémon," rather than any of the many possible locations in the Kanto region. Rather than pass go, trainers would do better to pass on this product.

6 BEST: SNORLAX KIGURUMI

Nothing says "don't wake me up unless you're willing to play a beautiful tune on a Pokéflute" like the Snorlax kigurumi. With this snuggly Snorlax onesie, trainers can dress like their favorite Pokémon while taking some time to rest!

The perfect gift for your favorite heavy sleeper, the Snorlax kigurumi is ideal for long naps in bed, long naps on the couch, and long naps on busy sidewalks or throughways. For a restful sleep that's beyond super effective, consider combining the Snorlax kigurumi with the Snorlax bean bag chair.