Following a taste of world peace thanks to Pokémon Go, there's no question that the creature-catching franchise is about as mainstream video games in existence. The iconic Pikachu is every bit as recognizable as Disney's mascot, perhaps even more. The persistent excitement around trading card values ensures near-daily Pokemon headlines. It would be difficult to find a Pokémon game that didn't sell at least a few million copies. Remarkably, fan-made Pokémon games achieve popularity every year.
Yet in spite of that ubiquity and fame, there are still Pokémon games that are totally overlooked. These represent games that failed to receive their proper due, or were buried by the excitement of the core series. These are Pokémon games stuck on ill-fated platforms or online offerings, or were pioneering attempts onto different formats. They're often also Pokémon games that might have flourished if they ever got follow-ups or modern remakes. With these criteria in mind, this list will not be just one more recommendation for Pokemon Conquest or the Pokémon Mystery Dungeon series. We're pulling an Excadrill.
Nevertheless, you may already know about these Pokémon games. So, before adjusting your spectacles and typing 'Actually,' we can all acknowledge that these are Pokémon games for people with discerning palates, agreed?
Pokemon Ranch: The Relaxed Forerunner
An excessive number of Pokémon games emphasize the battling aspect of the series, and far too few of them focus on the ordinary aspects that would come with living with a pet. Sure, modern titles include small features like these in recent entries—you can pet, and feed your monsters in camps. However, I'm longing for a Pokémon game more in the vein of Nintendogs or The Sims.
My Pokémon Ranch (2008) for the Wii isn't it. The digital-only title is most accurately viewed as the precursor to Pokemon Home; that is, as a storage system to store monsters from various titles. Critical reception from its launch noted Ranch was a bad if not outright hideous game. I'm not here to argue against these claims, but it behooves me to say Ranch might be the closest we've come to a everyday life Pokémon game.
As the name suggests, the game takes place on a farm where your Mii avatars—imagine this—just relax with your pals. The interactions with Pokémon were simple, and a significant part of the draw was watching what your monsters might do when they're not being forced into battle. In a just world, Pokémon Ranch would have been the start of a beautiful franchise built on the daily joys of coexisting with a tiny companion. However, because The Pokémon Company can charge a subscription for Pokémon Home now, I'm guessing we will never see a Pokémon Ranch game realized to its complete potential. One might cry 'save us, Pokémon Pokopia!' but I also know that the Nintendo Switch 2 exclusive is as much a puzzle game as it is a life simulation.
Ranch came out well before Stardew Valley kicked off the enduring trend of cozy games. It was prior to the rise of passive games, and the video playthrough popularization of viewing games you aren't actively controlling. Many never realized that Ranch's concept to watch your critters as much as you interact with them wasn't to hide a lack of substance. In truth, Ranch's meticulous design was so remarkable, a Twitch stream focused on broadcasting the game continuously. The streamer who runs the channel states that, after almost twenty years of playing the game, he even now has not encountered all that is in it. Recognition for Pokémon Ranch: nobody understood you in 2008.
Pokémon Duel: The Tactical Board Game Lost
Did you know that Pokemon once had an official tabletop game with miniatures? Pokemon Duel was the 2016 attempt to digitize the tabletop experience in a more approachable form. Duel was also, sadly, one of Pokémon's first ventures into the world of freemium phone games. Duel had the hallmarks of a gacha title where players could spend for advantage—and there was incentive to do so, given the slow progression for new figures.
These questionable mechanics masked a tragic reality: Pokémon Duel was an excellent strategy game with Duel anymore. "I can’t express how much I adored and miss this game," one YouTube comment reads, seven years after Duel's servers were pulled. "Honestly I think this game was superior to TCG Pocket in terms of depth, approachability, game design, and features in general," a user declared. "I truly believe if it launched now people would be playing it more than GO and Pocket together."
Unfortunately, Duel's early release was plagued with connectivity problems. Bugs, alongside Duel's predatory business model, gave people little reason to return. Should a revival occur, The Pokémon Company chose to resurrect this franchise, it's unclear things would play out differently. The unusual board structure made for a fantastic strategic challenge for the few folks who played Duel, but that board is also a intimidating visual mess.
Pokémon: Magikarp Jump: The Whimsical Experiment
Man, why don't more Pokémon games relax a little and have some fun? Magikarp Jump (2017) was a rare instance of The Pokémon Company giving its blessing a game with a concept so absurd, it was verging on internet meme. Considering we're dealing with a franchise where trainers go out with a full belt of ineffective monsters who simply cannot do anything, I'm shocked we don't have more Pokémon games that poke fun at themselves.
Within Magikarp Jump, the player is tasked with raising the best possible version of the notorious fish. This isn't about a Magikarp that can kick your butt. These are 'Magikarp raised to enter competitions to see who can jump the highest. I'm not a fan is how Magikarp Jump, like many phone games, forces the player to wait before they can train their Magikarp further. But it is evident throughout the experience that the developers loved and understood the fan culture around Magikarp.
Nowhere was this more evident than in Jump's merciless random occurrences, where your Magikarp was just as likely to improve as it was to get snatched by a Pidgeotto. Apart from the great writing, Magikarp Jump also tried out other things I wish the mainline games would do, like offering a diverse range of the same type of monster. It's understood it's not practical for any Pokémon game to have 30 different colorings and patterns for a roster of over a thousand creatures, as Magikarp Jump does... but we can hope.
Magikarp Jump was not a particularly complex or profound game, but the kernels of genius were there. Sharply written events with outrageous outcomes that permanently influence how you can raise a pet also describe the excellent Mewgenics. It's worth noting: Mewgenics will likely be in the conversation when Game of the Year season arrives.
With numerous core games and derivative titles, it's probable that I didn't mention that particular Pokémon game you totally love but contend that too few people played. I know that some people look back on games like Pokemon Ranger or Pokémon Pinball fondly despite argu
