Following a glimpse of global harmony thanks to Pokémon Go, there's no question that the creature-catching franchise is about as mainstream video games around. The iconic Pikachu is just as identifiable as Mickey Mouse, perhaps even more. The persistent pandemonium surrounding trading card values ensures almost daily Pokémon headlines. It would be difficult to find a Pokémon game that didn't sell at least a couple million units. Even, unofficial Pokémon games achieve popularity annually.
Yet despite that ubiquity and fame, some Pokémon games that are totally overlooked. These represent titles that didn't get their proper due, or were buried under the excitement of the mainline series. They're Pokémon games released on doomed consoles or online offerings, or were early forays onto new mediums. They're often also Pokémon games that might have blossomed if they ever got follow-ups or modern remakes. Considering these factors, this list will not be yet another recommendation for Pokemon Conquest or the Pokémon Mystery Dungeon series. We're going beneath the surface.
Still, these might be these Pokémon games. So, before adjusting your spectacles and typing 'Actually,' we can all acknowledge that these are Pokémon games for those possessing refined tastes, agreed?
Pokemon Ranch: The Relaxed Forerunner
Too many Pokémon games emphasize the combat aspect of the series, and not nearly enough of them focus on the ordinary aspects that would come with owning a pet. Sure, modern titles include minor mechanics like these in recent entries—you can play with your monsters in bases. But I am longing for a Pokémon game more in the style of Nintendogs or The Sims.
My Pokémon Ranch (2008) for the Wii isn't it. The downloadable-only title is most accurately viewed as the precursor to Pokemon Home; that is, as a repository to store monsters from different games. Reviews from its release said Ranch was a bad if not truly ugly game. I'm not here to argue against these notions, but it behooves me to say Ranch might be the closest we've ever gotten to a everyday life Pokémon game.
As the name suggests, the game takes place on a farm where your Mii avatars—get this—simply hang out with your Pokémon pals. The activities with Pokémon were basic, and a significant part of the appeal was observing what your monsters might do when they're not being forced into cockfighting. Ideally, Pokémon Ranch would have been the beginning of a wonderful franchise built on the simple pleasures of coexisting with a small creature. But since The Pokémon Company can collect a fee for Pokémon Home now, I'm guessing we will not get a Pokémon Ranch game developed to its complete potential. I'd say 'help us, Pokémon Pokopia!' but I also know that the upcoming Switch exclusive is just as much a puzzler as it is a life simulation.
Ranch came out long before Stardew Valley kicked off the enduring trend of cozy games. It was before the rise of idle games, and the video playthrough popularization of watching games you aren't playing. Most people never realized that Ranch's concept to watch your critters as much as you interact with them didn't mask a lack of substance. In truth, Ranch's attention to detail was so remarkable, a live stream dedicated to running the game continuously. The streamer who runs the channel maintains that, after almost twenty years of playing the game, he still has not encountered everything that is in it. Justice for Pokémon Ranch: no one understood you in 2008.
Pokemon Duel: The Tactical Board Game Lost
Are you aware that Pokémon once had an official board game with action figures? Pokemon Duel was the 2016 effort to digitize the tabletop experience in a more accessible format. Duel was also, sadly, one of Pokémon's first ventures into the world of free-to-play phone games. Duel had the hallmarks of a gacha game where players could pay to win—and there was incentive to do so, given the slow progression for new pieces.
All of these questionable mechanics masked a sad truth: Pokémon Duel was an superb strategy game with Duel today. "I can’t express how much I loved and miss this game," one YouTube comment reads, years after Duel's servers were pulled. "Truly I think this game was superior to TCG Pocket in terms of depth, accessibility, game design, and features in general," a user declared. "I am convinced if it launched now people would be engaging with it more than GO and Pocket combined."
Unfortunately, Duel's early release was plagued with server issues. Technical problems, alongside Duel's scummy business model, gave people few incentives to return. If, by some miracle, The Pokémon Company decided to revive this franchise, I'm still not certain things would play out differently. The unusual game board made for a great strategic challenge for the few folks who played Duel, but that board is also a intimidating eyesore.
Pokémon: Magikarp Jump: The Silly Gem
Man, why don't more Pokémon games relax a little and have some enjoyment? Magikarp Jump (2017) was a uncommon case of The Pokémon Company giving its blessing a game with a premise so silly, it was bordering on internet meme. And when we're dealing with a franchise where trainers venture forth 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 charged with raising the best possible version of the notorious fish. This isn't about a Magikarp that can win battles. These are 'Magikarp raised to enter competitions to see who can jump the highest. One drawback is how Magikarp Jump, like many mobile games, requires the player to pause before they can improve their Magikarp further. But it is evident throughout the experience that the developers appreciated and got the community love around Magikarp.
This was most apparent than in Jump's merciless random occurrences, where your Magikarp was as likely to raise its stats as it was to get eaten by a Pidgeotto. Beyond the clever dialogue, Magikarp Jump also experimented with other things I wish the mainline games would do, like offering a wide variety of the same type of monster. It's understood it's not feasible for any Pokémon game to have 30 different variations for a roster of over a thousand creatures, as Magikarp Jump does... but one can dream.
Magikarp Jump was not a especially complex or profound game, but the kernels of genius were there. Sharply written events with unpredictable results that forever alter how you can raise a pet also describe the excellent Mewgenics. And I'm just saying: Mewgenics will likely be in the running when 2026 GOTY season rolls around.
Given numerous core games and spin-offs, chances are 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 Pokémon Ranger or Pokemon Pinball with affection notwithstanding argu
