Following a vision of global harmony thanks to Pokémon Go, it's undeniable that the creature-catching series stands as one of the most mainstream gaming titles around. The iconic Pikachu is just as identifiable as Disney's mascot, perhaps even more. The persistent excitement around trading card values guarantees near-daily Pokémon headlines. You'd be hard-pressed to find a Pokémon game that didn't sell at least a couple million copies. Even, unofficial Pokémon games go viral annually.
Yet in spite of that pervasiveness and fame, some Pokémon games that are totally underappreciated. These represent games that didn't get their fair shake, or were buried by the excitement of the mainline series. They're Pokémon games released on ill-fated platforms or services, or were pioneering attempts onto different formats. Frequently, they are Pokémon games that might have flourished if they had received follow-ups or contemporary re-releases. Considering these factors, we won't be offering yet another reminder for Pokémon Conquest or the Pokémon Mystery Dungeon series. We're pulling an Excadrill.
Still, these might be these Pokémon games. Therefore, prior to adjusting your spectacles and typing 'Well,' let us just agree that these are Pokémon games for those possessing refined tastes, agreed?
Pokémon Ranch: The Cozy Precursor
Too many Pokémon games focus on the combat element of the series, and far too few of them focus on the ordinary aspects that would come with living with a pet. Admittedly, there are minor mechanics like these in modern games—you can pet, and feed your monsters in camps. 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 best seen as the precursor to Pokémon Home; that is, as a storage system to hold monsters from various titles. Critical reception from its release said Ranch was a poor if not outright hideous game. I'm not here to argue against these claims, but it behooves me to say Ranch might be the nearest we've ever gotten to a everyday life Pokémon game.
True to its title, the game is set on a ranch where your personal Miis—imagine this—simply hang out with your Pokémon pals. The interactions with Pokémon were simple, and a lot of the draw was watching what your monsters might do when they're not being forced into cockfighting. In a just world, Pokémon Ranch would have been the beginning of a beautiful franchise built on the daily joys of living your life with a small creature. But since The Pokémon Company can charge a subscription for Pokémon Home now, it's likely we will never see a Pokémon Ranch game developed to its fullest potential. I'd say 'help us, Pokémon Pokopia!' but I also know that the Nintendo Switch 2 exclusive is just as much a puzzler as it is a life simulation.
Ranch was released well before Stardew Valley kicked off the lasting craze of cozy games. It was prior to the proliferation of passive games, and the video playthrough normalization of watching games you aren't actively controlling. Most people never understood that Ranch's proposal 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 dedicated to running the game 24/7. The streamer who runs the channel maintains that, after almost twenty years of playing the game, he even now has not encountered everything that is in it. Justice for Pokémon Ranch: nobody knew what to do with you in 2008.
Pokémon Duel: The Strategic Board Game Lost
Are you aware that Pokemon once had an official tabletop game with action figures? Pokémon Duel was the 2016 attempt to digitize the physical experience in a more approachable form. 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 title where players could pay to win—and there was incentive to do so, given the lengthy grind for new figures.
All of these questionable mechanics masked a tragic reality: Pokémon Duel was an superb tactical game with Duel anymore. "I can’t express how much I adored and miss this game," a YouTube comment states, years after Duel's servers were shut down. "Honestly I think this game was superior to TCG Pocket in terms of depth, approachability, game design, and features in general," another commenter wrote. "I truly believe if it launched now people would be playing it more than GO and Pocket together."
Regrettably, Duel's initial launch was plagued with server issues. Bugs, alongside Duel's scummy business model, gave people little reason to return. Should a revival occur, The Pokémon Company decided to revive this franchise, it's unclear things would play out differently. The unusual game board made for a great tactical experience for the handful of players who played Duel, but that playing field is also a daunting eyesore.
Pokemon: Magikarp Jump: The Absurd 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 verging on shitpost. Considering we're dealing with a franchise where trainers venture forth with a full belt of useless monsters who simply cannot do anything, it's surprising we don't have more Pokémon games that poke fun at themselves.
In Magikarp Jump, the player is charged with raising the best possible version of the infamous fish. This isn't about a Magikarp that can kick your butt. These are 'Magikarp raised to enter competitions to see who can flop the highest. I'm not a fan is how Magikarp Jump, like many phone games, forces the player to pause before they can train their Magikarp further. But it is evident throughout the experience that Select Button appreciated and got the community love around Magikarp.
Nowhere was this more evident than in Jump's merciless random occurrences, where your Magikarp was as likely to improve as it was to get snatched by a Pidgeotto. Beyond the clever dialogue, Magikarp Jump also tried out 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 practical for any Pokémon game to have 30 different variations for a compendium of over a thousand creatures, as Magikarp Jump does... but we can hope.
Magikarp Jump was not a especially complex or deep game, but the seeds of brilliance were there. Witty events with unpredictable results that forever alter how you can raise a pet also describe the excellent Mewgenics. It's worth noting: Mewgenics will almost certainly be in the running when Game of the Year season rolls around.
With dozens of mainline entries and derivative titles, chances are that I omitted that one Pokémon game you absolutely adore but contend that not nearly enough people played. It's acknowledged that some people look back on games like Pokemon Ranger or Pokemon Pinball fondly notwithstanding argu
