In the wake of a taste of world peace courtesy of Pokémon Go, it's undeniable that the creature-catching franchise is about as ubiquitous video games around. The iconic Pikachu is just as famous as Mickey Mouse, if not more so. The ongoing pandemonium surrounding trading card values guarantees almost daily Pokemon headlines. You'd be difficult to find a pocket monster game that failed to move at least a few million copies. Even, unofficial Pokémon games achieve popularity annually.
However in spite of that ubiquity and fame, there are still Pokémon games that are totally underappreciated. These are titles that didn't get their fair shake, or were buried by the hype of the mainline series. These are Pokémon games stuck on doomed platforms or online offerings, or were pioneering attempts onto new mediums. They're often also Pokémon games that might have flourished if they ever got follow-ups or contemporary re-releases. With these criteria in mind, this list will not be yet another recommendation for Pokemon Conquest or the Pokémon Mystery Dungeon series. We're pulling an Excadrill.
Nevertheless, you may already know about these Pokémon games. Therefore, prior to adjusting your spectacles and typing 'Well,' we can all acknowledge that these are Pokémon games for people with discerning palates, shall we?
Pokemon Ranch: The Relaxed Forerunner
Too many Pokémon games focus on the combat element of the series, and far too few of them highlight the everyday realities that would come with owning a companion. Sure, there are small features like these in recent entries—players may play with your monsters in camps. However, I'm dying for a Pokémon game more in the style of Nintendogs or The Sims.
My Pokemon Ranch (2008) for the Wii is not that game. The digital-only title is most accurately viewed as the antecedent to Pokémon Home; that is, as a repository to store monsters from various titles. Reviews from its release said Ranch was a bad if not truly ugly game. I'm not here to dispute these notions, but it behooves me to say Ranch might be the nearest we've ever gotten to a everyday life Pokémon game.
As the name suggests, the game is set on a farm where your Mii avatars—imagine this—simply hang out with your Pokémon pals. The activities with Pokémon were simple, and a significant part of the draw was watching what your monsters might do when not forced into cockfighting. Ideally, Pokémon Ranch would have been the beginning of a wonderful franchise built on the daily joys of living your life with a tiny companion. However, because The Pokémon Company can collect a fee 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 it's also known that the Nintendo Switch 2 exclusive is as much a puzzler as it is a life simulation.
Ranch came out well before Stardew Valley kicked off the enduring trend of comfort gaming. It was prior to the rise of idle games, and the video playthrough normalization of viewing games you aren't playing. Most people never realized that Ranch's proposal to observe your critters as much as you interact with them didn't mask a shallow core. In truth, Ranch's meticulous design was so remarkable, a Twitch stream dedicated to running the game 24/7. The individual who operates the channel maintains that, after nearly two decades of experiencing the game, he even now has not encountered everything that is in it. Recognition for Pokémon Ranch: no one knew what to do with you in 2008.
Pokemon Duel: The Strategic Tabletop Game Lost
Are you aware that Pokémon once had an official board game with miniatures? Pokémon Duel was the 2016 effort to adapt the physical experience in a more accessible form. Duel was also, unfortunately, one of Pokémon's earliest forays into the world of freemium phone games. Duel had the trappings of a gacha game where players could pay to win—and there was motivation to do so, given the lengthy grind for new pieces.
All of these questionable mechanics masked a tragic reality: Pokémon Duel was an excellent strategy game with Duel anymore. "Words cannot describe how much I loved and miss this game," one YouTube comment reads, years after Duel's servers were shut down. "Honestly I think this game was better than TCG Pocket in terms of complexity, accessibility, game design, and content in general," a user declared. "I am convinced if it launched now people would be engaging with it more than GO and Pocket together."
Regrettably, Duel's early release was marred by server issues. Bugs, alongside Duel's predatory business model, gave people little reason to come back. 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 great tactical experience 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 loosen up 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 silly, it was bordering on internet meme. And when we're dealing with a franchise where trainers go out with a full belt of ineffective monsters who literally can't do anything, it's surprising 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 infamous fish. This isn't about a Magikarp that can kick your butt. These are 'karp raised to enter competitions to see who can jump the highest. One drawback is how Magikarp Jump, like many mobile games, forces the player to wait before they can improve their Magikarp further. But it is clear throughout the experience that Select Button appreciated and got the fan culture around Magikarp.
This was most apparent than in Jump's merciless random events, where your Magikarp was just as likely to raise its stats as it was to get eaten by a Pidgeotto. Apart from the great writing, Magikarp Jump also experimented with other things one might wish the mainline games would do, like offering a diverse range of the same type of monster. I know it's not feasible for any Pokémon game to have dozens of variations for a compendium 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 seeds of brilliance were there. Witty events with unpredictable results that forever alter how you can train a companion also describe the excellent Mewgenics. And I'm just saying: Mewgenics will likely be in the conversation when Game of the Year season rolls around.
Given dozens of mainline entries and spin-offs, 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 remember games like Pokemon Ranger or Pokémon Pinball with affection despite argu
