Following a vision of world peace thanks to Pokémon Go, it's beyond doubt that the creature-catching series is about as ubiquitous video games around. Pikachu is every bit as famous as Mickey Mouse, if not more so. The persistent pandemonium around card prices guarantees almost daily Pokemon news stories. It would be hard-pressed to find a pocket monster game that didn't sell at least a couple million units. Remarkably, unofficial Pokémon games achieve popularity annually.
Yet despite that pervasiveness and popularity, some Pokémon games that remain overlooked. These are titles that didn't get their proper due, or were overshadowed by the excitement of the mainline series. These are Pokémon games released on ill-fated consoles or online offerings, or were early forays onto different formats. They're often also Pokémon games that probably would have flourished if they ever got follow-ups or modern remakes. With these criteria in mind, we won't be offering yet another recommendation for Pokémon Conquest or the Pokémon Mystery Dungeon series. We're digging deep.
Still, these might be these Pokémon games. So, before adjusting your spectacles and writing 'Well,' let us just agree that these are Pokémon games for those possessing refined tastes, agreed?
Pokémon Ranch: The Cozy Precursor
An excessive number of Pokémon games focus on the battling aspect of the series, and far too few of them focus on the everyday realities that would come with owning a companion. Sure, modern titles include small features like these in modern games—you can play with your monsters in bases. But I am dying for a Pokémon game more in the vein of Nintendogs or The Sims.
My Pokemon Ranch (2008) for the Nintendo 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 various titles. Critical reception from its launch said 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 nearest we've come to a slice-of-life Pokémon game.
True to its title, the game is set on a farm where your Mii avatars—imagine this—just relax with your Pokémon pals. The interactions with Pokémon were basic, and a significant part of the draw was observing what your monsters might do when they're not being forced into battle. In a just world, Pokémon Ranch would have been the beginning of a beautiful franchise built on the simple pleasures of coexisting with a tiny companion. However, because The Pokémon Company can collect a fee for Pokémon Home now, it's likely we will not get 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 as much a puzzler as it is a life sim.
Ranch came out long before Stardew Valley kicked off the lasting craze of comfort gaming. It was prior to the rise of passive games, and the video playthrough popularization of watching games you aren't actively controlling. Many never realized that Ranch's proposal to watch your creatures as much as you play with them didn't mask a shallow core. In actuality, Ranch's meticulous design was so extraordinary, a Twitch stream dedicated to running the game continuously. The individual who operates the channel states that, after nearly two decades of experiencing the game, he even now has not encountered everything that is in it. Justice for Pokémon Ranch: no one knew what to do with you in 2008.
Pokémon Duel: The Strategic Tabletop Game Lost
Are you aware that Pokémon once had an licensed board game with miniatures? Pokémon Duel was the 2016 attempt to adapt the physical experience in a more approachable format. Duel was also, unfortunately, 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 spend for advantage—and there was motivation to do so, given the slow progression for new figures.
All of these questionable mechanics obfuscated a sad truth: Pokémon Duel was an superb strategy 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. "Truly I think this game was better than TCG Pocket in terms of depth, accessibility, game design, and content in general," another commenter wrote. "I am convinced if it launched now people would be playing it more than GO and Pocket combined."
Regrettably, Duel's initial launch was marred by server issues. Bugs, alongside Duel's scummy business model, gave people few incentives to come back. Should a revival occur, The Pokémon Company decided to revive this franchise, I'm still not certain things would end better. The unique game board made for a great tactical experience for the few folks who played Duel, but that board is also a daunting visual mess.
Pokémon: Magikarp Jump: The Silly Experiment
Man, why don't more Pokémon games loosen up a little and have some enjoyment? Magikarp Jump (2017) was a rare instance of The Pokémon Company approving a game with a concept so silly, it was bordering on shitpost. And when 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 laugh at themselves.
In 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 'karp raised to enter competitions to see who can flop the highest. I'm not a fan is how Magikarp Jump, like many mobile games, forces the player to wait before they can train their Magikarp further. But it is evident throughout the experience that Select Button loved and understood the fan culture around Magikarp.
Nowhere was this more evident than in Jump's brutal random occurrences, where your Magikarp was just as likely to raise its stats as it was to get eaten by a Pidgeotto. Beyond the clever dialogue, Magikarp Jump also tried out other things I wish the core series 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 30 different 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 deep 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. It's worth noting: Mewgenics will almost certainly be in the running when Game of the Year season rolls around.
Given dozens of mainline entries and spin-offs, it's probable that I omitted that particular Pokémon game you absolutely adore but contend that not nearly enough people played. I know that some people remember games like Pokemon Ranger or Pokémon Pinball with affection despite argu
