Following a vision of global harmony thanks to Pokémon Go, it's undeniable that the monster collecting franchise stands as one of the most ubiquitous gaming titles in existence. The iconic Pikachu is every bit as famous as Mickey Mouse, if not more so. The ongoing pandemonium around trading card values ensures almost daily Pokémon headlines. It would be hard-pressed to find a Pokémon game that failed to move at least a couple million copies. Even, fan-made Pokémon games achieve popularity annually.
Yet despite that pervasiveness and fame, there are still Pokémon games that are totally underappreciated. These represent titles that didn't get their fair shake, or were buried by the hype of the mainline series. These are Pokémon games released on doomed platforms or online offerings, or were pioneering attempts onto new mediums. Frequently, they are Pokémon games that might have flourished if they had received follow-ups or modern remakes. With these criteria in mind, this list will not be yet another recommendation for Pokemon Conquest or the Pokemon Mystery Dungeon series. We're pulling an Excadrill.
Nevertheless, these might be these Pokémon games. So, before adjusting your spectacles and writing 'Well,' we can all acknowledge that these are Pokémon games for people with discerning palates, shall we?
Pokemon Ranch: The Chill Precursor
Too many Pokémon games focus on the battling element of the series, and not nearly enough of them focus on the ordinary realities that would come with owning a pet. Sure, there are small features like these in recent entries—players may pet, and feed your monsters in bases. However, I'm longing for a Pokémon game more in the vein of Nintendogs or The Sims.
My Pokemon Ranch (2008) for the Wii isn't it. The digital-only title is best seen as the antecedent to Pokemon Home; that is, as a repository to store monsters from various titles. Critical reception from its release noted Ranch was a poor if not truly ugly game. I'm not here to dispute these claims, but it compels me to say Ranch might be the nearest we've ever gotten to a slice-of-life Pokémon game.
As the name suggests, the game takes place on a farm where your personal Miis—get this—simply hang out with your pals. The activities with Pokémon were simple, and a significant part of the appeal was observing what your monsters might do when not forced into cockfighting. 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. But since The Pokémon Company can charge a subscription for Pokémon Home now, it's likely we will never see a Pokémon Ranch game realized to its complete potential. One might cry 'help 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 sparked the lasting craze of cozy games. It was before the rise of idle games, and the video playthrough normalization of watching games you aren't actively controlling. Many never realized that Ranch's concept to watch your critters as much as you play with them didn't mask a lack of substance. In truth, Ranch's meticulous design was so remarkable, a live stream dedicated to running the game continuously. The individual who operates the channel states that, after nearly two decades of playing the game, he still 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 Board Game Lost
Did you know that Pokemon once had an licensed tabletop game with miniatures? Pokemon Duel was the 2016 effort to adapt the tabletop experience in a more approachable form. Duel was also, unfortunately, one of Pokémon's first forays into the world of freemium phone games. Duel had the trappings of a gacha title where players could pay to win—and there was motivation to do so, given the slow progression for new figures.
These questionable mechanics masked a tragic reality: Pokémon Duel was an superb tactical game with Duel today. "I can’t express how much I adored and miss this game," one YouTube comment states, seven years after Duel's servers were shut down. "Truly I think this game was superior to TCG Pocket in terms of depth, approachability, game design, and content in general," another commenter wrote. "I am convinced if it came out now people would be playing it more than GO and Pocket combined."
Unfortunately, Duel's early release was marred by server issues. Bugs, alongside Duel's scummy business model, gave people little reason 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 unusual board structure made for a fantastic tactical experience for the handful of players who played Duel, but that playing field is also a daunting eyesore.
Pokémon: Magikarp Jump: The Absurd Gem
Wow, why don't more Pokémon games relax a little and have some fun? Magikarp Jump (2017) was a uncommon case of The Pokémon Company approving a game with a concept so absurd, it was bordering on shitpost. Considering we're dealing with a franchise where trainers go out 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.
Within Magikarp Jump, the player is charged with raising the best possible version of the infamous fish. I'm not talking about a Magikarp that can kick your butt. These are 'karp raised to enter competitions to see who can flop the highest. One drawback is how Magikarp Jump, like many phone games, requires the player to wait 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.
Nowhere was this more evident than in Jump's merciless random events, where your Magikarp was just as likely to improve as it was to get snatched by a Pidgeotto. Beyond the clever dialogue, Magikarp Jump also experimented with other things one might wish the core series 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 roster 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 permanently influence how you can train a companion also describe the excellent Mewgenics. And I'm just saying: Mewgenics will likely be in the running when Game of the Year season rolls around.
Given dozens of mainline entries and derivative titles, chances are that I didn't mention that particular Pokémon game you totally love but argue that too few people played. It's acknowledged that some people remember games like Pokémon Ranger or Pokemon Pinball fondly despite argu
