Following a vision of world peace thanks to Pokemon Go, there's no question that the monster collecting series stands as one of the most mainstream gaming titles in existence. The iconic Pikachu is every bit as famous as Disney's mascot, perhaps even more. The persistent frenzy around card prices guarantees almost daily Pokémon news stories. You'd be hard-pressed to find a pocket monster game that failed to move at least a few million copies. Remarkably, unofficial Pokémon games go viral every year.
Yet in spite of that ubiquity and popularity, there are still Pokémon games that remain overlooked. These represent titles that didn't get their proper due, or were overshadowed under the excitement of the core series. They're Pokémon games stuck on ill-fated platforms or services, or were early forays onto new mediums. They're often also Pokémon games that probably would have blossomed if they ever got follow-ups or contemporary re-releases. With these criteria in mind, we won't be offering just one more reminder for Pokémon Conquest or the Pokémon Mystery Dungeon series. We're pulling an Excadrill.
Still, these might be these Pokémon games. So, before adjusting your spectacles and typing 'Well,' we can all acknowledge that these are Pokémon games for those possessing refined tastes, shall we?
Pokémon Ranch: The Cozy Precursor
Too many Pokémon games focus on the combat aspect of the series, and not nearly enough of them highlight the everyday realities that would come with owning a companion. Sure, modern titles include small features like these in recent entries—players may pet, and feed your monsters in bases. But I am longing for a Pokémon game more in the vein of Nintendogs or The Sims.
My Pokemon Ranch (2008) for the Nintendo Wii is not that game. 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. Reviews from its launch said Ranch was a bad if not outright hideous game. It's not my goal to argue against these notions, but it compels me to say Ranch might be the closest we've come to a everyday life Pokémon game.
As the name suggests, the game takes place on a ranch where your Mii avatars—imagine this—simply hang out with your Pokémon pals. The activities with Pokémon were basic, and a lot of the appeal was observing what your monsters might do when not forced into cockfighting. Ideally, Pokémon Ranch would have been the start of a wonderful franchise built on the daily joys of living your life with a small creature. However, because 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 fullest potential. I'd say 'help us, Pokémon Pokopia!' but I also know that the Nintendo Switch 2 exclusive is just as much a puzzle game as it is a life sim.
Ranch was released well before Stardew Valley kicked off the enduring trend of comfort gaming. It was before the rise of idle games, and the video playthrough normalization of viewing games you aren't playing. Many never realized that Ranch's proposal to observe your creatures as much as you interact with them didn't mask a lack of substance. In actuality, Ranch's attention to detail was so remarkable, a Twitch stream focused on broadcasting the game continuously. The individual who runs the channel maintains that, after nearly two decades of playing the game, he even now has not encountered everything that is in it. Recognition for Pokémon Ranch: nobody understood you in 2008.
Pokémon Duel: The Tactical Board Game Gone
Are you aware that Pokémon once had an official board game with miniatures? Pokemon Duel was the 2016 effort to adapt the physical experience in a more accessible format. Duel was also, sadly, one of Pokémon's earliest forays into the world of freemium mobile gaming. Duel had the hallmarks of a gacha title where players could spend for advantage—and there was incentive to do so, given the slow progression for new pieces.
All of these questionable mechanics obfuscated a sad truth: Pokémon Duel was an superb tactical game with Duel today. "I can’t express how much I loved and miss this game," a YouTube comment states, seven years after Duel's servers were shut down. "Honestly I think this game was superior to TCG Pocket in terms of complexity, accessibility, design, and content in general," another commenter declared. "I am convinced if it came out now people would be playing it more than GO and Pocket combined."
Unfortunately, Duel's initial launch was marred by server issues. Technical problems, alongside Duel's scummy monetization model, gave people little reason to come back. If, by some miracle, The Pokémon Company chose to resurrect this franchise, I'm still not certain things would play out differently. The unusual game board made for a fantastic tactical experience for the handful of players who played Duel, but that board is also a intimidating eyesore.
Pokemon: Magikarp Jump: The Whimsical 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 absurd, it was verging on internet meme. And when we're dealing with a franchise where trainers go out with a full belt of useless 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 tasked with raising the best possible version of the notorious fish. This isn't about a Magikarp that can kick your butt. These are 'Magikarp raised to enter contests to see who can jump 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 clear throughout the experience that the developers appreciated and got the fan culture 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 eaten by a Pidgeotto. Beyond the great writing, Magikarp Jump also experimented with other things I wish the core series would do, like offering a diverse range of the same species 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 one can dream.
Magikarp Jump was not a particularly sophisticated or profound game, but the seeds of brilliance were there. Witty events with outrageous outcomes that permanently influence how you can raise a pet also describe the excellent Mewgenics. It's worth noting: Mewgenics will likely be in the conversation when Game of the Year season arrives.
With dozens of core games and derivative titles, it's probable that I omitted that particular Pokémon game you totally love but argue that too few people played. It's acknowledged that some people remember games like Pokemon Ranger or Pokémon Pinball with affection despite argu
