Following a glimpse of global harmony thanks to Pokemon Go, it's undeniable that the monster collecting franchise stands as one of the most popular gaming titles around. Pikachu is every bit as identifiable as Disney's mascot, if not more so. The ongoing excitement surrounding card prices guarantees near-daily Pokemon headlines. You'd be difficult to find a Pokémon game that failed to move at least a few million units. Remarkably, unofficial Pokémon games go viral every year.
Yet despite that pervasiveness and popularity, some Pokémon games that remain overlooked. These are titles that didn't get their fair shake, or were buried by the hype of the mainline series. They're Pokémon games released on ill-fated platforms or services, or were early forays onto different formats. Frequently, they are Pokémon games that might have flourished if they ever got sequels 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, you may already know about these Pokémon games. So, before adjusting your spectacles and typing 'Actually,' let us just agree that these are Pokémon games for people with discerning palates, shall we?
Pokémon Ranch: The Relaxed Precursor
Too many Pokémon games emphasize the combat aspect of the series, and far too few of them highlight the ordinary aspects that would come with owning a companion. Sure, modern titles include small features like these in modern games—players may play with your monsters in camps. However, I'm longing for a Pokémon game more in the style of Nintendogs or The Sims.
My Pokémon Ranch (2008) for the Wii is not that game. The downloadable-only title is best seen as the precursor to Pokemon Home; that is, as a storage system to hold monsters from various titles. Critical reception from its launch said Ranch was a bad if not outright hideous game. It's not my goal to argue against these claims, but it compels me to say Ranch might be the nearest we've come to a everyday life Pokémon game.
As the name suggests, the game takes place on a farm where your Mii avatars—get this—simply hang out with your pals. The interactions with Pokémon were simple, and a significant part of the draw was watching what your monsters might do when they're not being forced into battle. Ideally, Pokémon Ranch would have been the start of a beautiful franchise built on the simple pleasures of coexisting with a small creature. However, because The Pokémon Company can collect a fee for Pokémon Home now, I'm guessing we will never see a Pokémon Ranch game realized to its fullest potential. I'd say 'save us, Pokémon Pokopia!' but it's also known that the Nintendo Switch 2 exclusive is as much a puzzle game as it is a life sim.
Ranch came out well before Stardew Valley kicked off the lasting craze of cozy games. It was prior to the rise of idle games, and the Let's Play normalization of viewing games you aren't playing. Many never understood that Ranch's proposal to observe your critters as much as you interact with them didn't mask a lack of substance. In truth, Ranch's meticulous design was so remarkable, there's a Twitch stream dedicated to broadcasting the game continuously. The individual who runs the channel states that, after nearly two decades of experiencing the game, he still has not seen everything that is in it. Recognition for Pokémon Ranch: nobody understood you in 2008.
Pokemon Duel: The Tactical Board Game Gone
Are you aware that Pokémon once had an licensed tabletop game with action figures? Pokemon Duel was the 2016 attempt to digitize the physical experience in a more approachable form. Duel was also, sadly, one of Pokémon's earliest ventures into the world of free-to-play phone games. Duel had the hallmarks of a gacha game where players could pay to win—and there was incentive to do so, given the slow progression for new pieces.
All of these poor design choices masked a tragic reality: Pokémon Duel was an excellent tactical game with Duel anymore. "I can’t express how much I adored and miss this game," a YouTube comment reads, seven years after Duel's servers were shut down. "Honestly I think this game was better than TCG Pocket in terms of depth, approachability, game design, and content in general," another commenter declared. "I truly believe if it came out now people would be playing it more than GO and Pocket together."
Unfortunately, Duel's early release was plagued with connectivity problems. Technical problems, alongside Duel's scummy monetization model, gave people few incentives to return. If, by some miracle, The Pokémon Company decided to revive this franchise, it's unclear 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 visual mess.
Pokemon: Magikarp Jump: The Silly Gem
Man, why don't more Pokémon games relax a little and have some fun? Magikarp Jump (2017) was a rare instance 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 team of ineffective monsters who literally can't do anything, it's surprising we don't have more Pokémon games that laugh at themselves.
In Magikarp Jump, the player is tasked with breeding the ultimate version of the infamous fish. This isn't about a Magikarp that can win battles. These are 'karp raised to enter contests to see who can flop the highest. One drawback is how Magikarp Jump, like many mobile games, requires the player to wait 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.
This was most apparent than in Jump's brutal random occurrences, where your Magikarp was as likely to raise its stats as it was to get eaten by a Pidgeotto. Apart from the clever dialogue, Magikarp Jump also tried out other things one might wish the core series would do, like offering a wide variety of the same type of monster. I know it's not feasible for any Pokémon game to have dozens of colorings and patterns for a roster of over a thousand creatures, as Magikarp Jump does... but we can hope.
Magikarp Jump was not a particularly 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 2026 GOTY season arrives.
Given dozens of core games and derivative titles, chances are that I omitted that particular Pokémon game you totally love but contend that not nearly enough people played. It's acknowledged that some people remember games like Pokemon Ranger or Pokemon Pinball fondly notwithstanding argu
