Following a taste of global harmony courtesy of Pokémon Go, there's no question that the monster collecting franchise stands as one of the most ubiquitous gaming titles in existence. Pikachu is every bit as identifiable as Disney's mascot, perhaps even more. The ongoing frenzy surrounding card prices ensures near-daily Pokemon headlines. You'd be hard-pressed to find a Pokémon game that didn't sell at least a few million units. Remarkably, unofficial Pokémon games achieve popularity annually.
However despite that pervasiveness and popularity, some Pokémon games that remain overlooked. These represent titles that failed to receive their proper due, or were overshadowed by the hype of the core series. They're Pokémon games released on ill-fated consoles or services, or were early forays onto different formats. Frequently, they are Pokémon games that might have blossomed if they had received sequels or contemporary re-releases. Considering these factors, we won't be offering yet another recommendation for Pokemon Conquest or the Pokémon Mystery Dungeon series. We're digging deep.
Nevertheless, these might be these Pokémon games. Therefore, prior to adjusting your spectacles and typing 'Well,' let us just agree that these are Pokémon games for people with discerning palates, shall we?
Pokemon Ranch: The Chill Forerunner
Too many Pokémon games emphasize the combat aspect of the series, and not nearly enough of them focus on the everyday aspects that would come with owning a companion. Sure, modern titles include minor mechanics like these in modern games—you can pet, and feed your monsters in camps. But I am longing for a Pokémon game more in the style of Nintendogs or The Sims.
My Pokemon Ranch (2008) for the Nintendo Wii is not that game. The downloadable-only title is best seen as the antecedent to Pokémon Home; that is, as a repository to hold monsters from various titles. Reviews from its release noted Ranch was a bad if not outright hideous game. I'm not here to argue against these claims, but it compels me to say Ranch might be the closest we've come to a slice-of-life Pokémon game.
True to its title, the game takes place on a ranch where your Mii avatars—imagine this—simply hang out with your pals. The activities 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 beginning of a beautiful franchise built on the daily joys of coexisting with a tiny companion. But since 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 'help 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 was released well before Stardew Valley kicked off the lasting craze of cozy games. It was before 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 creatures as much as you play with them didn't mask a shallow core. In actuality, Ranch's meticulous design was so remarkable, a live stream dedicated to broadcasting the game continuously. The streamer who runs the channel states that, after almost twenty years of playing the game, he even now has not encountered all that is in it. Recognition for Pokémon Ranch: nobody understood you in 2008.
Pokémon Duel: The Strategic Tabletop Game Lost
Did you know that Pokémon once had an official tabletop game with action figures? Pokemon Duel was the 2016 effort to adapt the tabletop experience in a more accessible format. Duel was also, sadly, one of Pokémon's first forays into the world of freemium phone games. Duel had the hallmarks of a gacha game where players could spend for advantage—and there was incentive to do so, given the slow progression for new pieces.
These questionable mechanics obfuscated a sad truth: Pokémon Duel was an excellent tactical game with Duel today. "I can’t express how much I adored and miss this game," a YouTube comment reads, years after Duel's servers were pulled. "Honestly I think this game was superior to TCG Pocket in terms of depth, approachability, game design, and features in general," another commenter declared. "I am convinced if it came out 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 monetization model, gave people few incentives to return. Should a revival occur, The Pokémon Company decided to revive this franchise, I'm still not certain things would play out differently. The unique board structure made for a great strategic challenge for the few folks who played Duel, but that board is also a daunting eyesore.
Pokemon: Magikarp Jump: The Absurd 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 approving a game with a premise so absurd, it was bordering on shitpost. And when we're dealing with a franchise where trainers venture forth with a team of ineffective monsters who simply cannot do anything, it's surprising we don't have more Pokémon games that poke fun at themselves.
In Magikarp Jump, the player is tasked with breeding 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 competitions to see who can jump the highest. I'm not a fan is how Magikarp Jump, like many mobile games, requires the player to wait before they can improve their Magikarp further. But it is evident throughout the experience that Select Button loved and understood 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 clever dialogue, Magikarp Jump also experimented with other things I wish the core series would do, like offering a wide variety of the same species of monster. It's understood it's not practical for any Pokémon game to have dozens of variations for a roster of over a thousand creatures, as Magikarp Jump does... but one can dream.
Magikarp Jump was not a particularly complex or profound game, but the seeds of brilliance were there. Witty events with outrageous outcomes that forever alter how you can raise a pet also describe the excellent Mewgenics. And I'm just saying: Mewgenics will almost certainly be in the running when Game of the Year season arrives.
With dozens of mainline entries and spin-offs, it's probable that I didn't mention that particular Pokémon game you absolutely adore but argue that too few people played. I know that some people look back on games like Pokémon Ranger or Pokemon Pinball with affection notwithstanding argu
