In the wake of a glimpse of global harmony thanks to Pokémon Go, it's beyond doubt that the creature-catching series stands as one of the most mainstream gaming titles in existence. The iconic Pikachu is just as recognizable as Mickey Mouse, perhaps even more. The ongoing excitement around trading card values ensures almost daily Pokemon headlines. It would be difficult to find a pocket monster game that failed to move at least a couple million copies. Even, fan-made Pokémon games go viral annually.
Yet despite that ubiquity and popularity, there are still Pokémon games that remain underappreciated. These are titles that didn't get their proper due, or were overshadowed by the excitement of the core series. They're Pokémon games stuck on ill-fated platforms or services, or were pioneering attempts onto new mediums. They're often also Pokémon games that might have flourished if they ever got sequels or contemporary re-releases. With these criteria in mind, we won't be offering just one more recommendation for Pokémon Conquest or the Pokémon Mystery Dungeon series. We're going beneath the surface.
Nevertheless, you may already know about these Pokémon games. Therefore, prior to rearranging your glasses and writing 'Well,' we can all acknowledge that these are Pokémon games for those possessing refined tastes, agreed?
Pokemon Ranch: The Chill Forerunner
An excessive number of Pokémon games focus on the battling element of the series, and not nearly enough of them focus on the everyday aspects that would come with living with a companion. Admittedly, modern titles include minor mechanics like these in recent entries—you can play with your monsters in bases. But I am longing for a Pokémon game more in the style of Nintendogs or The Sims.
My Pokemon Ranch (2008) for the Wii is not that game. The digital-only title is most accurately viewed as the antecedent to Pokemon Home; that is, as a storage system to hold monsters from different games. Reviews from its release noted Ranch was a poor if not outright hideous game. I'm not here to dispute these notions, but it behooves me to say Ranch might be the nearest we've ever gotten to a everyday life Pokémon game.
As the name suggests, the game is set on a farm where your personal Miis—get this—just relax with your pals. The activities with Pokémon were simple, and a significant part of the appeal was watching what your monsters might do when they're not being forced into battle. In a just world, Pokémon Ranch would have been the start of a wonderful franchise built on the simple pleasures of coexisting with a tiny companion. But since 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 complete potential. One might cry 'save us, Pokémon Pokopia!' but I also know that the upcoming Switch exclusive is as much a puzzler as it is a life simulation.
Ranch came out long before Stardew Valley sparked the lasting craze of comfort gaming. It was prior to the rise of idle games, and the Let's Play popularization of watching games you aren't actively controlling. Most people never understood that Ranch's proposal to watch your creatures as much as you play with them wasn't to hide a lack of substance. In truth, Ranch's attention to detail was so remarkable, there's a live stream dedicated to running the game continuously. The individual who operates the channel states that, after almost twenty years of playing the game, he still has not encountered everything that is in it. Recognition for Pokémon Ranch: nobody knew what to do with you in 2008.
Pokemon Duel: The Strategic Board Game Gone
Did you know that Pokemon once had an licensed tabletop game with action figures? Pokémon Duel was the 2016 effort to digitize the physical experience in a more accessible form. Duel was also, unfortunately, one of Pokémon's earliest ventures into the world of freemium phone games. Duel had the trappings of a gacha title where players could spend for advantage—and there was incentive to do so, given the slow progression for new figures.
All of these poor design choices masked a tragic reality: Pokémon Duel was an superb tactical game with Duel anymore. "Words cannot describe how much I loved and miss this game," one YouTube comment states, years after Duel's servers were pulled. "Truly I think this game was better than TCG Pocket in terms of complexity, accessibility, design, and content in general," another commenter declared. "I truly believe if it launched now people would be playing it more than GO and Pocket together."
Regrettably, Duel's early release was plagued with server issues. Bugs, alongside Duel's predatory 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 play out differently. The unique game board made for a great strategic challenge for the handful of players who played Duel, but that board is also a daunting visual mess.
Pokémon: Magikarp Jump: The Whimsical Gem
Wow, why don't more Pokémon games loosen up a little and have some fun? 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 team of useless monsters who literally can't 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 breeding the best possible version of the infamous fish. This isn't about a Magikarp that can kick your butt. These are 'karp 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 evident throughout the experience that Select Button appreciated and got the community love around Magikarp.
Nowhere was this more evident than in Jump's merciless random events, where your Magikarp was 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 mainline games 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 colorings and patterns for a roster of over a thousand creatures, as Magikarp Jump does... but one can dream.
Magikarp Jump was not a especially sophisticated or profound game, but the kernels of genius 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.
With numerous mainline entries and derivative titles, chances are that I omitted that one Pokémon game you totally love but contend that too few people played. I know that some people remember games like Pokémon Ranger or Pokemon Pinball with affection notwithstanding argu
