In the wake of a vision of world peace thanks to Pokemon Go, there's no question that the monster collecting franchise is about as mainstream video games in existence. The iconic Pikachu is just as famous as Disney's mascot, if not more so. The continued pandemonium surrounding card prices ensures near-daily Pokemon news stories. You'd be hard-pressed to find a Pokémon game that failed to move at least a few million units. Remarkably, fan-made Pokémon games go viral annually.
However in spite of that ubiquity and popularity, there are still Pokémon games that remain underappreciated. These represent games that failed to receive their proper due, or were overshadowed by the hype of the mainline series. These are Pokémon games released on ill-fated consoles or online offerings, or were early forays onto new mediums. They're often also Pokémon games that probably would have flourished if they had received follow-ups or contemporary re-releases. Considering these factors, we won't be offering yet another recommendation for Pokémon Conquest or the Pokemon Mystery Dungeon series. We're digging deep.
Nevertheless, these might be these Pokémon games. So, before rearranging your glasses and writing 'Actually,' we can all acknowledge that these are Pokémon games for people with discerning palates, shall we?
Pokemon Ranch: The Chill Forerunner
An excessive number of Pokémon games focus on the combat element of the series, and far too few of them focus on the ordinary aspects that would come with living with a companion. Sure, there are small features like these in modern games—you can play with your monsters in camps. But I am longing for a Pokémon game more in the vein of Nintendogs or The Sims.
My Pokémon Ranch (2008) for the Nintendo Wii is not that game. The downloadable-only title is most accurately viewed as the precursor to Pokémon Home; that is, as a storage system to hold monsters from various titles. Reviews from its launch said Ranch was a poor 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 closest we've ever gotten to a slice-of-life Pokémon game.
True to its title, the game is set on a ranch 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 not forced into battle. Ideally, Pokémon Ranch would have been the start of a wonderful franchise built on the simple pleasures of living your life with a tiny companion. However, because The Pokémon Company can collect a fee for Pokémon Home now, it's likely we will never see a Pokémon Ranch game developed to its fullest potential. I'd say 'help us, Pokémon Pokopia!' but it's also known that the upcoming Switch exclusive is as much a puzzle game as it is a life simulation.
Ranch was released long before Stardew Valley sparked the lasting craze of comfort gaming. It was before the rise of idle games, and the video playthrough popularization of watching games you aren't playing. Most people never understood that Ranch's concept to watch your critters as much as you interact with them wasn't to hide a shallow core. In actuality, Ranch's meticulous design was so remarkable, a Twitch stream focused on broadcasting the game continuously. The individual who operates the channel states that, after almost twenty years of playing the game, he even now has not seen everything that is in it. Recognition for Pokémon Ranch: nobody understood you in 2008.
Pokémon Duel: The Strategic Board Game Lost
Are you aware that Pokémon once had an official board game with miniatures? Pokémon Duel was the 2016 attempt to adapt the physical experience in a more approachable form. Duel was also, unfortunately, one of Pokémon's first ventures into the world of freemium mobile gaming. Duel had the hallmarks of a gacha game where players could pay to win—and there was incentive to do so, given the lengthy grind for new figures.
These poor design choices obfuscated 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, seven years after Duel's servers were pulled. "Honestly I think this game was better than TCG Pocket in terms of depth, accessibility, design, and features in general," another commenter wrote. "I truly believe if it came out now people would be playing it more than GO and Pocket combined."
Unfortunately, Duel's initial launch was marred by connectivity problems. Bugs, alongside Duel's predatory business model, gave people little reason to return. If, by some miracle, The Pokémon Company chose to resurrect this franchise, I'm still not certain things would end better. The unique board structure made for a great tactical experience for the handful of players who played Duel, but that playing field is also a intimidating visual mess.
Pokémon: Magikarp Jump: The Silly Gem
Wow, why don't more Pokémon games relax a little and have some enjoyment? Magikarp Jump (2017) was a rare instance of The Pokémon Company giving its blessing a game with a premise so absurd, it was verging on shitpost. Considering we're dealing with a franchise where trainers go out with a full belt of useless monsters who literally can't do anything, I'm shocked we don't have more Pokémon games that poke fun at themselves.
In Magikarp Jump, the player is charged with breeding the best possible version of the notorious fish. I'm not talking about a Magikarp that can win battles. These are 'karp raised to enter contests to see who can jump the highest. One drawback 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 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 one might 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 compendium of over a thousand creatures, as Magikarp Jump does... but one can dream.
Magikarp Jump was not a especially complex or profound game, but the kernels of genius 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 2026 GOTY season rolls around.
Given dozens of mainline entries and spin-offs, it's probable that I didn't mention that particular Pokémon game you absolutely adore but contend that too few people played. It's acknowledged that some people remember games like Pokémon Ranger or Pokemon Pinball fondly notwithstanding argu
