Following a vision of global harmony courtesy of Pokémon Go, there's no question that the monster collecting series is about as popular video games in existence. The iconic Pikachu is every bit as famous as Mickey Mouse, if not more so. The persistent pandemonium around card prices guarantees near-daily Pokemon news stories. You'd be difficult to find a Pokémon game that didn't sell at least a few million units. Remarkably, unofficial Pokémon games go viral annually.
Yet despite that pervasiveness and fame, there are still Pokémon games that remain underappreciated. These represent titles that didn't get their fair shake, or were buried by the excitement of the mainline series. These are Pokémon games stuck on doomed platforms or online offerings, or were early forays onto different formats. Frequently, they are Pokémon games that probably would have blossomed if they had received sequels or contemporary re-releases. With these criteria in mind, we won't be offering just one more reminder for Pokemon Conquest or the Pokemon Mystery Dungeon series. We're going beneath the surface.
Nevertheless, you may already know about these Pokémon games. So, before rearranging your glasses and typing 'Well,' we can all acknowledge that these are Pokémon games for those possessing refined tastes, 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 realities that would come with owning a pet. Sure, modern titles include minor mechanics like these in recent entries—you can 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 Pokémon Ranch (2008) for the Nintendo Wii isn't it. 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 launch said Ranch was a poor if not truly ugly game. I'm not here to argue against these notions, but it compels me to say Ranch might be the nearest 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—imagine 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 not forced into battle. In a just world, Pokémon Ranch would have been the beginning of a beautiful franchise built on the daily joys of living your life with a tiny companion. But since The Pokémon Company can charge a subscription for Pokémon Home now, I'm guessing we will never see a Pokémon Ranch game realized to its fullest potential. One might cry 'save us, Pokémon Pokopia!' but it's also known that the upcoming Switch exclusive is just as much a puzzle game as it is a life simulation.
Ranch was released long before Stardew Valley kicked off the enduring trend of comfort gaming. It was before the rise of idle games, and the Let's Play popularization of viewing games you aren't playing. Many never realized that Ranch's concept to observe your creatures as much as you play with them wasn't to hide a lack of substance. In truth, Ranch's meticulous design was so extraordinary, there's 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 still has not encountered all that is in it. Recognition for Pokémon Ranch: no one understood you in 2008.
Pokémon Duel: The Strategic Board Game Gone
Are you aware that Pokémon once had an official tabletop game with action figures? Pokémon Duel was the 2016 attempt to digitize the physical experience in a more approachable form. Duel was also, sadly, 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 motivation to do so, given the slow progression for new pieces.
All of these poor design choices masked a sad truth: Pokémon Duel was an superb tactical game with Duel anymore. "Words cannot describe how much I adored and miss this game," a YouTube comment states, seven years after Duel's servers were pulled. "Truly I think this game was superior to TCG Pocket in terms of complexity, accessibility, design, and content in general," a user declared. "I truly believe if it launched now people would be engaging with it more than GO and Pocket together."
Unfortunately, Duel's initial launch was marred by connectivity problems. Technical problems, alongside Duel's predatory monetization model, gave people few incentives to return. If, by some miracle, The Pokémon Company chose to resurrect this franchise, it's unclear things would play out differently. The unique game board made for a great tactical experience for the handful of players who played Duel, but that board is also a intimidating visual mess.
Pokemon: Magikarp Jump: The Absurd Gem
Man, why don't more Pokémon games loosen up a little and have some enjoyment? Magikarp Jump (2017) was a rare instance of The Pokémon Company approving a game with a premise so absurd, it was bordering 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, it's surprising we don't have more Pokémon games that laugh at themselves.
Within Magikarp Jump, the player is tasked with breeding the best possible version of the notorious fish. I'm not talking about a Magikarp that can kick your butt. These are 'Magikarp raised to enter contests to see who can flop the highest. I'm not a fan is how Magikarp Jump, like many phone games, requires the player to wait before they can train their Magikarp further. But it is evident throughout the experience that Select Button loved and understood the community love around Magikarp.
This was most apparent than in Jump's merciless random occurrences, where your Magikarp was as likely to improve as it was to get eaten by a Pidgeotto. Beyond the clever dialogue, Magikarp Jump also tried out other things one might wish the mainline games would do, like offering a wide variety of the same type of monster. I know 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 we can hope.
Magikarp Jump was not a particularly complex or deep game, but the seeds of brilliance were there. Sharply written events with unpredictable results that forever alter how you can raise a pet also describe the excellent Mewgenics. It's worth noting: Mewgenics will likely be in the running when 2026 GOTY season rolls around.
With numerous core games and spin-offs, it's probable that I omitted that one Pokémon game you absolutely adore but contend that not nearly enough people played. I know that some people look back on games like Pokémon Ranger or Pokémon Pinball fondly notwithstanding argu
