Following a vision of world peace thanks to Pokemon Go, it's beyond doubt that the creature-catching franchise is about as popular video games around. Pikachu is every bit as identifiable as Disney's mascot, if not more so. The continued excitement surrounding card prices ensures near-daily Pokémon news stories. It would be hard-pressed to find a pocket monster game that didn't sell at least a few million copies. Remarkably, unofficial Pokémon games achieve popularity every year.
However despite that pervasiveness and fame, some Pokémon games that are totally 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 stuck on ill-fated platforms or online offerings, or were pioneering attempts onto different formats. Frequently, they are Pokémon games that probably would have flourished if they ever got sequels or modern remakes. Considering these factors, this list will not be yet another reminder for Pokemon Conquest or the Pokemon Mystery Dungeon series. We're going beneath the surface.
Still, you may already know about these Pokémon games. So, before adjusting your spectacles and typing 'Well,' let us just agree that these are Pokémon games for those possessing refined tastes, shall we?
Pokémon Ranch: The Cozy Precursor
Too many Pokémon games emphasize the battling element of the series, and not nearly enough of them focus on the everyday realities that would come with living with a pet. Admittedly, there are small features like these in recent entries—players may pet, and feed your monsters in bases. However, I'm 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 repository to hold monsters from different games. Reviews from its launch noted Ranch was a poor if not outright hideous game. It's not my goal to dispute these claims, but it compels me to say Ranch might be the nearest we've ever gotten to a everyday life Pokémon game.
True to its title, the game is set on a ranch where your Mii avatars—imagine this—simply hang out with your pals. The interactions with Pokémon were basic, and a significant part of the appeal was observing 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 simple pleasures of living your life with a tiny companion. However, because The Pokémon Company can collect a fee for Pokémon Home now, I'm guessing we will never see a Pokémon Ranch game developed to its complete potential. One might cry 'save us, Pokémon Pokopia!' but I also know that the Nintendo Switch 2 exclusive is as much a puzzle game as it is a life simulation.
Ranch was released well before Stardew Valley kicked off the enduring trend of cozy games. It was prior to the rise of passive games, and the Let's Play normalization of watching games you aren't playing. Many never understood that Ranch's proposal to observe 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 extraordinary, there's a live stream focused on broadcasting the game 24/7. The streamer who runs the channel maintains that, after nearly two decades of playing the game, he still has not encountered all that is in it. Recognition for Pokémon Ranch: nobody understood you in 2008.
Pokemon Duel: The Strategic Board Game Gone
Are you aware that Pokemon once had an licensed tabletop game with action figures? Pokemon Duel was the 2016 attempt to adapt the physical experience in a more approachable form. Duel was also, unfortunately, one of Pokémon's earliest ventures into the world of freemium phone games. Duel had the hallmarks of a gacha title where players could spend for advantage—and there was motivation to do so, given the lengthy grind for new figures.
These questionable mechanics obfuscated a sad truth: Pokémon Duel was an excellent strategy game with Duel anymore. "I can’t express how much I adored and miss this game," one YouTube comment reads, seven years after Duel's servers were shut down. "Honestly I think this game was superior to TCG Pocket in terms of depth, approachability, design, and features in general," another commenter wrote. "I truly believe if it launched now people would be engaging with it more than GO and Pocket together."
Regrettably, Duel's initial launch was plagued with server issues. Technical problems, alongside Duel's scummy business model, gave people little reason to come back. If, by some miracle, The Pokémon Company chose to resurrect this franchise, it's unclear things would play out differently. The unusual board structure made for a fantastic strategic challenge for the handful of players who played Duel, but that board is also a intimidating eyesore.
Pokémon: Magikarp Jump: The Absurd Experiment
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 bordering on internet meme. Considering we're dealing with a franchise where trainers go out with a team of ineffective monsters who simply cannot do anything, I'm shocked we don't have more Pokémon games that laugh at themselves.
Within Magikarp Jump, the player is tasked with raising the best possible version of the notorious fish. This isn't about a Magikarp that can win battles. These are 'Magikarp raised to enter contests to see who can jump the highest. I'm not a fan is how Magikarp Jump, like many phone games, requires the player to pause before they can train their Magikarp further. But it is evident throughout the experience that Select Button loved and understood the fan culture around Magikarp.
Nowhere was this more evident than in Jump's brutal random events, where your Magikarp was as likely to improve as it was to get snatched by a Pidgeotto. Apart from the clever dialogue, Magikarp Jump also experimented with other things one might wish the mainline games would do, like offering a diverse range 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 we can hope.
Magikarp Jump was not a particularly sophisticated or deep game, but the kernels of genius were there. Witty events with outrageous outcomes 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 Game of the Year season arrives.
Given dozens of core games and spin-offs, it's probable that I didn't mention that particular Pokémon game you totally love but argue that too few people played. I know that some people look back on games like Pokemon Ranger or Pokemon Pinball with affection despite argu
