In the wake of a vision of global harmony courtesy of Pokemon Go, it's undeniable that the creature-catching series is about as popular gaming titles in existence. Pikachu is just as identifiable as Disney's mascot, perhaps even more. The persistent pandemonium surrounding trading card values ensures almost daily Pokémon news stories. It would be difficult to find a pocket monster game that failed to move at least a couple million copies. Even, unofficial Pokémon games go viral every year.
Yet despite that pervasiveness and popularity, some Pokémon games that remain overlooked. These represent games that failed to receive their fair shake, or were buried under the excitement of the mainline series. They're Pokémon games released on ill-fated consoles or services, or were pioneering attempts onto different formats. Frequently, they are Pokémon games that probably would have blossomed if they ever got sequels or contemporary re-releases. Considering these factors, we won't be offering yet another reminder for Pokémon Conquest or the Pokemon Mystery Dungeon series. We're digging deep.
Still, you may already know about these Pokémon games. So, before rearranging your glasses and typing 'Actually,' we can all acknowledge that these are Pokémon games for people with refined tastes, agreed?
Pokémon Ranch: The Relaxed Precursor
An excessive number of Pokémon games emphasize the combat element of the series, and far too few of them highlight the everyday realities that would come with living with a pet. Admittedly, modern titles include minor mechanics like these in modern games—players may pet, and feed your monsters in camps. However, I'm longing for a Pokémon game more in the style of Nintendogs or The Sims.
My Pokémon Ranch (2008) for the Wii isn't it. The digital-only title is most accurately viewed as the precursor to Pokémon Home; that is, as a repository to hold monsters from various titles. Critical reception from its launch noted Ranch was a bad if not truly ugly game. It's not my goal to dispute these claims, but it compels me to say Ranch might be the closest we've ever gotten to a everyday life Pokémon game.
As the name suggests, the game is set on a ranch where your personal Miis—imagine this—just relax with your Pokémon pals. The interactions with Pokémon were basic, and a lot of the appeal was observing what your monsters might do when they're not being forced into battle. In a just world, Pokémon Ranch would have been the beginning of a beautiful franchise built on the simple pleasures 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 not get a Pokémon Ranch game realized to its complete potential. I'd say 'save us, Pokémon Pokopia!' but I also know that the upcoming Switch exclusive is just as much a puzzle game as it is a life sim.
Ranch came out well 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 actively controlling. Most people never understood that Ranch's proposal to observe your critters 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 broadcasting the game continuously. The streamer who runs the channel states that, after almost twenty years of experiencing the game, he even now has not encountered everything that is in it. Recognition for Pokémon Ranch: nobody understood you in 2008.
Pokémon Duel: The Strategic Board Game Lost
Did you know that Pokemon once had an licensed tabletop game with action figures? Pokémon Duel was the 2016 attempt to digitize the tabletop experience in a more accessible format. Duel was also, sadly, one of Pokémon's earliest forays into the world of freemium mobile gaming. Duel had the hallmarks of a gacha title where players could spend for advantage—and there was motivation to do so, given the slow progression for new figures.
All of these poor design choices masked a sad truth: Pokémon Duel was an superb strategy game with Duel anymore. "Words cannot describe how much I adored and miss this game," one YouTube comment states, seven years after Duel's servers were shut down. "Truly I think this game was better than TCG Pocket in terms of complexity, accessibility, game design, and features in general," another commenter declared. "I truly believe if it launched now people would be playing it more than GO and Pocket combined."
Regrettably, Duel's early release was plagued with connectivity problems. Bugs, alongside Duel's scummy monetization model, gave people little reason to return. If, by some miracle, The Pokémon Company chose to resurrect this franchise, it's unclear things would end better. The unusual board structure made for a fantastic strategic challenge for the few folks who played Duel, but that playing field is also a daunting visual mess.
Pokemon: Magikarp Jump: The Whimsical 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 giving its blessing 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 full belt of ineffective monsters who simply cannot do anything, it's surprising we don't have more Pokémon games that laugh at themselves.
In Magikarp Jump, the player is tasked with raising the best possible version of the infamous fish. This isn't about a Magikarp that can win battles. These are 'karp raised to enter contests to see who can flop the highest. One drawback is how Magikarp Jump, like many phone games, requires the player to wait before they can improve their Magikarp further. But it is evident throughout the experience that the developers loved and understood the fan culture around Magikarp.
Nowhere was this more evident than in Jump's brutal random occurrences, where your Magikarp was as likely to raise its stats as it was to get eaten by a Pidgeotto. Apart from the clever dialogue, Magikarp Jump also tried out other things I wish the mainline games would do, like offering a wide variety of the same type of monster. It's understood it's not feasible for any Pokémon game to have 30 different variations for a roster of over a thousand creatures, as Magikarp Jump does... but we can hope.
Magikarp Jump was not a particularly sophisticated or profound game, but the seeds of brilliance were there. Sharply written events with unpredictable results that forever alter how you can train a companion also describe the excellent Mewgenics. It's worth noting: Mewgenics will likely be in the conversation when 2026 GOTY season arrives.
With numerous mainline entries and spin-offs, it's probable that I didn't mention that particular 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 despite argu
