Following a vision of world peace courtesy of Pokemon Go, it's beyond doubt that the creature-catching series is about as mainstream video games in existence. The iconic Pikachu is every bit as identifiable as Mickey Mouse, if not more so. The persistent pandemonium around trading card values ensures near-daily Pokémon headlines. You'd be hard-pressed to find a pocket monster game that didn't sell at least a few million copies. Even, unofficial Pokémon games go viral annually.
However despite that pervasiveness and popularity, there are still Pokémon games that are totally overlooked. These represent games that failed to receive their proper due, or were buried under the excitement of the core series. These are Pokémon games stuck on ill-fated consoles or online offerings, or were pioneering attempts onto different formats. Frequently, they are Pokémon games that probably would have blossomed if they ever got follow-ups or modern remakes. With these criteria in mind, we won't be offering yet another reminder for Pokémon Conquest or the Pokemon Mystery Dungeon series. We're digging deep.
Still, these might be these Pokémon games. So, before adjusting your spectacles and writing 'Well,' we can all acknowledge that these are Pokémon games for those possessing refined tastes, agreed?
Pokemon Ranch: The Cozy Precursor
An excessive number of Pokémon games emphasize the combat element of the series, and far too few of them highlight the ordinary realities that would come with owning a pet. Admittedly, there are minor mechanics like these in modern games—players may pet, and feed your monsters in camps. But I am dying 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 downloadable-only title is best seen as the precursor to Pokémon Home; that is, as a storage system to hold monsters from different games. Reviews from its release noted Ranch was a poor if not truly ugly game. It's not my goal 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.
As the name suggests, the game is set on a farm where your personal Miis—imagine this—just relax with your pals. The interactions with Pokémon were simple, and a lot 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 start of a wonderful franchise built on the daily joys of coexisting with a small creature. 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 it's also known that the upcoming Switch exclusive is as much a puzzle game as it is a life sim.
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 video playthrough popularization of watching games you aren't actively controlling. Most people never realized that Ranch's concept to watch your creatures as much as you play with them wasn't to hide a lack of substance. In actuality, Ranch's meticulous design was so remarkable, there's a live stream focused on broadcasting the game continuously. The individual who operates the channel states that, after nearly two decades of experiencing the game, he even now has not seen everything that is in it. Recognition for Pokémon Ranch: no one knew what to do with you in 2008.
Pokemon Duel: The Strategic Tabletop Game Gone
Are you aware that Pokémon once had an licensed board game with miniatures? Pokémon Duel was the 2016 attempt to adapt the tabletop experience in a more accessible format. Duel was also, unfortunately, one of Pokémon's earliest forays into the world of free-to-play phone games. Duel had the hallmarks of a gacha game where players could spend for advantage—and there was incentive to do so, given the lengthy grind for new pieces.
All of these questionable mechanics masked a sad truth: Pokémon Duel was an superb strategy game with Duel anymore. "I can’t express how much I adored and miss this game," one YouTube comment states, seven years after Duel's servers were pulled. "Truly I think this game was better than TCG Pocket in terms of depth, accessibility, design, and content in general," another commenter declared. "I am convinced if it launched now people would be engaging with it more than GO and Pocket together."
Regrettably, Duel's early release was plagued with connectivity problems. Technical problems, alongside Duel's scummy monetization 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 end better. The unusual board structure made for a fantastic tactical experience for the few folks who played Duel, but that board is also a daunting visual mess.
Pokemon: Magikarp Jump: The Absurd Gem
Man, why don't more Pokémon games relax a little and have some fun? Magikarp Jump (2017) was a uncommon case of The Pokémon Company approving a game with a premise so silly, it was verging on shitpost. And when we're dealing with a franchise where trainers go out with a team of ineffective monsters who literally can't do anything, I'm shocked we don't have more Pokémon games that laugh at themselves.
Within Magikarp Jump, the player is tasked with breeding the ultimate version of the notorious fish. This isn't about a Magikarp that can win battles. These are 'Magikarp raised to enter competitions 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 improve their Magikarp further. But it is clear throughout the experience that the developers appreciated and got the fan culture around Magikarp.
Nowhere was this more evident than in Jump's merciless random occurrences, where your Magikarp was just 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 diverse range 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 one can dream.
Magikarp Jump was not a especially complex or profound game, but the kernels of genius were there. Witty events with unpredictable results that forever alter how you can train a companion also describe the excellent Mewgenics. And I'm just saying: Mewgenics will likely be in the conversation when 2026 GOTY season rolls around.
With dozens of mainline entries and spin-offs, chances are that I omitted that one Pokémon game you totally love but contend that not nearly enough people played. It's acknowledged that some people look back on games like Pokemon Ranger or Pokémon Pinball fondly despite argu
