Following a vision of world peace courtesy of Pokemon Go, there's no question that the creature-catching series is about as popular video games in existence. The iconic Pikachu is just as identifiable as Mickey Mouse, if not more so. The ongoing pandemonium around card prices ensures near-daily Pokemon news stories. It would be difficult to find a pocket monster game that failed to move at least a few million copies. Remarkably, unofficial Pokémon games go viral every year.
However despite that pervasiveness and popularity, some Pokémon games that remain overlooked. These represent titles that failed to receive their proper due, or were buried under the hype of the mainline series. They're Pokémon games released on doomed consoles or online offerings, or were early forays onto different formats. They're often also Pokémon games that might have flourished if they had received sequels or contemporary re-releases. With these criteria in mind, this list will not be just one more recommendation for Pokemon Conquest or the Pokémon Mystery Dungeon series. We're going beneath the surface.
Nevertheless, you may already know about these Pokémon games. Therefore, prior to adjusting your spectacles and typing 'Well,' we can all acknowledge that these are Pokémon games for people with discerning palates, shall we?
Pokémon Ranch: The Cozy Forerunner
An excessive number of Pokémon games focus on the combat element of the series, and not nearly enough of them highlight the ordinary realities that would come with living with a companion. Sure, modern titles include minor mechanics like these in recent entries—you can play with your monsters in bases. But I am 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 downloadable-only title is most accurately viewed as the antecedent to Pokemon Home; that is, as a repository to hold monsters from different games. Reviews from its release said Ranch was a poor if not truly ugly game. I'm not here to argue against these claims, but it behooves me to say Ranch might be the closest we've come to a everyday life Pokémon game.
True to its title, the game is set on a farm where your personal Miis—imagine this—just relax with your Pokémon pals. The interactions with Pokémon were simple, 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 start of a wonderful franchise built on the daily joys of living your life with a small creature. However, because 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 fullest potential. I'd say 'save us, Pokémon Pokopia!' but it's also known that the Nintendo Switch 2 exclusive is just as much a puzzler as it is a life simulation.
Ranch was released well before Stardew Valley kicked off the enduring trend of comfort gaming. It was before the proliferation of passive games, and the video playthrough normalization of watching games you aren't actively controlling. Many never realized that Ranch's proposal to watch your creatures as much as you play with them didn't mask a lack of substance. In truth, Ranch's meticulous design was so remarkable, there's a live stream focused on running 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. Justice for Pokémon Ranch: nobody understood you in 2008.
Pokémon Duel: The Tactical Tabletop Game Lost
Are you aware that Pokemon once had an official tabletop game with miniatures? Pokémon Duel was the 2016 effort to adapt the physical experience in a more accessible form. Duel was also, sadly, one of Pokémon's first forays into the world of freemium phone games. Duel had the trappings 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 questionable mechanics masked a sad truth: Pokémon Duel was an superb strategy game with Duel today. "I can’t express how much I loved and miss this game," one YouTube comment reads, seven years after Duel's servers were shut down. "Honestly I think this game was better than TCG Pocket in terms of depth, approachability, design, and features in general," a user wrote. "I truly believe if it came out 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 scummy monetization model, gave people little reason to return. Should a revival occur, The Pokémon Company decided to revive this franchise, it's unclear things would end better. The unique board structure made for a great strategic challenge for the handful of players who played Duel, but that board is also a intimidating eyesore.
Pokémon: Magikarp Jump: The Absurd Gem
Wow, why don't more Pokémon games loosen up a little and have some enjoyment? Magikarp Jump (2017) was a uncommon case of The Pokémon Company approving a game with a concept so silly, it was verging on shitpost. Considering we're dealing with a franchise where trainers go out with a team of useless monsters who literally can't 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 ultimate version of the notorious fish. This isn't about a Magikarp that can kick your butt. These are 'Magikarp raised to enter competitions to see who can flop the highest. I'm not a fan is how Magikarp Jump, like many mobile games, requires the player to wait before they can improve their Magikarp further. But it is evident throughout the experience that Select Button appreciated and got the fan culture around Magikarp.
This was most apparent than in Jump's brutal random occurrences, where your Magikarp was just as likely to improve as it was to get eaten by a Pidgeotto. Beyond the great writing, Magikarp Jump also tried out other things one might wish the core series would do, like offering a diverse range of the same species of monster. It's understood it's not feasible 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 sophisticated or deep game, but the seeds of brilliance were there. Witty events with outrageous outcomes that permanently influence how you can train a companion also describe the excellent Mewgenics. It's worth noting: Mewgenics will likely be in the running when Game of the Year season rolls around.
With dozens of mainline entries and spin-offs, chances are that I omitted that particular Pokémon game you absolutely adore but argue that not nearly enough people played. I know that some people look back on games like Pokemon Ranger or Pokemon Pinball fondly notwithstanding argu
