Following a glimpse of world peace courtesy of Pokemon Go, it's beyond doubt that the creature-catching franchise stands as one of the most ubiquitous gaming titles in existence. The iconic Pikachu is just as famous as Disney's mascot, if not more so. The persistent frenzy around card prices guarantees almost daily Pokémon news stories. It would be hard-pressed to find a Pokémon game that didn't sell at least a couple million copies. Even, unofficial Pokémon games go viral annually.
Yet despite that ubiquity and popularity, there are still Pokémon games that are totally underappreciated. These are games that failed to receive their fair shake, or were buried under the hype of the mainline series. They're Pokémon games stuck on ill-fated consoles or services, or were pioneering attempts onto new mediums. They're often also Pokémon games that might have blossomed if they had received sequels or modern remakes. With these criteria in mind, this list will not be just one more reminder for Pokémon Conquest or the Pokémon Mystery Dungeon series. We're going beneath the surface.
Still, you may already know about these Pokémon games. Therefore, prior to adjusting your spectacles and writing 'Well,' let us just agree that these are Pokémon games for those possessing refined tastes, agreed?
Pokemon Ranch: The Relaxed Forerunner
Too many Pokémon games focus on the combat element of the series, and not nearly enough of them highlight the everyday aspects that would come with living with a companion. Admittedly, there are minor mechanics like these in modern games—you can 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 Pokemon Ranch (2008) for the Nintendo Wii isn't it. The digital-only title is best seen as the antecedent to Pokémon Home; that is, as a storage system to store monsters from various titles. Reviews from its release noted Ranch was a bad if not truly ugly game. I'm not here to argue against these notions, but it behooves me to say Ranch might be the closest we've ever gotten to a slice-of-life Pokémon game.
True to its title, the game takes place on a farm where your personal Miis—get this—just relax with your pals. The interactions with Pokémon were basic, and a lot of the appeal 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 simple pleasures of coexisting with a small creature. But since 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. I'd say 'help us, Pokémon Pokopia!' but I also know 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 lasting craze of cozy games. It was prior to 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 interact with them didn't mask a shallow core. In actuality, Ranch's attention to detail was so remarkable, there's a Twitch stream focused on running the game 24/7. The individual who operates the channel maintains that, after almost twenty years of playing the game, he even now has not encountered all that is in it. Recognition for Pokémon Ranch: nobody knew what to do with you in 2008.
Pokémon Duel: The Tactical Board Game Gone
Are you aware that Pokemon once had an licensed tabletop game with miniatures? Pokémon Duel was the 2016 effort to digitize the tabletop experience in a more approachable format. Duel was also, sadly, one of Pokémon's earliest forays into the world of free-to-play 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 pieces.
These poor design choices 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 states, seven years after Duel's servers were pulled. "Honestly I think this game was superior to TCG Pocket in terms of complexity, accessibility, game design, and features in general," another commenter declared. "I am convinced if it launched now people would be playing it more than GO and Pocket together."
Unfortunately, Duel's initial launch was plagued with server issues. Technical problems, alongside Duel's scummy business model, gave people few incentives to return. Should a revival occur, The Pokémon Company chose to resurrect this franchise, I'm still not certain things would end better. The unique board structure made for a great strategic challenge for the few folks who played Duel, but that board is also a intimidating visual mess.
Pokemon: Magikarp Jump: The Whimsical Gem
Wow, why don't more Pokémon games relax a little and have some fun? Magikarp Jump (2017) was a rare instance of The Pokémon Company approving a game with a premise so silly, it was bordering on internet meme. And when we're dealing with a franchise where trainers go out with a full belt of useless monsters who literally can't do anything, I'm shocked 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 infamous fish. I'm not talking about a Magikarp that can win battles. These are 'karp raised to enter competitions to see who can jump the highest. I'm not a fan is how Magikarp Jump, like many mobile games, forces the player to wait before they can improve their Magikarp further. But it is clear throughout the experience that Select Button loved and understood the fan culture around Magikarp.
This was most apparent than in Jump's merciless random occurrences, where your Magikarp was just as likely to improve as it was to get snatched by a Pidgeotto. Apart from the great writing, Magikarp Jump also experimented with other things one might wish the core series would do, like offering a diverse range of the same type of monster. It's understood it's not practical for any Pokémon game to have dozens of colorings and patterns for a compendium of over a thousand creatures, as Magikarp Jump does... but we can hope.
Magikarp Jump was not a especially complex or profound game, but the seeds of brilliance were there. Witty events with unpredictable results that forever alter how you can train a companion also describe the excellent Mewgenics. It's worth noting: Mewgenics will almost certainly be in the conversation when 2026 GOTY season rolls around.
With numerous core games and spin-offs, chances are that I didn't mention that particular Pokémon game you totally love but contend that not nearly enough people played. It's acknowledged that some people remember games like Pokémon Ranger or Pokémon Pinball with affection despite argu
