Following a vision of global harmony courtesy of Pokemon Go, it's beyond doubt that the monster collecting franchise is about as popular video games around. The iconic Pikachu is every bit as recognizable as Mickey Mouse, perhaps even more. The ongoing pandemonium around card prices guarantees almost daily Pokémon news stories. You'd be hard-pressed to find a pocket monster game that failed to move at least a few million copies. Remarkably, fan-made Pokémon games go viral every year.
Yet in spite of that ubiquity and popularity, there are still Pokémon games that remain overlooked. These are titles that didn't get their fair shake, or were overshadowed under the excitement of the mainline series. These are Pokémon games stuck on doomed platforms or online offerings, or were early forays onto different formats. Frequently, they are Pokémon games that might have flourished if they ever got sequels or contemporary re-releases. With these criteria in mind, this list will not be yet another recommendation for Pokémon Conquest or the Pokemon Mystery Dungeon series. We're going beneath the surface.
Still, these might be these Pokémon games. Therefore, prior to adjusting your spectacles and typing 'Actually,' let us just agree that these are Pokémon games for those possessing discerning palates, shall we?
Pokémon Ranch: The Relaxed Forerunner
An excessive number of Pokémon games emphasize the battling element of the series, and not nearly enough of them focus on the everyday aspects that would come with living with a pet. Admittedly, there are small features like these in recent entries—you can play with your monsters in bases. However, I'm dying for a Pokémon game more in the vein of Nintendogs or The Sims.
My Pokémon Ranch (2008) for the Wii is not that game. The downloadable-only title is most accurately viewed as the antecedent to Pokemon Home; that is, as a storage system to hold monsters from various titles. Reviews from its release said Ranch was a bad if not truly ugly game. I'm not here to dispute these notions, but it compels me to say Ranch might be the closest we've ever gotten to a everyday life Pokémon game.
True to its title, the game takes place on a farm where your Mii avatars—get this—just relax with your Pokémon pals. The activities with Pokémon were simple, and a significant part of the appeal was watching what your monsters might do when they're not being forced into cockfighting. Ideally, Pokémon Ranch would have been the start of a wonderful franchise built on the simple pleasures of living your life 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 developed to its complete potential. One might cry 'help us, Pokémon Pokopia!' but it's also known that the upcoming Switch exclusive is just as much a puzzler as it is a life simulation.
Ranch came out long before Stardew Valley sparked the enduring trend of comfort gaming. It was prior to the rise of idle games, and the Let's Play normalization of watching games you aren't playing. Most people never understood that Ranch's concept to watch your critters as much as you interact with them didn't mask a shallow core. In truth, Ranch's attention to detail was so remarkable, a Twitch stream focused on running the game 24/7. The streamer who operates the channel maintains that, after almost twenty years of experiencing the game, he even now has not encountered all that is in it. Recognition for Pokémon Ranch: no one understood 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 effort to digitize the physical experience in a more approachable format. Duel was also, unfortunately, one of Pokémon's first ventures into the world of freemium mobile gaming. Duel had the hallmarks of a gacha game 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 obfuscated a tragic reality: Pokémon Duel was an superb strategy game with Duel today. "Words cannot describe how much I loved and miss this game," a YouTube comment states, seven years after Duel's servers were pulled. "Honestly I think this game was better than TCG Pocket in terms of complexity, approachability, game design, and features in general," a user declared. "I truly believe if it came out now people would be engaging with it more than GO and Pocket combined."
Unfortunately, Duel's early release was plagued with connectivity problems. Bugs, alongside Duel's predatory business model, gave people few incentives to return. Should a revival occur, The Pokémon Company chose to resurrect this franchise, it's unclear things would play out differently. The unique game board made for a great tactical experience for the handful of players who played Duel, but that playing field is also a intimidating visual mess.
Pokémon: Magikarp Jump: The Absurd Gem
Wow, why don't more Pokémon games relax a little and have some enjoyment? Magikarp Jump (2017) was a uncommon case of The Pokémon Company approving a game with a concept so absurd, it was bordering on internet meme. Considering 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.
Within Magikarp Jump, the player is charged with raising the best possible version of the infamous fish. This isn't about a Magikarp that can kick your butt. These are 'Magikarp raised to enter contests to see who can flop the highest. One drawback 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 the developers appreciated and got the fan culture around Magikarp.
Nowhere was this more evident than in Jump's brutal random occurrences, where your Magikarp was just as likely to improve as it was to get snatched by a Pidgeotto. Beyond 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 type of monster. It's understood it's not practical for any Pokémon game to have dozens of variations for a roster 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 kernels of genius were there. Witty events with unpredictable results that permanently influence how you can raise a pet also describe the excellent Mewgenics. It's worth noting: Mewgenics will likely be in the running when 2026 GOTY season arrives.
With dozens of core games and derivative titles, it's probable that I omitted that one Pokémon game you absolutely adore but contend that too few people played. It's acknowledged that some people remember games like Pokemon Ranger or Pokémon Pinball fondly despite argu
