In the wake of a taste of world peace thanks to Pokémon Go, there's no question that the creature-catching franchise is about as popular gaming titles in existence. Pikachu is just as famous as Mickey Mouse, perhaps even more. The persistent frenzy around trading card values ensures almost daily Pokemon headlines. You'd be hard-pressed to find a Pokémon game that failed to move at least a couple million units. Remarkably, unofficial Pokémon games go viral annually.
Yet in spite of that ubiquity and fame, there are still Pokémon games that remain underappreciated. These represent games that didn't get their fair shake, or were buried by the excitement of the mainline series. These are Pokémon games stuck on ill-fated consoles or services, or were early forays onto new mediums. Frequently, they are Pokémon games that probably would have flourished if they had received follow-ups or contemporary re-releases. Considering these factors, this list will not be yet another recommendation for Pokemon Conquest or the Pokémon Mystery Dungeon series. We're digging deep.
Nevertheless, you may already know about these Pokémon games. So, before rearranging your glasses and writing 'Actually,' we can all acknowledge that these are Pokémon games for those possessing refined tastes, agreed?
Pokémon Ranch: The Chill Forerunner
An excessive number of Pokémon games emphasize the combat aspect of the series, and not nearly enough of them focus on the everyday realities that would come with living with a companion. Admittedly, modern titles include small features 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 vein of Nintendogs or The Sims.
My Pokémon Ranch (2008) for the Nintendo Wii isn't it. The downloadable-only title is best seen as the antecedent to Pokemon Home; that is, as a repository to store monsters from various titles. Reviews from its release said Ranch was a poor if not outright hideous game. It's not my goal to dispute these claims, but it compels me to say Ranch might be the nearest we've ever gotten to a slice-of-life Pokémon game.
True to its title, the game is set on a ranch where your personal Miis—get this—simply hang out with your Pokémon pals. The interactions with Pokémon were basic, and a significant part of the draw was watching what your monsters might do when they're not being forced into battle. Ideally, Pokémon Ranch would have been the start of a wonderful franchise built on the daily joys of coexisting with a small creature. However, because The Pokémon Company can collect a fee for Pokémon Home now, it's likely we will not get a Pokémon Ranch game realized to its complete potential. I'd say 'help us, Pokémon Pokopia!' but it's also known that the upcoming Switch exclusive is as much a puzzler as it is a life sim.
Ranch was released long before Stardew Valley sparked the enduring trend of comfort gaming. It was before the proliferation of idle games, and the Let's Play popularization of viewing 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 lack of substance. In actuality, Ranch's meticulous design was so remarkable, a Twitch stream dedicated to running the game continuously. The streamer who operates the channel maintains that, after almost twenty years of experiencing the game, he even now has not seen everything that is in it. Justice for Pokémon Ranch: nobody understood you in 2008.
Pokemon Duel: The Strategic Tabletop Game Gone
Are you aware that Pokémon once had an licensed tabletop game with miniatures? Pokemon Duel was the 2016 attempt to digitize the tabletop experience in a more accessible form. Duel was also, unfortunately, one of Pokémon's first forays into the world of free-to-play 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 pieces.
These questionable mechanics masked a sad truth: Pokémon Duel was an superb strategy game with Duel today. "I can’t express how much I adored and miss this game," one YouTube comment reads, 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 am convinced if it launched now people would be playing it more than GO and Pocket combined."
Regrettably, Duel's early release was plagued with server issues. Bugs, alongside Duel's scummy monetization model, gave people little reason to return. Should a revival occur, The Pokémon Company chose to resurrect this franchise, I'm still not certain things would play out differently. The unusual board structure made for a great strategic challenge for the handful of players who played Duel, but that board is also a daunting visual mess.
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 absurd, it was bordering on internet meme. And when we're dealing with a franchise where trainers go out with a full belt 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 raising the best possible version of the infamous fish. I'm not talking about a Magikarp that can win battles. These are 'Magikarp raised to enter competitions to see who can jump the highest. I'm not a fan is how Magikarp Jump, like many mobile games, requires the player to wait before they can train 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 events, where your Magikarp was just as likely to improve as it was to get eaten 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 feasible for any Pokémon game to have dozens of colorings and patterns for a compendium of over a thousand creatures, as Magikarp Jump does... but one can dream.
Magikarp Jump was not a especially sophisticated 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. It's worth noting: Mewgenics will almost certainly be in the conversation when Game of the Year season rolls around.
Given dozens of mainline entries and spin-offs, it's probable that I didn't mention that one Pokémon game you totally love but argue that too few people played. It's acknowledged that some people look back on games like Pokémon Ranger or Pokémon Pinball with affection despite argu
