In the wake of a vision of global harmony courtesy of Pokemon Go, it's beyond doubt that the creature-catching series is about as ubiquitous video games around. Pikachu is every bit as famous as Mickey Mouse, if not more so. The ongoing frenzy surrounding card prices ensures near-daily Pokémon news stories. It would be hard-pressed to find a pocket monster game that didn't sell at least a couple million copies. Remarkably, fan-made Pokémon games achieve popularity annually.
Yet in spite of that pervasiveness and fame, there are still Pokémon games that remain overlooked. These are games that didn't get their proper due, or were overshadowed by the excitement of the mainline series. These are Pokémon games released on ill-fated consoles or services, or were pioneering attempts onto different formats. Frequently, they are Pokémon games that might have blossomed if they ever got sequels or modern remakes. With these criteria in mind, we won't be offering yet another reminder for Pokemon Conquest or the Pokémon Mystery Dungeon series. We're going beneath the surface.
Still, these might be these Pokémon games. Therefore, prior to rearranging your glasses and typing 'Actually,' let us just agree that these are Pokémon games for those possessing refined tastes, agreed?
Pokemon Ranch: The Relaxed Precursor
An excessive number of Pokémon games emphasize the combat element of the series, and not nearly enough of them focus on the ordinary realities that would come with owning a companion. Admittedly, modern titles include small features like these in recent entries—players may play with your monsters in bases. But I am longing 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 best seen as the antecedent to Pokémon Home; that is, as a storage system to hold monsters from various titles. Critical reception from its launch said 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 everyday life Pokémon game.
As the name suggests, the game is set on a farm where your personal Miis—imagine this—simply hang out with your pals. The interactions with Pokémon were basic, and a significant part of the appeal was watching what your monsters might do when not forced into battle. Ideally, Pokémon Ranch would have been the beginning of a wonderful franchise built on the simple pleasures of coexisting with a tiny companion. But since The Pokémon Company can collect a fee for Pokémon Home now, it's likely we will not get a Pokémon Ranch game developed to its fullest potential. One might cry 'help us, Pokémon Pokopia!' but I also know that the Nintendo Switch 2 exclusive is just as much a puzzle game as it is a life simulation.
Ranch came out well before Stardew Valley kicked off the lasting craze of comfort gaming. It was before the proliferation of passive games, and the video playthrough popularization of viewing games you aren't playing. Many never realized that Ranch's proposal to observe your critters as much as you play with them wasn't to hide a shallow core. In actuality, Ranch's attention to detail was so extraordinary, a live stream focused on running the game 24/7. The streamer who operates the channel states that, after nearly two decades of experiencing the game, he even now has not encountered all that is in it. Justice for Pokémon Ranch: nobody understood you in 2008.
Pokemon Duel: The Strategic Board Game Lost
Are you aware that Pokemon once had an official board game with miniatures? Pokemon Duel was the 2016 attempt to digitize the tabletop experience in a more accessible format. Duel was also, unfortunately, one of Pokémon's first forays into the world of freemium mobile gaming. Duel had the hallmarks of a gacha title where players could pay to win—and there was incentive to do so, given the lengthy grind for new figures.
These questionable mechanics obfuscated a sad truth: Pokémon Duel was an superb strategy game with Duel today. "Words cannot describe how much I adored and miss this game," a YouTube comment reads, years after Duel's servers were pulled. "Truly I think this game was better than TCG Pocket in terms of depth, 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 server issues. Bugs, alongside Duel's predatory monetization model, gave people few incentives to come back. 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 tactical experience for the few folks who played Duel, but that board is also a daunting eyesore.
Pokémon: Magikarp Jump: The Absurd Gem
Man, why don't more Pokémon games loosen up a little and have some fun? Magikarp Jump (2017) was a uncommon case of The Pokémon Company giving its blessing a game with a premise so silly, it was bordering on internet meme. And when we're dealing with a franchise where trainers venture forth with a team of useless monsters who literally can't do anything, it's surprising we don't have more Pokémon games that poke fun at themselves.
Within Magikarp Jump, the player is charged with breeding the best possible version of the notorious 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. I'm not a fan is how Magikarp Jump, like many phone games, forces the player to wait before they can train their Magikarp further. But it is evident throughout the experience that the developers loved and understood the community love around Magikarp.
Nowhere was this more evident than in Jump's merciless random events, where your Magikarp was just as likely to raise its stats as it was to get snatched by a Pidgeotto. Beyond the great writing, Magikarp Jump also tried out other things I wish the mainline games would do, like offering a diverse range of the same species of monster. I know it's not feasible for any Pokémon game to have 30 different 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. Sharply written events with outrageous outcomes 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 arrives.
With numerous 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. I know that some people look back on games like Pokemon Ranger or Pokémon Pinball fondly despite argu
