In the wake of a taste of world peace thanks to Pokemon Go, it's undeniable that the creature-catching series stands as one of the most mainstream video games around. Pikachu is every bit as identifiable as Mickey Mouse, perhaps even more. The continued frenzy surrounding trading card values guarantees almost daily Pokémon headlines. It would be difficult to find a Pokémon game that failed to move at least a few million copies. Even, fan-made Pokémon games go viral annually.
However in spite of that pervasiveness and popularity, some Pokémon games that are totally underappreciated. These represent titles that didn't get their proper due, or were overshadowed under the excitement of the mainline series. They're Pokémon games released on doomed consoles or services, or were early forays onto different formats. They're often also Pokémon games that might have blossomed if they had received sequels or contemporary re-releases. With these criteria in mind, we won't be offering just one more recommendation for Pokemon Conquest or the Pokémon Mystery Dungeon series. We're digging deep.
Nevertheless, you may already know about these Pokémon games. Therefore, prior to rearranging your glasses and typing 'Actually,' we can all acknowledge that these are Pokémon games for people with discerning palates, agreed?
Pokémon Ranch: The Relaxed Forerunner
An excessive number of Pokémon games focus on the combat aspect of the series, and far too few of them focus on the everyday aspects that would come with owning a companion. Sure, there are minor mechanics like these in modern games—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 Nintendo Wii isn't it. The digital-only title is most accurately viewed as the precursor to Pokémon Home; that is, as a repository to hold monsters from various titles. Critical reception from its release noted Ranch was a poor if not outright hideous game. I'm not here to dispute these notions, but it behooves me to say Ranch might be the nearest we've ever gotten to a everyday life Pokémon game.
True to its title, the game is set on a ranch where your personal Miis—imagine this—simply hang out with your pals. The activities with Pokémon were basic, and a lot of the appeal was observing what your monsters might do when not forced into cockfighting. In a just world, Pokémon Ranch would have been the beginning of a beautiful franchise built on the daily joys of coexisting with a tiny companion. However, because The Pokémon Company can collect a fee for Pokémon Home now, I'm guessing we will not get a Pokémon Ranch game realized to its fullest potential. One might cry 'save us, Pokémon Pokopia!' but I also know that the Nintendo Switch 2 exclusive is just as much a puzzler as it is a life simulation.
Ranch came out long before Stardew Valley sparked the lasting craze of cozy games. It was prior to the rise of passive games, and the video playthrough popularization of viewing games you aren't actively controlling. Many never understood that Ranch's proposal to watch your critters as much as you play with them wasn't to hide a shallow core. In actuality, Ranch's meticulous design was so remarkable, there's a Twitch stream dedicated to broadcasting the game 24/7. The streamer who operates the channel maintains that, after nearly two decades of playing the game, he even now has not encountered everything that is in it. Recognition for Pokémon Ranch: nobody understood you in 2008.
Pokémon Duel: The Strategic Board Game Gone
Did you know that Pokemon once had an official board game with miniatures? Pokémon Duel was the 2016 attempt to digitize the physical 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 hallmarks of a gacha game where players could spend for advantage—and there was incentive to do so, given the slow progression for new figures.
These questionable mechanics obfuscated a tragic reality: Pokémon Duel was an superb strategy game with Duel anymore. "I can’t express how much I loved and miss this game," a YouTube comment reads, seven years after Duel's servers were shut down. "Truly I think this game was better than TCG Pocket in terms of depth, accessibility, design, and content in general," another commenter declared. "I am convinced if it launched now people would be playing 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. If, by some miracle, The Pokémon Company decided to revive this franchise, I'm still not certain things would play out differently. The unique game board made for a great strategic challenge for the handful of players who played Duel, but that playing field is also a intimidating visual mess.
Pokémon: Magikarp Jump: The Silly Experiment
Wow, why don't more Pokémon games loosen up a little and have some fun? Magikarp Jump (2017) was a rare instance of The Pokémon Company approving a game with a concept so silly, it was bordering on shitpost. And when we're dealing with a franchise where trainers go out with a full belt of ineffective monsters who simply cannot 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. This isn't about a Magikarp that can win battles. 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 phone games, requires 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 fan culture around Magikarp.
This was most apparent than in Jump's merciless random occurrences, where your Magikarp was 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 core series would do, like offering a wide variety of the same species of monster. I know it's not practical for any Pokémon game to have 30 different variations for a roster 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 kernels of genius were there. Sharply written events with unpredictable results that permanently influence how you can raise a pet also describe the excellent Mewgenics. It's worth noting: Mewgenics will almost certainly be in the running when Game of the Year season arrives.
With numerous mainline entries and spin-offs, it's probable that I omitted that particular Pokémon game you absolutely adore but contend that not nearly enough people played. I know that some people look back on games like Pokémon Ranger or Pokemon Pinball fondly notwithstanding argu
