Following a vision of global harmony courtesy of Pokémon Go, it's undeniable that the monster collecting franchise is about as ubiquitous video games in existence. The iconic Pikachu is every bit as recognizable as Mickey Mouse, perhaps even more. The continued pandemonium surrounding card prices ensures near-daily Pokemon news stories. It would be difficult to find a pocket monster game that didn't sell at least a couple million copies. Even, fan-made Pokémon games achieve popularity annually.
Yet in spite of that pervasiveness and popularity, there are still Pokémon games that are totally underappreciated. These represent games that didn't get their proper due, or were buried under the hype of the core series. These are Pokémon games released on ill-fated platforms or services, or were early forays onto new mediums. They're often also Pokémon games that might have blossomed if they ever got follow-ups or modern remakes. With these criteria in mind, we won't be offering yet another recommendation for Pokémon 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 typing 'Well,' let us just agree that these are Pokémon games for those possessing refined tastes, shall we?
Pokémon Ranch: The Cozy Precursor
Too many Pokémon games emphasize the battling element of the series, and not nearly enough of them highlight the ordinary aspects that would come with owning a pet. Sure, there are small features like these in recent entries—players may pet, and feed your monsters in bases. 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 is not that game. The digital-only title is most accurately viewed as the precursor to Pokemon Home; that is, as a storage system to hold monsters from different games. Critical reception from its launch noted Ranch was a bad 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 closest we've come 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 Pokémon pals. The activities with Pokémon were basic, and a significant part 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. However, because The Pokémon Company can collect a fee for Pokémon Home now, it's likely we will never see a Pokémon Ranch game realized to its complete potential. One might cry 'help us, Pokémon Pokopia!' but I also know that the upcoming Switch exclusive is as much a puzzle game as it is a life sim.
Ranch was released well before Stardew Valley kicked off the lasting craze of cozy games. It was prior to the proliferation of idle games, and the video playthrough popularization of viewing games you aren't actively controlling. Many never realized that Ranch's proposal to observe your critters as much as you play with them wasn't to hide a lack of substance. In actuality, Ranch's meticulous design was so extraordinary, a Twitch stream dedicated to running the game 24/7. The individual who operates the channel states that, after nearly two decades of playing the game, he even now has not seen everything that is in it. Recognition for Pokémon Ranch: no one knew what to do with you in 2008.
Pokémon Duel: The Tactical Board Game Lost
Are you aware that Pokémon once had an licensed tabletop game with miniatures? Pokemon Duel was the 2016 attempt to adapt the tabletop experience in a more approachable form. Duel was also, sadly, one of Pokémon's earliest ventures into the world of freemium mobile gaming. Duel had the trappings of a gacha title where players could spend for advantage—and there was motivation to do so, given the slow progression for new figures.
These poor design choices obfuscated a tragic reality: Pokémon Duel was an excellent tactical game with Duel anymore. "Words cannot describe 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," a user wrote. "I am convinced if it launched now people would be engaging with it more than GO and Pocket together."
Regrettably, Duel's initial launch was marred by connectivity problems. Bugs, alongside Duel's predatory business model, gave people little reason to return. If, by some miracle, The Pokémon Company decided to revive this franchise, it's unclear things would end better. The unique game board made for a great tactical experience for the few folks who played Duel, but that playing field is also a daunting visual mess.
Pokemon: Magikarp Jump: The Absurd Gem
Wow, why don't more Pokémon games relax a little and have some fun? Magikarp Jump (2017) was a uncommon case of The Pokémon Company approving a game with a premise so absurd, it was bordering on shitpost. And when we're dealing with a franchise where trainers venture forth with a team of useless 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 breeding the ultimate version of the infamous fish. This isn't about a Magikarp that can win battles. These are 'karp raised to enter competitions to see who can flop the highest. I'm not a fan is how Magikarp Jump, like many phone games, forces the player to pause before they can improve their Magikarp further. But it is clear throughout the experience that Select Button appreciated and got the fan culture 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. Apart from the great writing, Magikarp Jump also experimented with other things I wish the core series would do, like offering a wide variety of the same species of monster. It's understood it's not feasible for any Pokémon game to have dozens of variations for a roster of over a thousand creatures, as Magikarp Jump does... but one can dream.
Magikarp Jump was not a particularly complex or profound game, but the seeds of brilliance were there. Sharply written events with outrageous outcomes that forever alter how you can raise a pet also describe the excellent Mewgenics. And I'm just saying: Mewgenics will almost certainly be in the running when 2026 GOTY season arrives.
Given numerous mainline entries and derivative titles, chances are that I didn't mention that one Pokémon game you absolutely adore but contend that too few people played. I know that some people look back on games like Pokémon Ranger or Pokemon Pinball with affection despite argu
