In the wake of a vision of global harmony thanks to Pokemon Go, there's no question that the creature-catching franchise stands as one of the most mainstream video games around. The iconic Pikachu is just as identifiable as Mickey Mouse, if not more so. The persistent pandemonium surrounding card prices ensures near-daily Pokemon news stories. 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, there are still Pokémon games that are totally underappreciated. These represent games that failed to receive their proper due, or were overshadowed by the excitement of the core series. They're Pokémon games stuck on ill-fated consoles or online offerings, or were pioneering attempts onto different formats. They're often also Pokémon games that might have blossomed 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 Pokémon Mystery Dungeon series. We're pulling an Excadrill.
Still, you may already know about these Pokémon games. Therefore, prior to rearranging your glasses and typing 'Well,' we can all acknowledge that these are Pokémon games for people with discerning palates, agreed?
Pokémon Ranch: The Cozy Forerunner
An excessive number of Pokémon games emphasize the battling element of the series, and not nearly enough of them focus on the everyday realities that would come with living with a pet. Admittedly, there are small features like these in modern games—you can pet, and feed your monsters in bases. However, I'm dying for a Pokémon game more in the style of Nintendogs or The Sims.
My Pokemon Ranch (2008) for the Nintendo Wii is not that game. The downloadable-only title is most accurately viewed as the precursor to Pokémon Home; that is, as a storage system to hold monsters from different games. Reviews from its launch said Ranch was a poor if not truly ugly game. It's not my goal to dispute these notions, but it behooves 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 farm where your personal Miis—get this—just relax with your Pokémon pals. The interactions with Pokémon were simple, and a significant part of the draw was observing 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 daily joys of coexisting with a tiny companion. But since The Pokémon Company can collect a fee for Pokémon Home now, I'm guessing we will not get a Pokémon Ranch game developed to its fullest potential. I'd say 'help us, Pokémon Pokopia!' but I also know that the upcoming Switch exclusive is just as much a puzzle game as it is a life sim.
Ranch came out well before Stardew Valley sparked the enduring trend of comfort gaming. It was prior to the rise of idle games, and the video playthrough popularization of viewing games you aren't actively controlling. Many never realized that Ranch's concept to watch your critters as much as you interact with them didn't mask a lack of substance. In actuality, Ranch's meticulous design was so extraordinary, there's a Twitch stream focused on running the game 24/7. The individual who operates the channel states that, after almost twenty years of experiencing the game, he still has not encountered everything that is in it. Justice for Pokémon Ranch: nobody understood you in 2008.
Pokémon Duel: The Tactical Tabletop Game Lost
Are you aware that Pokemon once had an official tabletop game with miniatures? Pokemon Duel was the 2016 effort to adapt the physical experience in a more accessible form. Duel was also, unfortunately, one of Pokémon's earliest forays into the world of free-to-play phone games. Duel had the trappings of a gacha title where players could spend for advantage—and there was incentive to do so, given the slow progression for new pieces.
These questionable mechanics obfuscated a tragic reality: Pokémon Duel was an superb strategy game with Duel today. "I can’t express how much I loved and miss this game," a YouTube comment reads, years after Duel's servers were pulled. "Truly I think this game was superior to TCG Pocket in terms of complexity, accessibility, design, and content in general," another commenter wrote. "I truly believe if it launched now people would be playing it more than GO and Pocket combined."
Unfortunately, Duel's initial launch was plagued with server issues. Bugs, alongside Duel's scummy business model, gave people few incentives to return. If, by some miracle, The Pokémon Company chose to resurrect this franchise, it's unclear things would end better. The unique board structure 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 Absurd Gem
Man, 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 giving its blessing a game with a premise so silly, it was verging on internet meme. Considering we're dealing with a franchise where trainers go out with a full belt of useless monsters who simply cannot do anything, it's surprising we don't have more Pokémon games that poke fun at themselves.
In Magikarp Jump, the player is charged with raising the ultimate version of the notorious 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. One drawback is how Magikarp Jump, like many phone games, requires the player to pause before they can train their Magikarp further. But it is clear throughout the experience that Select Button 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 improve as it was to get snatched by a Pidgeotto. Apart from the clever dialogue, 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 30 different variations 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 raise a pet also describe the excellent Mewgenics. And I'm just saying: Mewgenics will likely be in the conversation when Game of the Year season rolls around.
With dozens of core games and spin-offs, chances are that I omitted that one Pokémon game you absolutely adore but argue that too few people played. I know that some people look back on games like Pokémon Ranger or Pokémon Pinball with affection despite argu
