In the wake of a vision of world peace courtesy of Pokemon Go, there's no question that the creature-catching series is about as popular video games around. Pikachu is just as famous as Mickey Mouse, perhaps even more. The continued excitement around trading card values guarantees almost daily Pokemon headlines. You'd be difficult to find a pocket monster game that didn't sell at least a few million units. Remarkably, fan-made Pokémon games achieve popularity annually.
However despite that pervasiveness and fame, some Pokémon games that are totally underappreciated. These are titles that failed to receive their proper due, or were buried under the hype of the core series. These are Pokémon games released on doomed consoles or services, or were pioneering attempts onto different formats. Frequently, they are Pokémon games that probably would have blossomed if they ever got follow-ups or contemporary re-releases. Considering these factors, we won't be offering just one more reminder for Pokemon Conquest or the Pokemon Mystery Dungeon series. We're going beneath the surface.
Still, you may already know about these Pokémon games. Therefore, prior to adjusting your spectacles and typing 'Well,' let us just agree that these are Pokémon games for those possessing discerning palates, shall we?
Pokemon Ranch: The Chill Forerunner
Too many Pokémon games emphasize the battling aspect of the series, and not nearly enough of them focus on the ordinary realities that would come with living with a pet. Admittedly, there are small features like these in modern games—players may play with your monsters in camps. But I am dying 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 antecedent to Pokemon Home; that is, as a repository to hold monsters from various titles. Critical reception from its launch said Ranch was a bad if not outright hideous game. I'm not here to argue against these claims, but it compels me to say Ranch might be the closest we've ever gotten to a everyday life Pokémon game.
True to its title, the game takes place on a ranch where your personal Miis—get this—just relax with your pals. The interactions with Pokémon were basic, and a lot of the draw was observing what your monsters might do when they're not being forced into battle. In a just world, Pokémon Ranch would have been the beginning of a wonderful franchise built on the simple pleasures of living your life with a tiny companion. However, because The Pokémon Company can charge a subscription for Pokémon Home now, I'm guessing we will never see a Pokémon Ranch game realized to its fullest potential. One might cry 'save us, Pokémon Pokopia!' but it's also known that the Nintendo Switch 2 exclusive is as much a puzzler as it is a life simulation.
Ranch came out well before Stardew Valley kicked off the lasting craze of comfort gaming. It was prior to the proliferation of idle games, and the video playthrough popularization of watching games you aren't actively controlling. Most people never understood that Ranch's concept to observe your creatures as much as you play with them didn't mask a lack of substance. In truth, Ranch's attention to detail was so extraordinary, there's a Twitch stream dedicated to broadcasting the game 24/7. The individual who runs the channel states that, after almost twenty years of experiencing the game, he even now has not seen everything that is in it. Recognition for Pokémon Ranch: nobody 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? Pokémon Duel was the 2016 effort to adapt the tabletop experience in a more approachable format. Duel was also, sadly, one of Pokémon's earliest ventures 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 lengthy grind for new pieces.
These poor design choices obfuscated a tragic reality: Pokémon Duel was an excellent 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 pulled. "Truly I think this game was superior to TCG Pocket in terms of complexity, accessibility, game design, and content in general," a user declared. "I truly believe if it came out now people would be playing it more than GO and Pocket together."
Unfortunately, Duel's initial launch was plagued with connectivity problems. Technical problems, alongside Duel's scummy monetization model, gave people few incentives to come back. If, by some miracle, 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 tactical experience for the handful of players who played Duel, but that playing field is also a intimidating visual mess.
Pokemon: Magikarp Jump: The Silly Experiment
Wow, why don't more Pokémon games relax a little and have some enjoyment? Magikarp Jump (2017) was a rare instance of The Pokémon Company approving 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, I'm shocked we don't have more Pokémon games that laugh at themselves.
Within Magikarp Jump, the player is charged with raising the best possible version of the notorious fish. This isn't about a Magikarp that can win battles. These are 'karp raised to enter contests to see who can flop the highest. One drawback is how Magikarp Jump, like many mobile games, forces the player to wait before they can train their Magikarp further. But it is clear throughout the experience that Select Button loved and understood the community love around Magikarp.
Nowhere was this more evident than in Jump's merciless random occurrences, where your Magikarp was just as likely to improve as it was to get snatched by a Pidgeotto. Beyond the clever dialogue, Magikarp Jump also tried out other things I wish the mainline games would do, like offering a diverse range of the same type of monster. I know 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 particularly sophisticated or profound game, but the kernels of genius were there. Sharply written events with outrageous outcomes that permanently influence how you can raise a pet also describe the excellent Mewgenics. And I'm just saying: Mewgenics will almost certainly be in the conversation when Game of the Year season arrives.
Given numerous core games and derivative titles, it's probable that I didn't mention that particular Pokémon game you absolutely adore but contend that too few people played. It's acknowledged that some people remember games like Pokemon Ranger or Pokemon Pinball fondly notwithstanding argu
