Following a vision of global harmony courtesy of Pokemon Go, it's undeniable that the creature-catching franchise stands as one of the most ubiquitous gaming titles around. The iconic Pikachu is every bit as identifiable as Disney's mascot, perhaps even more. The ongoing pandemonium around trading card values guarantees near-daily Pokemon news stories. It would be hard-pressed to find a pocket monster game that didn't sell at least a couple million units. Even, fan-made Pokémon games go viral every year.
However in spite of that pervasiveness and fame, there are still Pokémon games that are totally underappreciated. These represent titles that failed to receive their proper due, or were buried under the hype of the mainline series. They're Pokémon games stuck on doomed platforms or services, or were early forays onto new mediums. Frequently, they are Pokémon games that might have flourished if they ever got follow-ups or contemporary re-releases. Considering these factors, we won't be offering yet another reminder for Pokemon Conquest or the Pokémon Mystery Dungeon series. We're pulling an Excadrill.
Nevertheless, you may already know about these Pokémon games. So, before adjusting your spectacles and typing 'Well,' we can all acknowledge that these are Pokémon games for people with refined tastes, agreed?
Pokemon Ranch: The Chill Precursor
An excessive number of Pokémon games emphasize the battling aspect of the series, and far too few of them highlight the everyday realities that would come with owning a pet. Admittedly, modern titles include small features like these in modern games—players may pet, and feed your monsters in camps. However, I'm longing for a Pokémon game more in the style of Nintendogs or The Sims.
My Pokémon Ranch (2008) for the Nintendo Wii is not that game. The digital-only title is best seen as the antecedent to Pokémon Home; that is, as a repository to store monsters from different games. Reviews from its release said Ranch was a bad if not outright hideous game. It's not my goal to dispute these notions, but it compels me to say Ranch might be the closest we've ever gotten to a slice-of-life Pokémon game.
As the name suggests, the game takes place on a farm where your personal Miis—get this—just relax with your Pokémon pals. The interactions with Pokémon were simple, and a lot of the appeal was watching what your monsters might do when they're not being forced into battle. In a just world, Pokémon Ranch would have been the start of a wonderful franchise built on the daily joys of living your life with a small creature. But since The Pokémon Company can charge a subscription 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 as much a puzzle game as it is a life simulation.
Ranch came out long before Stardew Valley sparked 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. Many never understood that Ranch's concept to observe your critters as much as you play with them wasn't to hide a shallow core. In truth, Ranch's attention to detail was so extraordinary, there's a Twitch stream focused on broadcasting the game 24/7. The streamer who operates the channel maintains that, after nearly two decades of experiencing the game, he still has not encountered everything that is in it. Justice for Pokémon Ranch: nobody knew what to do with you in 2008.
Pokémon Duel: The Tactical Board Game Gone
Did you know that Pokemon once had an official tabletop game with action figures? Pokémon Duel was the 2016 attempt to digitize the physical experience in a more approachable form. Duel was also, sadly, one of Pokémon's first ventures into the world of freemium mobile gaming. Duel had the hallmarks of a gacha game where players could pay to win—and there was motivation to do so, given the slow progression for new figures.
All of these questionable mechanics obfuscated a sad truth: Pokémon Duel was an superb tactical game with Duel today. "Words cannot describe how much I loved and miss this game," one YouTube comment states, years after Duel's servers were shut down. "Truly I think this game was better than TCG Pocket in terms of depth, accessibility, game design, and features in general," another commenter declared. "I truly believe if it came out now people would be playing it more than GO and Pocket together."
Regrettably, Duel's initial launch was plagued with server issues. Technical problems, alongside Duel's scummy business model, gave people few incentives to return. Should a revival occur, The Pokémon Company decided to revive this franchise, I'm still not certain 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.
Pokémon: Magikarp Jump: The Absurd Gem
Wow, 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 approving a game with a premise so silly, it was verging on internet meme. And when we're dealing with a franchise where trainers venture forth 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 breeding the ultimate version of the notorious fish. I'm not talking about a Magikarp that can kick your butt. These are 'Magikarp raised to enter competitions to see who can jump the highest. I'm not a fan is how Magikarp Jump, like many phone games, requires the player to wait before they can improve their Magikarp further. But it is clear throughout the experience that the developers loved and understood the fan culture around Magikarp.
Nowhere was this more evident than in Jump's brutal random occurrences, where your Magikarp was just as likely to raise its stats as it was to get snatched by a Pidgeotto. Beyond the clever dialogue, Magikarp Jump also experimented with other things one might wish the mainline games would do, like offering a wide variety 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 particularly complex or profound game, but the kernels of genius were there. Sharply written events with unpredictable results that forever alter how you can train a companion also describe the excellent Mewgenics. And I'm just saying: Mewgenics will almost certainly be in the running when Game of the Year season rolls around.
With dozens of mainline entries and derivative titles, it's probable that I didn't mention that one Pokémon game you absolutely adore but argue that not nearly enough people played. I know that some people look back on games like Pokémon Ranger or Pokemon Pinball with affection notwithstanding argu
