In the wake of a glimpse of global harmony courtesy of Pokémon Go, there's no question that the monster collecting franchise stands as one of the most ubiquitous gaming titles in existence. The iconic Pikachu is every bit as famous as Disney's mascot, perhaps even more. The persistent frenzy around trading card values guarantees near-daily Pokemon headlines. You'd be difficult to find a pocket monster game that failed to move at least a few million units. Even, fan-made Pokémon games go viral every year.
Yet despite that pervasiveness and fame, there are still Pokémon games that remain underappreciated. These are titles that failed to receive their proper due, or were overshadowed by the excitement of the mainline series. These are Pokémon games released on doomed platforms or online offerings, or were early forays onto new mediums. They're often also Pokémon games that might have blossomed if they had received sequels or modern remakes. Considering these factors, this list will not be yet another reminder for Pokemon Conquest or the Pokémon Mystery Dungeon series. We're digging deep.
Nevertheless, these might be these Pokémon games. Therefore, prior to rearranging your glasses and writing 'Well,' let us just agree that these are Pokémon games for those possessing discerning palates, agreed?
Pokémon Ranch: The Cozy Precursor
Too many Pokémon games emphasize the battling element of the series, and not nearly enough of them focus on the everyday realities that would come with owning a companion. Sure, modern titles include minor mechanics like these in modern games—players may play with your monsters in bases. However, I'm longing for a Pokémon game more in the style of Nintendogs or The Sims.
My Pokemon Ranch (2008) for the Wii isn't it. The digital-only title is most accurately viewed as the precursor to Pokemon Home; that is, as a repository to hold monsters from various titles. Reviews from its release noted Ranch was a poor if not outright hideous game. It's not my goal to argue against these claims, but it compels me to say Ranch might be the closest we've come to a slice-of-life Pokémon game.
As the name suggests, the game takes place on a farm where your Mii avatars—imagine this—just relax with your Pokémon pals. The activities with Pokémon were simple, and a lot of the draw was watching what your monsters might do when they're not being forced into cockfighting. In a just world, Pokémon Ranch would have been the start of a wonderful franchise built on the simple pleasures 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 complete potential. I'd say 'help us, Pokémon Pokopia!' but it's also known that the upcoming Switch exclusive is as much a puzzle game as it is a life sim.
Ranch came out long before Stardew Valley kicked off the lasting craze of comfort gaming. It was before the rise of passive games, and the video playthrough popularization of viewing games you aren't playing. Most people never understood that Ranch's proposal to observe your critters as much as you interact with them wasn't to hide a shallow core. In truth, Ranch's meticulous design was so remarkable, there's a live stream focused on running the game continuously. The streamer who runs the channel maintains that, after almost twenty years of playing the game, he still has not encountered all that is in it. Recognition for Pokémon Ranch: nobody understood you in 2008.
Pokemon Duel: The Tactical Board Game Gone
Are you aware that Pokémon once had an licensed tabletop game with miniatures? Pokémon Duel was the 2016 attempt to digitize the tabletop experience in a more accessible format. Duel was also, unfortunately, one of Pokémon's earliest ventures into the world of freemium phone games. Duel had the trappings of a gacha game where players could spend for advantage—and there was motivation to do so, given the slow progression for new figures.
These questionable mechanics obfuscated a sad truth: Pokémon Duel was an superb strategy game with Duel anymore. "Words cannot describe how much I adored and miss this game," one YouTube comment states, years after Duel's servers were pulled. "Honestly I think this game was superior to TCG Pocket in terms of complexity, accessibility, design, and content in general," a user declared. "I truly believe if it came out now people would be engaging with it more than GO and Pocket together."
Regrettably, Duel's early release was plagued with connectivity problems. 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, 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 board is also a intimidating visual mess.
Pokémon: Magikarp Jump: The Silly 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 giving its blessing a game with a concept so silly, it was verging on shitpost. Considering we're dealing with a franchise where trainers venture forth with a team of ineffective monsters who simply cannot do anything, I'm shocked we don't have more Pokémon games that poke fun at themselves.
In Magikarp Jump, the player is tasked with raising the best possible version of the notorious fish. I'm not talking 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, forces the player to wait 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 brutal random occurrences, where your Magikarp was as likely to raise its stats as it was to get eaten by a Pidgeotto. Apart from the clever dialogue, Magikarp Jump also experimented with other things one might wish the mainline games would do, like offering a diverse range 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 we can hope.
Magikarp Jump was not a particularly complex or deep game, but the seeds of brilliance were there. Sharply written events with outrageous outcomes 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 2026 GOTY season arrives.
Given dozens of core games and derivative titles, it's probable that I omitted that particular Pokémon game you absolutely adore but argue that not nearly enough people played. It's acknowledged that some people remember games like Pokémon Ranger or Pokemon Pinball with affection despite argu
