In the wake of a glimpse of world peace thanks to Pokemon Go, there's no question that the creature-catching franchise stands as one of the most popular video games in existence. Pikachu is every bit as famous as Mickey Mouse, if not more so. The persistent frenzy surrounding card prices guarantees almost daily Pokémon news stories. You'd be hard-pressed to find a Pokémon game that didn't sell at least a couple million copies. Even, unofficial Pokémon games achieve popularity every year.
However in spite of that pervasiveness and popularity, there are still Pokémon games that are totally overlooked. These represent games that failed to receive their fair shake, or were buried by the hype of the core series. These are Pokémon games released on ill-fated platforms or online offerings, or were pioneering attempts onto new mediums. They're often also Pokémon games that might have blossomed if they ever got follow-ups or modern remakes. Considering these factors, we won't be offering just one more recommendation for Pokemon Conquest or the Pokémon Mystery Dungeon series. We're digging deep.
Still, these might be these Pokémon games. Therefore, prior to rearranging your glasses and writing 'Actually,' we can all acknowledge that these are Pokémon games for people with discerning palates, shall we?
Pokémon Ranch: The Cozy Forerunner
Too many Pokémon games emphasize the combat aspect of the series, and far too few of them focus on the everyday aspects that would come with living with a companion. Admittedly, modern titles include small features like these in modern games—players may pet, and feed your monsters in camps. 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 best seen as the antecedent to Pokémon Home; that is, as a repository to store monsters from various titles. 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 behooves 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—get this—simply hang out with your pals. The activities with Pokémon were basic, and a lot of the appeal was observing what your monsters might do when not forced into battle. In a just world, Pokémon Ranch would have been the start of a beautiful franchise built on the simple pleasures of living your life with a small creature. However, because 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 complete potential. I'd say 'help us, Pokémon Pokopia!' but it's also known that the Nintendo Switch 2 exclusive is just as much a puzzler as it is a life sim.
Ranch came out long before Stardew Valley kicked off the enduring trend of cozy games. It was prior to the rise of passive games, and the video playthrough popularization of watching games you aren't actively controlling. Many never realized that Ranch's proposal to observe your creatures as much as you play with them wasn't to hide a shallow core. In actuality, Ranch's meticulous design was so remarkable, there's a live stream dedicated to running the game 24/7. The streamer who operates the channel maintains 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 understood you in 2008.
Pokemon Duel: The Tactical Tabletop Game Gone
Are you aware that Pokemon once had an licensed tabletop game with miniatures? Pokemon Duel was the 2016 effort to digitize the tabletop experience in a more approachable format. Duel was also, unfortunately, one of Pokémon's first ventures into the world of free-to-play mobile gaming. Duel had the trappings of a gacha game where players could pay to win—and there was motivation to do so, given the lengthy grind for new figures.
All of these questionable mechanics masked a sad truth: Pokémon Duel was an superb tactical game with Duel anymore. "I can’t express how much I adored and miss this game," a YouTube comment states, years after Duel's servers were pulled. "Honestly I think this game was better than TCG Pocket in terms of complexity, accessibility, game design, and features in general," another commenter declared. "I truly believe if it launched now people would be engaging with it more than GO and Pocket together."
Regrettably, Duel's initial launch was plagued with server issues. Technical problems, alongside Duel's predatory business model, gave people few incentives to come back. If, by some miracle, The Pokémon Company decided to revive this franchise, it's unclear things would play out differently. The unusual game board made for a great tactical experience for the handful of players who played Duel, but that board is also a intimidating visual mess.
Pokémon: Magikarp Jump: The Silly Experiment
Man, why don't more Pokémon games loosen up a little and have some enjoyment? Magikarp Jump (2017) was a uncommon case of The Pokémon Company giving its blessing 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 full belt of ineffective monsters who literally can't do anything, I'm shocked we don't have more Pokémon games that poke fun at themselves.
Within Magikarp Jump, the player is charged with breeding the ultimate version of the infamous fish. This isn't about a Magikarp that can kick your butt. These are 'Magikarp raised to enter competitions to see who can jump the highest. One drawback is how Magikarp Jump, like many phone games, requires the player to pause before they can improve their Magikarp further. But it is evident throughout the experience that the developers appreciated and got the community love around Magikarp.
This was most apparent than in Jump's merciless random events, where your Magikarp was as likely to improve as it was to get snatched by a Pidgeotto. Beyond the great writing, 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. It's understood it's not feasible for any Pokémon game to have dozens of variations 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 seeds of brilliance were there. Sharply written events with unpredictable results that forever alter how you can train a companion also describe the excellent Mewgenics. It's worth noting: Mewgenics will almost certainly be in the conversation when 2026 GOTY season rolls around.
Given dozens of mainline entries and spin-offs, chances are that I didn't mention that particular Pokémon game you totally love but argue that not nearly enough people played. I know that some people remember games like Pokémon Ranger or Pokemon Pinball fondly notwithstanding argu
