Following a glimpse of world peace thanks to Pokemon Go, it's beyond doubt that the monster collecting series stands as one of the most ubiquitous video games in existence. The iconic Pikachu is just as recognizable as Disney's mascot, perhaps even more. The continued frenzy surrounding trading card values ensures near-daily Pokémon headlines. It would be difficult to find a pocket monster game that failed to move at least a few million units. Even, unofficial Pokémon games achieve popularity every year.
However despite that pervasiveness and fame, there are still Pokémon games that are totally underappreciated. These are titles that failed to receive their fair shake, or were buried by the excitement of the core series. They're Pokémon games stuck on ill-fated platforms or online offerings, or were pioneering attempts onto different formats. Frequently, they are Pokémon games that probably would have blossomed if they ever got sequels or modern remakes. Considering these factors, we won't be offering yet another recommendation for Pokémon Conquest or the Pokémon Mystery Dungeon series. We're going beneath the surface.
Still, you may already know about these Pokémon games. Therefore, prior to rearranging your glasses and writing 'Well,' we can all acknowledge that these are Pokémon games for those possessing discerning palates, shall we?
Pokémon Ranch: The Chill Forerunner
An excessive number of Pokémon games focus on the combat element of the series, and far too few of them highlight the ordinary aspects that would come with living with a companion. Sure, there are minor mechanics like these in modern games—you can play with your monsters in bases. But I am 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 best seen 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 truly ugly game. I'm not here to dispute these notions, but it compels me to say Ranch might be the closest we've ever gotten to a everyday 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 basic, and a lot of the draw was observing what your monsters might do when they're not being forced into battle. Ideally, Pokémon Ranch would have been the start of a beautiful 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, it's likely we will not get a Pokémon Ranch game realized to its complete potential. One might cry 'save us, Pokémon Pokopia!' but it's also known that the Nintendo Switch 2 exclusive is just as much a puzzle game as it is a life sim.
Ranch came out long before Stardew Valley sparked the enduring trend of comfort gaming. It was prior to the rise of passive games, and the video playthrough normalization of watching games you aren't actively controlling. Most people never realized that Ranch's proposal to watch your creatures as much as you play with them didn't mask a shallow core. In actuality, Ranch's meticulous design was so remarkable, a live stream focused on broadcasting the game continuously. The streamer who operates the channel states that, after nearly two decades of experiencing the game, he still has not encountered everything that is in it. Recognition for Pokémon Ranch: nobody understood you in 2008.
Pokémon Duel: The Strategic Tabletop Game Lost
Did you know that Pokémon once had an licensed board game with miniatures? Pokémon Duel was the 2016 effort to digitize the physical experience in a more accessible format. Duel was also, unfortunately, one of Pokémon's earliest ventures into the world of freemium mobile gaming. Duel had the trappings of a gacha title where players could spend for advantage—and there was motivation to do so, given the lengthy grind for new pieces.
These questionable mechanics masked 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. "Truly I think this game was superior to TCG Pocket in terms of depth, accessibility, design, and features in general," a user wrote. "I am convinced if it launched now people would be engaging with it more than GO and Pocket combined."
Regrettably, Duel's initial launch was plagued with connectivity problems. Technical problems, alongside Duel's predatory business model, gave people few incentives to return. If, by some miracle, The Pokémon Company chose to resurrect this franchise, I'm still not certain things would play out differently. The unique game board made for a great strategic challenge for the few folks who played Duel, but that board is also a intimidating eyesore.
Pokemon: Magikarp Jump: The Absurd Gem
Man, why don't more Pokémon games relax 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 absurd, it was verging on shitpost. And when we're dealing with a franchise where trainers go out with a team of useless monsters who literally can't do anything, it's surprising we don't have more Pokémon games that poke fun at themselves.
Within Magikarp Jump, the player is charged with raising the best possible version of the notorious fish. I'm not talking about a Magikarp that can win battles. These are 'karp raised to enter competitions to see who can jump the highest. I'm not a fan is how Magikarp Jump, like many mobile games, requires the player to pause before they can improve their Magikarp further. But it is clear throughout the experience that Select Button 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 raise its stats as it was to get eaten by a Pidgeotto. Beyond the clever dialogue, Magikarp Jump also tried out 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 roster of over a thousand creatures, as Magikarp Jump does... but we can hope.
Magikarp Jump was not a particularly sophisticated or profound 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 likely be in the running when 2026 GOTY season rolls around.
With numerous mainline entries and derivative titles, chances are that I omitted that particular Pokémon game you absolutely adore but contend that too few people played. I know that some people remember games like Pokemon Ranger or Pokemon Pinball fondly despite argu
