Following a glimpse of global harmony courtesy of Pokémon Go, it's undeniable that the creature-catching franchise stands as one of the most ubiquitous video games in existence. Pikachu is every bit as identifiable as Disney's mascot, perhaps even more. The persistent pandemonium surrounding trading card values ensures near-daily Pokemon news stories. You'd be difficult to find a Pokémon game that failed to move at least a couple million units. Remarkably, unofficial Pokémon games achieve popularity annually.
However despite that pervasiveness and popularity, there are still Pokémon games that remain underappreciated. These represent titles that failed to receive their proper due, or were overshadowed by the excitement of the core series. They're Pokémon games stuck on doomed platforms or services, or were early forays onto different formats. Frequently, they are Pokémon games that might have flourished if they ever got sequels or modern remakes. Considering these factors, this list will not be yet another reminder for Pokémon Conquest or the Pokemon Mystery Dungeon series. We're digging deep.
Nevertheless, these might be these Pokémon games. So, before rearranging your glasses and writing 'Actually,' we can all acknowledge that these are Pokémon games for people with discerning palates, agreed?
Pokemon Ranch: The Relaxed Precursor
Too many Pokémon games focus on the combat element of the series, and far too few of them highlight the everyday realities that would come with owning a companion. Sure, modern titles include small features like these in modern games—you can pet, and feed your monsters in bases. However, I'm dying for a Pokémon game more in the vein of Nintendogs or The Sims.
My Pokemon Ranch (2008) for the Nintendo Wii isn't it. The downloadable-only title is best seen as the antecedent to Pokémon Home; that is, as a storage system to hold monsters from various titles. Reviews from its launch noted Ranch was a bad if not truly ugly game. It's not my goal to dispute these claims, but it behooves me to say Ranch might be the closest we've ever gotten to a everyday life Pokémon game.
As the name suggests, the game is set on a farm where your Mii avatars—get this—just relax with your Pokémon pals. The activities with Pokémon were basic, and a significant part 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 start of a beautiful franchise built on the daily joys of living your life with a small creature. But since The Pokémon Company can collect a fee for Pokémon Home now, it's likely we will not get a Pokémon Ranch game developed to its fullest potential. One might cry 'save us, Pokémon Pokopia!' but it's also known that the upcoming Switch exclusive is just as much a puzzler as it is a life simulation.
Ranch was released long before Stardew Valley sparked the lasting craze of cozy games. It was prior to the rise of passive games, and the Let's Play normalization of viewing games you aren't playing. 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 actuality, Ranch's attention to detail was so extraordinary, there's a Twitch stream focused on running the game continuously. The individual who operates the channel states that, after almost twenty years of experiencing the game, he still has not encountered everything that is in it. Recognition for Pokémon Ranch: no one understood you in 2008.
Pokemon Duel: The Tactical Board Game Gone
Are you aware that Pokemon once had an licensed tabletop game with action figures? Pokemon Duel was the 2016 attempt to adapt the tabletop experience in a more approachable form. Duel was also, unfortunately, one of Pokémon's earliest forays into the world of free-to-play phone games. Duel had the trappings of a gacha game where players could spend for advantage—and there was incentive to do so, given the slow progression for new figures.
These questionable mechanics obfuscated a sad truth: Pokémon Duel was an excellent strategy game with Duel today. "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 better than TCG Pocket in terms of depth, accessibility, design, and features in general," another commenter wrote. "I am convinced if it launched now people would be engaging with it more than GO and Pocket together."
Regrettably, Duel's initial launch was marred by connectivity problems. Bugs, alongside Duel's scummy monetization model, gave people few incentives to come back. Should a revival occur, The Pokémon Company decided to revive this franchise, it's unclear things would end better. The unusual game board made for a great tactical experience for the few folks who played Duel, but that playing field is also a intimidating visual mess.
Pokémon: Magikarp Jump: The Silly Experiment
Wow, 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 approving a game with a concept so silly, it was bordering on internet meme. Considering we're dealing with a franchise where trainers venture forth with a full belt of ineffective monsters who simply cannot do anything, I'm shocked we don't have more Pokémon games that laugh at themselves.
Within Magikarp Jump, the player is tasked with raising the ultimate 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 jump the highest. One drawback is how Magikarp Jump, like many phone games, forces the player to wait 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.
Nowhere was this more evident than in Jump's brutal random events, where your Magikarp was as likely to improve as it was to get eaten by a Pidgeotto. Beyond the clever dialogue, Magikarp Jump also tried out other things one might wish the core series would do, like offering a diverse range 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 we can hope.
Magikarp Jump was not a particularly sophisticated or deep game, but the kernels of genius were there. Sharply written events with unpredictable results that permanently influence how you can raise a pet also describe the excellent Mewgenics. It's worth noting: Mewgenics will likely be in the running when Game of the Year season arrives.
Given numerous mainline entries and derivative titles, chances are that I omitted that one Pokémon game you totally love but contend that not nearly enough people played. I know that some people remember games like Pokémon Ranger or Pokemon Pinball fondly notwithstanding argu
