3 Pokémon Games That Were Denied the Adoration They Warranted
In the wake of a vision of world peace thanks to Pokemon Go, there's no question that the monster collecting series is about as mainstream video games in existence. The iconic Pikachu is every bit as recognizable as Mickey Mouse, if not more so. The continued pandemonium surrounding trading card values guarantees near-daily Pokémon headlines. You'd be difficult to find a Pokémon game that failed to move at least a couple million units. Even, unofficial Pokémon games go viral every year.
Yet despite that pervasiveness and popularity, there are still Pokémon games that are totally underappreciated. These represent games that failed to receive their fair shake, or were overshadowed under the hype of the mainline series. These are Pokémon games released on ill-fated consoles or services, or were early forays onto different formats. Frequently, they are Pokémon games that might have flourished if they ever got sequels or contemporary re-releases. Considering these factors, this list will not be just one more recommendation for Pokémon Conquest or the Pokémon Mystery Dungeon series. We're pulling an Excadrill.
Still, you may already know about these Pokémon games. Therefore, prior to adjusting your spectacles and writing 'Well,' let us just agree that these are Pokémon games for people with discerning palates, shall we?
Pokémon Ranch: The Cozy Precursor
An excessive number of Pokémon games emphasize the battling element of the series, and not nearly enough of them focus on the ordinary aspects that would come with owning a companion. Sure, modern titles include minor mechanics like these in modern games—you can pet, and feed your monsters in bases. But I am dying for a Pokémon game more in the vein 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 Pokémon Home; that is, as a repository to store monsters from various titles. Reviews from its release noted Ranch was a poor if not truly ugly game. It's not my goal to argue against these claims, but it compels me to say Ranch might be the nearest we've ever gotten to a everyday life Pokémon game.
As the name suggests, the game takes place on a farm where your Mii avatars—imagine this—simply hang out with your Pokémon pals. The activities with Pokémon were simple, and a significant part of the appeal was watching what your monsters might do when they're not being forced into battle. Ideally, Pokémon Ranch would have been the beginning of a beautiful franchise built on the daily joys of coexisting with a tiny companion. However, because The Pokémon Company can charge a subscription for Pokémon Home now, I'm guessing we will not get a Pokémon Ranch game developed to its complete potential. One might cry 'help us, Pokémon Pokopia!' but it's also known that the Nintendo Switch 2 exclusive is as much a puzzle game as it is a life simulation.
Ranch was released long before Stardew Valley kicked off the enduring trend of cozy games. It was before the rise of passive games, and the Let's Play normalization of watching games you aren't playing. Many never realized that Ranch's concept to watch your critters as much as you interact with them wasn't to hide a lack of substance. In actuality, Ranch's meticulous design was so remarkable, there's a Twitch stream focused on broadcasting the game 24/7. The streamer who runs the channel states that, after nearly two decades of playing the game, he still has not seen everything that is in it. Recognition for Pokémon Ranch: no one understood you in 2008.
Pokemon Duel: The Tactical Board Game Lost
Are you aware that Pokemon once had an official tabletop 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 first forays into the world of freemium mobile gaming. Duel had the hallmarks of a gacha title where players could pay to win—and there was incentive to do so, given the slow progression for new figures.
All of these poor design choices masked a tragic reality: Pokémon Duel was an superb tactical 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. "Honestly I think this game was better than TCG Pocket in terms of depth, approachability, design, and features in general," a user wrote. "I am convinced if it came out now people would be playing it more than GO and Pocket combined."
Unfortunately, Duel's initial launch was marred by connectivity problems. Technical problems, alongside Duel's predatory monetization model, gave people few incentives to come back. Should a revival occur, The Pokémon Company chose to resurrect this franchise, it's unclear things would end better. The unique game board made for a great strategic challenge for the handful of players who played Duel, but that playing field is also a intimidating visual mess.
Pokemon: Magikarp Jump: The Whimsical Gem
Man, why don't more Pokémon games relax a little and have some enjoyment? Magikarp Jump (2017) was a uncommon case of The Pokémon Company approving a game with a premise so absurd, it was verging on shitpost. And when we're dealing with a franchise where trainers venture forth with a full belt of useless monsters who literally can't 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. This isn't about a Magikarp that can win battles. These are 'karp raised to enter competitions to see who can jump the highest. One drawback is how Magikarp Jump, like many mobile games, forces the player to pause before they can improve their Magikarp further. But it is clear throughout the experience that the developers loved and understood the community love around Magikarp.
This was most apparent than in Jump's brutal random events, 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. It's understood it's not practical for any Pokémon game to have 30 different colorings and patterns for a roster of over a thousand creatures, as Magikarp Jump does... but we can hope.
Magikarp Jump was not a especially sophisticated or deep game, but the seeds of brilliance were there. Witty 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 running when 2026 GOTY season rolls around.
With dozens of mainline entries and derivative titles, it's probable that I omitted that particular Pokémon game you absolutely adore but contend that too few people played. I know that some people look back on games like Pokemon Ranger or Pokemon Pinball fondly notwithstanding argu
