In the wake of a taste of world peace thanks to Pokémon Go, there's no question that the monster collecting franchise is about as mainstream gaming titles in existence. The iconic Pikachu is every bit as recognizable as Disney's mascot, perhaps even more. The ongoing excitement around card prices guarantees near-daily Pokémon news stories. You'd be hard-pressed to find a Pokémon game that failed to move at least a few million units. Even, fan-made Pokémon games achieve popularity every year.
Yet in spite of that ubiquity and popularity, some Pokémon games that remain underappreciated. These are games that failed to receive their fair shake, or were overshadowed under the hype of the core series. These are Pokémon games released on ill-fated consoles or online offerings, or were pioneering attempts onto new mediums. Frequently, they are Pokémon games that might have blossomed if they had received follow-ups or modern remakes. Considering these factors, this list will not be just one more reminder for Pokemon Conquest or the Pokemon Mystery Dungeon series. We're pulling an Excadrill.
Nevertheless, you may already know about these Pokémon games. Therefore, prior to rearranging your glasses and writing 'Actually,' we can all acknowledge that these are Pokémon games for those possessing discerning palates, shall we?
Pokémon Ranch: The Relaxed Precursor
An excessive number of Pokémon games focus on the battling element of the series, and far too few of them focus on the everyday aspects that would come with owning a companion. Admittedly, modern titles include small features like these in modern games—players may pet, and feed your monsters in bases. But I am 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 most accurately viewed as the antecedent to Pokemon Home; that is, as a storage system to hold monsters from various titles. Critical reception from its release noted Ranch was a poor if not outright hideous game. I'm not here to argue against these notions, but it compels me to say Ranch might be the nearest we've ever gotten to a slice-of-life Pokémon game.
As the name suggests, the game is set on a ranch where your Mii avatars—get this—simply hang out with your pals. The interactions with Pokémon were basic, and a significant part of the draw was watching 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. 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 'save us, Pokémon Pokopia!' but I also know that the Nintendo Switch 2 exclusive is just as much a puzzler as it is a life sim.
Ranch came out well before Stardew Valley kicked off the enduring trend of cozy games. It was before the rise of idle games, and the Let's Play popularization of watching games you aren't playing. Most people never understood that Ranch's concept to observe your critters as much as you interact with them didn't mask a lack of substance. In actuality, Ranch's meticulous design was so remarkable, a live stream dedicated to broadcasting the game 24/7. The individual who runs the channel maintains that, after nearly two decades of playing the game, he still has not encountered everything that is in it. Justice for Pokémon Ranch: nobody understood you in 2008.
Pokemon Duel: The Strategic Tabletop Game Gone
Are you aware that Pokémon once had an licensed tabletop game with miniatures? Pokémon Duel was the 2016 effort to adapt the physical experience in a more approachable form. Duel was also, sadly, one of Pokémon's earliest forays into the world of freemium mobile gaming. Duel had the hallmarks of a gacha title where players could spend for advantage—and there was incentive to do so, given the lengthy grind for new figures.
All of these questionable mechanics obfuscated a tragic reality: Pokémon Duel was an excellent strategy game with Duel today. "Words cannot describe how much I loved and miss this game," a YouTube comment states, seven years after Duel's servers were pulled. "Truly I think this game was better than TCG Pocket in terms of complexity, approachability, game design, and content in general," another commenter wrote. "I am convinced if it came out now people would be playing it more than GO and Pocket together."
Regrettably, Duel's early release was plagued with server issues. Technical problems, alongside Duel's scummy monetization model, gave people little reason to come back. Should a revival occur, The Pokémon Company decided to revive this franchise, I'm still not certain things would play out differently. The unique game board made for a great tactical experience for the few folks who played Duel, but that playing field is also a daunting eyesore.
Pokémon: Magikarp Jump: The Whimsical Experiment
Wow, why don't more Pokémon games loosen up a little and have some fun? Magikarp Jump (2017) was a uncommon case of The Pokémon Company approving a game with a concept so silly, it was verging on shitpost. And when we're dealing with a franchise where trainers venture forth with a team of ineffective monsters who literally can't do anything, it's surprising 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. I'm not talking about a Magikarp that can kick your butt. These are 'karp raised to enter contests to see who can jump the highest. I'm not a fan is how Magikarp Jump, like many mobile games, forces the player to wait 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.
Nowhere was this more evident than in Jump's merciless random occurrences, 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 experimented with other things one might wish the mainline games would do, like offering a diverse range of the same type of monster. It's understood it's not feasible for any Pokémon game to have dozens of colorings and patterns for a compendium of over a thousand creatures, as Magikarp Jump does... but we can hope.
Magikarp Jump was not a especially sophisticated 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 likely be in the conversation when 2026 GOTY season rolls around.
Given numerous core games and derivative titles, chances are that I didn't mention that one Pokémon game you totally love but argue that not nearly enough people played. I know that some people look back on games like Pokemon Ranger or Pokemon Pinball with affection notwithstanding argu
