Following a glimpse of world peace courtesy of Pokemon Go, it's beyond doubt that the creature-catching franchise is about as popular gaming titles around. Pikachu is every bit as famous as Disney's mascot, if not more so. The persistent frenzy around trading card values ensures almost daily Pokemon headlines. It would be hard-pressed to find a Pokémon game that didn't sell at least a few million copies. Remarkably, unofficial Pokémon games achieve popularity every year.
Yet despite that ubiquity and popularity, there are still Pokémon games that are totally overlooked. These are games that didn't get their fair shake, or were overshadowed under the excitement of the core series. These are Pokémon games released on ill-fated platforms or services, or were early forays onto different formats. They're often also Pokémon games that might have blossomed if they ever got sequels or contemporary re-releases. With these criteria in mind, we won't be offering yet another recommendation for Pokemon Conquest or the Pokémon Mystery Dungeon series. We're going beneath the surface.
Nevertheless, these might be these Pokémon games. So, before adjusting your spectacles and writing 'Well,' we can all acknowledge that these are Pokémon games for people with refined tastes, shall we?
Pokemon Ranch: The Cozy Forerunner
An excessive number of Pokémon games focus on the battling element of the series, and far too few of them highlight the ordinary realities that would come with owning a companion. Sure, modern titles include small features like these in recent entries—you can play with your monsters in camps. But I am longing for a Pokémon game more in the style of Nintendogs or The Sims.
My Pokémon Ranch (2008) for the Nintendo Wii isn't it. The digital-only title is best seen as the antecedent to Pokemon Home; that is, as a storage system to store monsters from various titles. Reviews from its launch noted Ranch was a poor if not outright hideous game. It's not my goal to dispute these claims, but it behooves me to say Ranch might be the nearest we've come to a everyday life Pokémon game.
True to its title, the game is set on a farm where your Mii avatars—get 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. In a just world, Pokémon Ranch would have been the beginning of a beautiful franchise built on the simple pleasures of coexisting with a tiny companion. But since 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 fullest potential. I'd say 'save us, Pokémon Pokopia!' but I also know that the Nintendo Switch 2 exclusive is as much a puzzler as it is a life simulation.
Ranch came out well before Stardew Valley sparked the lasting craze of cozy games. It was before the rise of idle games, and the Let's Play popularization of viewing games you aren't actively controlling. Most people never realized that Ranch's concept to watch your critters as much as you play with them didn't mask a lack of substance. In actuality, Ranch's attention to detail was so extraordinary, a Twitch stream focused on running the game continuously. The individual who runs the channel states that, after almost twenty years of playing the game, he still has not encountered everything that is in it. Recognition for Pokémon Ranch: no one knew what to do with you in 2008.
Pokémon Duel: The Strategic Board Game Gone
Are you aware that Pokémon once had an official board game with action figures? Pokemon Duel was the 2016 effort to adapt the tabletop experience in a more approachable format. Duel was also, unfortunately, one of Pokémon's earliest 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 incentive to do so, given the slow progression for new pieces.
These poor design choices masked a tragic reality: Pokémon Duel was an superb tactical game with Duel anymore. "Words cannot describe how much I loved and miss this game," one YouTube comment states, years after Duel's servers were shut down. "Honestly I think this game was superior to TCG Pocket in terms of depth, approachability, game 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."
Unfortunately, Duel's initial launch was marred by connectivity problems. Technical problems, alongside Duel's scummy monetization model, gave people little reason to return. If, by some miracle, The Pokémon Company chose to resurrect this franchise, it's unclear things would end better. The unique game board made for a fantastic tactical experience for the few folks who played Duel, but that board is also a intimidating visual mess.
Pokémon: Magikarp Jump: The Whimsical 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 approving a game with a premise so silly, it was verging on shitpost. Considering we're dealing with a franchise where trainers venture forth with a team of useless monsters who literally can't do anything, I'm shocked we don't have more Pokémon games that laugh at themselves.
In Magikarp Jump, the player is tasked with breeding the ultimate version of the infamous fish. I'm not talking about a Magikarp that can kick your butt. 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, forces the player to pause before they can train 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 merciless random occurrences, where your Magikarp was just as likely to improve as it was to get snatched by a Pidgeotto. Apart from the clever dialogue, Magikarp Jump also experimented with other things I wish the core series would do, like offering a wide variety of the same type 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 complex or profound game, but the seeds of brilliance were there. Sharply written events with outrageous outcomes that permanently influence how you can raise a pet also describe the excellent Mewgenics. It's worth noting: Mewgenics will likely be in the conversation when 2026 GOTY season rolls around.
Given dozens of mainline entries and derivative titles, chances are that I omitted that one Pokémon game you absolutely adore but contend that not nearly enough people played. It's acknowledged that some people look back on games like Pokémon Ranger or Pokemon Pinball fondly notwithstanding argu
