Following a vision of global harmony courtesy of Pokémon Go, it's beyond doubt that the monster collecting franchise stands as one of the most mainstream video games around. The iconic Pikachu is every bit as identifiable as Mickey Mouse, if not more so. The continued excitement around trading card values guarantees almost daily Pokémon news stories. You'd be hard-pressed to find a Pokémon game that failed to move at least a few million copies. Remarkably, fan-made Pokémon games achieve popularity annually.
Yet despite that ubiquity and popularity, some Pokémon games that are totally underappreciated. These represent titles that failed to receive their proper due, or were buried under the excitement of the mainline series. These are Pokémon games released on doomed platforms or online offerings, or were early forays onto different formats. Frequently, they are Pokémon games that probably would have flourished if they ever got sequels or contemporary re-releases. Considering these factors, we won't be offering just one more reminder for Pokemon Conquest or the Pokémon Mystery Dungeon series. We're pulling an Excadrill.
Still, these might be these Pokémon games. So, before rearranging your glasses and typing 'Actually,' we can all acknowledge that these are Pokémon games for people with discerning palates, agreed?
Pokemon Ranch: The Cozy Precursor
Too many Pokémon games emphasize the battling aspect of the series, and not nearly enough of them focus on the everyday aspects that would come with living with 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 style of Nintendogs or The Sims.
My Pokemon Ranch (2008) for the Wii isn't it. The downloadable-only title is most accurately viewed 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 bad if not outright hideous game. I'm not here to dispute these claims, but it behooves me to say Ranch might be the nearest we've come to a slice-of-life Pokémon game.
True to its title, the game is set on a ranch where your Mii avatars—get this—simply hang out with your Pokémon pals. The interactions with Pokémon were simple, and a significant part of the appeal was observing what your monsters might do when not forced into battle. Ideally, Pokémon Ranch would have been the beginning of a wonderful franchise built on the daily joys of living your life 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 'help us, Pokémon Pokopia!' but it's also known that the Nintendo Switch 2 exclusive is as much a puzzler as it is a life sim.
Ranch came out well before Stardew Valley sparked the lasting craze of cozy games. It was prior to the proliferation of passive 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 creatures as much as you play with them didn't mask a shallow core. In truth, Ranch's meticulous design was so remarkable, there's a Twitch stream dedicated to running the game 24/7. The individual who operates the channel states that, after almost twenty years of playing the game, he still has not seen everything that is in it. Justice for Pokémon Ranch: nobody understood you in 2008.
Pokemon Duel: The Tactical Tabletop Game Lost
Are you aware that Pokémon once had an official tabletop game with action figures? Pokemon Duel was the 2016 effort to adapt the physical experience in a more approachable form. Duel was also, unfortunately, one of Pokémon's first ventures into the world of free-to-play phone games. Duel had the trappings of a gacha title where players could spend for advantage—and there was motivation to do so, given the slow progression for new figures.
All of these poor design choices masked a sad truth: Pokémon Duel was an superb tactical game with Duel today. "Words cannot describe how much I adored 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, accessibility, design, and content in general," a user wrote. "I truly believe if it launched now people would be playing it more than GO and Pocket combined."
Unfortunately, Duel's early release was plagued with connectivity problems. Bugs, alongside Duel's predatory monetization model, gave people little reason to return. If, by some miracle, The Pokémon Company decided to revive this franchise, it's unclear things would end better. The unusual board structure made for a great tactical experience for the few folks who played Duel, but that playing field is also a daunting eyesore.
Pokemon: Magikarp Jump: The Whimsical Experiment
Wow, why don't more Pokémon games loosen up a little and have some enjoyment? Magikarp Jump (2017) was a rare instance of The Pokémon Company giving its blessing a game with a premise so absurd, it was bordering on shitpost. And when we're dealing with a franchise where trainers venture forth with a team of useless 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 best possible 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. One drawback is how Magikarp Jump, like many mobile games, requires the player to pause before they can train their Magikarp further. But it is evident throughout the experience that Select Button loved and understood the fan culture around Magikarp.
Nowhere was this more evident than in Jump's merciless random occurrences, 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 mainline games would do, like offering a diverse range 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 one can dream.
Magikarp Jump was not a particularly sophisticated or deep game, but the kernels of genius 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 almost certainly be in the conversation when 2026 GOTY season arrives.
With dozens of mainline entries and spin-offs, it's probable that I omitted that particular Pokémon game you totally love but argue that not nearly enough people played. I know that some people look back on games like Pokémon Ranger or Pokémon Pinball with affection despite argu
