In the wake of a vision of global harmony thanks to Pokemon Go, it's undeniable that the creature-catching franchise stands as one of the most popular video games around. Pikachu is every bit as recognizable as Disney's mascot, if not more so. The continued pandemonium surrounding card prices ensures almost daily Pokémon news stories. You'd be hard-pressed to find a Pokémon game that didn't sell at least a couple million units. Even, unofficial Pokémon games go viral annually.
However in spite of that ubiquity and fame, there are still Pokémon games that are totally underappreciated. These are games that didn't get their proper due, or were buried under the excitement of the mainline series. These are Pokémon games released on ill-fated consoles or services, or were early forays onto different formats. They're often also Pokémon games that probably would have flourished if they ever got follow-ups or modern remakes. Considering these factors, this list will not be just one more reminder for Pokemon Conquest or the Pokémon Mystery Dungeon series. We're digging deep.
Still, these might be these Pokémon games. So, before rearranging your glasses and writing 'Actually,' let us just agree that these are Pokémon games for people with discerning palates, shall we?
Pokémon Ranch: The Relaxed Forerunner
An excessive number of Pokémon games focus on the combat element of the series, and far too few of them highlight the everyday aspects that would come with living with a companion. Admittedly, there are minor mechanics like these in modern games—you can play with 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 Wii is not that game. The downloadable-only title is most accurately viewed as the precursor to Pokémon Home; that is, as a storage system to hold monsters from different games. Critical reception from its launch said Ranch was a poor if not truly ugly game. It's not my goal to argue against these notions, but it behooves me to say Ranch might be the nearest we've come to a everyday life Pokémon game.
As the name suggests, the game takes place on a ranch where your personal Miis—get this—just relax with your pals. The interactions with Pokémon were simple, and a significant part of the draw was watching what your monsters might do when they're not being forced into cockfighting. In a just world, Pokémon Ranch would have been the start of a wonderful franchise built on the daily joys of coexisting with a tiny companion. However, because The Pokémon Company can collect a fee for Pokémon Home now, I'm guessing we will not get a Pokémon Ranch game realized to its fullest potential. I'd say 'help us, Pokémon Pokopia!' but it's also known that the Nintendo Switch 2 exclusive is just as much a puzzler as it is a life sim.
Ranch was released well before Stardew Valley sparked the lasting craze of comfort gaming. It was prior to the rise of passive games, and the video playthrough normalization of watching games you aren't playing. Most people never realized that Ranch's proposal to watch your creatures as much as you play with them didn't mask a shallow core. 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 almost twenty years of playing the game, he even now has not encountered everything that is in it. Recognition for Pokémon Ranch: no one knew what to do with you in 2008.
Pokemon Duel: The Strategic Board Game Lost
Are you aware that Pokémon once had an official board game with action figures? Pokemon Duel was the 2016 attempt to digitize the physical experience in a more approachable format. Duel was also, sadly, one of Pokémon's first forays into the world of freemium phone games. Duel had the trappings of a gacha title where players could pay to win—and there was incentive to do so, given the lengthy grind for new figures.
All of these questionable mechanics obfuscated a sad truth: Pokémon Duel was an superb strategy game with Duel today. "I can’t express how much I adored and miss this game," a YouTube comment states, seven years after Duel's servers were shut down. "Truly I think this game was better than TCG Pocket in terms of depth, approachability, game design, and content in general," a user wrote. "I am convinced if it came out now people would be playing it more than GO and Pocket together."
Unfortunately, Duel's early release was marred by connectivity problems. Technical problems, alongside Duel's predatory monetization model, gave people few incentives to come back. 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 great strategic challenge for the few folks who played Duel, but that board is also a daunting visual mess.
Pokémon: Magikarp Jump: The Absurd Gem
Man, 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 premise so silly, it was verging on shitpost. Considering we're dealing with a franchise where trainers go out 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 ultimate version of the notorious fish. I'm not talking about a Magikarp that can win battles. These are 'Magikarp 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 improve their Magikarp further. But it is clear throughout the experience that the developers appreciated and got the fan culture around Magikarp.
Nowhere was this more evident 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. Beyond the great writing, Magikarp Jump also experimented with 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 dozens of variations for a roster of over a thousand creatures, as Magikarp Jump does... but we can hope.
Magikarp Jump was not a particularly complex or profound game, but the kernels of genius were there. Witty events with outrageous outcomes that forever alter how you can raise a pet also describe the excellent Mewgenics. It's worth noting: Mewgenics will almost certainly be in the running when 2026 GOTY season rolls around.
Given numerous core games and derivative titles, it's probable that I didn't mention that particular Pokémon game you absolutely adore but contend that not nearly enough people played. I know that some people remember games like Pokémon Ranger or Pokemon Pinball fondly notwithstanding argu
