Following a glimpse of world peace thanks to Pokémon Go, there's no question that the monster collecting franchise stands as one of the most popular video games in existence. Pikachu is every bit as famous as Mickey Mouse, if not more so. The continued frenzy around trading card values ensures almost daily Pokemon news stories. It would be difficult to find a Pokémon game that didn't sell at least a couple million units. Even, unofficial Pokémon games achieve popularity every year.
Yet despite that ubiquity and popularity, there are still Pokémon games that remain underappreciated. These represent games that didn't get their proper due, or were overshadowed under the hype of the core series. They're Pokémon games stuck on doomed platforms or online offerings, or were pioneering attempts onto new mediums. Frequently, they are Pokémon games that might have flourished if they ever got follow-ups or modern remakes. Considering these factors, this list will not be yet another recommendation for Pokémon Conquest or the Pokemon Mystery Dungeon series. We're pulling an Excadrill.
Nevertheless, you may already know about these Pokémon games. So, before adjusting your spectacles and writing 'Well,' let us just agree that these are Pokémon games for people with refined tastes, shall we?
Pokemon Ranch: The Chill Precursor
Too many Pokémon games focus on the combat element of the series, and not nearly enough of them highlight the ordinary aspects that would come with living with a companion. Admittedly, there are small features like these in modern games—you can pet, and feed your monsters in camps. But I am dying for a Pokémon game more in the vein of Nintendogs or The Sims.
My Pokémon Ranch (2008) for the Nintendo Wii is not that game. The digital-only title is most accurately viewed as the precursor to Pokemon Home; that is, as a repository to hold monsters from various titles. Critical reception from its launch said Ranch was a bad if not outright hideous game. It's not my goal to dispute these claims, but it compels 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 Mii avatars—get this—simply hang out with your pals. The activities with Pokémon were basic, and a lot 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. However, because The Pokémon Company can collect a fee for Pokémon Home now, it's likely we will not get a Pokémon Ranch game realized 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 puzzle game as it is a life simulation.
Ranch was released long before Stardew Valley sparked the lasting craze of cozy games. It was prior to the rise of idle games, and the Let's Play normalization of watching games you aren't playing. Most people never understood that Ranch's concept to observe your critters as much as you play with them didn't mask a shallow core. In actuality, Ranch's meticulous design was so extraordinary, a live stream dedicated to running the game 24/7. The individual who operates the channel maintains that, after almost twenty years of experiencing the game, he even now has not encountered everything that is in it. Justice for Pokémon Ranch: nobody knew what to do with you in 2008.
Pokemon Duel: The Strategic Board Game Gone
Did you know that Pokemon once had an official board game with miniatures? 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 forays into the world of freemium mobile gaming. Duel had the trappings of a gacha title where players could spend for advantage—and there was incentive to do so, given the slow progression for new pieces.
All of these poor design choices masked a sad truth: Pokémon Duel was an excellent tactical game with Duel anymore. "Words cannot describe how much I adored and miss this game," a YouTube comment reads, seven years after Duel's servers were shut down. "Truly I think this game was better than TCG Pocket in terms of complexity, approachability, game design, and features in general," a user wrote. "I truly believe if it launched now people would be playing it more than GO and Pocket combined."
Regrettably, Duel's early release was plagued with connectivity problems. Technical problems, alongside Duel's scummy business model, gave people few incentives to come back. If, by some miracle, 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 fantastic strategic challenge for the handful of players who played Duel, but that playing field is also a daunting visual mess.
Pokémon: Magikarp Jump: The Whimsical Experiment
Wow, why don't more Pokémon games relax 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 internet meme. And when we're dealing with a franchise where trainers go out with a team of useless monsters who simply cannot do anything, it's surprising we don't have more Pokémon games that poke fun 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 win battles. These are 'Magikarp 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 improve their Magikarp further. But it is clear throughout the experience that Select Button appreciated and got the community love around Magikarp.
Nowhere was this more evident than in Jump's brutal random events, where your Magikarp was as likely to raise its stats as it was to get snatched by a Pidgeotto. Apart from the clever dialogue, 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 practical for any Pokémon game to have 30 different colorings and patterns for a compendium of over a thousand creatures, as Magikarp Jump does... but one can dream.
Magikarp Jump was not a especially sophisticated or deep game, but the kernels of genius were there. Witty 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 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 contend that not nearly enough people played. I know that some people look back on games like Pokémon Ranger or Pokémon Pinball with affection notwithstanding argu
