In the wake of a taste of global harmony courtesy of Pokémon Go, it's undeniable that the monster collecting franchise is about as mainstream video games in existence. Pikachu is just as identifiable as Disney's mascot, perhaps even more. The ongoing pandemonium surrounding card prices ensures almost daily Pokémon news stories. You'd be difficult to find a Pokémon game that failed to move at least a couple million units. Even, unofficial Pokémon games achieve popularity every year.
Yet despite that ubiquity and fame, some Pokémon games that are totally overlooked. These represent titles that didn't get their proper due, or were overshadowed under the excitement of the core series. They're Pokémon games released on doomed consoles or services, or were pioneering attempts onto different formats. They're often also Pokémon games that might have flourished if they ever got sequels or contemporary re-releases. With these criteria in mind, this list will not be yet another reminder for Pokémon Conquest or the Pokemon Mystery Dungeon series. We're going beneath the surface.
Still, these might be these Pokémon games. Therefore, prior to rearranging your glasses and writing 'Well,' we can all acknowledge that these are Pokémon games for those possessing refined tastes, shall we?
Pokemon Ranch: The Cozy Forerunner
Too many Pokémon games emphasize the battling element of the series, and far too few of them focus on the ordinary aspects that would come with living with a pet. Sure, modern titles include small features like these in recent entries—players may pet, and feed your monsters in camps. However, I'm longing for a Pokémon game more in the style of Nintendogs or The Sims.
My Pokémon Ranch (2008) for the Nintendo Wii is not that game. The digital-only title is best seen as the precursor to Pokémon Home; that is, as a repository to hold monsters from various titles. Reviews from its release noted Ranch was a bad if not truly ugly game. I'm not here to dispute these claims, but it compels me to say Ranch might be the closest we've come to a everyday life Pokémon game.
True to its title, the game takes place on a ranch where your Mii avatars—get this—just relax with your pals. The activities with Pokémon were basic, and a lot of the draw was watching what your monsters might do when they're not being forced into battle. Ideally, Pokémon Ranch would have been the start of a beautiful franchise built on the daily joys of living your life with a tiny companion. 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 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 simulation.
Ranch was released long before Stardew Valley kicked off the lasting craze of comfort gaming. It was before the proliferation of passive games, and the Let's Play normalization of watching games you aren't actively controlling. Many never realized that Ranch's proposal to observe your critters as much as you interact with them didn't mask a shallow core. In actuality, Ranch's meticulous design was so extraordinary, a Twitch stream dedicated to running the game continuously. The streamer 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: no one understood you in 2008.
Pokemon Duel: The Tactical Board Game Lost
Are you aware that Pokemon once had an licensed tabletop game with action figures? Pokémon 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 freemium phone games. Duel had the trappings of a gacha game where players could spend for advantage—and there was incentive to do so, given the slow progression for new figures.
All of these questionable mechanics obfuscated a sad truth: Pokémon Duel was an superb strategy game with Duel anymore. "I can’t express how much I adored and miss this game," one YouTube comment states, years after Duel's servers were pulled. "Honestly I think this game was superior to TCG Pocket in terms of depth, accessibility, game design, and features in general," another commenter declared. "I truly believe if it launched now people would be engaging with it more than GO and Pocket combined."
Regrettably, Duel's initial launch was plagued with connectivity problems. Technical problems, alongside Duel's scummy monetization model, gave people few incentives to return. Should a revival occur, The Pokémon Company chose to resurrect this franchise, I'm still not certain things would play out differently. The unique board structure made for a fantastic tactical experience for the few folks who played Duel, but that board 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 concept so silly, it was verging on shitpost. And when we're dealing with a franchise where trainers venture forth with a full belt of ineffective monsters who literally can't do anything, it's surprising we don't have more Pokémon games that poke fun at themselves.
In Magikarp Jump, the player is charged with breeding the best possible version of the notorious fish. This isn't about a Magikarp that can win battles. These are 'Magikarp raised to enter contests to see who can flop the highest. One drawback is how Magikarp Jump, like many phone games, requires the player to wait before they can train their Magikarp further. But it is evident throughout the experience that the developers loved and understood the fan culture around Magikarp.
This was most apparent than in Jump's brutal random occurrences, where your Magikarp was as likely to raise its stats as it was to get eaten 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 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 sophisticated or profound game, but the kernels of genius were there. Witty events with unpredictable results that permanently influence how you can raise a pet also describe the excellent Mewgenics. And I'm just saying: Mewgenics will likely be in the conversation when 2026 GOTY season rolls around.
Given dozens of mainline entries and spin-offs, it's probable that I didn't mention that one Pokémon game you absolutely adore but argue that too few people played. It's acknowledged that some people remember games like Pokemon Ranger or Pokemon Pinball fondly notwithstanding argu
