Following a taste of global harmony courtesy of Pokemon Go, it's undeniable that the monster collecting series stands as one of the most popular video games around. Pikachu is every bit as famous as Disney's mascot, if not more so. The ongoing pandemonium surrounding trading card values guarantees almost daily Pokémon headlines. You'd be hard-pressed to find a pocket monster game that failed to move at least a few million units. Remarkably, fan-made Pokémon games go viral every year.
However despite that ubiquity and popularity, there are still Pokémon games that remain underappreciated. These represent titles that didn't get their fair shake, or were overshadowed under the excitement of the mainline series. These are Pokémon games released on ill-fated consoles or services, or were early forays onto new mediums. Frequently, they are Pokémon games that probably would have blossomed if they ever got follow-ups or contemporary re-releases. Considering these factors, we won't be offering just one more recommendation for Pokemon Conquest or the Pokémon Mystery Dungeon series. We're going beneath the surface.
Still, you may already know about these Pokémon games. Therefore, prior to adjusting your spectacles and typing 'Well,' we can all acknowledge that these are Pokémon games for those possessing refined tastes, shall we?
Pokemon Ranch: The Cozy Forerunner
An excessive number of Pokémon games emphasize the combat element of the series, and far too few of them highlight the everyday realities that would come with living with a companion. Sure, there are small features like these in modern games—you can pet, and feed your monsters in bases. 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 isn't it. The downloadable-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 said Ranch was a bad if not outright hideous game. It's not my goal to argue against these claims, but it behooves me to say Ranch might be the nearest we've come to a slice-of-life Pokémon game.
As the name suggests, the game takes place on a ranch where your personal Miis—get this—simply hang out with your pals. The interactions with Pokémon were basic, and a significant part of the appeal was watching what your monsters might do when they're not being forced into cockfighting. Ideally, Pokémon Ranch would have been the start of a wonderful franchise built on the simple pleasures of coexisting with a tiny companion. However, because The Pokémon Company can charge a subscription for Pokémon Home now, it's likely we will not get a Pokémon Ranch game realized to its fullest potential. One might cry 'help us, Pokémon Pokopia!' but it's also known that the upcoming Switch exclusive is as much a puzzler as it is a life simulation.
Ranch came out well before Stardew Valley kicked off the lasting craze of cozy games. It was prior to the rise of idle games, and the video playthrough popularization of watching games you aren't actively controlling. Most people never understood 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 attention to detail was so extraordinary, there's a Twitch stream focused on running the game continuously. The individual who runs the channel states that, after nearly two decades of experiencing the game, he still has not encountered all that is in it. Justice for Pokémon Ranch: no one understood you in 2008.
Pokémon Duel: The Strategic Board Game Lost
Are you aware that Pokemon once had an licensed tabletop game with action figures? Pokémon Duel was the 2016 effort to digitize the physical experience in a more approachable form. Duel was also, sadly, one of Pokémon's earliest forays into the world of freemium mobile gaming. Duel had the hallmarks of a gacha title where players could pay to win—and there was incentive to do so, given the slow progression for new pieces.
All of these questionable mechanics obfuscated a tragic reality: Pokémon Duel was an excellent tactical game with Duel anymore. "I can’t express how much I loved and miss this game," one 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 depth, accessibility, design, and content in general," another commenter wrote. "I truly believe if it came out now people would be engaging with it more than GO and Pocket combined."
Regrettably, Duel's early release was plagued with server issues. Technical problems, alongside Duel's scummy monetization model, gave people few incentives to return. If, by some miracle, The Pokémon Company decided to revive this franchise, it's unclear things would play out differently. The unusual board structure made for a fantastic strategic challenge for the handful of players who played Duel, but that board is also a daunting visual mess.
Pokemon: Magikarp Jump: The Silly Experiment
Man, why don't more Pokémon games relax a little and have some fun? Magikarp Jump (2017) was a rare instance of The Pokémon Company giving its blessing a game with a concept so absurd, it was verging on shitpost. And when we're dealing with a franchise where trainers venture forth with a full belt 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 ultimate version of the infamous fish. I'm not talking about a Magikarp that can kick your butt. These are 'karp raised to enter contests to see who can jump the highest. I'm not a fan is how Magikarp Jump, like many phone games, requires the player to pause before they can improve their Magikarp further. But it is clear throughout the experience that the developers loved and understood the community love around Magikarp.
Nowhere was this more evident than in Jump's brutal random events, where your Magikarp was as likely to improve as it was to get eaten by a Pidgeotto. Apart from the great writing, Magikarp Jump also tried out other things one might wish the core series would do, like offering a wide variety of the same type of monster. I know it's not feasible for any Pokémon game to have dozens of colorings and patterns for a compendium of over a thousand creatures, as Magikarp Jump does... but we can hope.
Magikarp Jump was not a especially complex or deep game, but the kernels of genius were there. Sharply written events with unpredictable results that permanently influence how you can raise a pet also describe the excellent Mewgenics. It's worth noting: Mewgenics will almost certainly be in the running when Game of the Year season rolls around.
With dozens of core games and spin-offs, it's probable that I didn't mention that particular Pokémon game you absolutely adore but contend that too few people played. I know that some people look back on games like Pokémon Ranger or Pokémon Pinball fondly notwithstanding argu
