Following a glimpse of world peace courtesy of Pokemon Go, it's beyond doubt that the monster collecting series is about as ubiquitous video games in existence. The iconic Pikachu is every bit as famous as Mickey Mouse, perhaps even more. The continued frenzy surrounding card prices guarantees near-daily Pokemon news stories. It would be difficult to find a Pokémon game that failed to move at least a couple million copies. Remarkably, unofficial Pokémon games go viral every year.
Yet in spite of that pervasiveness and popularity, some Pokémon games that are totally overlooked. These are titles that didn't get their fair shake, or were buried by the hype of the mainline series. They're Pokémon games released on doomed platforms or services, or were pioneering attempts onto different formats. Frequently, they are Pokémon games that might have blossomed if they ever got sequels or modern remakes. With these criteria in mind, we won't be offering just one more reminder for Pokemon Conquest or the Pokémon Mystery Dungeon series. We're digging deep.
Nevertheless, you may already know about these Pokémon games. Therefore, prior to rearranging your glasses and typing 'Well,' we can all acknowledge that these are Pokémon games for those possessing refined tastes, agreed?
Pokémon Ranch: The Chill Forerunner
Too many Pokémon games emphasize the battling aspect of the series, and not nearly enough of them focus on the ordinary aspects that would come with owning a companion. Sure, modern titles include minor mechanics 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 Pokémon Ranch (2008) for the Nintendo Wii isn't it. The digital-only title is most accurately viewed as the precursor to Pokemon Home; that is, as a storage system to store monsters from various titles. Critical reception from its release said Ranch was a poor if not outright hideous game. I'm not here to argue against these claims, but it behooves me to say Ranch might be the nearest we've ever gotten to a everyday life Pokémon game.
As the name suggests, the game is set on a farm where your Mii avatars—get this—simply hang out with your Pokémon pals. The interactions with Pokémon were basic, and a significant part of the appeal was observing what your monsters might do when they're not being forced into cockfighting. Ideally, Pokémon Ranch would have been the beginning of a wonderful franchise built on the simple pleasures of coexisting with a small creature. But since The Pokémon Company can collect a fee for Pokémon Home now, it's likely 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 puzzle game as it is a life simulation.
Ranch came out long before Stardew Valley sparked the lasting craze of comfort gaming. It was prior to the proliferation of idle games, and the Let's Play normalization of watching games you aren't playing. Many never realized that Ranch's proposal to observe your creatures as much as you interact with them wasn't to hide a lack of substance. In truth, Ranch's meticulous design was so extraordinary, a live stream focused on broadcasting the game continuously. The individual who operates the channel maintains that, after almost twenty years of experiencing the game, he even now has not seen everything that is in it. Recognition for Pokémon Ranch: no one understood you in 2008.
Pokémon Duel: The Strategic Board Game Gone
Are you aware that Pokemon once had an official tabletop game with miniatures? Pokemon Duel was the 2016 effort to digitize the physical experience in a more accessible format. Duel was also, unfortunately, one of Pokémon's earliest ventures into the world of free-to-play phone games. Duel had the hallmarks of a gacha title where players could spend for advantage—and there was incentive to do so, given the slow progression for new pieces.
These poor design choices masked a sad truth: Pokémon Duel was an excellent strategy game with Duel today. "Words cannot describe how much I adored and miss this game," one YouTube comment reads, years after Duel's servers were shut down. "Honestly I think this game was better than TCG Pocket in terms of depth, approachability, design, and content in general," a user declared. "I am convinced if it came out now people would be engaging with it more than GO and Pocket together."
Unfortunately, Duel's initial launch was marred by server issues. Bugs, alongside Duel's scummy business model, gave people few incentives to return. Should a revival occur, The Pokémon Company decided to revive this franchise, it's unclear things would end better. The unusual board structure made for a great strategic challenge for the handful of players who played Duel, but that board is also a intimidating eyesore.
Pokémon: Magikarp Jump: The Whimsical Experiment
Man, 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 internet meme. Considering we're dealing with a franchise where trainers venture forth with a team of useless monsters who simply cannot do anything, it's surprising we don't have more Pokémon games that laugh at themselves.
Within Magikarp Jump, the player is charged with breeding the best possible version of the infamous fish. I'm not talking about a Magikarp that can kick your butt. 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 evident throughout the experience that Select Button loved and understood the community love around Magikarp.
This was most apparent than in Jump's merciless random events, where your Magikarp was just as likely to improve as it was to get snatched by a Pidgeotto. Apart from the clever dialogue, Magikarp Jump also experimented with other things I wish the mainline games would do, like offering a wide variety of the same species of monster. It's understood it's not practical 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 particularly sophisticated or deep 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. It's worth noting: Mewgenics will almost certainly be in the conversation when Game of the Year season rolls around.
With dozens of core games and derivative titles, chances are that I omitted that one Pokémon game you totally love but argue that too few people played. I know that some people look back on games like Pokemon Ranger or Pokemon Pinball with affection notwithstanding argu
