In the wake of a taste of global harmony courtesy of Pokemon Go, it's beyond doubt that the creature-catching series stands as one of the most mainstream video games around. The iconic Pikachu is every bit as famous as Mickey Mouse, if not more so. The continued frenzy surrounding card prices guarantees almost daily Pokémon headlines. It would be difficult to find a pocket monster game that didn't sell at least a few million units. Even, fan-made Pokémon games achieve popularity annually.
Yet despite that pervasiveness and fame, there are still Pokémon games that are totally overlooked. These are games that failed to receive their fair shake, or were overshadowed by the hype of the core series. They're Pokémon games released on ill-fated platforms or services, or were early forays onto different formats. They're often also Pokémon games that probably would have flourished if they ever got sequels or modern remakes. With these criteria in mind, this list will not be just one more reminder for Pokemon Conquest or the Pokemon Mystery Dungeon series. We're digging deep.
Nevertheless, you may already know about these Pokémon games. Therefore, prior to rearranging your glasses and writing 'Well,' let us just agree that these are Pokémon games for those possessing refined tastes, shall we?
Pokémon Ranch: The Chill Forerunner
Too many Pokémon games emphasize the combat aspect of the series, and not nearly enough of them focus on the ordinary aspects that would come with owning a pet. Sure, modern titles include small features like these in recent entries—you can pet, and feed your monsters in bases. But I am dying for a Pokémon game more in the style of Nintendogs or The Sims.
My Pokémon Ranch (2008) for the Wii isn't it. The digital-only title is most accurately viewed as the antecedent to Pokémon Home; that is, as a repository to store monsters from various titles. Critical reception from its release noted Ranch was a bad if not truly ugly game. It's not my goal to dispute these notions, but it behooves 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 interactions with Pokémon were basic, and a lot of the appeal was watching what your monsters might do when not forced into battle. 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 collect a fee for Pokémon Home now, it's likely we will not get a Pokémon Ranch game developed to its fullest potential. One might cry 'save us, Pokémon Pokopia!' but I also know that the upcoming Switch exclusive is as much a puzzle game as it is a life simulation.
Ranch was released well before Stardew Valley kicked off the enduring trend of cozy games. It was before the rise of passive games, and the Let's Play popularization of viewing games you aren't actively controlling. Most people never realized that Ranch's concept to watch your critters as much as you play with them wasn't to hide a lack of substance. In actuality, Ranch's meticulous design was so remarkable, there's a live stream dedicated to running the game continuously. The individual who runs the channel maintains that, after almost twenty years of experiencing the game, he still has not encountered everything that is in it. Justice for Pokémon Ranch: nobody understood you in 2008.
Pokemon Duel: The Strategic Board Game Gone
Did you know that Pokémon once had an official tabletop game with action figures? Pokemon Duel was the 2016 attempt to digitize the tabletop experience in a more accessible form. Duel was also, sadly, one of Pokémon's earliest ventures into the world of freemium phone games. Duel had the hallmarks of a gacha title where players could spend for advantage—and there was motivation to do so, given the slow progression for new figures.
These questionable mechanics obfuscated a tragic reality: Pokémon Duel was an excellent strategy game with Duel today. "I can’t express how much I adored and miss this game," one YouTube comment states, years after Duel's servers were pulled. "Truly I think this game was superior to TCG Pocket in terms of complexity, accessibility, game design, and content in general," another commenter declared. "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 server issues. Bugs, alongside Duel's predatory monetization model, gave people few incentives to come back. Should a revival occur, The Pokémon Company chose to resurrect this franchise, I'm still not certain things would play out differently. The unique game board made for a fantastic tactical experience for the handful of players who played Duel, but that board is also a intimidating eyesore.
Pokémon: Magikarp Jump: The Silly 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 premise so absurd, it was verging on internet meme. And when we're dealing with a franchise where trainers venture forth with a full belt of useless monsters who literally can't do anything, it's surprising we don't have more Pokémon games that laugh 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 kick your butt. These are 'karp raised to enter contests to see who can flop 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 loved and understood the fan culture around Magikarp.
Nowhere was this more evident than in Jump's merciless 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 tried out 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 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 profound game, but the kernels of genius were there. Sharply written events with outrageous outcomes that forever alter how you can raise a pet also describe the excellent Mewgenics. It's worth noting: Mewgenics will likely be in the running when Game of the Year season arrives.
Given dozens of mainline entries and spin-offs, it's probable that I omitted that one Pokémon game you absolutely adore but argue that not nearly enough people played. It's acknowledged that some people look back on games like Pokémon Ranger or Pokémon Pinball fondly notwithstanding argu
