Three Pokemon Games That Didn't Get the Love They Warranted
In the wake of a taste of global harmony thanks to Pokemon Go, it's beyond doubt that the creature-catching series is about as mainstream gaming titles in existence. The iconic Pikachu is just as recognizable as Mickey Mouse, perhaps even more. The continued frenzy around trading card values ensures near-daily Pokémon headlines. You'd be hard-pressed to find a Pokémon game that failed to move at least a couple million copies. Remarkably, unofficial Pokémon games achieve popularity annually.
Yet in spite of that ubiquity and fame, there are still Pokémon games that remain underappreciated. These are titles that failed to receive their fair shake, or were buried under the hype of the core series. They're Pokémon games stuck on ill-fated consoles or services, or were early forays onto different formats. Frequently, they are Pokémon games that probably would have blossomed if they ever got sequels or modern remakes. With these criteria in mind, this list will not be yet another recommendation for Pokemon Conquest or the Pokémon Mystery Dungeon series. We're pulling an Excadrill.
Still, these might be these Pokémon games. Therefore, prior to adjusting your spectacles and typing 'Actually,' we can all acknowledge that these are Pokémon games for people with discerning palates, agreed?
Pokemon Ranch: The Relaxed Forerunner
An excessive number of Pokémon games focus on the battling element of the series, and far too few of them focus on the ordinary realities that would come with owning a pet. Admittedly, there are small features like these in recent entries—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 Pokemon Ranch (2008) for the Wii isn't it. The digital-only title is best seen as the antecedent to Pokémon Home; that is, as a storage system to hold monsters from different games. Reviews from its launch noted Ranch was a bad if not outright hideous game. It's not my goal to argue against these claims, but it compels 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—imagine this—simply hang out with your pals. The activities with Pokémon were simple, and a lot of the draw was watching what your monsters might do when not forced into cockfighting. In a just world, Pokémon Ranch would have been the beginning of a beautiful 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, I'm guessing we will never see a Pokémon Ranch game developed to its complete potential. I'd say 'help us, Pokémon Pokopia!' but I also know that the upcoming Switch exclusive is just as much a puzzler as it is a life simulation.
Ranch was released well before Stardew Valley sparked the enduring trend of cozy games. It was before the rise of passive games, and the Let's Play normalization of viewing games you aren't playing. Many never understood that Ranch's proposal to observe your critters as much as you play with them didn't mask a shallow core. In truth, Ranch's attention to detail was so remarkable, a Twitch stream dedicated to running the game 24/7. The streamer who operates the channel states that, after nearly two decades of experiencing the game, he even now has not encountered all that is in it. Recognition 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? Pokemon Duel was the 2016 effort to adapt the tabletop experience in a more accessible form. Duel was also, unfortunately, one of Pokémon's first ventures into the world of free-to-play mobile gaming. Duel had the trappings of a gacha game where players could pay to win—and there was motivation to do so, given the lengthy grind for new pieces.
These questionable mechanics masked a tragic reality: Pokémon Duel was an excellent tactical game with Duel today. "Words cannot describe how much I adored and miss this game," one YouTube comment reads, seven years after Duel's servers were shut down. "Truly I think this game was superior to TCG Pocket in terms of depth, accessibility, design, and features in general," a user wrote. "I am convinced if it launched now people would be playing it more than GO and Pocket together."
Unfortunately, Duel's initial launch was plagued with server issues. Technical problems, alongside Duel's scummy business model, gave people little reason 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 unusual board structure made for a great strategic challenge for the handful of players who played Duel, but that board is also a daunting eyesore.
Pokemon: Magikarp Jump: The Silly Gem
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 premise so silly, it was bordering on internet meme. Considering we're dealing with a franchise where trainers go out with a team of useless monsters who literally can't 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 breeding the best possible version of the infamous fish. This isn't about a Magikarp that can win battles. These are 'karp raised to enter competitions to see who can flop the highest. One drawback 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 fan culture around Magikarp.
Nowhere was this more evident than in Jump's brutal random occurrences, where your Magikarp was just 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 mainline games 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 roster 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. Witty events with unpredictable results that forever alter how you can raise a pet also describe the excellent Mewgenics. And I'm just saying: Mewgenics will almost certainly be in the running when 2026 GOTY season arrives.
Given dozens of mainline entries and spin-offs, chances are that I didn't mention 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 Pokemon Pinball fondly despite argu
