In the wake of a vision of global harmony thanks to Pokemon Go, it's beyond doubt that the monster collecting series is about as mainstream video games in existence. Pikachu is just as identifiable as Mickey Mouse, if not more so. The continued excitement around trading card values guarantees near-daily Pokémon news stories. You'd be difficult to find a Pokémon game that failed to move at least a couple million copies. Even, unofficial Pokémon games achieve popularity every year.
However despite that ubiquity and fame, there are still Pokémon games that are totally overlooked. These represent games that didn't get their proper due, or were overshadowed under the hype of the mainline series. They're Pokémon games released on doomed platforms or services, or were early forays onto new mediums. Frequently, they are Pokémon games that might have blossomed if they ever got sequels or modern remakes. With these criteria in mind, this list will not be yet another reminder for Pokémon Conquest or the Pokémon Mystery Dungeon series. We're digging deep.
Nevertheless, you may already know about these Pokémon games. So, before rearranging your glasses and typing 'Actually,' we can all acknowledge that these are Pokémon games for those possessing refined tastes, agreed?
Pokemon Ranch: The Relaxed Precursor
Too many Pokémon games emphasize the battling element of the series, and far too few of them focus on the everyday aspects that would come with owning a pet. Sure, there are small features like these in recent entries—you can play with your monsters in bases. But I am dying for a Pokémon game more in the vein of Nintendogs or The Sims.
My Pokemon Ranch (2008) for the Wii is not that game. The downloadable-only title is best seen 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 truly ugly game. It's not my goal to dispute these notions, but it behooves me to say Ranch might be the nearest we've ever gotten to a everyday life Pokémon game.
True to its title, the game is set on a ranch where your personal Miis—get this—just relax with your pals. The interactions with Pokémon were simple, and a significant part of the draw was watching what your monsters might do when not forced into cockfighting. Ideally, Pokémon Ranch would have been the beginning of a beautiful franchise built on the simple pleasures of living your life with a tiny companion. But since The Pokémon Company can charge a subscription for Pokémon Home now, it's likely we will never see a Pokémon Ranch game realized to its fullest potential. I'd say 'help 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 came out long before Stardew Valley kicked off the lasting craze of cozy games. It was prior to the proliferation of idle games, and the Let's Play normalization of viewing games you aren't playing. Most people never understood that Ranch's concept to observe your critters as much as you interact with them didn't mask a shallow core. In truth, Ranch's meticulous design was so extraordinary, there's a live stream dedicated to running the game 24/7. The individual who runs 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: nobody understood you in 2008.
Pokémon Duel: The Tactical Tabletop Game Gone
Are you aware that Pokemon once had an licensed tabletop game with miniatures? Pokemon Duel was the 2016 attempt to adapt the tabletop experience in a more approachable format. Duel was also, sadly, one of Pokémon's earliest ventures into the world of free-to-play phone games. Duel had the trappings of a gacha game where players could pay to win—and there was incentive to do so, given the slow progression for new figures.
All of these poor design choices masked a tragic reality: Pokémon Duel was an excellent tactical game with Duel today. "I can’t express how much I loved and miss this game," one YouTube comment reads, seven years after Duel's servers were pulled. "Honestly I think this game was better than TCG Pocket in terms of complexity, approachability, game design, and content in general," another commenter wrote. "I truly believe if it came out now people would be playing it more than GO and Pocket together."
Regrettably, Duel's early release was plagued with connectivity problems. Bugs, 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, it's unclear things would play out differently. The unusual board structure made for a great strategic challenge for the few folks who played Duel, but that playing field is also a daunting eyesore.
Pokémon: Magikarp Jump: The Absurd Experiment
Man, why don't more Pokémon games relax 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 verging on internet meme. And when we're dealing with a franchise where trainers venture forth with a full belt of ineffective 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 ultimate version of the infamous fish. This isn't about a Magikarp that can win battles. 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, requires 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 community love around Magikarp.
This was most apparent than in Jump's merciless random events, where your Magikarp was as likely to raise its stats as it was to get eaten by a Pidgeotto. Apart from the clever dialogue, Magikarp Jump also tried out other things I wish the core series would do, like offering a wide variety of the same species of monster. It's understood it's not feasible for any Pokémon game to have 30 different variations for a compendium of over a thousand creatures, as Magikarp Jump does... but one can dream.
Magikarp Jump was not a particularly complex or profound game, but the seeds of brilliance were there. Witty events with outrageous outcomes that forever alter how you can train a companion also describe the excellent Mewgenics. It's worth noting: Mewgenics will likely be in the running when Game of the Year season rolls around.
Given numerous core games and spin-offs, it's probable that I omitted that particular Pokémon game you totally love but contend that too few people played. I know that some people look back on games like Pokémon Ranger or Pokémon Pinball with affection notwithstanding argu
