3 Pokemon Games That Didn't Get the Appreciation They Deserved
In the wake of a glimpse of global harmony thanks to Pokémon Go, it's beyond doubt that the creature-catching series is about as ubiquitous gaming titles in existence. The iconic Pikachu is just as recognizable as Mickey Mouse, perhaps even more. The continued pandemonium around trading card values ensures almost daily Pokemon headlines. It would be hard-pressed to find a pocket monster game that failed to move at least a couple million copies. Even, fan-made Pokémon games achieve popularity annually.
Yet despite that ubiquity and fame, there are still Pokémon games that are totally overlooked. These represent games that failed to receive their proper due, or were overshadowed by the hype of the mainline series. They're Pokémon games released on ill-fated platforms or online offerings, or were pioneering attempts onto different formats. They're often also Pokémon games that might have flourished if they had received sequels or contemporary re-releases. With these criteria in mind, we won't be offering yet another reminder for Pokémon Conquest or the Pokémon Mystery Dungeon series. We're going beneath the surface.
Still, these might be these Pokémon games. So, before rearranging your glasses and writing 'Actually,' let us just agree that these are Pokémon games for people with refined tastes, agreed?
Pokemon Ranch: The Cozy Precursor
An excessive number of Pokémon games emphasize the combat element of the series, and not nearly enough of them focus on the ordinary realities that would come with owning a pet. Sure, modern titles include minor mechanics like these in recent entries—players may play with your monsters in camps. But I am dying for a Pokémon game more in the vein of Nintendogs or The Sims.
My Pokémon Ranch (2008) for the Wii is not that game. The downloadable-only title is best seen as the antecedent to Pokémon Home; that is, as a repository to store monsters from different games. Critical reception from its launch said Ranch was a bad if not truly ugly game. It's not my goal to dispute these claims, but it compels me to say Ranch might be the nearest we've come to a everyday life Pokémon game.
True to its title, the game takes place on a ranch where your Mii avatars—imagine this—simply hang out with your pals. The interactions with Pokémon were simple, and a significant part of the appeal was watching what your monsters might do when they're not being forced into battle. Ideally, Pokémon Ranch would have been the start of a wonderful franchise built on the simple pleasures of coexisting with a small creature. However, because The Pokémon Company can collect a fee for Pokémon Home now, it's likely we will never see a Pokémon Ranch game developed to its complete potential. One might cry 'help us, Pokémon Pokopia!' but I also know that the Nintendo Switch 2 exclusive is just as much a puzzle game as it is a life simulation.
Ranch came out well before Stardew Valley kicked off the enduring trend of comfort gaming. It was prior to the rise of passive games, and the Let's Play popularization 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 lack of substance. In actuality, Ranch's attention to detail was so remarkable, there's a live stream focused on running the game 24/7. The streamer 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. Justice for Pokémon Ranch: nobody understood you in 2008.
Pokémon Duel: The Tactical Board Game Lost
Are you aware that Pokémon once had an official tabletop game with action figures? Pokemon Duel was the 2016 attempt to adapt 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 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.
All of these poor design choices masked a tragic reality: Pokémon Duel was an superb tactical game with Duel today. "Words cannot describe how much I adored and miss this game," a YouTube comment states, seven years after Duel's servers were shut down. "Honestly I think this game was better than TCG Pocket in terms of depth, approachability, game design, and features in general," a user declared. "I truly believe if it came out now people would be playing it more than GO and Pocket together."
Regrettably, Duel's initial launch was plagued with server issues. Technical problems, alongside Duel's scummy business model, gave people few incentives to come back. Should a revival occur, The Pokémon Company decided to revive this franchise, I'm still not certain things would end better. The unique board structure made for a fantastic tactical experience for the handful of players who played Duel, but that playing field is also a daunting eyesore.
Pokémon: Magikarp Jump: The Whimsical Experiment
Wow, why don't more Pokémon games loosen up a little and have some fun? Magikarp Jump (2017) was a uncommon case of The Pokémon Company giving its blessing a game with a premise so silly, it was verging on shitpost. Considering we're dealing with a franchise where trainers go out with a team 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 charged with raising the best possible 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, forces the player to wait before they can train their Magikarp further. But it is evident throughout the experience that Select Button appreciated and got the community love around Magikarp.
Nowhere was this more evident than in Jump's brutal random events, where your Magikarp was just as likely to raise its stats as it was to get eaten by a Pidgeotto. Apart from the clever dialogue, Magikarp Jump also experimented with other things one might wish the mainline games would do, like offering a wide variety of the same type of monster. I know it's not practical for any Pokémon game to have dozens of colorings and patterns for a roster of over a thousand creatures, as Magikarp Jump does... but one can dream.
Magikarp Jump was not a particularly complex or deep game, but the kernels of genius were there. Witty events with unpredictable results that forever alter how you can train a companion also describe the excellent Mewgenics. It's worth noting: Mewgenics will almost certainly be in the conversation when 2026 GOTY season arrives.
With numerous 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 Pokemon Ranger or Pokemon Pinball fondly despite argu
