Following a taste of world peace courtesy of Pokémon Go, there's no question that the creature-catching franchise stands as one of the most ubiquitous video games around. Pikachu is just as recognizable as Mickey Mouse, if not more so. The ongoing excitement surrounding trading card values ensures almost daily Pokémon news stories. It would be hard-pressed to find a pocket monster game that didn't sell at least a few million units. Remarkably, unofficial Pokémon games achieve popularity every year.
Yet in spite of that pervasiveness and popularity, there are still Pokémon games that remain overlooked. These represent games that didn't get their fair shake, or were buried under the hype of the mainline series. These are Pokémon games released on ill-fated consoles or services, or were early forays onto new mediums. They're often also Pokémon games that might have blossomed if they had received sequels or contemporary re-releases. Considering these factors, we won't be offering yet another recommendation for Pokémon Conquest or the Pokemon Mystery Dungeon series. We're pulling an Excadrill.
Still, you may already know about these Pokémon games. So, before rearranging your glasses and typing 'Well,' we can all acknowledge that these are Pokémon games for people with refined tastes, shall we?
Pokemon Ranch: The Chill Forerunner
Too many Pokémon games focus on the combat element of the series, and far too few of them focus on the everyday realities that would come with owning a companion. Sure, there are small features like these in recent entries—players may pet, and feed your monsters in camps. However, I'm longing for a Pokémon game more in the vein of Nintendogs or The Sims.
My Pokémon 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 poor if not truly ugly game. It's not my goal to argue against these claims, but it behooves me to say Ranch might be the nearest we've come to a everyday life Pokémon game.
True to its title, the game is set on a ranch where your personal Miis—get this—simply hang out with your pals. The activities with Pokémon were basic, 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 beginning of a wonderful franchise built on the daily joys of living your life with a tiny companion. However, because The Pokémon Company can charge a subscription for Pokémon Home now, it's likely we will not get a Pokémon Ranch game realized to its complete potential. One might cry 'save us, Pokémon Pokopia!' but I also know that the upcoming Switch exclusive is as much a puzzler as it is a life sim.
Ranch was released long before Stardew Valley kicked off the enduring trend of cozy games. It was before the proliferation of passive games, and the video playthrough normalization of viewing games you aren't playing. Many never understood that Ranch's proposal to observe your creatures as much as you play with them didn't mask a shallow core. In truth, Ranch's attention to detail was so remarkable, there's a live stream focused on running the game 24/7. 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. Justice for Pokémon Ranch: no one understood you in 2008.
Pokémon Duel: The Tactical Board Game Gone
Are you aware that Pokemon once had an official tabletop game with miniatures? Pokemon Duel was the 2016 effort to adapt the tabletop experience in a more accessible format. Duel was also, unfortunately, one of Pokémon's earliest ventures into the world of free-to-play mobile gaming. Duel had the trappings of a gacha title 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 strategy game with Duel anymore. "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 superior to TCG Pocket in terms of depth, approachability, design, and content in general," another commenter declared. "I truly believe if it launched now people would be engaging with it more than GO and Pocket together."
Unfortunately, Duel's early release was marred by connectivity problems. Technical problems, 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, it's unclear 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 visual mess.
Pokemon: Magikarp Jump: The Silly Gem
Wow, why don't more Pokémon games relax a little and have some enjoyment? Magikarp Jump (2017) was a rare instance of The Pokémon Company approving a game with a premise so silly, it was bordering on shitpost. And when we're dealing with a franchise where trainers venture forth with a team of useless monsters who literally can't do anything, I'm shocked we don't have more Pokémon games that laugh at themselves.
Within Magikarp Jump, the player is charged with raising the best possible version of the notorious fish. This isn't 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 phone games, forces the player to wait before they can improve their Magikarp further. But it is evident throughout the experience that the developers loved and understood the community love around Magikarp.
This was most apparent 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. Beyond the great writing, Magikarp Jump also tried out other things one might wish the mainline games would do, like offering a diverse range of the same type of monster. It's understood it's not practical for any Pokémon game to have dozens of variations 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 outrageous outcomes that permanently influence how you can train a companion also describe the excellent Mewgenics. It's worth noting: Mewgenics will likely be in the running when 2026 GOTY season rolls around.
With numerous mainline entries and derivative titles, chances are that I omitted that particular Pokémon game you absolutely adore but argue that too few people played. It's acknowledged that some people look back on games like Pokémon Ranger or Pokemon Pinball with affection despite argu
