Following a taste of global harmony courtesy of Pokémon Go, there's no question that the creature-catching franchise stands as one of the most popular video games in existence. Pikachu is every bit as famous as Disney's mascot, perhaps even more. The continued excitement around card prices guarantees near-daily Pokemon news stories. You'd be hard-pressed to find a Pokémon game that failed to move at least a couple million units. Remarkably, fan-made Pokémon games go viral every year.
Yet in spite of that pervasiveness and popularity, some Pokémon games that are totally overlooked. These are games that failed to receive their fair shake, or were overshadowed by the excitement of the mainline series. They're Pokémon games stuck on ill-fated consoles or online offerings, or were pioneering attempts onto different formats. Frequently, they are Pokémon games that might have blossomed if they ever got follow-ups or contemporary re-releases. Considering these factors, this list will not be just one more reminder for Pokémon Conquest or the Pokémon Mystery Dungeon series. We're going beneath the surface.
Nevertheless, these might be these Pokémon games. So, before rearranging your glasses and writing 'Well,' we can all acknowledge that these are Pokémon games for people with refined tastes, shall we?
Pokémon Ranch: The Cozy Precursor
Too many Pokémon games emphasize the battling element of the series, and not nearly enough of them highlight the ordinary aspects that would come with living with a companion. Admittedly, there are minor mechanics like these in modern games—players may play with your monsters in camps. But I am dying for a Pokémon game more in the style of Nintendogs or The Sims.
My Pokemon Ranch (2008) for the Nintendo Wii isn't it. The downloadable-only title is most accurately viewed as the precursor to Pokemon Home; that is, as a storage system to store monsters from various titles. Critical reception 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 behooves 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 farm where your Mii avatars—get this—simply hang out with your Pokémon pals. The interactions with Pokémon were basic, 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 wonderful franchise built on the simple pleasures of coexisting with a small creature. However, because The Pokémon Company can charge a subscription for Pokémon Home now, it's likely we will not get a Pokémon Ranch game developed to its complete potential. I'd say 'save us, Pokémon Pokopia!' but I also know that the upcoming Switch exclusive is just as much a puzzler as it is a life sim.
Ranch was released long before Stardew Valley kicked off the lasting craze of comfort gaming. It was before the rise of passive games, and the Let's Play normalization of watching games you aren't actively controlling. Many never understood that Ranch's concept to watch your creatures as much as you interact with them wasn't to hide a shallow core. In truth, Ranch's meticulous design was so extraordinary, a Twitch stream focused on broadcasting the game continuously. The streamer who operates the channel states that, after almost twenty years of playing the game, he still has not encountered everything that is in it. Justice for Pokémon Ranch: nobody understood you in 2008.
Pokémon Duel: The Strategic Tabletop Game Lost
Did you know that Pokémon once had an licensed board game with miniatures? Pokémon Duel was the 2016 effort to digitize the tabletop experience in a more approachable format. Duel was also, unfortunately, one of Pokémon's earliest ventures into the world of free-to-play phone games. Duel had the trappings of a gacha title where players could spend for advantage—and there was motivation to do so, given the slow progression for new pieces.
All of these questionable mechanics masked a tragic reality: Pokémon Duel was an superb tactical game with Duel today. "Words cannot describe how much I loved and miss this game," one YouTube comment reads, seven years after Duel's servers were pulled. "Truly I think this game was better than TCG Pocket in terms of depth, accessibility, game design, and features in general," a user declared. "I truly believe if it launched now people would be engaging with it more than GO and Pocket together."
Regrettably, Duel's initial launch was marred by connectivity problems. Bugs, alongside Duel's predatory business model, gave people few incentives to return. If, by some miracle, The Pokémon Company decided to revive this franchise, it's unclear things would end better. The unusual board structure made for a fantastic tactical experience for the few folks who played Duel, but that board is also a intimidating eyesore.
Pokémon: Magikarp Jump: The Silly Gem
Wow, why don't more Pokémon games loosen up a little and have some enjoyment? Magikarp Jump (2017) was a uncommon case of The Pokémon Company approving a game with a concept so silly, it was verging on internet meme. Considering we're dealing with a franchise where trainers venture forth with a team of ineffective 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 tasked with breeding the best possible version of the notorious fish. I'm not talking about a Magikarp that can kick your butt. These are 'Magikarp raised to enter competitions to see who can jump the highest. I'm not a fan is how Magikarp Jump, like many mobile games, requires the player to pause before they can train 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 merciless random events, where your Magikarp was just as likely to raise its stats as it was to get snatched 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. I know 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 sophisticated 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. It's worth noting: Mewgenics will likely be in the conversation when Game of the Year season rolls around.
Given numerous core games and derivative titles, it's probable that I omitted that one Pokémon game you totally love but contend that too few people played. It's acknowledged that some people look back on games like Pokemon Ranger or Pokemon Pinball fondly notwithstanding argu
