Three Pokémon Titles That Failed to Receive the Adoration They Deserved
In the wake of a vision of world peace courtesy of Pokémon Go, it's beyond doubt that the monster collecting franchise is about as popular gaming titles around. Pikachu is just as famous as Mickey Mouse, perhaps even more. The continued excitement surrounding card prices guarantees near-daily Pokemon headlines. It would be difficult to find a Pokémon game that failed to move at least a couple million copies. Even, unofficial Pokémon games achieve popularity annually.
However in spite of that ubiquity and popularity, there are still Pokémon games that are totally underappreciated. These represent games that failed to receive their fair shake, or were buried under the hype of the mainline series. They're Pokémon games stuck 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. With these criteria in mind, this list will not be just one more reminder for Pokémon Conquest or the Pokemon Mystery Dungeon series. We're digging deep.
Still, these might be these Pokémon games. Therefore, prior to adjusting your spectacles and writing 'Well,' we can all acknowledge that these are Pokémon games for people with refined tastes, shall we?
Pokémon Ranch: The Relaxed Forerunner
An excessive number of Pokémon games focus on the battling element of the series, and far too few of them highlight the ordinary realities that would come with living with a companion. Admittedly, modern titles include minor mechanics like these in recent entries—players may pet, and feed your monsters in camps. However, I'm dying for a Pokémon game more in the style of Nintendogs or The Sims.
My Pokémon Ranch (2008) for the Nintendo Wii isn't it. The downloadable-only title is most accurately viewed as the precursor to Pokémon Home; that is, as a repository to store monsters from different games. Critical reception from its release said Ranch was a bad if not outright hideous game. It's not my goal to dispute these notions, 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 is set on a ranch where your personal Miis—get this—simply hang out with your Pokémon pals. The activities with Pokémon were simple, and a significant part of the appeal was observing what your monsters might do when not forced into battle. Ideally, 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, it's likely we will never see a Pokémon Ranch game developed to its complete potential. I'd say 'save us, Pokémon Pokopia!' but I also know that the Nintendo Switch 2 exclusive is just as much a puzzler as it is a life simulation.
Ranch was released long before Stardew Valley sparked the enduring trend of cozy games. It was before the rise of idle games, and the video playthrough popularization of viewing games you aren't playing. Many never realized that Ranch's concept to watch your critters as much as you interact with them didn't mask a shallow core. In actuality, Ranch's attention to detail was so remarkable, there's a Twitch stream focused on broadcasting the game 24/7. The streamer who runs the channel states that, after nearly two decades of experiencing the game, he still has not encountered everything that is in it. Justice for Pokémon Ranch: no one understood you in 2008.
Pokémon Duel: The Strategic Tabletop Game Gone
Did you know that Pokémon once had an official tabletop game with miniatures? Pokemon Duel was the 2016 attempt to digitize the tabletop experience in a more accessible form. Duel was also, unfortunately, one of Pokémon's earliest forays into the world of free-to-play mobile gaming. Duel had the hallmarks of a gacha game where players could spend for advantage—and there was motivation to do so, given the slow progression for new pieces.
These poor design choices masked a sad truth: Pokémon Duel was an excellent strategy 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 complexity, approachability, 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."
Unfortunately, Duel's early release was plagued with server issues. Bugs, alongside Duel's scummy business model, gave people little reason to come back. If, by some miracle, The Pokémon Company chose to resurrect this franchise, I'm still not certain things would end better. The unusual board structure made for a great tactical experience for the handful of players who played Duel, but that board is also a daunting eyesore.
Pokémon: Magikarp Jump: The Silly Gem
Man, why don't more Pokémon games relax a little and have some fun? Magikarp Jump (2017) was a rare instance of The Pokémon Company giving its blessing a game with a premise so absurd, it was verging on internet meme. And when we're dealing with a franchise where trainers go out with a full belt of ineffective monsters who literally can't do anything, it's surprising we don't have more Pokémon games that poke fun at themselves.
In Magikarp Jump, the player is charged with raising the ultimate version of the infamous fish. This isn't about a Magikarp that can win battles. These are 'Magikarp raised to enter contests to see who can jump the highest. One drawback is how Magikarp Jump, like many phone games, requires the player to wait before they can improve their Magikarp further. But it is clear throughout the experience that Select Button loved and understood the fan culture around Magikarp.
This was most apparent than in Jump's brutal random events, 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 experimented with other things I wish the mainline games would do, like offering a wide variety of the same type of monster. It's understood it's not practical for any Pokémon game to have 30 different 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 seeds of brilliance were there. Sharply written events with outrageous outcomes that forever alter how you can raise a pet also describe the excellent Mewgenics. And I'm just saying: Mewgenics will likely be in the conversation when 2026 GOTY season rolls around.
With numerous core games and derivative titles, chances are that I didn't mention that particular Pokémon game you absolutely adore but contend that not nearly enough people played. It's acknowledged that some people look back on games like Pokemon Ranger or Pokémon Pinball fondly despite argu
