Following a glimpse of global harmony thanks to Pokémon Go, there's no question that the creature-catching series is about as mainstream gaming titles in existence. The iconic Pikachu is every bit as identifiable as Disney's mascot, if not more so. The continued frenzy around card prices guarantees near-daily Pokémon headlines. You'd be hard-pressed to find a Pokémon game that failed to move at least a few million copies. Remarkably, fan-made Pokémon games achieve popularity annually.
However in spite of that pervasiveness and popularity, there are still Pokémon games that remain underappreciated. These represent games that didn't get their proper due, or were buried by the excitement of the core series. These are Pokémon games released on doomed consoles or online offerings, or were early forays onto different formats. Frequently, they are Pokémon games that probably would have flourished if they had received sequels or modern remakes. Considering these factors, we won't be offering yet another recommendation for Pokemon Conquest or the Pokémon Mystery Dungeon series. We're pulling an Excadrill.
Nevertheless, you may already know about these Pokémon games. Therefore, prior to adjusting your spectacles and typing 'Actually,' we can all acknowledge that these are Pokémon games for people with discerning palates, agreed?
Pokemon Ranch: The Cozy Forerunner
An excessive number of Pokémon games focus on the battling aspect of the series, and far too few of them highlight the ordinary aspects that would come with owning a pet. Admittedly, modern titles include minor mechanics like these in modern games—players may play with your monsters in camps. However, I'm dying for a Pokémon game more in the vein of Nintendogs or The Sims.
My Pokemon Ranch (2008) for the Wii isn't it. The digital-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 noted Ranch was a bad if not truly ugly game. It's not my goal to argue against these claims, but it compels me to say Ranch might be the nearest we've ever gotten to a slice-of-life Pokémon game.
True to its title, the game takes place on a ranch where your Mii avatars—imagine this—just relax with your pals. The interactions with Pokémon were simple, and a significant part of the draw was observing 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 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. One might cry 'help us, Pokémon Pokopia!' but I also know that the Nintendo Switch 2 exclusive is as much a puzzler as it is a life simulation.
Ranch was released well before Stardew Valley sparked the lasting craze of cozy games. It was before the proliferation of idle games, and the Let's Play normalization of watching games you aren't actively controlling. Many never understood that Ranch's proposal to observe your creatures as much as you interact with them didn't mask a shallow core. In truth, Ranch's attention to detail was so remarkable, a live stream dedicated to broadcasting the game 24/7. The individual who operates the channel states that, after nearly two decades of experiencing the game, he even now has not encountered all that is in it. Justice for Pokémon Ranch: nobody knew what to do with you in 2008.
Pokemon Duel: The Strategic Board Game Gone
Did you know that Pokemon once had an licensed board game with miniatures? Pokémon Duel was the 2016 effort to adapt the physical experience in a more approachable form. Duel was also, sadly, one of Pokémon's earliest forays into the world of freemium mobile gaming. Duel had the trappings of a gacha title where players could spend for advantage—and there was incentive to do so, given the slow progression for new figures.
All of these poor design choices obfuscated a sad truth: Pokémon Duel was an superb strategy game with Duel anymore. "Words cannot describe how much I adored and miss this game," a YouTube comment reads, years after Duel's servers were pulled. "Truly I think this game was better than TCG Pocket in terms of complexity, accessibility, design, and content in general," another commenter declared. "I truly believe if it came out now people would be engaging with it more than GO and Pocket together."
Regrettably, Duel's initial launch was marred by connectivity problems. Technical problems, alongside Duel's predatory business model, gave people few incentives to return. 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 intimidating 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 concept so absurd, it was verging on internet meme. And when we're dealing with a franchise where trainers venture forth with a full belt of useless monsters who literally can't do anything, I'm shocked 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 win battles. These are 'karp raised to enter contests to see who can jump the highest. I'm not a fan is how Magikarp Jump, like many phone games, forces the player to pause before they can improve their Magikarp further. But it is evident throughout the experience that Select Button loved and understood the community love around Magikarp.
Nowhere was this more evident than in Jump's merciless random events, where your Magikarp was just as likely to improve as it was to get eaten by a Pidgeotto. Beyond the clever dialogue, Magikarp Jump also tried out other things I wish the mainline games would do, like offering a diverse range of the same species 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 particularly complex or profound game, but the seeds of brilliance were there. Witty events with unpredictable results that permanently influence how you can train a companion also describe the excellent Mewgenics. And I'm just saying: Mewgenics will likely be in the conversation when 2026 GOTY season rolls around.
With dozens of core games and spin-offs, chances are that I didn't mention that one Pokémon game you totally love but argue that not nearly enough people played. It's acknowledged that some people remember games like Pokemon Ranger or Pokémon Pinball fondly notwithstanding argu
