3 Pokémon Titles That Were Denied the Appreciation They Warranted
In the wake of a vision of global harmony courtesy of Pokemon Go, it's beyond doubt that the creature-catching franchise stands as one of the most mainstream video games around. The iconic Pikachu is every bit as identifiable as Mickey Mouse, if not more so. The ongoing frenzy surrounding card prices guarantees near-daily Pokémon news stories. It would be hard-pressed to find a pocket monster game that failed to move at least a couple million copies. Even, unofficial Pokémon games go viral annually.
Yet despite that pervasiveness and popularity, there are still Pokémon games that remain underappreciated. These represent titles that didn't get their fair shake, or were overshadowed under the hype of the mainline series. These are Pokémon games released on ill-fated consoles or online offerings, or were early forays onto new mediums. They're often also Pokémon games that probably would have blossomed if they ever got sequels or modern remakes. With these criteria in mind, we won't be offering yet another recommendation for Pokemon Conquest or the Pokémon Mystery Dungeon series. We're pulling an Excadrill.
Nevertheless, these might be these Pokémon games. So, before adjusting your spectacles and typing 'Well,' we can all acknowledge that these are Pokémon games for people with discerning palates, shall we?
Pokemon Ranch: The Relaxed Precursor
An excessive number of Pokémon games emphasize the combat element of the series, and not nearly enough of them highlight the everyday aspects that would come with living with a companion. Admittedly, there are minor mechanics like these in recent entries—players may pet, and feed your monsters in bases. But I am longing for a Pokémon game more in the vein of Nintendogs or The Sims.
My Pokémon Ranch (2008) for the Nintendo Wii is not that game. The digital-only title is best seen as the antecedent to Pokemon Home; that is, as a storage system to hold monsters from various titles. Critical reception from its release 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 closest we've come to a slice-of-life Pokémon game.
As the name suggests, the game is set on a farm where your Mii avatars—get this—simply hang out with your Pokémon pals. The interactions with Pokémon were simple, and a lot of the draw was watching what your monsters might do when they're not being forced into cockfighting. In a just world, Pokémon Ranch would have been the beginning of a wonderful franchise built on the simple pleasures of living your life with a tiny companion. But since The Pokémon Company can charge a subscription for Pokémon Home now, I'm guessing we will never see a Pokémon Ranch game realized to its fullest potential. I'd say 'save us, Pokémon Pokopia!' but it's also known that the Nintendo Switch 2 exclusive is as much a puzzler as it is a life sim.
Ranch came out long before Stardew Valley kicked off the lasting craze of cozy games. It was prior to the proliferation of passive games, and the Let's Play popularization of watching games you aren't playing. Many never realized that Ranch's proposal to observe your critters as much as you play with them wasn't to hide a lack of substance. In truth, Ranch's attention to detail was so extraordinary, a live stream dedicated to running the game 24/7. The individual who runs the channel states that, after almost twenty years of playing 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.
Pokémon Duel: The Strategic Board Game Lost
Did you know that Pokémon once had an licensed board game with action figures? Pokemon Duel was the 2016 attempt to adapt the tabletop experience in a more accessible format. Duel was also, sadly, one of Pokémon's first forays into the world of freemium phone games. Duel had the trappings of a gacha title where players could spend for advantage—and there was incentive to do so, given the lengthy grind for new figures.
All of these questionable mechanics masked a sad truth: Pokémon Duel was an excellent tactical game with Duel today. "Words cannot describe how much I adored and miss this game," one YouTube comment reads, years after Duel's servers were shut down. "Truly I think this game was superior to TCG Pocket in terms of complexity, accessibility, game design, and features in general," a user declared. "I am convinced if it launched now people would be playing it more than GO and Pocket combined."
Regrettably, Duel's initial launch was plagued with connectivity problems. Technical problems, alongside Duel's predatory monetization model, gave people little reason to come back. Should a revival occur, The Pokémon Company chose to resurrect this franchise, I'm still not certain things would play out differently. The unique game board made for a great tactical experience for the few folks who played Duel, but that playing field is also a intimidating eyesore.
Pokémon: Magikarp Jump: The Absurd Gem
Wow, why don't more Pokémon games relax 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 absurd, it was bordering on shitpost. And when we're dealing with a franchise where trainers venture forth with a team of useless monsters who simply cannot do anything, I'm shocked we don't have more Pokémon games that poke fun at themselves.
In Magikarp Jump, the player is tasked with raising the best possible version of the infamous fish. This isn't about a Magikarp that can kick your butt. These are 'Magikarp raised to enter contests to see who can flop the highest. One drawback is how Magikarp Jump, like many mobile games, requires the player to pause before they can train their Magikarp further. But it is evident throughout the experience that Select Button loved and understood the community love around Magikarp.
This was most apparent than in Jump's merciless random occurrences, where your Magikarp was as likely to raise its stats as it was to get eaten by a Pidgeotto. Beyond the great writing, Magikarp Jump also tried out other things one might wish the core series would do, like offering a wide variety of the same species 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 particularly sophisticated or profound game, but the kernels of genius 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 numerous mainline entries and derivative titles, chances are that I omitted that one Pokémon game you totally love but contend that not nearly enough people played. I know that some people remember games like Pokémon Ranger or Pokémon Pinball fondly despite argu
