In the wake of a taste of global harmony thanks to Pokémon Go, there's no question that the monster collecting franchise is about as popular gaming titles around. Pikachu is just as famous as Disney's mascot, perhaps even more. The continued pandemonium surrounding trading card values ensures near-daily Pokémon news stories. You'd be hard-pressed to find a pocket monster game that didn't sell at least a few million units. Even, unofficial Pokémon games go viral annually.
However despite that pervasiveness and fame, there are still Pokémon games that remain underappreciated. These are games that failed to receive their proper due, or were overshadowed 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 probably would have flourished if they ever got follow-ups 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.
Still, you may already know about these Pokémon games. Therefore, prior to rearranging your glasses and writing 'Actually,' we can all acknowledge that these are Pokémon games for those possessing discerning palates, agreed?
Pokemon Ranch: The Chill Forerunner
An excessive number of Pokémon games focus on the combat aspect of the series, and far too few of them highlight the ordinary realities that would come with owning a pet. Admittedly, there are minor mechanics like these in recent entries—players may pet, and feed your monsters in bases. But I am dying for a Pokémon game more in the style of Nintendogs or The Sims.
My Pokemon Ranch (2008) for the Wii isn't it. The downloadable-only title is best seen as the precursor to Pokémon Home; that is, as a repository to store monsters from different games. Reviews from its launch noted Ranch was a bad if not outright hideous game. I'm not here to argue against these notions, but it behooves me to say Ranch might be the nearest we've ever gotten to a everyday life Pokémon game.
As the name suggests, the game takes place on a ranch where your personal Miis—imagine this—simply hang out with your pals. The interactions with Pokémon were simple, and a lot of the appeal was observing 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 daily joys of coexisting with a small creature. But since The Pokémon Company can collect a fee for Pokémon Home now, it's likely we will not get a Pokémon Ranch game realized to its complete potential. One might cry 'help us, Pokémon Pokopia!' but I also know that the upcoming Switch exclusive is just as much a puzzle game as it is a life simulation.
Ranch came out well before Stardew Valley kicked off the enduring trend of comfort gaming. It was before the rise of passive games, and the video playthrough popularization of watching games you aren't playing. Many never understood that Ranch's concept to watch your critters as much as you interact with them wasn't to hide a lack of substance. In actuality, Ranch's meticulous design was so remarkable, a Twitch stream dedicated to running the game 24/7. The individual who runs the channel maintains that, after almost twenty years of playing the game, he even now has not encountered all that is in it. Recognition for Pokémon Ranch: nobody knew what to do with you in 2008.
Pokemon Duel: The Tactical Board Game Gone
Did you know that Pokémon once had an licensed tabletop game with action figures? Pokemon Duel was the 2016 effort to adapt the physical experience in a more approachable form. Duel was also, unfortunately, one of Pokémon's first forays 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 incentive to do so, given the lengthy grind for new figures.
These poor design choices obfuscated 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 states, years after Duel's servers were pulled. "Honestly I think this game was superior to TCG Pocket in terms of depth, accessibility, game design, and content in general," a user declared. "I truly believe if it came out now people would be engaging with it more than GO and Pocket combined."
Unfortunately, Duel's early release was plagued with connectivity problems. Technical problems, alongside Duel's predatory monetization model, gave people little reason to return. Should a revival occur, The Pokémon Company decided to revive this franchise, it's unclear things would play out differently. The unique game board made for a fantastic strategic challenge for the handful of players who played Duel, but that playing field is also a daunting visual mess.
Pokémon: Magikarp Jump: The Absurd Gem
Man, 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 giving its blessing a game with a concept so silly, it was bordering on internet meme. And when we're dealing with a franchise where trainers venture forth with a full belt of ineffective monsters who simply cannot 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 raising the ultimate version of the infamous fish. This isn't about a Magikarp that can win battles. These are 'Magikarp raised to enter competitions 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 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 events, where your Magikarp was as likely to improve as it was to get eaten by a Pidgeotto. Apart from the great writing, Magikarp Jump also tried out other things I wish the core series would do, like offering a diverse range 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 one can dream.
Magikarp Jump was not a especially sophisticated or deep game, but the seeds of brilliance were there. Witty events with unpredictable results that forever alter how you can train a companion also describe the excellent Mewgenics. It's worth noting: Mewgenics will almost certainly be in the conversation when Game of the Year season arrives.
With dozens of mainline entries and spin-offs, it's probable that I omitted that one Pokémon game you absolutely adore but argue that too few people played. I know that some people remember games like Pokemon Ranger or Pokémon Pinball fondly notwithstanding argu
