🔗 Share this article

Following a vision of world peace thanks to Pokemon Go, it's beyond doubt that the monster collecting franchise stands as one of the most ubiquitous gaming titles around. Pikachu is just as recognizable as Mickey Mouse, if not more so. The ongoing pandemonium around trading card values ensures near-daily Pokémon headlines. It would be difficult to find a pocket monster game that failed to move at least a couple million units. Even, fan-made Pokémon games go viral every year.

However in spite of that ubiquity and popularity, some Pokémon games that are totally overlooked. These represent titles that failed to receive their fair shake, or were buried under the hype of the mainline series. These are Pokémon games stuck on ill-fated platforms or online offerings, or were early forays onto new mediums. They're often also Pokémon games that might have blossomed if they had received follow-ups or contemporary re-releases. Considering these factors, this list will not be just one more reminder 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 typing 'Actually,' we can all acknowledge that these are Pokémon games for people with refined tastes, agreed?

Pokemon Ranch: The Chill Precursor

An excessive number of Pokémon games focus on the combat element of the series, and not nearly enough of them highlight the ordinary realities that would come with living with a companion. Admittedly, there are minor mechanics like these in modern games—you can play with your monsters in bases. However, I'm longing for a Pokémon game more in the vein of Nintendogs or The Sims.

My Pokemon Ranch (2008) for the Wii is not that game. The digital-only title is best seen as the precursor to Pokémon Home; that is, as a storage system to hold monsters from various titles. Reviews from its release noted Ranch was a bad if not truly ugly game. I'm not here to dispute these claims, but it compels me to say Ranch might be the nearest we've come to a everyday life Pokémon game.

As the name suggests, the game is set on a ranch where your personal Miis—imagine this—simply hang out with your pals. The activities with Pokémon were basic, and a significant part of the appeal 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 daily joys of coexisting with a small creature. 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 complete potential. One might cry 'save us, Pokémon Pokopia!' but it's also known that the upcoming Switch exclusive is as much a puzzle game as it is a life sim.

Ranch was released long before Stardew Valley kicked off the enduring trend of comfort gaming. It was before the rise of passive games, and the Let's Play popularization of viewing games you aren't actively controlling. Most people never understood that Ranch's concept to observe your creatures as much as you interact with them didn't mask a lack of substance. In truth, Ranch's meticulous design was so remarkable, a live stream focused on broadcasting the game continuously. The streamer 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 understood you in 2008.

Pokémon Duel: The Tactical Tabletop Game Gone

Did you know that Pokémon once had an official board game with action figures? Pokemon Duel was the 2016 effort to digitize the physical experience in a more approachable format. Duel was also, sadly, one of Pokémon's earliest 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 slow progression for new figures.

These questionable mechanics masked a tragic reality: Pokémon Duel was an superb tactical 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. "Truly I think this game was superior to TCG Pocket in terms of complexity, accessibility, game design, and content in general," a user declared. "I truly believe if it launched now people would be playing it more than GO and Pocket together."

Unfortunately, Duel's early release was marred by server issues. Technical problems, alongside Duel's predatory business model, gave people little reason to return. If, by some miracle, The Pokémon Company chose to resurrect this franchise, it's unclear things would end better. The unique game board made for a fantastic strategic challenge for the few folks who played Duel, but that playing field is also a daunting eyesore.

Pokemon: Magikarp Jump: The Absurd Gem

Man, 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 silly, it was bordering on shitpost. And when we're dealing with a franchise where trainers go out with a full belt of useless monsters who simply cannot do anything, I'm shocked we don't have more Pokémon games that laugh 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 'karp raised to enter competitions to see who can jump the highest. One drawback is how Magikarp Jump, like many mobile games, forces the player to wait before they can train their Magikarp further. But it is evident throughout the experience that Select Button appreciated and got the community love 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 snatched by a Pidgeotto. Apart from the great writing, Magikarp Jump also tried out other things I wish the mainline games 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 30 different colorings and patterns for a roster of over a thousand creatures, as Magikarp Jump does... but one can dream.

Magikarp Jump was not a particularly sophisticated or deep game, but the kernels of genius were there. Witty events with unpredictable results that permanently influence how you can raise a pet also describe the excellent Mewgenics. And I'm just saying: Mewgenics will likely be in the running when Game of the Year season arrives.

---

With dozens of mainline entries and derivative titles, chances are that I didn't mention that one Pokémon game you absolutely adore but contend that too few people played. I know that some people remember games like Pokémon Ranger or Pokémon Pinball fondly despite argu