Following a glimpse of world peace thanks to Pokémon Go, there's no question that the monster collecting series is about as mainstream gaming titles around. Pikachu is every bit as identifiable as Disney's mascot, if not more so. The ongoing excitement around trading card values guarantees almost daily Pokémon headlines. You'd be difficult to find a pocket monster game that failed to move at least a few million copies. Even, unofficial Pokémon games achieve popularity every year.
Yet in spite of that ubiquity and popularity, some Pokémon games that are totally underappreciated. These represent titles that failed to receive their fair shake, or were overshadowed by the hype of the core series. They're Pokémon games released on doomed platforms or services, or were pioneering attempts onto different formats. Frequently, they are 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.
Still, these might be these Pokémon games. So, before adjusting your spectacles and typing 'Actually,' we can all acknowledge that these are Pokémon games for those possessing discerning palates, agreed?
Pokemon Ranch: The Cozy Forerunner
An excessive number of Pokémon games focus on the combat element of the series, and far too few of them focus on the everyday realities that would come with owning a companion. Admittedly, modern titles include small features like these in recent entries—you can play with 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 Wii isn't it. The digital-only title is best seen as the precursor to Pokémon Home; that is, as a repository to store monsters from various titles. Critical reception from its release noted Ranch was a bad if not outright hideous game. I'm not here to dispute these notions, but it behooves 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 is set on a farm where your Mii avatars—get this—simply hang out with your pals. The activities with Pokémon were simple, and a lot of the draw was watching what your monsters might do when not forced into battle. In a just world, Pokémon Ranch would have been the start of a wonderful 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, I'm guessing we will not get a Pokémon Ranch game realized to its fullest potential. One might cry 'save us, Pokémon Pokopia!' but it's also known that the upcoming Switch exclusive is just as much a puzzler as it is a life simulation.
Ranch came out long before Stardew Valley kicked off the lasting craze of comfort gaming. It was prior to the rise of idle games, and the video playthrough popularization of watching games you aren't playing. Many never understood that Ranch's concept to observe your creatures as much as you interact with them didn't mask a shallow core. In truth, Ranch's meticulous design was so remarkable, there's a Twitch stream focused on running the game continuously. The individual who operates the channel maintains that, after nearly two decades of experiencing the game, he even now has not seen all that is in it. Recognition for Pokémon Ranch: nobody understood you in 2008.
Pokemon Duel: The Strategic Tabletop Game Gone
Did you know that Pokemon once had an licensed tabletop game with miniatures? Pokémon Duel was the 2016 effort to adapt the tabletop experience in a more accessible format. Duel was also, sadly, one of Pokémon's first forays into the world of free-to-play mobile gaming. Duel had the hallmarks of a gacha title where players could spend for advantage—and there was incentive to do so, given the lengthy grind for new pieces.
These questionable mechanics masked a tragic reality: Pokémon Duel was an excellent strategy game with Duel anymore. "Words cannot describe how much I loved and miss this game," a YouTube comment reads, seven years after Duel's servers were shut down. "Truly I think this game was superior to TCG Pocket in terms of complexity, approachability, design, and content in general," another commenter wrote. "I truly believe if it launched now people would be playing it more than GO and Pocket combined."
Unfortunately, Duel's initial launch was marred by connectivity problems. Bugs, alongside Duel's scummy monetization 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 play out differently. The unusual board structure made for a fantastic tactical experience for the handful of players who played Duel, but that board is also a intimidating visual mess.
Pokemon: Magikarp Jump: The Silly Experiment
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 giving its blessing a game with a concept so absurd, it was verging on internet meme. Considering we're dealing with a franchise where trainers venture forth with a team of useless monsters who literally can't do anything, I'm shocked 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 flop 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 appreciated and got the community love around Magikarp.
This was most apparent than in Jump's merciless random events, where your Magikarp was as likely to raise its stats as it was to get snatched by a Pidgeotto. Beyond the clever dialogue, 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. I know it's not feasible for any Pokémon game to have dozens of variations for a compendium 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 outrageous outcomes that forever alter how you can train a companion also describe the excellent Mewgenics. And I'm just saying: Mewgenics will almost certainly be in the conversation when Game of the Year season arrives.
Given dozens of mainline entries and spin-offs, it's probable that I omitted 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 notwithstanding argu
