In the wake of a glimpse of world peace thanks to Pokemon Go, it's beyond doubt that the creature-catching franchise stands as one of the most ubiquitous video games in existence. The iconic Pikachu is just as identifiable as Disney's mascot, if not more so. The ongoing excitement around trading card values guarantees almost daily Pokemon news stories. You'd be hard-pressed to find a Pokémon game that didn't sell at least a few million copies. Even, unofficial Pokémon games go viral annually.
Yet in spite of that pervasiveness and fame, there are still Pokémon games that are totally overlooked. These represent games that didn't get their fair shake, or were buried by the excitement of the mainline series. They're Pokémon games stuck on doomed consoles or online offerings, or were early forays onto new mediums. They're often also Pokémon games that might have flourished if they ever got sequels or modern remakes. Considering these factors, we won't be offering just one more reminder for Pokemon Conquest or the Pokemon Mystery Dungeon series. We're going beneath the surface.
Still, you may already know about these Pokémon games. So, before adjusting your spectacles and writing 'Well,' we can all acknowledge that these are Pokémon games for those possessing refined tastes, agreed?
Pokémon Ranch: The Relaxed Precursor
An excessive number of Pokémon games focus on the battling element of the series, and far too few of them highlight the ordinary aspects that would come with owning a companion. Admittedly, modern titles include small features like these in recent entries—you can 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 is not that game. The digital-only title is most accurately viewed as the precursor to Pokémon Home; that is, as a repository to store monsters from different games. Critical reception from its launch said Ranch was a poor 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 closest we've ever gotten to a everyday life Pokémon game.
True to its title, the game takes place on a farm where your Mii avatars—imagine this—simply hang out with your pals. The interactions with Pokémon were simple, and a lot of the draw was watching what your monsters might do when not forced into battle. Ideally, Pokémon Ranch would have been the start of a beautiful franchise built on the simple pleasures of coexisting 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 complete potential. I'd say 'help us, Pokémon Pokopia!' but it's also known that the Nintendo Switch 2 exclusive is as much a puzzle game as it is a life sim.
Ranch was released well before Stardew Valley sparked the enduring trend of cozy games. It was before the rise of idle games, and the Let's Play normalization of watching games you aren't actively controlling. Most people never understood that Ranch's concept to watch your creatures as much as you interact with them wasn't to hide a lack of substance. In truth, Ranch's meticulous design was so remarkable, a Twitch stream dedicated to running the game 24/7. The streamer who operates the channel states that, after nearly two decades of experiencing the game, he still has not encountered all that is in it. Justice for Pokémon Ranch: nobody knew what to do with you in 2008.
Pokémon Duel: The Tactical Tabletop Game Gone
Are you aware that Pokémon once had an licensed tabletop game with action figures? Pokemon Duel was the 2016 effort to digitize the tabletop experience in a more approachable form. Duel was also, sadly, one of Pokémon's first forays into the world of free-to-play mobile gaming. Duel had the trappings of a gacha game where players could spend for advantage—and there was motivation to do so, given the slow progression for new pieces.
These poor design choices masked a sad truth: Pokémon Duel was an excellent strategy game with Duel today. "Words cannot describe how much I loved and miss this game," one YouTube comment reads, years after Duel's servers were pulled. "Honestly I think this game was superior to TCG Pocket in terms of depth, approachability, game design, and features in general," another commenter declared. "I am convinced if it came out now people would be engaging with 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 few incentives to come back. If, by some miracle, The Pokémon Company decided to revive this franchise, it's unclear things would end better. The unusual board structure made for a great tactical experience for the few folks who played Duel, but that board is also a daunting visual mess.
Pokemon: Magikarp Jump: The Whimsical Gem
Man, why don't more Pokémon games relax a little and have some enjoyment? Magikarp Jump (2017) was a uncommon case of The Pokémon Company giving its blessing a game with a premise so absurd, it was verging on internet meme. 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 poke fun at themselves.
In Magikarp Jump, the player is charged with raising the best possible version of the infamous fish. I'm not talking about a Magikarp that can kick your butt. These are 'karp 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 improve their Magikarp further. But it is evident throughout the experience that the developers 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 raise its stats as it was to get eaten by a Pidgeotto. Beyond the great writing, Magikarp Jump also experimented with 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 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 we can hope.
Magikarp Jump was not a especially complex or deep game, but the seeds of brilliance were there. Sharply written events with unpredictable results that permanently influence how you can raise a pet also describe the excellent Mewgenics. It's worth noting: Mewgenics will likely be in the running when 2026 GOTY season arrives.
With numerous mainline entries and derivative titles, it's probable that I omitted that one Pokémon game you absolutely adore but argue that too few people played. It's acknowledged that some people look back on games like Pokemon Ranger or Pokémon Pinball with affection despite argu
