Following a taste of world peace thanks to Pokemon Go, there's no question that the creature-catching series stands as one of the most ubiquitous video games around. Pikachu is just as famous as Disney's mascot, perhaps even more. The continued pandemonium surrounding card prices ensures near-daily Pokemon headlines. You'd be hard-pressed to find a pocket monster game that didn't sell at least a few million units. Remarkably, unofficial Pokémon games achieve popularity annually.
However in spite of that ubiquity and fame, some Pokémon games that remain underappreciated. These represent games that didn't get their proper due, or were buried by the excitement of the core series. They're Pokémon games stuck on ill-fated consoles or services, or were pioneering attempts onto new mediums. Frequently, they are Pokémon games that might have flourished if they had received follow-ups or modern remakes. With these criteria in mind, we won't be offering yet another recommendation for Pokémon Conquest or the Pokemon Mystery Dungeon series. We're going beneath the surface.
Nevertheless, you may already know about these Pokémon games. So, before adjusting your spectacles and typing 'Well,' we can all acknowledge that these are Pokémon games for those possessing refined tastes, agreed?
Pokemon Ranch: The Chill Precursor
An excessive number of Pokémon games focus on the battling element of the series, and not nearly enough of them focus on the everyday realities that would come with living with a companion. Sure, modern titles include small features like these in recent entries—you can play with your monsters in bases. But I am dying for a Pokémon game more in the vein of Nintendogs or The Sims.
My Pokemon Ranch (2008) for the Wii isn't it. The downloadable-only title is most accurately viewed as the antecedent 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 truly ugly game. I'm not here to dispute these notions, but it compels me to say Ranch might be the nearest we've come to a everyday life Pokémon game.
True to its title, the game is set on a farm where your Mii avatars—imagine this—simply hang out with your pals. The activities with Pokémon were simple, and a significant part of the draw was observing what your monsters might do when not forced into battle. Ideally, Pokémon Ranch would have been the beginning of a beautiful franchise built on the simple pleasures of living your life with a small creature. However, because The Pokémon Company can charge a subscription for Pokémon Home now, I'm guessing we will not get a Pokémon Ranch game developed to its complete potential. I'd say 'save us, Pokémon Pokopia!' but I also know that the Nintendo Switch 2 exclusive is as much a puzzle game as it is a life simulation.
Ranch came out well before Stardew Valley kicked off the lasting craze of cozy games. It was before the proliferation of passive games, and the video playthrough normalization of watching games you aren't playing. Many never realized 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, a live stream focused on running the game 24/7. The individual who operates the channel states that, after nearly two decades of playing the game, he even now has not seen all that is in it. Justice for Pokémon Ranch: no one understood you in 2008.
Pokemon Duel: The Strategic Tabletop Game Lost
Are you aware that Pokemon once had an licensed tabletop game with miniatures? Pokemon Duel was the 2016 effort to digitize the physical experience in a more accessible 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 motivation to do so, given the lengthy grind for new pieces.
All of these poor design choices obfuscated a tragic reality: Pokémon Duel was an excellent strategy game with Duel today. "I can’t express how much I loved and miss this game," a YouTube comment states, seven years after Duel's servers were shut down. "Truly I think this game was better than TCG Pocket in terms of complexity, accessibility, game design, and features in general," another commenter declared. "I truly believe if it launched now people would be playing it more than GO and Pocket combined."
Unfortunately, Duel's early release was marred by connectivity problems. Technical problems, alongside Duel's predatory business 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 end better. The unusual board structure made for a fantastic tactical experience for the few folks who played Duel, but that playing field is also a intimidating visual mess.
Pokemon: Magikarp Jump: The Absurd Gem
Wow, 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 approving a game with a premise so silly, it was verging on internet meme. Considering we're dealing with a franchise where trainers venture forth with a full belt of useless monsters who literally can't do anything, it's surprising we don't have more Pokémon games that poke fun at themselves.
Within Magikarp Jump, the player is tasked with raising the best possible version of the notorious fish. This isn't about a Magikarp that can win battles. These are 'karp raised to enter contests to see who can jump the highest. I'm not a fan is how Magikarp Jump, like many mobile games, forces the player to wait before they can improve their Magikarp further. But it is clear throughout the experience that Select Button appreciated and got the fan culture around Magikarp.
Nowhere was this more evident than in Jump's merciless random occurrences, where your Magikarp was just as likely to improve as it was to get eaten by a Pidgeotto. Apart from the clever dialogue, Magikarp Jump also experimented with other things I wish the mainline games would do, like offering a wide variety of the same type of monster. I know it's not feasible for any Pokémon game to have 30 different colorings and patterns for a compendium of over a thousand creatures, as Magikarp Jump does... but we can hope.
Magikarp Jump was not a especially sophisticated or deep game, but the kernels of genius were there. Witty events with outrageous outcomes that permanently influence how you can train a companion also describe the excellent Mewgenics. It's worth noting: Mewgenics will likely be in the running when Game of the Year season arrives.
With numerous mainline entries and derivative titles, it's probable that I didn't mention that particular Pokémon game you totally love but contend that not nearly enough people played. I know that some people remember games like Pokemon Ranger or Pokemon Pinball with affection notwithstanding argu
