3 Pokemon Titles That Failed to Receive the Adoration They Deserved
In the wake of a vision of world peace thanks to Pokémon Go, it's undeniable that the monster collecting franchise stands as one of the most ubiquitous video games in existence. Pikachu is just as recognizable as Disney's mascot, perhaps even more. The ongoing pandemonium surrounding card prices guarantees near-daily Pokémon headlines. It would be difficult to find a Pokémon game that failed to move at least a couple million units. Remarkably, unofficial Pokémon games go viral every year.
However despite that ubiquity and popularity, some Pokémon games that are totally overlooked. These represent titles that didn't get their fair shake, or were buried by the excitement of the mainline series. These are Pokémon games stuck on doomed consoles or online offerings, or were early forays onto different formats. 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, this list will not be just one more recommendation for Pokemon Conquest or the Pokémon Mystery Dungeon series. We're going beneath the surface.
Still, you may already know about these Pokémon games. Therefore, prior to rearranging your glasses and typing 'Well,' let us just agree that these are Pokémon games for people with refined tastes, agreed?
Pokemon Ranch: The Relaxed Forerunner
An excessive number of Pokémon games focus on the combat aspect of the series, and not nearly enough of them highlight the everyday realities that would come with living with a pet. Admittedly, modern titles include small features like these in modern games—you can pet, and feed your monsters in camps. 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 digital-only title is most accurately viewed as the antecedent to Pokémon Home; that is, as a storage system to hold monsters from various titles. Reviews from its launch noted Ranch was a poor if not truly ugly game. It's not my goal to argue against these notions, 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 is set on a farm where your Mii avatars—imagine this—just relax with your pals. The interactions with Pokémon were basic, 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 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, I'm guessing we will never see a Pokémon Ranch game developed 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 simulation.
Ranch was released well before Stardew Valley sparked the lasting craze of cozy games. It was before the rise of idle games, and the video playthrough normalization of viewing games you aren't playing. Many never understood that Ranch's proposal to watch your critters as much as you play with them wasn't to hide a lack of substance. In actuality, Ranch's attention to detail was so remarkable, there's a live stream focused on broadcasting the game continuously. The streamer who operates the channel states that, after almost twenty years of experiencing the game, he even now has not seen everything that is in it. Justice for Pokémon Ranch: no one understood you in 2008.
Pokémon Duel: The Tactical Tabletop Game Gone
Did you know that Pokémon once had an official board game with miniatures? Pokémon Duel was the 2016 effort to adapt the physical experience in a more approachable form. Duel was also, sadly, one of Pokémon's earliest ventures into the world of free-to-play mobile gaming. Duel had the trappings of a gacha title where players could pay to win—and there was incentive to do so, given the slow progression for new pieces.
All of these poor design choices masked a tragic reality: Pokémon Duel was an excellent tactical game with Duel anymore. "Words cannot describe how much I loved and miss this game," a YouTube comment states, years after Duel's servers were shut down. "Honestly I think this game was superior to TCG Pocket in terms of complexity, approachability, design, and content in general," another commenter declared. "I am convinced if it launched now people would be engaging with it more than GO and Pocket combined."
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, I'm still not certain things would end better. The unusual board structure made for a fantastic strategic challenge for the few folks who played Duel, but that playing field is also a intimidating eyesore.
Pokemon: Magikarp Jump: The Whimsical 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 approving a game with a concept so silly, it was verging on internet meme. Considering we're dealing with a franchise where trainers go out with a full belt of ineffective monsters who simply cannot do anything, it's surprising we don't have more Pokémon games that poke fun at themselves.
Within Magikarp Jump, the player is charged 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 competitions 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 loved and understood the community love around Magikarp.
This was most apparent than in Jump's brutal random events, where your Magikarp was as likely to improve as it was to get eaten by a Pidgeotto. Apart from the clever dialogue, Magikarp Jump also tried out other things I wish the core series 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 dozens of variations for a roster of over a thousand creatures, as Magikarp Jump does... but one can dream.
Magikarp Jump was not a particularly complex or deep game, but the seeds of brilliance were there. Witty events with outrageous outcomes 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 2026 GOTY season rolls around.
Given numerous core games and derivative titles, it's probable that I omitted that one Pokémon game you totally love but argue that not nearly enough people played. It's acknowledged that some people remember games like Pokémon Ranger or Pokemon Pinball fondly despite argu
