3 Pokémon Titles That Failed to Receive the Appreciation They Deserved
Following a glimpse of global harmony thanks to Pokémon Go, there's no question that the monster collecting franchise is about as ubiquitous video games in existence. Pikachu is just as recognizable as Mickey Mouse, perhaps even more. The continued frenzy around trading card values guarantees near-daily Pokemon news stories. It would be hard-pressed to find a Pokémon game that didn't sell at least a few million copies. Remarkably, unofficial Pokémon games achieve popularity annually.
However in spite of that pervasiveness and popularity, there are still Pokémon games that are totally overlooked. These are games that didn't get their fair shake, or were buried under the hype of the mainline series. These are Pokémon games stuck on ill-fated platforms or services, or were early forays onto new mediums. They're often also Pokémon games that probably would have flourished if they had received follow-ups or modern remakes. With these criteria in mind, this list will not be just one more reminder for Pokémon 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 'Actually,' let us just agree that these are Pokémon games for those possessing refined tastes, agreed?
Pokémon Ranch: The Cozy Precursor
An excessive number of Pokémon games emphasize the battling aspect of the series, and not nearly enough of them focus on the everyday aspects that would come with living with a pet. Admittedly, modern titles include minor mechanics like these in recent entries—players may pet, and feed your monsters in bases. However, I'm longing for a Pokémon game more in the style of Nintendogs or The Sims.
My Pokemon Ranch (2008) for the Wii isn't it. The downloadable-only title is best seen as the precursor to Pokemon Home; that is, as a repository to store monsters from various titles. Critical reception from its release said Ranch was a poor if not truly ugly game. I'm not here to argue against these notions, but it compels me to say Ranch might be the closest we've come 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 Pokémon pals. The activities with Pokémon were basic, and a significant part of the appeal was observing what your monsters might do when they're not being forced into cockfighting. Ideally, Pokémon Ranch would have been the start of a beautiful franchise built on the simple pleasures of coexisting with a small creature. But since The Pokémon Company can collect a fee for Pokémon Home now, it's likely we will never see a Pokémon Ranch game developed to its fullest potential. I'd say 'save us, Pokémon Pokopia!' but it's also known that the upcoming Switch exclusive is as much a puzzler 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 video playthrough normalization of viewing games you aren't actively controlling. Most people never realized 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 attention to detail was so remarkable, there's a Twitch stream dedicated to broadcasting the game 24/7. The streamer who runs the channel maintains that, after almost twenty years of experiencing the game, he still has not encountered all that is in it. Recognition for Pokémon Ranch: no one understood you in 2008.
Pokémon Duel: The Tactical Board Game Gone
Are you aware that Pokémon once had an licensed board game with miniatures? Pokémon Duel was the 2016 effort to digitize the tabletop experience in a more approachable format. Duel was also, unfortunately, one of Pokémon's earliest forays into the world of freemium phone games. Duel had the hallmarks of a gacha game where players could pay to win—and there was incentive to do so, given the slow progression for new pieces.
These poor design choices obfuscated a tragic reality: Pokémon Duel was an superb tactical game with Duel today. "I can’t express 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 depth, accessibility, design, and features in general," a user wrote. "I truly believe if it launched now people would be playing it more than GO and Pocket together."
Unfortunately, Duel's initial launch was marred by connectivity problems. Bugs, alongside Duel's predatory business model, gave people few incentives to come back. Should a revival occur, The Pokémon Company chose to resurrect this franchise, it's unclear things would play out differently. The unique board structure made for a great tactical experience for the few folks who played Duel, but that board is also a daunting eyesore.
Pokémon: Magikarp Jump: The Absurd Gem
Wow, why don't more Pokémon games relax a little and have some fun? Magikarp Jump (2017) was a rare instance of The Pokémon Company giving its blessing a game with a premise so absurd, 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.
In Magikarp Jump, the player is charged with breeding the best possible 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 jump the highest. I'm not a fan is how Magikarp Jump, like many mobile games, requires 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.
Nowhere was this more evident than in Jump's brutal random occurrences, where your Magikarp was just as likely to raise its stats as it was to get snatched by a Pidgeotto. Beyond the great writing, Magikarp Jump also experimented with other things one might wish the core series would do, like offering a wide variety of the same species of monster. I know it's not feasible 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 complex or deep game, but the kernels of genius were there. Sharply written 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 almost certainly be in the running when 2026 GOTY season arrives.
Given numerous core games and spin-offs, chances are that I didn't mention that particular Pokémon game you absolutely adore but contend that too few people played. It's acknowledged that some people remember games like Pokémon Ranger or Pokémon Pinball with affection despite argu
