Following a vision of global harmony courtesy of Pokémon Go, it's undeniable that the creature-catching series stands as one of the most ubiquitous video games in existence. The iconic Pikachu is just as famous as Disney's mascot, perhaps even more. The continued pandemonium around card prices ensures near-daily Pokemon news stories. You'd be difficult to find a pocket monster game that didn't sell at least a couple million copies. Even, fan-made Pokémon games go viral every year.
However in spite of that ubiquity and popularity, there are still Pokémon games that are totally underappreciated. These are games that failed to receive their fair shake, or were buried under the hype of the core series. These are Pokémon games stuck on doomed consoles or online offerings, or were early forays onto different formats. Frequently, they are Pokémon games that might have blossomed if they ever got sequels or modern remakes. With these criteria in mind, this list will not be just one more 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. Therefore, prior to rearranging your glasses and typing 'Actually,' let us just agree that these are Pokémon games for those possessing refined tastes, agreed?
An excessive number of Pokémon games emphasize the combat aspect of the series, and not nearly enough of them highlight the ordinary aspects that would come with owning a companion. Sure, there are small features like these in modern games—players may play with your monsters in bases. However, I'm 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 precursor to Pokémon Home; that is, as a repository to hold monsters from different games. Critical reception from its launch said Ranch was a poor if not outright hideous 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 slice-of-life Pokémon game.
As the name suggests, the game takes place on a farm where your Mii avatars—get this—just relax with your pals. The interactions with Pokémon were basic, and a lot of the draw was observing what your monsters might do when they're not being forced into cockfighting. In a just world, Pokémon Ranch would have been the beginning of a wonderful franchise built on the daily joys of living your life with a tiny companion. 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 I also know that the Nintendo Switch 2 exclusive is as much a puzzler as it is a life sim.
Ranch came out long before Stardew Valley sparked the enduring trend of cozy games. It was prior to the proliferation of idle games, and the Let's Play normalization of viewing games you aren't actively controlling. Most people never understood that Ranch's concept to watch your critters as much as you interact with them wasn't to hide a shallow core. In truth, Ranch's attention to detail was so extraordinary, there's a live stream dedicated to broadcasting the game continuously. The individual who runs the channel states that, after nearly two decades of playing the game, he even now has not seen everything that is in it. Justice for Pokémon Ranch: nobody knew what to do with you in 2008.
Did you know that Pokemon once had an licensed board game with miniatures? Pokemon Duel was the 2016 attempt to digitize the tabletop experience in a more accessible format. Duel was also, unfortunately, one of Pokémon's first forays into the world of freemium mobile gaming. Duel had the hallmarks of a gacha game 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 masked a tragic reality: Pokémon Duel was an superb strategy game with Duel today. "I can’t express how much I adored and miss this game," a YouTube comment states, years after Duel's servers were pulled. "Honestly I think this game was better than TCG Pocket in terms of complexity, approachability, game design, and features in general," a user declared. "I am convinced if it came out now people would be playing it more than GO and Pocket together."
Unfortunately, Duel's early release was plagued with connectivity problems. Technical problems, alongside Duel's predatory monetization model, gave people little reason to come back. If, by some miracle, The Pokémon Company chose to resurrect this franchise, it's unclear things would play out differently. The unusual game board made for a great tactical experience for the few folks who played Duel, but that playing field is also a intimidating eyesore.
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 bordering on shitpost. And when we're dealing with a franchise where trainers go out with a team of ineffective monsters who simply cannot do anything, I'm shocked 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 kick your butt. These are 'Magikarp raised to enter competitions to see who can jump the highest. One drawback is how Magikarp Jump, like many mobile games, requires the player to pause before they can train their Magikarp further. But it is evident throughout the experience that Select Button loved and understood the community love around Magikarp.
This was most apparent than in Jump's merciless random occurrences, where your Magikarp was as likely to improve as it was to get eaten by a Pidgeotto. Beyond the great writing, Magikarp Jump also tried out other things one might wish the mainline games 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 compendium of over a thousand creatures, as Magikarp Jump does... but we can hope.
Magikarp Jump was not a especially sophisticated or profound game, but the kernels of genius were there. Witty events with unpredictable results that forever alter how you can train a companion also describe the excellent Mewgenics. It's worth noting: Mewgenics will almost certainly be in the conversation when 2026 GOTY season rolls around.
With numerous core games and derivative titles, chances are that I omitted that particular Pokémon game you totally love but contend that not nearly enough people played. It's acknowledged that some people look back on games like Pokémon Ranger or Pokemon Pinball fondly notwithstanding argu
A tech enthusiast and software developer with a passion for AI and machine learning, sharing insights from years of industry experience.
