Three Pokemon Games That Were Denied the Love They Earned
Following a vision of world peace thanks to Pokémon Go, it's undeniable that the creature-catching series stands as one of the most popular video games in existence. Pikachu is just as identifiable as Mickey Mouse, if not more so. The ongoing pandemonium surrounding card prices ensures almost daily Pokémon headlines. It would be hard-pressed to find a Pokémon game that didn't sell at least a few million units. Even, fan-made Pokémon games go viral every year.
However despite that ubiquity and popularity, some Pokémon games that are totally overlooked. These represent games that didn't get their fair shake, or were overshadowed by the hype of the mainline series. They're 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 contemporary re-releases. With these criteria in mind, we won't be offering yet another recommendation for Pokemon 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 writing 'Well,' we can all acknowledge that these are Pokémon games for those possessing discerning palates, agreed?
Pokemon Ranch: The Chill Precursor
An excessive number of Pokémon games focus on the battling element of the series, and far too few of them highlight the everyday aspects that would come with living with a companion. Admittedly, modern titles include small features like these in modern games—you can 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 is not that game. The digital-only title is best seen as the antecedent to Pokémon Home; that is, as a storage system to hold monsters from different games. Critical reception from its launch noted Ranch was a poor if not outright hideous game. I'm not here to dispute these notions, but it compels me to say Ranch might be the closest we've come to a everyday life Pokémon game.
As the name suggests, the game is set on a farm where your Mii avatars—get this—just relax with your Pokémon pals. The interactions with Pokémon were simple, and a significant part of the appeal was observing what your monsters might do when they're not being forced into battle. Ideally, Pokémon Ranch would have been the start 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, it's likely we will never see a Pokémon Ranch game realized to its complete potential. I'd say 'save us, Pokémon Pokopia!' but I also know that the upcoming Switch exclusive is as much a puzzle game as it is a life sim.
Ranch was released long before Stardew Valley kicked off the lasting craze of cozy games. It was prior to the proliferation of passive games, and the video playthrough normalization of watching games you aren't actively controlling. Most people never understood that Ranch's concept to observe your creatures as much as you play with them didn't mask a shallow core. In truth, Ranch's meticulous design was so remarkable, there's a live stream focused on broadcasting the game continuously. The streamer who runs the channel states that, after nearly two decades of playing the game, he still has not encountered everything that is in it. Justice for Pokémon Ranch: nobody understood you in 2008.
Pokemon Duel: The Strategic Board Game Lost
Did you know that Pokemon once had an official board game with miniatures? Pokémon Duel was the 2016 effort to digitize the physical experience in a more approachable form. Duel was also, sadly, one of Pokémon's earliest ventures into the world of freemium phone games. Duel had the trappings of a gacha game where players could pay to win—and there was incentive to do so, given the lengthy grind for new pieces.
These questionable mechanics masked a sad truth: 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 reads, years after Duel's servers were pulled. "Truly I think this game was superior to TCG Pocket in terms of complexity, accessibility, game design, and content in general," another commenter wrote. "I am convinced if it launched now people would be engaging with it more than GO and Pocket together."
Unfortunately, Duel's initial launch was marred by server issues. Technical problems, alongside Duel's scummy monetization model, gave people few incentives 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 handful of players who played Duel, but that playing field is also a daunting eyesore.
Pokémon: Magikarp Jump: The Absurd Experiment
Man, 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 concept so absurd, it was bordering on shitpost. And when we're dealing with a franchise where trainers venture forth with a full belt of useless monsters who literally can't do anything, I'm shocked we don't have more Pokémon games that laugh at themselves.
Within Magikarp Jump, the player is charged with raising the ultimate version of the notorious fish. This isn't about a Magikarp that can kick your butt. These are 'karp raised to enter contests to see who can flop the highest. One drawback is how Magikarp Jump, like many phone games, forces the player to pause before they can train their Magikarp further. But it is evident throughout the experience that the developers appreciated and got the fan culture around Magikarp.
Nowhere was this more evident than in Jump's merciless random events, where your Magikarp was 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 I wish the mainline games 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 30 different colorings and patterns for a compendium of over a thousand creatures, as Magikarp Jump does... but one can dream.
Magikarp Jump was not a especially complex or profound game, but the kernels of genius were there. Witty events with unpredictable results that permanently influence 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 mainline entries and spin-offs, chances are that I omitted that one Pokémon game you absolutely adore but argue that not nearly enough people played. I know that some people look back on games like Pokemon Ranger or Pokemon Pinball fondly notwithstanding argu
