🔗 Share this article

In the wake of a glimpse of global harmony courtesy of Pokémon Go, it's undeniable that the monster collecting series stands as one of the most popular video games in existence. Pikachu is just as identifiable as Mickey Mouse, perhaps even more. The persistent frenzy around card prices guarantees near-daily Pokémon headlines. It would be difficult to find a pocket monster game that failed to move at least a couple million copies. Even, unofficial Pokémon games go viral annually.

Yet in spite of that pervasiveness and fame, some Pokémon games that remain underappreciated. These are games that failed to receive their fair shake, or were overshadowed by the hype of the mainline series. These are Pokémon games stuck on doomed platforms or services, or were pioneering attempts onto different formats. Frequently, they are Pokémon games that probably would have blossomed if they ever got sequels or modern remakes. With these criteria in mind, we won't be offering just one more recommendation for Pokemon Conquest or the Pokémon Mystery Dungeon series. We're digging deep.

Still, you may already know about these Pokémon games. Therefore, prior to adjusting your spectacles and writing 'Well,' we can all acknowledge that these are Pokémon games for those possessing refined tastes, agreed?

Pokemon Ranch: The Relaxed Forerunner

An excessive number of Pokémon games emphasize 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 minor mechanics like these in modern games—players may play with your monsters in camps. However, I'm longing 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 best seen as the precursor to Pokemon Home; that is, as a storage system to hold monsters from various titles. Critical reception from its launch said Ranch was a poor if not truly ugly game. I'm not here to argue against these notions, but it behooves me to say Ranch might be the nearest we've ever gotten to a slice-of-life Pokémon game.

True to its title, the game takes place on a ranch where your personal Miis—imagine this—simply hang out with your pals. The activities with Pokémon were basic, and a significant part of the appeal was watching what your monsters might do when not forced into battle. In a just world, Pokémon Ranch would have been the beginning of a beautiful franchise built on the daily joys of coexisting with a small creature. However, because The Pokémon Company can charge a subscription for Pokémon Home now, it's likely we will never see a Pokémon Ranch game developed to its fullest potential. I'd say 'help us, Pokémon Pokopia!' but it's also known that the Nintendo Switch 2 exclusive is just as much a puzzle game as it is a life sim.

Ranch was released 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 watching games you aren't playing. Many never realized that Ranch's proposal to observe your critters as much as you play with them didn't mask a lack of substance. In truth, Ranch's meticulous design was so remarkable, a Twitch stream focused on broadcasting the game continuously. The individual who runs the channel maintains that, after almost twenty years of experiencing the game, he even now has not seen all that is in it. Justice for Pokémon Ranch: no one understood you in 2008.

Pokémon Duel: The Strategic Board Game Lost

Did you know that Pokémon once had an official board game with action figures? Pokemon Duel was the 2016 effort to digitize the tabletop experience in a more accessible format. Duel was also, sadly, one of Pokémon's first ventures into the world of free-to-play mobile gaming. Duel had the hallmarks of a gacha game where players could pay to win—and there was motivation to do so, given the lengthy grind for new figures.

These poor design choices masked a sad truth: Pokémon Duel was an superb tactical game with Duel anymore. "Words cannot describe how much I adored and miss this game," a YouTube comment reads, years after Duel's servers were pulled. "Honestly I think this game was better than TCG Pocket in terms of depth, accessibility, design, and content in general," another commenter declared. "I truly believe if it came out now people would be engaging with it more than GO and Pocket together."

Regrettably, Duel's early release was plagued with connectivity problems. Bugs, alongside Duel's predatory business model, gave people little reason to come back. If, by some miracle, The Pokémon Company decided to revive this franchise, it's unclear things would end better. The unique board structure made for a fantastic strategic challenge for the few folks who played Duel, but that board is also a daunting eyesore.

Pokemon: Magikarp Jump: The Absurd Gem

Man, 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 premise so silly, it was verging on internet meme. And when we're dealing with a franchise where trainers go out with a team of useless monsters who simply cannot do anything, it's surprising we don't have more Pokémon games that laugh at themselves.

In Magikarp Jump, the player is charged with breeding the ultimate version of the notorious fish. I'm not talking about a Magikarp that can win battles. These are 'karp raised to enter competitions to see who can jump the highest. One drawback is how Magikarp Jump, like many phone games, requires the player to pause before they can improve their Magikarp further. But it is clear throughout the experience that Select Button appreciated and got the community love around Magikarp.

Nowhere was this more evident than in Jump's brutal random events, where your Magikarp was just as likely to raise its stats as it was to get eaten by a Pidgeotto. Beyond 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. I know it's not feasible for any Pokémon game to have dozens of colorings and patterns for a compendium of over a thousand creatures, as Magikarp Jump does... but we can hope.

Magikarp Jump was not a particularly sophisticated or profound game, but the kernels of genius were there. Sharply written events with unpredictable results that forever alter how you can train a companion also describe the excellent Mewgenics. It's worth noting: Mewgenics will likely be in the running when 2026 GOTY season arrives.

---

Given dozens of core games and spin-offs, it's probable that I didn't mention that particular Pokémon game you absolutely adore but argue that too few people played. It's acknowledged that some people remember games like Pokemon Ranger or Pokémon Pinball fondly despite argu