In the wake of a taste of world peace thanks to Pokemon Go, there's no question that the monster collecting franchise is about as popular gaming titles around. The iconic Pikachu is just as recognizable as Mickey Mouse, if not more so. The persistent frenzy around trading card values guarantees almost daily Pokemon news stories. You'd be difficult to find a Pokémon game that failed to move at least a couple million copies. Remarkably, fan-made Pokémon games go viral annually.
However in spite of that ubiquity and popularity, there are still Pokémon games that remain underappreciated. These represent games that didn't get their fair shake, or were buried under the excitement of the mainline series. These are Pokémon games stuck on doomed consoles or online offerings, or were pioneering attempts onto different formats. They're often also Pokémon games that might have blossomed if they ever got follow-ups or modern remakes. Considering these factors, this list will not be yet another recommendation for Pokémon Conquest or the Pokémon Mystery Dungeon series. We're pulling an Excadrill.
Still, these might be these Pokémon games. Therefore, prior to rearranging your glasses and typing 'Well,' let us just agree that these are Pokémon games for those possessing discerning palates, shall we?
Pokemon Ranch: The Relaxed Forerunner
An excessive number of Pokémon games focus on the battling aspect of the series, and far too few of them focus on the everyday aspects that would come with living with a companion. Sure, modern titles include small features like these in recent entries—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 is not that game. The downloadable-only title is most accurately viewed as the precursor to Pokemon Home; that is, as a repository to store monsters from different games. Reviews from its launch noted Ranch was a bad if not truly ugly game. It's not my goal to dispute these notions, but it behooves me to say Ranch might be the closest we've ever gotten to a slice-of-life Pokémon game.
True to its title, the game takes place on a farm where your personal Miis—get this—simply hang out with your pals. The interactions with Pokémon were simple, and a lot of the draw was watching 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 daily joys of living your life with a tiny companion. 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. One might cry 'help us, Pokémon Pokopia!' but it's also known that the Nintendo Switch 2 exclusive is just as much a puzzler as it is a life simulation.
Ranch came out well before Stardew Valley sparked the enduring trend of comfort gaming. It was prior to the proliferation of idle games, and the Let's Play popularization of watching games you aren't playing. Most people never realized that Ranch's concept to observe your creatures as much as you interact with them wasn't to hide a lack of substance. In truth, Ranch's attention to detail was so remarkable, there's a live stream dedicated to running the game continuously. The individual who runs the channel states that, after almost twenty years of experiencing the game, he still has not encountered all that is in it. Recognition for Pokémon Ranch: nobody knew what to do with you in 2008.
Pokemon Duel: The Strategic Tabletop Game Lost
Did you know that Pokémon once had an official board game with miniatures? Pokémon Duel was the 2016 attempt to adapt the physical experience in a more accessible form. Duel was also, sadly, one of Pokémon's earliest ventures into the world of free-to-play 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 figures.
All of these poor design choices obfuscated a tragic reality: Pokémon Duel was an excellent strategy game with Duel today. "Words cannot describe how much I loved and miss this game," a YouTube comment states, seven years after Duel's servers were pulled. "Truly I think this game was superior to TCG Pocket in terms of depth, accessibility, game design, and features in general," a user wrote. "I am convinced if it came out 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 scummy monetization 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 game board made for a fantastic tactical experience for the few folks who played Duel, but that playing field is also a intimidating visual mess.
Pokémon: Magikarp Jump: The Silly Experiment
Man, why don't more Pokémon games relax a little and have some fun? Magikarp Jump (2017) was a uncommon case of The Pokémon Company approving a game with a concept so absurd, it was verging on internet meme. And when 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 breeding 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 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 pause before they can improve their Magikarp further. But it is evident throughout the experience that the developers appreciated and got the community love around Magikarp.
This was most apparent than in Jump's merciless random events, where your Magikarp was just as likely to raise its stats as it was to get snatched by a Pidgeotto. Beyond the clever dialogue, Magikarp Jump also experimented with 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 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 we can hope.
Magikarp Jump was not a particularly sophisticated or profound game, but the seeds of brilliance were there. Sharply written events with unpredictable results that permanently influence how you can train a companion also describe the excellent Mewgenics. And I'm just saying: Mewgenics will almost certainly be in the running when 2026 GOTY season arrives.
With dozens of mainline entries and spin-offs, it's probable that I didn't mention that particular Pokémon game you absolutely adore but argue that not nearly enough people played. I know that some people look back on games like Pokémon Ranger or Pokemon Pinball with affection despite argu
