3 Pokémon Games That Were Denied the Appreciation They Warranted
Following a taste of world peace thanks to Pokémon Go, there's no question that the creature-catching series stands as one of the most ubiquitous gaming titles around. Pikachu is every bit as famous as Disney's mascot, perhaps even more. The continued frenzy surrounding trading card values ensures near-daily Pokémon headlines. It would be hard-pressed to find a pocket monster game that failed to move at least a few million copies. Even, unofficial Pokémon games go viral annually.
Yet despite that pervasiveness and popularity, there are still Pokémon games that are totally underappreciated. These represent titles that failed to receive their proper due, or were buried by the excitement of the mainline series. These are Pokémon games released on doomed platforms or services, or were early forays onto new mediums. Frequently, they are Pokémon games that might have flourished if they had received follow-ups or modern remakes. With these criteria in mind, we won't be offering just one more reminder for Pokémon Conquest or the Pokemon Mystery Dungeon series. We're digging deep.
Nevertheless, these might be these Pokémon games. So, before adjusting your spectacles and writing 'Actually,' we can all acknowledge that these are Pokémon games for people with discerning palates, shall we?
Pokémon Ranch: The Cozy Forerunner
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 pet. Admittedly, there are minor mechanics like these in modern games—players may pet, and feed your monsters in camps. But I am dying for a Pokémon game more in the vein of Nintendogs or The Sims.
My Pokémon Ranch (2008) for the Wii isn't it. The downloadable-only title is most accurately viewed as the precursor to Pokémon Home; that is, as a repository to store monsters from various titles. Critical reception from its launch said Ranch was a bad if not truly ugly game. I'm not here to dispute these notions, but it behooves me to say Ranch might be the nearest we've come to a everyday life Pokémon game.
True to its title, the game is set on a ranch where your personal Miis—get this—just relax with your Pokémon pals. The activities with Pokémon were simple, and a significant part of the appeal was watching what your monsters might do when not forced into battle. Ideally, Pokémon Ranch would have been the beginning 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, I'm guessing we will never see a Pokémon Ranch game developed to its complete potential. I'd say 'help us, Pokémon Pokopia!' but it's also known that the upcoming Switch exclusive is just as much a puzzle game as it is a life simulation.
Ranch was released well before Stardew Valley sparked the lasting craze of cozy games. It was prior to the rise of idle games, and the video playthrough popularization of watching games you aren't playing. Most people never understood that Ranch's concept to watch your creatures as much as you interact with them didn't mask a shallow core. In actuality, Ranch's attention to detail was so extraordinary, a Twitch stream focused on running the game continuously. The streamer who operates the channel maintains that, after nearly two decades of playing the game, he still has not seen all that is in it. Recognition for Pokémon Ranch: nobody understood you in 2008.
Pokemon Duel: The Strategic Tabletop Game Lost
Are you aware that Pokemon once had an official tabletop game with miniatures? Pokemon Duel was the 2016 effort to adapt the physical experience in a more accessible form. Duel was also, unfortunately, one of Pokémon's earliest forays into the world of freemium mobile gaming. Duel had the trappings of a gacha game where players could spend for advantage—and there was incentive to do so, given the slow progression for new pieces.
These poor design choices masked a tragic reality: Pokémon Duel was an superb tactical game with Duel anymore. "Words cannot describe how much I loved and miss this game," a YouTube comment reads, seven years after Duel's servers were shut down. "Honestly I think this game was superior to TCG Pocket in terms of complexity, accessibility, game design, and content in general," a user wrote. "I truly believe if it launched now people would be playing it more than GO and Pocket combined."
Regrettably, Duel's initial launch was marred by connectivity problems. Bugs, alongside Duel's predatory monetization model, gave people little reason to return. Should a revival occur, The Pokémon Company chose to resurrect this franchise, it's unclear things would play out differently. The unique game board made for a great strategic challenge for the handful of players who played Duel, but that board is also a intimidating visual mess.
Pokemon: Magikarp Jump: The Silly Experiment
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 absurd, it was verging on internet meme. And when we're dealing with a franchise where trainers go out with a full belt of useless monsters who literally can't do anything, it's surprising we don't have more Pokémon games that poke fun at themselves.
In Magikarp Jump, the player is tasked with breeding the ultimate version of the infamous fish. I'm not talking about a Magikarp that can kick your butt. These are 'Magikarp raised to enter contests to see who can jump the highest. One drawback is how Magikarp Jump, like many phone games, forces 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.
This was most apparent than in Jump's merciless random occurrences, where your Magikarp was as likely to improve as it was to get snatched by a Pidgeotto. Beyond the clever dialogue, 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 variations for a compendium of over a thousand creatures, as Magikarp Jump does... but we can hope.
Magikarp Jump was not a especially complex or deep 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. And I'm just saying: Mewgenics will likely be in the conversation when 2026 GOTY season arrives.
Given numerous mainline entries and spin-offs, chances are that I didn't mention that particular Pokémon game you totally love but contend that too few people played. It's acknowledged that some people look back on games like Pokemon Ranger or Pokemon Pinball with affection notwithstanding argu
