🔗 Share this article

In the wake of a glimpse of global harmony thanks to Pokémon Go, there's no question that the monster collecting franchise stands as one of the most popular gaming titles in existence. The iconic Pikachu is just as identifiable as Mickey Mouse, perhaps even more. The continued excitement surrounding card prices ensures near-daily Pokémon news stories. You'd be hard-pressed to find a pocket monster game that failed to move at least a few million units. Remarkably, unofficial Pokémon games go viral every year.

However despite that ubiquity and fame, there are still Pokémon games that remain overlooked. These represent titles that didn't get their fair shake, or were overshadowed by the hype of the mainline series. They're Pokémon games released on ill-fated consoles or services, or were early forays onto different formats. Frequently, they are Pokémon games that might have flourished if they ever got follow-ups or contemporary re-releases. Considering these factors, this list will not be just one more recommendation for Pokemon Conquest or the Pokémon Mystery Dungeon series. We're going beneath the surface.

Still, you may already know about these Pokémon games. So, before adjusting your spectacles and typing 'Well,' let us just agree that these are Pokémon games for those possessing refined tastes, agreed?

Pokemon Ranch: The Relaxed Precursor

Too many Pokémon games focus on the combat aspect of the series, and not nearly enough of them highlight the everyday aspects that would come with living with a pet. Sure, modern titles include small features like these in recent entries—you can pet, and feed your monsters in camps. 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 precursor to Pokemon Home; that is, as a storage system to store monsters from different games. Reviews from its launch said Ranch was a bad if not truly ugly game. I'm not here to dispute these claims, but it behooves me to say Ranch might be the nearest we've ever gotten to a everyday life Pokémon game.

True to its title, the game takes place on a farm where your Mii avatars—get this—simply hang out with your Pokémon pals. The activities with Pokémon were simple, and a lot of the draw was watching what your monsters might do when not forced into battle. Ideally, Pokémon Ranch would have been the beginning of a beautiful franchise built on the daily joys of coexisting with a small creature. But since The Pokémon Company can charge a subscription for Pokémon Home now, I'm guessing we will not get a Pokémon Ranch game realized to its fullest potential. I'd say 'save us, Pokémon Pokopia!' but I also know that the Nintendo Switch 2 exclusive is just as much a puzzle game as it is a life simulation.

Ranch was released long before Stardew Valley kicked off the enduring trend of cozy games. It was prior to the proliferation of idle games, and the video playthrough popularization of viewing games you aren't playing. Most people never realized that Ranch's concept to watch your critters as much as you interact with them wasn't to hide a lack of substance. In actuality, Ranch's meticulous design was so remarkable, there's a Twitch stream dedicated to running the game continuously. The streamer who runs the channel maintains that, after almost twenty years of playing the game, he still has not encountered everything that is in it. Justice for Pokémon Ranch: no one understood you in 2008.

Pokemon Duel: The Tactical Tabletop Game Gone

Are you aware that Pokémon once had an licensed tabletop game with miniatures? Pokémon 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 freemium mobile gaming. Duel had the hallmarks of a gacha title where players could pay to win—and there was incentive to do so, given the lengthy grind for new figures.

All of these poor design choices masked a sad truth: Pokémon Duel was an excellent strategy game with Duel today. "Words cannot describe how much I adored and miss this game," one YouTube comment reads, years after Duel's servers were pulled. "Honestly I think this game was superior to TCG Pocket in terms of depth, accessibility, design, and features in general," another commenter wrote. "I am convinced if it came out now people would be playing it more than GO and Pocket together."

Regrettably, Duel's early release was plagued with server issues. Technical problems, alongside Duel's scummy business 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 unusual game board made for a great tactical experience for the few folks who played Duel, but that playing field is also a daunting visual mess.

Pokemon: Magikarp Jump: The Absurd Gem

Wow, why don't more Pokémon games loosen up a little and have some fun? Magikarp Jump (2017) was a uncommon case of The Pokémon Company giving its blessing a game with a premise so absurd, it was verging on internet meme. Considering we're dealing with a franchise where trainers venture forth with a team of ineffective monsters who literally can't do anything, it's surprising we don't have more Pokémon games that laugh at themselves.

Within Magikarp Jump, the player is charged with breeding the best possible 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 flop the highest. I'm not a fan is how Magikarp Jump, like many phone games, forces the player to wait before they can train their Magikarp further. But it is clear throughout the experience that the developers loved and understood the fan culture around Magikarp.

Nowhere was this more evident than in Jump's merciless random occurrences, where your Magikarp was just as likely to improve as it was to get eaten by a Pidgeotto. Apart from the great writing, Magikarp Jump also tried out other things one might wish the core series would do, like offering a diverse range of the same species of monster. It's understood 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 particularly sophisticated or profound game, but the kernels of genius were there. Witty events with outrageous outcomes 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 rolls around.

---

With numerous mainline entries and derivative titles, chances are that I didn't mention that one Pokémon game you totally love but argue that not nearly enough people played. I know that some people look back on games like Pokemon Ranger or Pokemon Pinball with affection despite argu