Three Pokemon Titles That Were Denied the Appreciation They Deserved
In the wake of a taste of global harmony courtesy of Pokemon Go, there's no question that the monster collecting franchise stands as one of the most ubiquitous video games in existence. Pikachu is just as identifiable as Mickey Mouse, if not more so. The ongoing frenzy around trading card values guarantees almost daily Pokemon news stories. You'd be difficult to find a pocket monster game that failed to move at least a couple million units. Remarkably, unofficial Pokémon games go viral every year.
However in spite of that pervasiveness and popularity, there are still Pokémon games that are totally overlooked. These represent titles that didn't get their proper due, or were buried by the hype of the core series. They're Pokémon games stuck on ill-fated consoles or online offerings, or were early forays onto new mediums. They're often also Pokémon games that probably would have flourished if they had received follow-ups or modern remakes. Considering these factors, we won't be offering yet another recommendation for Pokémon Conquest or the Pokémon Mystery Dungeon series. We're going beneath the surface.
Nevertheless, these might be these Pokémon games. Therefore, prior to adjusting your spectacles and writing 'Well,' we can all acknowledge that these are Pokémon games for people with discerning palates, agreed?
Pokemon Ranch: The Cozy Precursor
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, there are small features like these in recent entries—players may pet, and feed your monsters in bases. But I am dying for a Pokémon game more in the vein of Nintendogs or The Sims.
My Pokémon Ranch (2008) for the Nintendo Wii isn't it. The digital-only title is most accurately viewed as the precursor to Pokémon Home; that is, as a storage system to store monsters from various titles. Critical reception from its launch noted Ranch was a poor if not outright hideous game. It's not my goal to dispute these claims, but it compels me to say Ranch might be the closest we've ever gotten to a everyday life Pokémon game.
True to its title, the game takes place on a farm where your personal Miis—get this—just relax with your Pokémon pals. The interactions with Pokémon were simple, and a significant part of the draw was observing what your monsters might do when they're not being forced into cockfighting. Ideally, Pokémon Ranch would have been the start of a wonderful franchise built on the simple pleasures of coexisting with a small creature. But since The Pokémon Company can collect a fee for Pokémon Home now, it's likely we will not get a Pokémon Ranch game developed to its fullest 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 simulation.
Ranch came out long before Stardew Valley kicked off the enduring trend of cozy games. It was prior to the rise of idle games, and the Let's Play normalization of watching games you aren't actively controlling. Many never realized that Ranch's proposal to watch your critters as much as you play with them wasn't to hide a lack of substance. In actuality, Ranch's meticulous design was so extraordinary, a Twitch stream focused on running the game 24/7. The streamer who operates the channel maintains that, after nearly two decades of playing the game, he even now has not encountered all that is in it. Justice for Pokémon Ranch: nobody understood you in 2008.
Pokemon Duel: The Strategic Tabletop Game Gone
Did you know that Pokemon once had an licensed board game with action figures? Pokémon Duel was the 2016 effort to digitize the physical experience in a more accessible form. Duel was also, unfortunately, one of Pokémon's earliest forays into the world of free-to-play phone games. Duel had the trappings of a gacha title where players could pay to win—and there was motivation to do so, given the lengthy grind for new pieces.
All of these poor design choices masked a sad truth: Pokémon Duel was an superb strategy game with Duel anymore. "Words cannot describe how much I adored and miss this game," a YouTube comment states, years after Duel's servers were shut down. "Truly I think this game was better than TCG Pocket in terms of depth, approachability, game design, and content in general," another commenter declared. "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 predatory monetization model, gave people little reason to come back. If, by some miracle, The Pokémon Company decided to revive this franchise, I'm still not certain things would play out differently. The unique game board made for a great tactical experience for the few folks who played Duel, but that board is also a intimidating eyesore.
Pokemon: Magikarp Jump: The Silly Experiment
Wow, why don't more Pokémon games relax a little and have some fun? Magikarp Jump (2017) was a rare instance of The Pokémon Company giving its blessing a game with a concept so absurd, it was bordering on internet meme. Considering we're dealing with a franchise where trainers venture forth with a full belt of useless 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 tasked 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 contests to see who can jump the highest. I'm not a fan is how Magikarp Jump, like many phone games, requires the player to wait before they can improve their Magikarp further. But it is evident throughout the experience that Select Button loved and understood the fan culture around Magikarp.
Nowhere was this more evident than in Jump's merciless random events, where your Magikarp was as likely to improve as it was to get snatched by a Pidgeotto. Beyond the great writing, Magikarp Jump also experimented with other things I wish the core series would do, like offering a wide variety of the same type of monster. I know it's not practical for any Pokémon game to have dozens of 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. Sharply written events with outrageous outcomes that forever alter how you can raise a pet also describe the excellent Mewgenics. It's worth noting: Mewgenics will likely be in the running when 2026 GOTY season arrives.
With numerous mainline entries and derivative titles, chances are that I didn't mention that particular Pokémon game you absolutely adore but argue that not nearly enough people played. It's acknowledged that some people look back on games like Pokémon Ranger or Pokemon Pinball with affection notwithstanding argu
