3 Pokémon Titles That Failed to Receive the Adoration They Warranted
Following a glimpse of global harmony courtesy of Pokémon Go, it's undeniable that the monster collecting franchise stands as one of the most mainstream gaming titles in existence. The iconic Pikachu is just as identifiable as Disney's mascot, perhaps even more. The ongoing excitement surrounding trading card values guarantees almost daily Pokemon news stories. It would be difficult to find a Pokémon game that failed to move at least a few million units. Remarkably, unofficial Pokémon games go viral every year.
Yet despite that ubiquity and fame, there are still Pokémon games that are totally overlooked. These are titles that failed to receive their fair shake, or were overshadowed by the hype of the mainline series. These are Pokémon games released on ill-fated consoles or online offerings, or were pioneering attempts onto new mediums. They're often also Pokémon games that probably would have blossomed if they had received sequels or modern remakes. Considering these factors, we won't be offering just one more recommendation for Pokémon Conquest or the Pokemon Mystery Dungeon series. We're digging deep.
Nevertheless, these might be these Pokémon games. So, before rearranging your glasses and typing 'Well,' we can all acknowledge that these are Pokémon games for people with discerning palates, shall we?
Pokémon Ranch: The Relaxed Precursor
Too many Pokémon games focus on the combat element of the series, and not nearly enough of them focus on the ordinary aspects that would come with owning a companion. Sure, there are minor mechanics like these in recent entries—you can play with your monsters in camps. But I am dying for a Pokémon game more in the style of Nintendogs or The Sims.
My Pokémon Ranch (2008) for the Nintendo Wii is not that game. The downloadable-only title is best seen as the precursor to Pokémon Home; that is, as a storage system to store monsters from different games. Critical reception from its release noted Ranch was a poor if not outright hideous game. I'm not here to dispute these notions, but it compels me to say Ranch might be the closest we've ever gotten to a slice-of-life Pokémon game.
As the name suggests, the game takes place on a farm where your personal Miis—get this—just relax with your Pokémon pals. The activities with Pokémon were simple, and a lot 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 daily joys of living your life 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 realized to its fullest potential. One might cry 'help us, Pokémon Pokopia!' but it's also known that the upcoming Switch exclusive is as much a puzzler as it is a life simulation.
Ranch was released well before Stardew Valley kicked off the lasting craze of cozy games. It was prior to the proliferation of passive games, and the video playthrough popularization of viewing games you aren't playing. Many 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 Twitch stream dedicated to running the game continuously. The streamer who operates the channel maintains that, after almost twenty years of playing the game, he even now has not seen everything that is in it. Recognition for Pokémon Ranch: no one knew what to do with you in 2008.
Pokémon Duel: The Tactical Tabletop Game Gone
Did you know that Pokémon once had an licensed board game with miniatures? 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 phone games. Duel had the hallmarks of a gacha title where players could spend for advantage—and there was motivation to do so, given the slow progression for new figures.
All of these poor design choices masked a tragic reality: Pokémon Duel was an superb strategy game with Duel today. "I can’t express how much I loved and miss this game," a YouTube comment reads, years after Duel's servers were pulled. "Truly I think this game was better than TCG Pocket in terms of complexity, accessibility, game design, and content in general," another commenter wrote. "I am convinced if it launched now people would be engaging with it more than GO and Pocket together."
Regrettably, Duel's initial launch was plagued with server issues. Bugs, alongside Duel's predatory business model, gave people few incentives to return. Should a revival occur, The Pokémon Company decided to revive this franchise, it's unclear things would end better. The unique board structure made for a great strategic challenge for the handful of players who played Duel, but that board is also a intimidating eyesore.
Pokemon: Magikarp Jump: The Absurd Gem
Wow, why don't more Pokémon games relax 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 silly, it was verging on internet meme. Considering we're dealing with a franchise where trainers go out with a team of ineffective monsters who simply cannot do anything, I'm shocked we don't have more Pokémon games that poke fun at themselves.
In Magikarp Jump, the player is charged with raising the ultimate 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 flop the highest. One drawback is how Magikarp Jump, like many phone games, forces the player to pause before they can train their Magikarp further. But it is evident throughout the experience that the developers appreciated and got the fan culture around Magikarp.
This was most apparent than in Jump's brutal random events, where your Magikarp was 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 one might wish the core series would do, like offering a wide variety of the same species of monster. I know it's not practical for any Pokémon game to have dozens of variations for a roster 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 seeds of brilliance were there. Witty 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.
With dozens of 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. I know that some people look back on games like Pokémon Ranger or Pokemon Pinball fondly despite argu
