3 Pokemon Titles That Failed to Receive the Adoration They Deserved

Following a taste of world peace courtesy of Pokémon Go, it's undeniable that the monster collecting franchise is about as popular video games around. Pikachu is every bit as recognizable as Mickey Mouse, perhaps even more. The ongoing frenzy surrounding card prices ensures near-daily Pokémon news stories. It would be difficult to find a pocket monster game that didn't sell at least a few million copies. Even, fan-made Pokémon games go viral every year.

However in spite of that ubiquity and fame, there are still Pokémon games that remain underappreciated. These represent titles that didn't get their proper due, or were buried under the excitement of the mainline series. These are Pokémon games stuck on ill-fated consoles or services, or were early forays onto different formats. Frequently, they are Pokémon games that probably would have blossomed if they had received follow-ups or modern remakes. With these criteria in mind, we won't be offering yet another reminder for Pokémon Conquest or the Pokémon Mystery Dungeon series. We're pulling an Excadrill.

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

Pokemon Ranch: The Chill Forerunner

Too many Pokémon games emphasize the combat element of the series, and not nearly enough of them highlight the everyday realities that would come with living with a pet. Admittedly, modern titles include minor mechanics like these in recent entries—players may pet, and feed your monsters in camps. However, I'm longing for a Pokémon game more in the style of Nintendogs or The Sims.

My Pokemon Ranch (2008) for the Nintendo Wii is not that game. The digital-only title is best seen as the precursor to Pokemon Home; that is, as a repository to hold monsters from various titles. Reviews from its launch noted Ranch was a bad if not truly ugly game. I'm not here to argue against these claims, but it behooves me to say Ranch might be the closest we've come to a slice-of-life Pokémon game.

As the name suggests, the game is set on a farm where your Mii avatars—imagine this—just relax with your pals. The interactions with Pokémon were simple, and a lot of the appeal 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 tiny companion. 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. I'd say 'help 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 sim.

Ranch was released long before Stardew Valley sparked the lasting craze of comfort gaming. It was before the proliferation of passive games, and the Let's Play popularization of viewing games you aren't actively controlling. Most people never understood that Ranch's proposal to watch your creatures as much as you interact with them didn't mask a lack of substance. In truth, Ranch's meticulous design was so remarkable, there's a Twitch stream dedicated to running the game 24/7. The individual who operates the channel maintains that, after nearly two decades of experiencing the game, he still has not encountered all that is in it. Recognition for Pokémon Ranch: nobody understood you in 2008.

Pokémon Duel: The Tactical Board Game Lost

Did you know that Pokemon once had an official tabletop game with action figures? Pokemon Duel was the 2016 effort to digitize the tabletop 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 pay to win—and there was motivation to do so, given the lengthy grind for new pieces.

All of these questionable mechanics obfuscated a sad truth: Pokémon Duel was an excellent tactical game with Duel anymore. "I can’t express how much I loved and miss this game," one YouTube comment states, seven years after Duel's servers were pulled. "Honestly I think this game was better than TCG Pocket in terms of complexity, accessibility, design, and features in general," a user declared. "I am convinced if it launched now people would be engaging with it more than GO and Pocket combined."

Regrettably, Duel's initial launch was plagued with server issues. Technical problems, alongside Duel's scummy monetization model, gave people little reason to come back. Should a revival occur, The Pokémon Company decided to revive this franchise, it's unclear things would end better. The unique game board made for a fantastic strategic challenge for the few folks who played Duel, but that board is also a daunting eyesore.

Pokemon: Magikarp Jump: The Whimsical Experiment

Man, why don't more Pokémon games loosen up a little and have some fun? Magikarp Jump (2017) was a rare instance of The Pokémon Company approving a game with a concept so absurd, it was bordering on internet meme. And when we're dealing with a franchise where trainers go out with a full belt of useless monsters who simply cannot do anything, I'm shocked we don't have more Pokémon games that laugh at themselves.

Within Magikarp Jump, the player is charged with raising 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 competitions to see who can jump the highest. I'm not a fan is how Magikarp Jump, like many mobile games, requires the player to wait before they can train their Magikarp further. But it is clear throughout the experience that Select Button loved and understood the fan culture around Magikarp.

This was most apparent than in Jump's merciless random events, where your Magikarp was just as likely to improve as it was to get eaten by a Pidgeotto. Beyond the clever dialogue, Magikarp Jump also experimented with other things I wish the core series would do, like offering a diverse range of the same species of monster. I know it's not practical 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 sophisticated 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. It's worth noting: Mewgenics will almost certainly be in the running when 2026 GOTY season arrives.

With numerous mainline entries and spin-offs, it's probable that I omitted that particular Pokémon game you absolutely adore but contend that too few people played. I know that some people remember games like Pokémon Ranger or Pokémon Pinball fondly notwithstanding argu