Following a vision of world peace courtesy of Pokémon Go, it's beyond doubt that the monster collecting series is about as ubiquitous video games around. The iconic Pikachu is just as identifiable as Mickey Mouse, perhaps even more. The ongoing frenzy surrounding card prices guarantees near-daily Pokemon headlines. It would be hard-pressed to find a pocket monster game that didn't sell at least a couple million copies. Remarkably, unofficial Pokémon games achieve popularity annually.
Yet despite that ubiquity and fame, there are still Pokémon games that are totally overlooked. These are games that didn't get their proper due, or were buried under the hype of the core series. They're Pokémon games released on doomed platforms or services, or were early forays onto different formats. They're often also Pokémon games that probably would have blossomed if they had received sequels or modern remakes. With these criteria in mind, this list will not be yet another recommendation for Pokémon Conquest or the Pokemon Mystery Dungeon series. We're going beneath the surface.
Still, you may already know about these Pokémon games. Therefore, prior to adjusting your spectacles and writing 'Actually,' 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 battling aspect of the series, and far too few of them focus on the everyday realities that would come with living with a companion. Admittedly, modern titles include small features like these in recent entries—you can pet, and feed your monsters in bases. However, I'm 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 digital-only title is most accurately viewed as the precursor to Pokémon Home; that is, as a repository to store monsters from different games. Reviews from its release said Ranch was a poor if not outright hideous game. It's not my goal to argue against these notions, but it behooves me to say Ranch might be the nearest we've ever gotten to a everyday life Pokémon game.
As the name suggests, the game is set on a farm where your personal Miis—get this—just relax with your pals. The activities with Pokémon were simple, and a lot 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 simple pleasures of living your life with a tiny companion. However, because 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 complete potential. I'd say 'save us, Pokémon Pokopia!' but I also know that the Nintendo Switch 2 exclusive is just as much a puzzler as it is a life simulation.
Ranch came out long before Stardew Valley kicked off the enduring trend of comfort gaming. It was before the proliferation of passive games, and the video playthrough popularization of viewing games you aren't playing. Most people never realized that Ranch's concept to observe your critters as much as you interact with them didn't mask a shallow core. In actuality, Ranch's meticulous design was so remarkable, there's a live stream focused on running the game 24/7. The streamer who runs the channel maintains that, after nearly two decades of experiencing the game, he still has not encountered everything that is in it. Recognition for Pokémon Ranch: no one understood you in 2008.
Pokemon Duel: The Tactical Board Game Gone
Are you aware that Pokemon once had an official board game with miniatures? Pokemon Duel was the 2016 effort to digitize the physical experience in a more accessible format. Duel was also, unfortunately, one of Pokémon's first ventures into the world of free-to-play mobile gaming. Duel had the hallmarks of a gacha game where players could spend for advantage—and there was motivation to do so, given the lengthy grind for new pieces.
These questionable mechanics masked a tragic reality: Pokémon Duel was an excellent strategy game with Duel today. "I can’t express how much I adored and miss this game," a YouTube comment reads, years after Duel's servers were shut down. "Truly I think this game was superior to TCG Pocket in terms of depth, approachability, design, and content in general," a user 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 marred by connectivity problems. Technical problems, alongside Duel's scummy monetization model, gave people few incentives to come back. If, by some miracle, The Pokémon Company chose to resurrect this franchise, I'm still not certain things would play out differently. The unusual board structure made for a great strategic challenge for the few folks who played Duel, but that playing field is also a intimidating eyesore.
Pokémon: Magikarp Jump: The Whimsical Experiment
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 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 team of ineffective monsters who simply cannot 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 best possible version of the notorious fish. This isn't about a Magikarp that can win battles. 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, forces the player to wait before they can train their Magikarp further. But it is evident throughout the experience that the developers appreciated and got the community love 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. Beyond the clever dialogue, Magikarp Jump also tried out other things one might wish the mainline games would do, like offering a diverse range of the same species of monster. I know it's not feasible 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 particularly complex or deep game, but the seeds of brilliance were there. Witty events with unpredictable results that forever alter how you can raise a pet also describe the excellent Mewgenics. And I'm just saying: Mewgenics will likely be in the running when 2026 GOTY season arrives.
Given numerous core games and derivative titles, chances are that I didn't mention that one Pokémon game you absolutely adore but argue that too few people played. It's acknowledged that some people remember games like Pokemon Ranger or Pokemon Pinball with affection notwithstanding argu
