3 Pokémon Games That Failed to Receive the Adoration They Warranted

In the wake of a taste of global harmony thanks to Pokemon Go, there's no question that the creature-catching franchise stands as one of the most mainstream video games around. Pikachu is just as famous as Mickey Mouse, if not more so. The ongoing excitement around card prices guarantees almost daily Pokemon headlines. You'd be difficult to find a Pokémon game that didn't sell at least a few million units. Remarkably, unofficial Pokémon games go viral every year.

Yet in spite of that pervasiveness and fame, there are still Pokémon games that are totally overlooked. These are titles that didn't get their fair shake, or were buried by the hype of the core series. These are Pokémon games stuck on doomed platforms or online offerings, or were pioneering attempts 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, this list will not be yet another recommendation for Pokemon Conquest or the Pokemon Mystery Dungeon series. We're pulling an Excadrill.

Nevertheless, you may already know about these Pokémon games. Therefore, prior to adjusting your spectacles and typing 'Well,' let us just agree that these are Pokémon games for people with refined tastes, shall we?

Pokémon Ranch: The Cozy Forerunner

An excessive number of Pokémon games emphasize the battling element of the series, and not nearly enough of them highlight the ordinary aspects that would come with living with a companion. Admittedly, modern titles include small features like these in modern games—you can play with your monsters in camps. But I am longing for a Pokémon game more in the vein of Nintendogs or The Sims.

My Pokemon Ranch (2008) for the Nintendo Wii is not that game. The downloadable-only title is most accurately viewed as the precursor to Pokemon Home; that is, as a repository to hold 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 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 is set on a ranch where your personal Miis—imagine this—just relax with your Pokémon pals. The interactions with Pokémon were simple, and a significant part of the draw was watching what your monsters might do when not forced into cockfighting. In a just world, Pokémon Ranch would have been the start of a wonderful franchise built on the daily joys of coexisting with a tiny companion. However, because The Pokémon Company can charge a subscription for Pokémon Home now, it's likely we will not get a Pokémon Ranch game developed to its complete potential. I'd say 'help us, Pokémon Pokopia!' but it's also known that the upcoming Switch exclusive is just as much a puzzler as it is a life simulation.

Ranch came out well before Stardew Valley kicked off the lasting craze of cozy games. It was prior to the rise of idle games, and the Let's Play normalization of viewing games you aren't actively controlling. Many 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, a Twitch stream dedicated to running the game 24/7. The individual who runs the channel states that, after nearly two decades of experiencing the game, he still has not encountered everything that is in it. Justice for Pokémon Ranch: nobody knew what to do with you in 2008.

Pokémon Duel: The Tactical Board Game Gone

Did you know that Pokemon once had an official board game with miniatures? Pokémon Duel was the 2016 effort to digitize the tabletop experience in a more approachable form. Duel was also, sadly, one of Pokémon's first forays into the world of freemium phone games. Duel had the hallmarks of a gacha title where players could spend for advantage—and there was incentive to do so, given the slow progression for new pieces.

These questionable mechanics masked a sad truth: Pokémon Duel was an superb tactical game with Duel today. "Words cannot describe how much I loved and miss this game," one YouTube comment states, seven years after Duel's servers were pulled. "Truly I think this game was better than TCG Pocket in terms of depth, approachability, game design, and content in general," a user declared. "I truly believe if it launched now people would be playing it more than GO and Pocket combined."

Regrettably, Duel's initial launch was plagued with connectivity problems. Technical problems, alongside Duel's scummy monetization model, gave people little reason to come back. Should a revival occur, The Pokémon Company chose to resurrect this franchise, it's unclear things would play out differently. The unique game board made for a great tactical experience for the handful of players who played Duel, but that playing field is also a daunting eyesore.

Pokémon: Magikarp Jump: The Whimsical Gem

Wow, why don't more Pokémon games relax a little and have some enjoyment? Magikarp Jump (2017) was a uncommon case of The Pokémon Company giving its blessing a game with a concept so silly, it was bordering 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, it's surprising we don't have more Pokémon games that laugh at themselves.

In Magikarp Jump, the player is charged with breeding the best possible version of the infamous fish. I'm not talking about a Magikarp that can kick your butt. These are 'karp raised to enter contests to see who can flop the highest. One drawback is how Magikarp Jump, like many mobile games, requires the player to wait before they can improve their Magikarp further. But it is evident 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 events, where your Magikarp was just as likely to raise its stats 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 type of monster. It's understood it's not practical for any Pokémon game to have 30 different colorings and patterns for a compendium of over a thousand creatures, as Magikarp Jump does... but one can dream.

Magikarp Jump was not a especially complex or deep game, but the kernels of genius 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 rolls around.

With numerous core games and spin-offs, it's probable that I omitted that one Pokémon game you absolutely adore but argue that too few people played. I know that some people look back on games like Pokémon Ranger or Pokemon Pinball fondly notwithstanding argu