3 Pokémon Titles That Didn't Get the Adoration They Earned
Following a glimpse of world peace thanks to Pokémon Go, it's beyond doubt that the creature-catching franchise stands as one of the most mainstream gaming titles in existence. Pikachu is just as recognizable as Mickey Mouse, perhaps even more. The ongoing pandemonium around card prices guarantees near-daily Pokemon headlines. It would be difficult to find a pocket monster game that didn't sell at least a couple million units. Remarkably, fan-made Pokémon games go viral every year.
Yet in spite of that ubiquity and popularity, some Pokémon games that remain overlooked. These represent games that failed to receive their proper due, or were overshadowed by the hype of the core series. They're Pokémon games stuck on doomed consoles or services, or were early forays onto different formats. They're often also Pokémon games that probably would have blossomed if they ever got follow-ups or contemporary re-releases. With these criteria in mind, this list will not be 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. So, before rearranging your glasses and writing 'Actually,' let us just agree that these are Pokémon games for those possessing discerning palates, shall we?
Pokemon Ranch: The Relaxed Forerunner
An excessive number of Pokémon games focus on the combat element of the series, and far too few of them highlight the everyday realities that would come with living with a companion. Admittedly, modern titles include minor mechanics like these in recent entries—players may pet, and feed your monsters in camps. However, I'm dying for a Pokémon game more in the style of Nintendogs or The Sims.
My Pokémon Ranch (2008) for the Wii isn't it. The digital-only title is best seen as the antecedent to Pokemon Home; that is, as a storage system to hold monsters from various titles. Reviews from its release said Ranch was a bad if not outright hideous game. It's not my goal to argue against these claims, but it behooves 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 Mii avatars—imagine this—just relax with your Pokémon pals. The activities with Pokémon were basic, and a lot of the draw was observing what your monsters might do when not forced into battle. In a just world, Pokémon Ranch would have been the start of a beautiful franchise built on the simple pleasures of coexisting with a tiny companion. However, because The Pokémon Company can collect a fee for Pokémon Home now, it's likely we will never see a Pokémon Ranch game developed to its fullest potential. I'd say 'help us, Pokémon Pokopia!' but it's also known that the upcoming Switch exclusive is just as much a puzzle game as it is a life sim.
Ranch came out long before Stardew Valley sparked the enduring trend of comfort gaming. It was prior to the proliferation of idle games, and the Let's Play normalization of watching games you aren't actively controlling. Many never understood that Ranch's concept to watch 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 Twitch stream dedicated to running the game continuously. The individual who operates the channel states 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 Tactical Tabletop Game Gone
Are you aware that Pokemon once had an licensed board game with action figures? Pokemon Duel was the 2016 effort to digitize the physical experience in a more approachable format. Duel was also, unfortunately, one of Pokémon's earliest forays into the world of freemium mobile gaming. Duel had the hallmarks of a gacha title where players could pay to win—and there was motivation to do so, given the slow progression for new pieces.
All of these questionable mechanics masked a sad truth: Pokémon Duel was an excellent tactical game with Duel anymore. "Words cannot describe how much I loved and miss this game," one YouTube comment reads, 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 wrote. "I am convinced if it came out now people would be engaging with it more than GO and Pocket combined."
Regrettably, Duel's early release was plagued with connectivity problems. Bugs, alongside Duel's scummy business model, gave people little reason to return. Should a revival occur, The Pokémon Company decided to revive this franchise, it's unclear 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 daunting eyesore.
Pokemon: Magikarp Jump: The Whimsical Experiment
Wow, why don't more Pokémon games loosen up a little and have some enjoyment? Magikarp Jump (2017) was a rare instance of The Pokémon Company approving a game with a premise so absurd, 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, 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 ultimate version of the infamous fish. I'm not talking about a Magikarp that can win battles. These are 'Magikarp raised to enter contests to see who can jump the highest. I'm not a fan is how Magikarp Jump, like many mobile games, requires the player to pause before they can train their Magikarp further. But it is clear throughout the experience that the developers loved and understood the fan culture around Magikarp.
This was most apparent than in Jump's brutal 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 clever dialogue, Magikarp Jump also experimented with other things I 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 30 different 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 profound game, but the seeds of brilliance were there. Witty events with unpredictable results that permanently influence how you can raise a pet also describe the excellent Mewgenics. It's worth noting: Mewgenics will almost certainly be in the conversation when Game of the Year season arrives.
With dozens of mainline entries and spin-offs, chances are that I didn't mention that one Pokémon game you totally love but argue that too few people played. I know that some people remember games like Pokémon Ranger or Pokemon Pinball fondly despite argu
