🔗 Share this article Three Pokemon Games That Were Denied the Appreciation They Earned Following a vision of world peace courtesy of Pokémon Go, it's beyond doubt that the creature-catching franchise stands as one of the most popular gaming titles around. Pikachu is just as recognizable as Disney's mascot, if not more so. The ongoing excitement surrounding card prices guarantees near-daily Pokémon headlines. You'd be hard-pressed to find a Pokémon game that didn't sell at least a few million units. Remarkably, unofficial Pokémon games achieve popularity every year. Yet despite that ubiquity and fame, there are still Pokémon games that are totally overlooked. These represent games that didn't get their proper due, or were overshadowed by the excitement of the core series. They're Pokémon games released on doomed consoles or online offerings, or were pioneering attempts onto new mediums. They're often also Pokémon games that might have blossomed if they ever got follow-ups or modern remakes. With these criteria in mind, we won't be offering just one more reminder 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 typing 'Actually,' we can all acknowledge that these are Pokémon games for those possessing discerning palates, agreed? Pokemon Ranch: The Cozy Forerunner An excessive number of Pokémon games emphasize the combat element of the series, and not nearly enough of them highlight the everyday aspects that would come with owning a pet. Admittedly, there are small features like these in modern games—players may pet, and feed your monsters in bases. However, I'm dying for a Pokémon game more in the style of Nintendogs or The Sims. My Pokémon Ranch (2008) for the Nintendo Wii isn't it. The downloadable-only title is most accurately viewed as the precursor to Pokemon Home; that is, as a repository to store monsters from different games. Critical reception from its release said Ranch was a poor if not truly ugly game. It's not my goal to argue against these notions, but it behooves me to say Ranch might be the closest we've ever gotten to a slice-of-life Pokémon game. True to its title, the game is set on a farm where your personal Miis—get this—simply hang out with your Pokémon 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 beginning of a beautiful franchise built on the simple pleasures of living your life with a small creature. However, because The Pokémon Company can charge a subscription for Pokémon Home now, I'm guessing we will never see a Pokémon Ranch game realized 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 puzzle game as it is a life simulation. Ranch was released long before Stardew Valley kicked off the enduring trend of cozy games. It was prior to the rise of passive games, and the video playthrough popularization of watching games you aren't actively controlling. Most people never realized that Ranch's concept to observe your critters as much as you play with them didn't mask a lack of substance. In actuality, Ranch's attention to detail was so remarkable, there's a live stream focused on broadcasting the game continuously. The individual who runs the channel maintains that, after almost twenty years of experiencing the game, he still has not seen all that is in it. Recognition for Pokémon Ranch: no one understood you in 2008. Pokémon Duel: The Strategic Tabletop Game Gone Did you know that Pokemon once had an licensed board game with miniatures? Pokémon Duel was the 2016 attempt to adapt the tabletop experience in a more accessible format. Duel was also, sadly, one of Pokémon's first ventures into the world of freemium phone games. Duel had the hallmarks of a gacha title where players could pay to win—and there was motivation to do so, given the lengthy grind for new figures. All of these questionable mechanics 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, seven years after Duel's servers were shut down. "Truly I think this game was superior to TCG Pocket in terms of depth, approachability, game design, and content in general," a user wrote. "I truly believe if it launched now people would be playing it more than GO and Pocket together." Unfortunately, Duel's initial launch was plagued with server issues. Technical problems, alongside Duel's predatory monetization model, gave people few incentives to return. Should a revival occur, 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 fantastic tactical experience for the few folks who played Duel, but that board is also a daunting visual mess. Pokemon: Magikarp Jump: The Whimsical Experiment Select Button/Magikarp Jump Man, why don't more Pokémon games relax a little and have some enjoyment? 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. Considering we're dealing with a franchise where trainers go out with a full belt of ineffective monsters who literally can't do anything, it's surprising we don't have more Pokémon games that laugh at themselves. In Magikarp Jump, the player is tasked 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 jump the highest. I'm not a fan is how Magikarp Jump, like many phone 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 community love around Magikarp. This was most apparent than in Jump's merciless random events, where your Magikarp was as likely to raise its stats as it was to get eaten by a Pidgeotto. Apart from 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 type of monster. It's understood it's not feasible for any Pokémon game to have dozens of variations for a compendium 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 outrageous outcomes that permanently influence how you can train a companion also describe the excellent Mewgenics. It's worth noting: Mewgenics will almost certainly be in the running when Game of the Year season arrives. With numerous core games and derivative titles, it's probable that I didn't mention that one Pokémon game you totally love but argue that too few people played. I know that some people look back on games like Pokemon Ranger or Pokémon Pinball fondly notwithstanding argu