Three Pokemon Games That Were Denied the Appreciation They Deserved
Following a taste of global harmony courtesy of Pokemon Go, it's undeniable that the creature-catching series is about as popular video games in existence. Pikachu is just as famous as Disney's mascot, perhaps even more. The ongoing pandemonium surrounding card prices ensures almost daily Pokémon news stories. You'd be difficult to find a pocket monster game that didn't sell at least a couple million copies. Even, fan-made Pokémon games go viral annually.
However in spite of that ubiquity and popularity, some Pokémon games that remain underappreciated. These are games that failed to receive their fair shake, or were buried under the excitement of the mainline series. These are Pokémon games released on doomed consoles or online offerings, or were pioneering attempts onto different formats. They're often also Pokémon games that might have flourished if they ever got follow-ups or modern remakes. Considering these factors, this list will not be just one more reminder for Pokémon Conquest or the Pokémon Mystery Dungeon series. We're digging deep.
Nevertheless, these might be these Pokémon games. So, before adjusting your spectacles and writing 'Actually,' we can all acknowledge that these are Pokémon games for those possessing refined tastes, agreed?
Pokémon Ranch: The Cozy Precursor
Too many Pokémon games focus on the battling aspect of the series, and far too few of them highlight the everyday aspects that would come with living with a pet. Sure, modern titles include small features like these in recent entries—you can play with your monsters in camps. However, I'm longing for a Pokémon game more in the vein of Nintendogs or The Sims.
My Pokemon Ranch (2008) for the Wii isn't it. The downloadable-only title is most accurately viewed as the antecedent to Pokémon Home; that is, as a storage system to store monsters from various titles. Reviews from its release said Ranch was a bad if not outright hideous game. I'm not here to dispute these notions, but it compels me to say Ranch might be the closest we've come to a everyday life Pokémon game.
As the name suggests, the game is set on a ranch where your personal Miis—imagine this—just relax with your pals. The interactions with Pokémon were simple, and a lot of the appeal was watching 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 daily joys of coexisting with a tiny companion. However, because The Pokémon Company can collect a fee for Pokémon Home now, I'm guessing 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 upcoming Switch exclusive is just as much a puzzle game as it is a life simulation.
Ranch came out well before Stardew Valley sparked the enduring trend of comfort gaming. It was prior to the proliferation of passive games, and the video playthrough normalization of watching games you aren't actively controlling. Most people never understood that Ranch's concept to watch your critters as much as you play with them didn't mask a shallow core. In truth, Ranch's meticulous design was so extraordinary, a Twitch stream focused on running the game 24/7. The streamer who runs the channel states that, after almost twenty years of experiencing the game, he still has not seen everything that is in it. Justice for Pokémon Ranch: nobody understood you in 2008.
Pokemon Duel: The Tactical Tabletop Game Lost
Did you know that Pokemon once had an official tabletop game with miniatures? Pokémon Duel was the 2016 attempt to digitize the physical experience in a more approachable form. Duel was also, sadly, one of Pokémon's first ventures into the world of free-to-play phone games. Duel had the trappings of a gacha title where players could spend for advantage—and there was motivation to do so, given the lengthy grind for new figures.
These questionable mechanics obfuscated a sad truth: Pokémon Duel was an superb strategy game with Duel anymore. "I can’t express how much I adored and miss this game," one YouTube comment reads, years after Duel's servers were pulled. "Truly I think this game was superior to TCG Pocket in terms of depth, accessibility, design, and content in general," a user declared. "I truly believe if it came out now people would be engaging with it more than GO and Pocket together."
Unfortunately, Duel's early release was marred by connectivity problems. Bugs, alongside Duel's scummy monetization model, gave people few incentives to come back. Should a revival occur, The Pokémon Company chose to resurrect this franchise, I'm still not certain things would play out differently. The unusual game board made for a fantastic tactical experience for the handful of players who played Duel, but that playing field is also a daunting eyesore.
Pokémon: 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 uncommon case of The Pokémon Company giving its blessing a game with a premise so silly, it was bordering on shitpost. Considering 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.
In Magikarp Jump, the player is tasked 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 contests to see who can flop 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 evident throughout the experience that Select Button appreciated and got the fan culture around Magikarp.
Nowhere was this more evident 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 I wish the core series would do, like offering a wide variety of the same type of monster. It's understood it's not feasible for any Pokémon game to have dozens of colorings and patterns 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. Sharply written events with outrageous outcomes that permanently influence how you can raise a pet also describe the excellent Mewgenics. It's worth noting: Mewgenics will likely be in the conversation when Game of the Year season rolls around.
With dozens of core games and derivative titles, chances are that I omitted that particular Pokémon game you totally love but contend that too few people played. I know that some people remember games like Pokemon Ranger or Pokemon Pinball with affection notwithstanding argu
