3 Pokémon Games That Failed to Receive the Adoration They Warranted
Following a taste of world peace thanks to Pokemon Go, it's undeniable that the creature-catching franchise is about as popular gaming titles in existence. The iconic Pikachu is just as identifiable as Mickey Mouse, if not more so. The continued pandemonium surrounding trading card values guarantees almost daily Pokémon headlines. It would be hard-pressed to find a pocket monster game that failed to move at least a couple million copies. Remarkably, fan-made Pokémon games achieve popularity every year.
Yet in spite of that ubiquity and popularity, some Pokémon games that are totally overlooked. These are games that didn't get their fair shake, or were buried under the hype of the mainline series. These are Pokémon games released on doomed consoles or services, or were early forays onto new mediums. Frequently, they are Pokémon games that probably would have flourished if they had received sequels or modern remakes. With these criteria in mind, we won't be offering just one more recommendation for Pokémon Conquest or the Pokémon Mystery Dungeon series. We're going beneath the surface.
Still, these might be these Pokémon games. So, before rearranging your glasses and writing 'Well,' let us just agree that these are Pokémon games for those possessing refined tastes, agreed?
Pokemon Ranch: The Relaxed Forerunner
An excessive number of Pokémon games emphasize the battling element of the series, and far too few of them highlight the everyday aspects that would come with living with a pet. Admittedly, modern titles include minor mechanics like these in recent entries—players may pet, and feed your monsters in camps. But I am dying for a Pokémon game more in the style 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 various titles. Reviews from its launch said Ranch was a bad if not truly ugly game. I'm not here to dispute these notions, but it behooves me to say Ranch might be the closest we've ever gotten to a slice-of-life Pokémon game.
As the name suggests, the game takes place on a farm where your Mii avatars—imagine this—simply hang out with your pals. The interactions with Pokémon were simple, and a significant part of the appeal was observing what your monsters might do when they're not being forced into cockfighting. In a just world, Pokémon Ranch would have been the beginning of a beautiful franchise built on the simple pleasures 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 fullest potential. I'd say 'help us, Pokémon Pokopia!' but it's also known that the upcoming Switch exclusive is as much a puzzle game as it is a life simulation.
Ranch came out well before Stardew Valley kicked off the lasting craze of cozy games. It was before the proliferation of passive games, and the video playthrough popularization of watching games you aren't playing. Most people never realized that Ranch's proposal to watch your creatures as much as you play with them didn't mask a lack of substance. In truth, Ranch's attention to detail was so extraordinary, a Twitch stream dedicated to running the game continuously. The individual who operates the channel maintains that, after nearly two decades of playing the game, he even now has not encountered all that is in it. Recognition for Pokémon Ranch: no one understood you in 2008.
Pokémon Duel: The Tactical Tabletop Game Gone
Did you know that Pokemon once had an licensed board game with miniatures? Pokemon Duel was the 2016 attempt to adapt the physical experience in a more approachable format. Duel was also, sadly, one of Pokémon's earliest forays into the world of free-to-play phone games. Duel had the trappings of a gacha game where players could pay to win—and there was motivation to do so, given the lengthy grind for new pieces.
All of these poor design choices masked a tragic reality: Pokémon Duel was an excellent tactical game with Duel today. "Words cannot describe how much I adored and miss this game," one YouTube comment states, seven years after Duel's servers were shut down. "Truly I think this game was superior to TCG Pocket in terms of complexity, approachability, design, and content in general," another commenter wrote. "I truly believe if it launched now people would be playing it more than GO and Pocket together."
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, I'm still not certain things would end better. The unusual board structure made for a great tactical experience for the few folks who played Duel, but that playing field is also a intimidating eyesore.
Pokémon: Magikarp Jump: The Silly Gem
Wow, why don't more Pokémon games loosen up a little and have some fun? Magikarp Jump (2017) was a rare instance of The Pokémon Company giving its blessing a game with a concept so absurd, it was verging on internet meme. And when we're dealing with a franchise where trainers venture forth with a team of ineffective monsters who literally can't do anything, I'm shocked we don't have more Pokémon games that poke fun 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 win battles. These are 'karp raised to enter competitions to see who can flop the highest. One drawback is how Magikarp Jump, like many phone games, requires the player to pause 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 brutal random occurrences, where your Magikarp was just as likely to improve as it was to get snatched by a Pidgeotto. Beyond the great writing, Magikarp Jump also experimented with other things I wish the core series would do, like offering a wide variety of the same species of monster. It's understood it's not practical for any Pokémon game to have dozens of colorings and patterns for a compendium of over a thousand creatures, as Magikarp Jump does... but we can hope.
Magikarp Jump was not a especially sophisticated or deep game, but the seeds of brilliance were there. Witty events with unpredictable results that forever alter how you can train a companion also describe the excellent Mewgenics. It's worth noting: Mewgenics will almost certainly be in the conversation when Game of the Year season rolls around.
With dozens of mainline entries and spin-offs, it's probable that I omitted that one Pokémon game you absolutely adore but contend that too few people played. I know that some people look back on games like Pokémon Ranger or Pokemon Pinball with affection despite argu
