Three Pokémon Titles That Were Denied the Appreciation They Warranted
Following a vision of world peace thanks to Pokemon Go, there's no question that the monster collecting series stands as one of the most mainstream gaming titles around. The iconic Pikachu is every bit as identifiable as Disney's mascot, perhaps even more. The ongoing pandemonium around trading card values ensures near-daily Pokemon news stories. It would be hard-pressed to find a Pokémon game that failed to move at least a few million copies. Remarkably, unofficial Pokémon games go viral annually.
Yet despite that pervasiveness and popularity, some Pokémon games that remain overlooked. These represent games that failed to receive their proper due, or were overshadowed under the excitement of the mainline series. These are Pokémon games stuck on doomed platforms or services, or were pioneering attempts onto different formats. Frequently, they are Pokémon games that probably would have blossomed if they had received sequels 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 digging deep.
Still, these might be these Pokémon games. So, before rearranging your glasses and typing 'Well,' let us just agree that these are Pokémon games for those possessing discerning palates, agreed?
Pokémon Ranch: The Relaxed Forerunner
Too many Pokémon games focus on the battling aspect of the series, and not nearly enough of them focus on the ordinary aspects that would come with owning a pet. Admittedly, modern titles include small features like these in modern games—players may pet, and feed your monsters in bases. But I am longing for a Pokémon game more in the style of Nintendogs or The Sims.
My Pokemon Ranch (2008) for the Nintendo Wii isn't it. The digital-only title is best seen as the precursor to Pokemon Home; that is, as a storage system to hold monsters from various titles. Critical reception from its release noted Ranch was a bad if not truly ugly game. It's not my goal to dispute these claims, but it compels me to say Ranch might be the nearest we've come to a everyday life Pokémon game.
As the name suggests, the game takes place on a ranch where your Mii avatars—imagine this—simply hang out with your Pokémon 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. Ideally, Pokémon Ranch would have been the beginning of a wonderful 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 complete potential. One might cry '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 was released long before Stardew Valley sparked the lasting craze of comfort gaming. It was before the proliferation of idle games, and the video playthrough popularization of watching games you aren't actively controlling. Most people never understood that Ranch's proposal to observe your creatures as much as you interact with them wasn't to hide a lack of substance. In truth, Ranch's attention to detail was so extraordinary, a Twitch stream dedicated to running the game 24/7. The streamer who operates the channel maintains that, after almost twenty years of experiencing the game, he even now has not seen everything that is in it. Justice for Pokémon Ranch: nobody knew what to do with you in 2008.
Pokemon Duel: The Strategic Tabletop Game Lost
Did you know that Pokémon once had an licensed tabletop game with miniatures? Pokemon Duel was the 2016 effort to adapt the physical experience in a more accessible format. Duel was also, unfortunately, one of Pokémon's first ventures into the world of freemium mobile gaming. Duel had the hallmarks of a gacha game where players could spend for advantage—and there was motivation to do so, given the slow progression for new pieces.
These questionable mechanics obfuscated a sad truth: Pokémon Duel was an excellent strategy game with Duel anymore. "Words cannot describe how much I loved and miss this game," one YouTube comment states, years after Duel's servers were pulled. "Truly I think this game was superior to TCG Pocket in terms of depth, accessibility, game 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 combined."
Regrettably, Duel's early release was plagued with server issues. Technical problems, alongside Duel's predatory monetization model, gave people little reason to come back. If, by some miracle, The Pokémon Company decided to revive this franchise, it's unclear things would play out differently. The unique board structure made for a great tactical experience for the handful of players who played Duel, but that board is also a daunting eyesore.
Pokemon: Magikarp Jump: The Absurd Experiment
Man, 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 concept so silly, it was bordering on internet meme. Considering we're dealing with a franchise where trainers go out with a team of useless monsters who literally can't do anything, it's surprising we don't have more Pokémon games that poke fun at themselves.
In Magikarp Jump, the player is tasked with raising the best possible version of the infamous fish. I'm not talking about a Magikarp that can kick your butt. These are 'Magikarp raised to enter contests to see who can flop the highest. One drawback is how Magikarp Jump, like many phone games, requires the player to wait before they can train 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 brutal random events, where your Magikarp was as likely to raise its stats as it was to get eaten by a Pidgeotto. Apart from the great writing, Magikarp Jump also experimented with other things I 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 30 different colorings and patterns for a roster of over a thousand creatures, as Magikarp Jump does... but one can dream.
Magikarp Jump was not a especially sophisticated or deep game, but the kernels of genius were there. Sharply written events with unpredictable results 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.
Given dozens of mainline entries and spin-offs, chances are that I omitted that one Pokémon game you absolutely adore but contend that not nearly enough people played. I know that some people look back on games like Pokémon Ranger or Pokemon Pinball with affection notwithstanding argu
