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Following a glimpse of global harmony thanks to Pokemon Go, there's no question that the creature-catching series is about as ubiquitous gaming titles around. The iconic Pikachu is just as recognizable as Disney's mascot, perhaps even more. The persistent pandemonium around card prices ensures near-daily Pokémon headlines. It would be difficult to find a Pokémon game that failed to move at least a couple million units. Remarkably, unofficial Pokémon games go viral every year.

However in spite of that ubiquity and popularity, there are still Pokémon games that are totally overlooked. These represent games that failed to receive their fair shake, or were overshadowed by the hype of the mainline series. These are Pokémon games stuck on doomed platforms or services, or were early forays onto new mediums. They're often also Pokémon games that probably would have blossomed if they ever got follow-ups or modern remakes. With these criteria in mind, we won't be offering yet another reminder for Pokémon Conquest or the Pokemon Mystery Dungeon series. We're pulling an Excadrill.

Nevertheless, these might be these Pokémon games. Therefore, prior to rearranging your glasses and writing 'Actually,' we can all acknowledge that these are Pokémon games for people with discerning palates, shall we?

Pokémon Ranch: The Chill Precursor

An excessive number of Pokémon games emphasize the combat aspect of the series, and not nearly enough of them focus on the everyday aspects that would come with living with a pet. Admittedly, modern titles include minor mechanics like these in modern games—you can 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 Wii isn't it. The downloadable-only title is best seen as the precursor to Pokémon Home; that is, as a repository to store monsters from different games. Critical reception from its launch noted Ranch was a bad if not truly ugly game. I'm not here to argue against these claims, but it compels me to say Ranch might be the nearest we've come to a everyday life Pokémon game.

True to its title, the game is set on a farm where your personal Miis—imagine this—just relax with your pals. The interactions with Pokémon were basic, and a lot of the appeal was watching 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 daily joys of living your life with a small creature. However, because The Pokémon Company can collect a fee for Pokémon Home now, it's likely 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 Nintendo Switch 2 exclusive is just as much a puzzler as it is a life simulation.

Ranch was released well before Stardew Valley kicked off the enduring trend of cozy games. It was prior to the proliferation of passive games, and the Let's Play normalization of viewing games you aren't playing. Many never realized that Ranch's concept to watch your critters as much as you interact with them didn't mask a lack of substance. In truth, Ranch's meticulous design was so remarkable, there's a Twitch stream focused on running the game continuously. The streamer who runs the channel maintains that, after almost twenty years of playing the game, he still has not seen everything that is in it. Justice for Pokémon Ranch: no one knew what to do with you in 2008.

Pokémon Duel: The Strategic Board Game Lost

Are you aware that Pokémon once had an official tabletop game with miniatures? Pokemon Duel was the 2016 attempt to digitize the physical experience in a more approachable form. Duel was also, sadly, one of Pokémon's earliest forays into the world of freemium phone games. Duel had the hallmarks of a gacha title where players could spend for advantage—and there was motivation to do so, given the slow progression for new pieces.

These poor design choices masked a tragic reality: Pokémon Duel was an superb tactical game with Duel anymore. "Words cannot describe how much I loved and miss this game," a YouTube comment states, years after Duel's servers were shut down. "Truly I think this game was better than TCG Pocket in terms of complexity, accessibility, game design, and content in general," a user declared. "I am convinced if it came out now people would be playing it more than GO and Pocket combined."

Unfortunately, Duel's initial launch was marred by server issues. Bugs, alongside Duel's scummy business model, gave people little reason to come back. Should a revival occur, The Pokémon Company decided to revive this franchise, I'm still not certain things would play out differently. The unusual board structure made for a fantastic strategic challenge for the handful of players 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 fun? Magikarp Jump (2017) was a rare instance of The Pokémon Company giving its blessing a game with a premise 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, it's surprising we don't have more Pokémon games that poke fun at themselves.

Within Magikarp Jump, the player is charged with raising the ultimate version of the notorious fish. This isn't about a Magikarp that can win battles. These are 'Magikarp raised to enter competitions to see who can flop the highest. One drawback is how Magikarp Jump, like many mobile games, forces the player to wait before they can improve their Magikarp further. But it is evident throughout the experience that Select Button appreciated and got the community love around Magikarp.

This was most apparent than in Jump's merciless random occurrences, where your Magikarp was just as likely to improve as it was to get eaten by a Pidgeotto. Apart from the great writing, Magikarp Jump also experimented with other things one might wish the mainline games 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 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. Sharply written events with outrageous outcomes that forever alter how you can raise a pet also describe the excellent Mewgenics. And I'm just saying: Mewgenics will likely be in the running when Game of the Year season rolls around.

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Given numerous mainline entries and spin-offs, chances are that I omitted that one Pokémon game you absolutely adore but argue that not nearly enough people played. I know that some people remember games like Pokémon Ranger or Pokemon Pinball with affection despite argu