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Following a glimpse of global harmony courtesy of Pokemon Go, it's undeniable that the monster collecting franchise is about as mainstream video games in existence. The iconic Pikachu is just as recognizable as Disney's mascot, perhaps even more. The continued frenzy around trading card values guarantees almost daily Pokémon headlines. It would be hard-pressed to find a pocket monster game that didn't sell at least a couple million units. Even, unofficial Pokémon games go viral every year.

Yet in spite of that pervasiveness and popularity, some Pokémon games that are totally overlooked. These represent games that failed to receive their fair shake, or were overshadowed by the excitement of the core series. These are Pokémon games released on ill-fated platforms or services, or were early forays onto different formats. They're often also Pokémon games that might have blossomed if they ever got follow-ups or modern remakes. Considering these factors, we won't be offering just one more recommendation for Pokémon Conquest or the Pokémon Mystery Dungeon series. We're digging deep.

Nevertheless, you may already know about these Pokémon games. So, before adjusting your spectacles and writing 'Actually,' we can all acknowledge that these are Pokémon games for people with discerning palates, shall we?

Pokemon Ranch: The Chill Precursor

Too many Pokémon games focus on the battling element of the series, and not nearly enough of them highlight the everyday realities that would come with owning a companion. Sure, modern titles include small features like these in modern games—players may play with your monsters in camps. 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 digital-only title is best seen as the precursor to Pokémon Home; that is, as a repository to store monsters from different games. Reviews from its release noted Ranch was a bad if not outright hideous game. I'm not here to dispute these claims, but it compels me to say Ranch might be the nearest we've ever gotten to a everyday life Pokémon game.

True to its title, the game takes place on a ranch where your personal Miis—imagine this—just relax with your Pokémon pals. The activities with Pokémon were simple, and a significant part of the draw was observing what your monsters might do when not forced into cockfighting. In a just world, Pokémon Ranch would have been the beginning of a wonderful franchise built on the daily joys of coexisting with a small creature. But since The Pokémon Company can charge a subscription for Pokémon Home now, it's likely we will never see a Pokémon Ranch game realized to its complete potential. One might cry 'save us, Pokémon Pokopia!' but it's also known that the Nintendo Switch 2 exclusive is as much a puzzler as it is a life simulation.

Ranch was released well before Stardew Valley sparked the enduring trend of cozy games. It was before the rise of idle games, and the Let's Play popularization of watching games you aren't actively controlling. Most people never realized that Ranch's proposal to observe your critters as much as you play with them wasn't to hide a lack of substance. In truth, Ranch's attention to detail was so remarkable, there's a live stream focused on broadcasting the game 24/7. The individual who runs the channel maintains that, after nearly two decades of experiencing the game, he even now has not encountered everything that is in it. Justice for Pokémon Ranch: nobody understood you in 2008.

Pokémon Duel: The Strategic Tabletop Game Gone

Are you aware that Pokémon once had an official board game with action figures? Pokemon Duel was the 2016 attempt to adapt the tabletop experience in a more approachable format. Duel was also, sadly, one of Pokémon's first ventures into the world of freemium 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 figures.

All of these questionable mechanics obfuscated a tragic reality: 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 states, seven years after Duel's servers were shut down. "Truly I think this game was better than TCG Pocket in terms of depth, accessibility, design, and features in general," another commenter declared. "I truly believe if it launched now people would be engaging with it more than GO and Pocket together."

Regrettably, Duel's early release was plagued with connectivity problems. Technical problems, alongside Duel's predatory 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 end better. The unusual board structure made for a fantastic strategic challenge for the few folks 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 enjoyment? Magikarp Jump (2017) was a rare instance of The Pokémon Company approving a game with a concept so silly, it was bordering on internet meme. And when we're dealing with a franchise where trainers venture forth with a team of useless monsters who literally can't do anything, I'm shocked we don't have more Pokémon games that laugh at themselves.

Within Magikarp Jump, the player is tasked with breeding the best possible version of the infamous fish. This isn't about a Magikarp that can kick your butt. These are 'karp raised to enter competitions to see who can jump the highest. I'm not a fan is how Magikarp Jump, like many phone games, forces the player to pause before they can train their Magikarp further. But it is evident throughout the experience that the developers loved and understood the community love around Magikarp.

Nowhere was this more evident than in Jump's brutal random occurrences, where your Magikarp was as likely to improve as it was to get eaten by a Pidgeotto. Beyond the clever dialogue, Magikarp Jump also tried out other things one might 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 compendium of over a thousand creatures, as Magikarp Jump does... but one can dream.

Magikarp Jump was not a particularly complex 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. And I'm just saying: Mewgenics will likely be in the running when Game of the Year season arrives.

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With numerous core games and derivative titles, it's probable that I didn't mention that one Pokémon game you absolutely adore but argue that not nearly enough people played. I know that some people look back on games like Pokémon Ranger or Pokémon Pinball with affection despite argu