When people think of the great Pokémon spin-off games, they're likely to think of Pokémon Unite, Legends Arceus, Pokémon GO, or even the new mobile TCG. These stick in the mind not just because they're more modern, but because they've garnered huge player bases, generating billions for The Pokémon Company, and are more persistently present than maybe some would like. However, while they are all definitely great Pokémon spin-off titles, there are plenty more that deserve people's love and attention.

A lot of Pokémon spin-off games often go well under the radar or are huge successes only to be later forgotten. Nintendo may revive them through the Nintendo Switch Online service, but they're rarely discussed, especially with newer, flashier spin-off games like the questionable Pokémon Legends Z-A coming out. However, while not all of these Pokémon spin-off games received tremendous critical and commercial success, they nevertheless deserve far more credit than they often get.

10 Pokémon Trading Card Game Used To Be The Best Digital TCG

It Has A Story & Plenty Of Trainers To Battle

When people think of a digital version of the legendary Pokémon TCG, they probably think of the new and effortlessly engaging Pokémon TCG Pocket. However, long before it was ever released on mobile devices, developers Hudson Soft and Creatures released the phenomenal Pokémon Trading Card Game for the Game Boy Color. Featuring over 200 cards, a full-blown story, and the ability to trade with other players, this was a pretty excellent and faithful recreation of the TCG at the time.

Players could explore a world map and battle other trainers and would even have to battle eight Club Masters, each of whom had a deck representing a different elemental type. Of course, for those who've played Pokémon before, this all sounds very familiar, as too will the four Grand Masters that need to be defeated to win the whole game. It is a great structure though, and one that worked perfectly to bring the TCG to life.

9 Pokémon Ranger Took Full Advantage Of The DS

It Was A True Touchscreen Adventure

The DS was an extremely experimental console for Nintendo, one that allowed it to be as creative as possible with its touchscreen functionality. It is what led to us getting incredible games like The World Ends With You and the rather underrated Pokémon Ranger. Utilizing the touch screen and stylus to capture Pokémon, Ranger was a narrative-driven Pokémon experience unlike anything that had come before it.

Players had to draw circles around the deadly Pokémon they were battling to catch them, all while attempting to avoid their deadly abilities. There were a number of games in the series, all of which further expanded upon the core foundations laid in the original game. However, there's a charm to the first Pokémon Ranger as it truly illustrated the unbridled creativity of the Nintendo DS era, making it well worth playing, even today.

8 Pokkén Tournament Is A Hugely Underrated Fighting Game

Tekken Meets Pokémon Is A Great Combination

Pokkén Tournament was first released on the Wii U and later re-released on the Nintendo Switch. It is, as it sounds, a combination of the incredible fighting series Tekken and Pokémon, taking players out of the restrictive turn-based formula of traditional Pokémon games, and allowing them to unleash their full fury on their least favorite Pokémon. Much like the best Tekken games, Pokkén Tournament has a tremendous roster, with each Pokémon in it feeling varied and interesting to control.

Pokkén Tournament doesn't really get much of a look-in when it comes to Pokémon spin-off games, despite being a high-profile crossover and featuring the best visuals in a Pokémon game. It is the best representation of Pokémon's combat and the closest thing fans will get to recreating the fights seen in the anime. Frankly, Pokkén Tournament absolutely deserves more credit than it gets, especially when it comes to dynamic Pokémon battles, something Game Freak has struggled to achieve for decades.

7 Detective Pikachu Gets Unfairly Criticized

The 3DS Mystery Game Is Pretty Great

Detective Pikachu is one of many games that are unfairly hated, garnering poor review scores - especially the Nintendo Switch sequel, Detective Pikachu Returns - and rarely much attention. Of course, it got a movie adaptation, a bizarre choice considering its lack of relevance, although one that makes sense when considering that Detective Pikachu for the 3DS offers the most human and grounded narrative in the series, giving players a meaningful insight into the world of Pokémon and the people who live within it.

Both Detective Pikachu and its sequel focus on the titular Pikachu solving crimes alongside its human companion, Tim. Terrible names aside, they make for a pretty compelling duo, and the puzzle-based gameplay alongside the fun town to explore, interesting characters to meet, and compelling explorations of Pokémon's rich history and lore, make Detective Pikachu a really great spin-off experience well worth trying.

6 PokéPark Is An Unheard-Of Wii RPG

It Is A Mini-Game Extravaganza

PokéPark may be familiar to diehard fans, but there's likely a large group of people who didn't know this RPG even existed. Aimed more at children, but nevertheless suitable for adults, this RPG sees Pikachu attempt to befriend a number of Pokémon from the fourth generation and below. Pikachu does this by competing in minigames, handing over berries, and even getting into tense battles.

It's all rather relaxing, with the dialogue skewing more towards the witty and fun, and each biome feeling like a theme park ride, offering fresh and fun content scored by a suitable soundtrack. The icy caves feature Legends Arceus-esque quiet piano, while the beaches are more bouncy and lively. With a sequel adding even more Pokémon and mini-games, there's plenty to get stuck into in this practically unheard-of Pokémon RPG.

5 Pokémon Colosseum Is The Final Fantasy Of Pokémon

It Is Baffling This Didn't Get A Switch Remaster

For those who've always felt that Pokémon should be more mature and more narrative-driven, Pokémon Colosseum is the perfect experience. While many fondly this GameCube masterpiece, Pokémon Colosseum has never received a remaster, remake, or modern sequel. It did get a follow-up in the form of Pokémon XD: Gale of Darkness, but it didn't quite live up to expectations.

Many have compared Colosseum to Final Fantasy 7, and the comparisons are absolutely valid. It's a genuinely enjoyable RPG experience unlike anything Pokémon has had since. It seriously deserves far more credit for pushing the Pokémon formula than it gets, for The Pokémon Company to recognize it more rather than forget it ever existed, and to get a long-overdue sequel on the Switch 2.

4 Pokémon Conquest Is A Great Pokémon Strategy Game

It Is One Of The Few Pokémon Games Set In The Past

When it comes to unexpected Pokémon crossovers, Pokémon Conquest has to be the best. It is a cross between Pokémon and the niche strategy series, Nobunaga's Ambition. Players are transported to a Pokémon-infused Feudal Japan where they help Nobunaga himself to unify the fictional Ransei Region. With 200 Pokémon to form bonds with and 200 corresponding Warlords to meet, most of whom are based on historical figures, Pokémon Conquest is a very unique DS experience.

No one ever really discusses Pokémon Conquest, nor did it ever get a sequel, despite having a relatively positive critical reception at launch. It is a shame that The Pokémon Company doesn't make more games like Conquest, especially as it helps diversify the Pokémon brand more than its current offering of mobile games and mainline titles does.

3 Pokémon Snap Is Still One Of The Best Photography Games

Snap Captures Each Pokémon's Personality Perfectly

Pokémon Snap is one of the most popular Pokémon spin-off games, with it even getting a sequel on the Nintendo Switch called New Pokémon Snap. It sees players take pictures of Pokémon, using various means to elicit certain reactions from them, or attempting to catch them doing something funny or cute before taking that snap. Pokémon Snap remains one of the best photography games ever, as well as one of the most immersive Pokémon experiences.

What it doesn't really get credit for is its depiction of Pokémon in their natural habitats. Pokémon games have always treated the titular mons as just creatures to fight, but Pokémon Snap gave them far more personality and showed players a different side to them. Both Pokémon Snap and its sequel are well worth visiting for those who are tired of battling Pokémon and would rather spend a bit more quality time with them instead.

2 Pokémon Stadium Has The Best Version Of Pokémon's Combat

This Needs A Modern Sequel

While Pokkén Tournament is absolutely the best Pokémon fighting game, Pokémon Stadium is definitely the best representation of the traditional Pokémon combat model. It takes the turn-based strategy of the mainline games and makes it a far more cinematic experience. Each attack actually affects the Pokémon, with them reacting whenever hit. The thumping stadium atmosphere coupled with a great soundtrack helps make each battle feel equal parts exciting and tense.

It also featured co-op multiplayer on the same platform, which gave players a way of battling one another without the need for cables connecting their Game Boys. For the time, Stadium represented the future of Pokémon, with its battle animations and co-op being well ahead of their time. It absolutely deserves credit for that, and for the fact that all these years later it still holds up.

1 Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Red Rescue Team Is One Of The Best Pokémon Games

It Is A Phenomenal GBA Experience

The very best spin-off Pokémon game is Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Red Rescue Team. This is technically a spin-off of the original Dragon Quest Mystery Dungeon game, which itself was a sidekick spin-off game from Dragon Quest IV. Regardless, Red Rescue Team is a thoroughly charming adventure that sees the player take on the role of a Pokémon as they explore the titular dungeons fighting monsters and collecting items.

There was, like with most Pokémon games, an alternative version of Red Rescue Team called Blue Rescue Team, which had different Pokémon for the player to control, including Squirtle. Both games were remade for the Nintendo Switch as Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Rescue Team DX.

Sporting a gorgeous art style that looks even better in the update, a great soundtrack, and colorful characters, Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Red Rescue Team was a phenomenal experience from start to finish that was later fleshed out in sequels. The Mystery Dungeon series, while beloved by many, also seems to fall under the radar despite being such a compelling Pokémon experience.