Pokémon Ranger
| |
| Pokémon Ranger | |
| Developer | HAL Laboratory Creatures, Inc. |
| Publisher | Nintendo |
| System | Nintendo DS, Wii U Virtual Console |
| Release Date | Nintendo DS JP March 23, 2006 US October 30, 2006 AU December 6, 2006 EU April 13, 2007 Wii U Virtual Console PAL February 25, 2016 JP April 13, 2016 US July 21, 2016 |
| Rating | ESRB: E |
Pokémon Ranger is an action-adventure Pokémon spin-off for the Nintendo DS.
Story[edit]
The setting is the Fiore region. There a no Pokémon trainers, and instead Pokémon are kept more like pets. Pokémon Rangers try to keep the peace and protect nature with the help of Pokémon, and they have Capture Stylers which allow them to temporarily work with Pokémon. The player character (Lunick if male or Solana if female) is part of a Pokémon Ranger group called the Ranger Union and has Plusle or Minun as a partner Pokémon. They are coordinated by Professor Hastings and perform a series of missions throughout Fiore to meet more Pokémon and protect the region from various threats, such as those of the villainous Go-Rock Squad.
Gameplay[edit]
Although the game has many RPG elements, it is very different from the standard Pokémon color versions. The player has only one permanent Pokémon (a Minun or Plusle depending on the chosen gender), and the Capture Styler is used to temporarily recruit other Pokémon. The Capture Styler is controlled with the touch screen by using the stylus to make repeated loops around the Pokémon. A capture can be disrupted by a Pokémon's attacks or the presence of other Pokémon, and the Capture Styler has its own bar which is like a health bar. If the bar is drained, the capture fails and the player is sent back to the last save point. Captured Pokémon can be used for one task each which differs depending on the Pokémon's abilities and are usually used to clear obstacles in the environment, and their abilities can also be used to help in the capture of other Pokémon. The Pokémon will then be released. The player has to strategically find Pokémon in the various environments which are needed to solve missions.
The game has a total of 213 Pokémon from the first three generations which are chronicled in a variation of the Pokédex known as the Ranger Browser. After the game is completed, entering a code will unlock the Ranger Net, which has several extra missions that feature legendary Pokémon.
Connectivity[edit]
One Ranger Net mission involved the obtaining of a Manaphy egg. The egg cannot be hatched with Pokémon Ranger. Instead it instead can be transferred to Pokémon: Diamond, Pearl, Platinum, HeartGold or SoulSilver Versions using the Mystery Gift feature and will hatch within those games. As the Ranger Net cannot be reset, there is only one Manaphy egg available per Pokémon Ranger cartridge.
Legacy[edit]
This game started the Pokémon Ranger subseries, which had three games on the DS. Notably, all three games wound up having a Manaphy egg mission (but allowed it to be transferred to the later fourth generation games), which makes this entire subseries the only games through which a Manaphy can be obtained without a Nintendo event.
Ports/Remakes[edit]
- In 2016, it was released for download through the Wii U's eShop as part of the Wii U Virtual Console.
Sequel[edit]
The next Ranger game was Pokémon Ranger: Shadows of Almia in 2008.