Pokémon Ranger

Pokémon Ranger
File:Pokemonranger.jpg
Developer(s)	HAL Laboratory, Inc.
Publisher(s)	Nintendo
Platform(s)	Nintendo DS
Release	March 23, 2006 October 30, 2006 2007 (TBA) 2006 (TBA)
Genre(s)	Action RPG
Mode(s)	Single player

Pokémon Ranger (ポケモンレンジャー, Pokemon Renjā) is an RPG game for the Nintendo DS, released in Japan on March 22, 2006. It is compatible with Pokémon Diamond and Pearl. The game is set on an island, which is called Fiore, where the player controls a ranger. Rangers are older than the trainers of the conventional RPGs, and more about what a ranger actually does is expected to be revealed closer to the game’s release. According to Nintendo.com, the tentative release date for the U.S. version is October 30, 2006.

Gameplay mechanics

Pokémon Ranger differs from the standard Pokémon game formula in that the entire game is based on walking through areas to clear missions and help other people out. The variation involving Pokémon in the game is that they are not captured using Poké Balls, but instead from the use of a Capture Stylus. The player would use the stylus and create revolutions around a Pokémon by circling the stylus around it. This is necessary to complete missions. If you catch certain Pokémon, you can use special rings. For example, if you catch Torchic, you can use fire circles, which work well against ice types. This game is not the same format of RPG like the older Pokémon games but in a different RPG battle system for quests and missions. This game will also be able to connect to the upcoming games, Pokémon Diamond and Pearl.

Characters

File:Pokemonrangerscreenshot.jpg

Beta-Screenshots from Pokémon Ranger

The storyline revolves around a single Pokémon Ranger - Kazuki or Hinata, depending on the player's choice. In addition to the male, female and professor protagonist characters in the game, several other Pokémon Rangers are part of the Ranger Union. Each ranger presumably holds domain over a certain area. These rangers are named カムリ Kamuri, エリダ Erida, ジョウ Joe, アリア Aria and ハヤテ Hayate. A professor also plays a significant role in the game.

An Army group (Team Go-Go), Team Snagem, and the egg from Pokémon Ranger and the Prince of the Sea(Manaphy) make appearances in the game.

The new group, Team Go-Go (ゴーゴー団, Go-Go dan), has four leaders. Their names are ヤライ Yarai, ヨウジ Yōji, ユウキ Yūki and ミライ Mirai.

The Manaphy egg

One quest in Ranger, downloadable by reserving a ticket for the 9th Pokémon movie, Pokémon Ranger and the Prince of the Sea: Manaphy, involves saving an egg from Team Go-Go, which happens to be a Manaphy egg. Once the quest is complete, the player is told that the egg cannot be hatched in Fiore, but it must be transferred to Shin'ou, or, in other words, a Pokémon Diamond or Pokémon Pearl game. The player must have two Nintendo DS systems, one containing the Diamond or Pearl cartridge, and the other containing the Pokémon Ranger cartridge. The Manaphy egg will be transferred to the Diamond or Pearl file, allowing the player to hatch the egg and receive Manaphy. A video of this mission is available at PokéWiki (German).

Development

Information regarding Pokémon Ranger was first published in July 2005’s issue of CoroCoro Comic Magazine. As expected, vague details were told (mostly hinting that it was a game and a movie). The “official” Pokémon Ranger announcement came on as a short teaser at the end of the 8th Pokémon movie. Little information was known beyond the fact that it was a game and a movie. This game's development has been confused for being the same game as Pokemon Mystery Dungeon.

Promotion in the Pokémon anime

A few episodes of the Pokémon series have included Pokémon Rangers (currently unaired in the U.S.). They seem to go on special missions to help preserve Pokémon-human relations and they are closely related to Pokémon breeders. They also have a device that allows them to temporarily control wild Pokémon; this device also allows them to scan Pokémon, check how healthy they are, and make sure that they are not being interfered with by outside forces.

Merchandise

A game watch has been manufactured in the theme of Pokémon Ranger. The watch is designed to look like the Navi of Pokémon Rangers for capturing Pokémon. [1]

Sales information

Pokémon Ranger sold 193,337 copies in Japan on its release week. [2]

External links

• Template:Nintendo.com
• (JP) Official Site
• (DE) Has a lot of scans
• Review of Pokémon Ranger on Green Hill Zone.