Pokemon Ranger Series OverView

Pokemon Rangers, a spin-off series of Pokemon, focused most on the care of the region and keeping wild pokemon safe instead of catching and training them. There are currently three games in the series 'Pokemon Ranger', 'Pokemon Ranger : Shadows of Almia', and 'Pokemon Ranger : Guardian Signs'.

The Pokemon Ranger series makes heavy and good use of the ds stylus with the main tool of the game called a capture stylus. In all games you use it to capture or calm down pokemon. When you run into a pokemon you have to circle it a number of times with the stylus without taking it off the screen, to catch it. Or you can run away from it. The series also using a rank system level 0-10 which determines where you can go and what upgrades you can get. The upgrades all pertain to the capture stylus you use in game. The rank system also affects how many pokemon you can have with you at once besides your partner pokemon who is always with you. You use the extra pokemon to help capture other pokemon by releasing an ability. The ability if it hits either Recover capture stylus HP or gives an affects the pokemon you are trying to capture. Or use them to remove objects blocking your path preventing you from progressing. All of these mechanics appear in all three games.

Pokemon Ranger is the first game in the series and the most challenging of the three in my opinion in terms of actually capturing pokemon particularity the 'Boss' pokemon. You start as newcomer to the Fiore region and is quickly made into a ranger by head ranger Spenser that was on the boat with you: after you help him rescue a Plusle/Minun depending on the gender you pick, (Plusle for girl, Minun for boy). After that Spenser give you a few more missions to prove yourself in once in Ring Town; one of the four major towns in the region. Once you complete them you start on the ten missions that make up the main story line. The missions take you across the region to the three other major town of the region, Fall City, Summerland and Wintown. Each you have to complete a quest to be given access to.

Pokemon Ranger: Shadows of Almia is the second game in the series one of the main differences being the ability to choose between seventeen different partner pokemon. It plays similar to the first, aside from being easier to beat. This time though you are a pokemon ranger in training who is quickly made into an apprentice pokemon ranger.

Pokemon Ranger: Guardian Signs is the third game in the sereis, its main differance is that you can draw signs on the lower screen of the Nintendo DS to call for help from legendary pokemon to use outside of battle. There is only one partner pokemon who is know as Ukulele Pichu. You are a newly recuited pokemon ranger who was trying to protect a Latias (or Latios depending on your gender) with your partner ranger when you are knocked out of the sky into the sea. You then have to go around completing missions so you can rescue your partner ranger.