Game Review: Pokemon Ranger

January 1, 2007

The newest non-traditional Pokémon video game for Nintendo DS is Pokémon Ranger.

I’m going to take a few minutes to review this game and give you my opinion as to how good the game is. I will also go over a few points that make the game different than the Pokémon games that have been released thus far.

Overview:

You take on the role of a Pokémon Ranger in the Fiore Region. Unlike in previous games there are no Pokéballs in this game. Instead you will be using a stylus to temporarily capture Pokémon.

As a low level Pokémon Ranger you will have access to stylus that gets more powerful as you gain in experience. Your Ranger level will slowly rise as you complete missions. As your level increases you will be able to capture more Pokémon and use more powerful Poké assist powers.

The game has a linear story path that you must complete before the game is considered complete.

You will be able to capture and interact with more than 200 Pokémon. Because you are a ranger and not a trainer, after you use a Pokémon’s power you must release it.

This is what I really like about Pokémon Ranger; it’s more in tune with the idea of Pokémon as you are not simply building a battle squad but are instead befriending Pokémon who then assist you and leave.

Stylus:

No Pokéballs in this game, instead you use the stylus on the DS touch screen to capture Pokémon.

I have to admit, when I first heard about that I thought it was crazy! Draw a line around a Pokémon until they get dizzy and then you capture them?

Have no fear, the system does work and it works well.

When you walk into a wild Pokémon (or an antagonist battle) you go into capture mode. Yes, evn battles are a capture as you are freeing the Pokémon from the bad guys!

You have to draw a line around the Pokémon a set number of times that varies by the power of the Pokémon. i.e. a weak Pokémon such as Magnamite can be captured with as few as three circles while a more powerful Pokémon such as Salamence may take 15+ circles to capture!

If your stylus hits the Pokémon while capturing your line is broken and your stylus takes damage. If the Pokémon attacks or walks into your circle it is also broken and you have to start over again.

Electric Pokémon can be used to recharge your stylus.

Poké Assists:

Sometimes a Pokémon is so powerful that you need a little bit of help to capture them, this is where the Poké Assist powers come in.

When capturing a Pokémon you can use the power of any Pokémon on your team to help.

For example: IF you were trying to capture a water Pokémon you could use a grass Pokémon to assist you. Because of the type advantage it’s Poké Assist power would be even more potent!

Once you use a Pokémon in this manner it is set free, unless it is your main Pokémon Plusle or Minun.

There are many different Poké Assist powers available in the game and the key to wining the story mode is to pay attention and use the appropriate Poké Assist power at the right time.

Field Moves:

As well as the Poké Assist powers many Pokémon also have Field Moves.

These range from basic things such as fire Pokémon being able to burn down obstacles and others having cut to knock down fences.

All Pokémon who have Field Moves have them at one of three power levels: one, two or three. Some obstacles are easy to pass and only require a level one Field Move while more difficult ones require a level three Field Move. No, you can not use three Pokémon with level one Field Moves to pass a level three obstacle.

Conclusion:

Unlike the prior offering of Pokémon Mystery Dungeon, I find Pokémon Ranger to be a very enjoyable game. It’s not overly difficult and there is nothing random about it.

It is enjoable to capture the Pokémon with the stylus and knowing that they will be set free after you use them it forces you to better think out your strategies.

Even though the storyline is linear I have no problem with it. I have not yet completed the game but there is something after that called “Ranger Net” which will allow you to take on missions to capture legendary Pokémon such as Kyogre, Groudon and even Mew!

If you are looking for something to while away the hours until April when Pokémon Diamond and Pearl are released then you should pick this game up, it is worth it.

The only bad thing about this game is the lack of a multi-player aspect. Then again, I don’t know how you would have multi-player in this game!

For more information check out the Official Website.

UPDATE 1
I have now completed the game. Though Pokemon Ranger does not track amount of time played the following is now known to me:
No. of Steps Walked: 16990
No. of Conversations: 126
Targets Schecked: 201
Capture Attempts: 348
Pokemon Captured: 468
Abandoned Attempts (Fled): 6
Capture Line Length: 2300 feet
No. of Loops: 5667
Poke Assists Used: 179
No. of Times Minun Helped: 60
No. of Times the Styler Broke: 3
No. of Saves: 133
Current Exp. Points: 23795
Total Play Time: 9:21

Ranger Net is now available to me and… I now have the power to take Pokemon out of their natural environments! This means I can catch a Pokemon in the woods and then go to the jungle and they will not have to leave me.



Posted by Jolly | Filed Under News, Ranger, Review  2,637 views

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20 Comments

Comment by bngvg
2007-01-21 09:56:26

weres groudon?!?!?!?!?!!?!?!?!?!??

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Comment by Steve
2007-01-21 10:53:15

Groudon is at the end of one of the Special Missions. Groudon is under the Jungle Relic.

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Comment by mark
2007-03-19 14:25:45

how long until u get to acces the deoxys mission and how do you unlock it

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Comment by aj
2007-04-05 14:00:39

which mission lets you get groudon and how do i get the mission

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Comment by Dar
2007-04-14 18:42:42

when u get access to ranger net u can enter a password by pressing the buttons and the password is used to get Manaphy. I have a problem with this as it does not work on my game. Do u know of any other codes?

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Comment by Jared
2007-04-17 17:52:47

How doo catch flygon on the three challenges under the jungle relic?

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Comment by pokefreak
2007-04-21 09:19:52

how i catch salamance hes so hard

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Comment by jake the snake
2007-04-27 00:35:36

How do you catch flygon.I’ve got salamace and the two kingdras,but it’s impossible!!!

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Comment by kyle
2007-05-11 15:13:43

wots the english ranger net password for manaphy

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Comment by andrew
2007-05-15 02:04:35

i want groudon kyogre and raquza i already got regice regi rock and i now were regi steel is i have got ranger net but passwords do not work for me tell me the english one or eles
!!!!!!!

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Comment by big b
2007-05-29 15:57:14

plzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz tell me the english password for manamphy or is it just fake

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Comment by Tuan
2007-06-24 15:38:32

ok help me here how do u start off the mew mission and can u reli get celebi?..and if u can tell me who to tlk to..so i can start off the mission

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Comment by blarges
2007-06-25 15:33:26

the code for english pokemon rngr is you have to press L R down (on d-pad)& X if this does not work try all similar things

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Comment by Sasha
2007-07-11 21:38:39

What is the 201 pokemon in the pokemon ranger browser?

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Comment by minicheat
2007-08-11 08:19:42

it is KANGASKAHN

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Comment by jack
2007-09-08 19:26:20

it is u

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Comment by zegul
2007-07-18 11:08:45

How do you catch absol, Kangaskahn, sandshrew and ninjask ?

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Comment by ZaCk
2007-09-10 19:02:39

u get ninjask at the forest located above ring town.u hav to use a phanphy on 1 of the trees

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