Pokémon Ranger's gameplay is much different from other Pokémon games. Specifically made to support the Nintendo DS's release it focuses much more on the use of the touch screen and the stylus. The game is based around drawing loops with your stylus around Pokémon to capture them. Once captured, Pokémon will follow you around and can be used to help clearing obstacles or completing objectives. Different areas contain different Pokémon to find.
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By touching the top left of the screen that says 4/4 (your Styler's health) or by pressing the Start button, you can access the Styler's menu. Here you can see a few different things:
On the top screen you can see a bunch of information, such as your Ranger ID, your Name, your Status, your Styler level along with how much experience you need to level up, your line length and, last but not least, your Ranger Rank, represented by the diamonds at the bottom of the top screen.
On the bottom screen, there are a few different buttons you can press:
- Mission: Tapping this button will show you details of your current mission on the top screen;
- Map: This will show you a map of the region of Fiore;
- Options: This will allow you to change text speed and the style of the windows;
- Release: This allows you to release any Pokémon you have captured;
- Glossary: Allows you to see definitions for a bunch of different things allowing you to better understand the game;
- Browser: Allows you to see the Pokémon Browser, so you can check what Pokémon you've seen and captured.
Ranger Rank[edit]
| Rank | Partner Gauge |
Party Pokémon |
Poké Assist Gained |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | 4 | None |
| 2 | 1 | 4 | Fighting |
| 3 | 2 | 4 | Poison, Psychic |
| 4 | 2 | 5 | Bug, Ground |
| 5 | 3 | 5 | Rock |
| 6 | 3 | 5 | Flying |
| 7 | 4 | 6 | Dark, Ghost |
| 8 | 4 | 6 | Ice |
| 9 | 5 | 6 | None |
| 10 | 5 | 7 | None |
As you complete missions you go up in rank. As you go up in rank, you gain certain benefits like being able to use a new Poké Assist, gaining a bar to your partner gauge, or increasing the number of possible party Pokémon. Here is a list of the benefits of each rank:
Map[edit]
Your top screen shows a map of the region you are currently in. This map includes details like Pokémon locations as well as Save Machine locations and places that allow you to exit the area you're in. It also shows you what Pokémon are currently with you.
Capturing Pokémon[edit]
To capture Pokémon, tap the stylus onto the touch screen to activate the capture styler. Without lifting the stylus off the touch screen, draw loops around the target Pokémon. When you do, a number appears above the Pokémon. This is how many loops you have to draw around it to capture it. When the number changes to an "OK", lift the stylus off the screen to capture the Pokémon. You can keep circling the Pokémon after the "OK" shows, which might net you some extra exp. You can also get more exp by circling more than one Pokémon. Once the Pokémon is captured you can either release them or keep it to use their Field Move or Poké Assist.
Most Pokémon won't just stand around while you circle them. All of them will wander about, and if a Pokémon wanders into the capture styler, it will break your line, making you have to start again from the beginning. Most will also attack, and if an attack hits the capture styler, then not only does it break the line, but it also does damage to the capture styler. One Pokémon in particular can damage the capture styler just by running into it. But so long as you are wary of them, they are generally easy to avoid.
Field Moves[edit]
Field moves are general abilities of most, but not all, Pokémon that help you clear obstacles and complete objectives. Tap an obstacle to see its strength rating. Each object that can be affected by a Field Move, as well as each Pokémon that can use a field move, has a "rating" of 1, 2 or 3. For example, a Pokémon with the Field Move Cut 3 can clear an obstacle with the rating of Cut 1, 2, or 3, but a Pokémon with Cut 1 cannot clear an obstacle with a rating of Cut 2 or 3. There are nine different types of field moves in the game. Each field has a different purpose and set of things it can do.
Burn: Allows you to set objects like logs on fire.
Soak: Shoot out water, putting out fires and growing plants.
Flash: Used to light up dark areas.
Cut: Slice open objects to clear a path or to find secret areas.
Crush: Destroy boulders and other objects using brute force.
Gust: Use strong winds to blow things away or reveal certain Pokémon.
Recharge: Recharge your Stylus health.
Cross: Cross over gaps to reach different places.
Tackle: Push objects.
Poké Assists[edit]
| Type | Effect | Strengths | Weaknesses |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bug | Shoots a gob of webbing at the Pokémon once the stylus has been lifted. | Grass/Dark/Psychic | Fighting/Flying/Fire/Poison/Ghost/Steel |
| Dark | Doubles the length of your Capture Line, but removes 1/4 of your remaining Styler energy. | N/A | N/A |
| Discharge | Plusle or Minun release waves of electricity, temporarily stunning Pokémon. | Flying/Water | Electric/Ground/Grass/Dragon |
| Electric | Recharges damaged Styler. | N/A | N/A |
| Fighting | Doubles the Capture Line's power against most foes. | Normal/Ice/Steel/Rock/Dark | Ghost |
| Fire | Makes flames appear wherever you draw a line, disrupting Pokémon. | Grass/Bug/Ice/Steel | Water/Rock/Fire/Dragon |
| Flying | Launches Pokémon immobilizing whirlwinds in the direction of the line drawn. | Fighting/Grass/Bug | Rock/Steel/Electric |
| Ghost | When you circle, a ghost will appear in the center of the circle, immobilizing the Pokémon. | Ghost/Psychic | Normal/Steel/Dark |
| Grass | Makes tall grass grow wherever you draw a line, making the Pokémon get stuck. | Water/Ground/Rock | Fire/Steel/Flying/Dragon/Grass/Bug/Poison |
| Psychic | Levitates all Pokémon helplessly in the air, making them easy to catch. | Fighting/Grass | Dark/Ghost |
| Water | Holding down the Stylus generates a bubble to be flicked at the Pokémon which contains it momentarily | Rock/Ground/Fire | Electric/Grass |