Pokémon Ranger series

The Pokémon Ranger series (Japanese: ポケモンレンジャー Pokémon Ranger) is a series of action adventure developed by Creatures for the Nintendo DS. The series comprises a total of three different games, and has been expanded into several manga and several animated specials.
==History==
The first game in the series, , was released in 2006. As the last game released during Generation III, it primarily features Pokémon available in that generation, but like the other Ranger games, it can communicate with the Generation IV core series games to transfer over the . The movie Pokémon Ranger and the Temple of the Sea was released a few months later to promote the game. The manga Pokémon Ranger the Comic: Double Mission, set in the canon of Pokémon Adventures, was also based on the game. In addition, a was featured in the sixty-second chapter of the Pokémon Ruby-Sapphire manga.
Pokémon Ranger: Shadows of Almia is the second game in the Pokémon Ranger series, and was released in 2008. The game primarily features Pokémon from Generation IV. A two-part animated special consisting of Pokémon Ranger and the Kidnapped Riolu! Part 1 and Part 2 featuring the game's male protagonist aired near the game's release as part of the animated series. Pokémon Ranger: The Comic – Shadows of Almia is a manga adaptation based upon the game.
Released in 2010, Pokémon Ranger: Guardian Signs is the third and final game in the series. A two-part was aired to promote the game. An episode featuring the game's titled Pokémon Ranger: Heatran Rescue! aired as part of the main series.
==Gameplay==
In all three games, the , a under the command of the Ranger Union, uses a Capture Styler to befriend Pokémon and use them to help capture other Pokémon or . The player goes on Ranger Missions, tasks assigned to them from a Ranger Base or the Ranger Union itself, encountering people who abuse Pokémon along the way. Eventually, the player confronts the villainous team and foils their plans.
==List of games==
Gen.	Image	Title	Japanese title	Platform 	Release date 	Release date 	Release date 	Release date 	Release date
Gen.	Image	Title	Japanese title	Platform 	Japan 	North America 	Europe 	Australia 	Taiwan
 	 	 	 	Nintendo DS 	March 23, 2006	October 30, 2006 	April 13, 2007 	December 7, 2006 	March 23, 2006
 	 	 	 	Wii U Virtual Console	April 13, 2016	July 21, 2016 	February 25, 2016	February 26, 2016	—
 	 	 	 	Nintendo DS 	March 20, 2008	November 10, 2008	November 21, 2008	November 13, 2008	March 20, 2008
 	 	 	 	Wii U Virtual Console	July 27, 2016 	August 4, 2016 	June 9, 2016 	June 9, 2016 	—
 	 	 	 	Nintendo DS 	March 6, 2010 	October 4, 2010 	November 5, 2010 	November 25, 2010	March 6, 2010
 	 	 	 	Wii U Virtual Console	August 3, 2016	August 18, 2016 	June 9, 2016 	June 9, 2016 	—
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
==List of animated adaptations==
===Movie===
Movie	English cover	English title 	English release 	American distributor 	Japanese title 	Japanese release 	Japanese distributor
9 	 	Pokémon Ranger and the Temple of the Sea 	March 23, 2007 	VIZ Media / 	ポケモンレンジャーと蒼海の王子 マナフィPokémon Ranger and the Prince of the Sea: ManaphyThe Pokémon Ranger and the Prince of the Sea 	July 15, 2006 	Toho
9 	 	Summary: When the egg of a legendary Pokémon, , with ties to an ancient water-based civilization, falls into the hands of a pirate, a entrusts the egg to and —specifically . May must keep the egg safe until it hatches, and afterward, make sure Manaphy does not fall into the hands of the Phantom, lest Samiya be lost to the seafloor and Manaphy lose its home.	Summary: When the egg of a legendary Pokémon, , with ties to an ancient water-based civilization, falls into the hands of a pirate, a entrusts the egg to and —specifically . May must keep the egg safe until it hatches, and afterward, make sure Manaphy does not fall into the hands of the Phantom, lest Samiya be lost to the seafloor and Manaphy lose its home.	Summary: When the egg of a legendary Pokémon, , with ties to an ancient water-based civilization, falls into the hands of a pirate, a entrusts the egg to and —specifically . May must keep the egg safe until it hatches, and afterward, make sure Manaphy does not fall into the hands of the Phantom, lest Samiya be lost to the seafloor and Manaphy lose its home.	Summary: When the egg of a legendary Pokémon, , with ties to an ancient water-based civilization, falls into the hands of a pirate, a entrusts the egg to and —specifically . May must keep the egg safe until it hatches, and afterward, make sure Manaphy does not fall into the hands of the Phantom, lest Samiya be lost to the seafloor and Manaphy lose its home.	Summary: When the egg of a legendary Pokémon, , with ties to an ancient water-based civilization, falls into the hands of a pirate, a entrusts the egg to and —specifically . May must keep the egg safe until it hatches, and afterward, make sure Manaphy does not fall into the hands of the Phantom, lest Samiya be lost to the seafloor and Manaphy lose its home.	Summary: When the egg of a legendary Pokémon, , with ties to an ancient water-based civilization, falls into the hands of a pirate, a entrusts the egg to and —specifically . May must keep the egg safe until it hatches, and afterward, make sure Manaphy does not fall into the hands of the Phantom, lest Samiya be lost to the seafloor and Manaphy lose its home.
===Episodes===
==List of manga adaptations==
Image 	English title 	Japanese title 	Volumes	Chapters 	Summary
 	 	ポケモンレンジャーと蒼海の王子 マナフィPokémon Ranger and the Prince of the Sea: Manaphy 	1 	4 	An adaptation of the ninth Pokémon movie, Pokémon Ranger and the Temple of the Sea.
Cover of the first part	 	ポケモンレンジャーと蒼海の王子 マナフィPokémon Ranger and the Prince of the Sea: Manaphy (short manga) 	 	 	A short adaptation of the ninth Pokémon movie, Pokémon Ranger and the Temple of the Sea.
 	 	ポケモンバトル:ピカチュウのわくわく大ぼうけんPokémon Battle: Pikachu's Big Exciting Adventure 	0 	 	An adaptation of . One chapter is an adaptation of The Green Guardian.
 	Pokémon Ruby-Sapphire 	ポケットモンスターR・S(ルビーサファイア)Pocket Monster R S (Ruby and Sapphire) 	6 	632 special chapters	A shōnen gag manga featuring the adventures of an and his rude on their journeys throughout the Pokémon world.
One of its chapters, Let's Go After The Pokémon Ranger!, features a Pokémon Ranger with a Capture Styler.
 	Pokémon Ranger the Comic: Double Mission 	W ミッションストーリ ポケモンレンジャー the ComicW Mission Story: Pokémon Ranger - the Comic 	0 	5 	An adaptation of available online to members of the Pokémon Daisuki Club.
 	Pokémon Ranger: The Comic – Shadows of Almia	ダークライ ミッションストーリ ポケモンレンジャー バトナージDarkrai Mission Story: Pokémon Ranger Vatonage - the Comic 	0 	4 	An adaptation of Pokémon Ranger: Shadows of Almia available online to members of the Pokémon Daisuki Club.
 	 	出動！！ポケモンレンジャーMobilize!! Pokémon Ranger 	0 	13 	An adaptation of 's storyline.
 	 	ポケモンレンジャー－Ｔｈｅ　１ｓｔ　ミッション－Pokémon Ranger -The 1st Mission- 	0 	1 	An adaptation of 's storyline.
 	 	ポケモンレンジャー“キャプチャ”マスターへの道Pokémon Ranger: The Road to a "Capture" Master 	0 	 	An adaptation of 's storyline.
 	 	ポケモンレンジャー バトナージ～トップレンジャーへの道～Pokémon Ranger Vatonage: The Road to Top Ranger 	0 	 	An adaptation of Pokémon Ranger: Shadows of Almia's storyline.
 	 	ポケモンレンジャーバトナジ:まんがでミッションクリアPokémon Ranger Vatonage: Mission Clear 	0 	 	An adaptation of Pokémon Ranger: Shadows of Almia's storyline.
 	 	ポケモンレンジャー オブリビアの勇者Pokémon Ranger: Hero of Oblivia 	0 	 	An adaptation of Pokémon Ranger: Guardian Signs's storyline.
==Discontinuation==
No further games in the series have been released after the release of and the start of Generation V. However, location data and Wonder Card data for the Ranger games exist in the code of the Generation V games, which may mean that a Ranger game could still have been released in Generation V. This placeholder data does not exist in the Generation VI games.
==Trivia==
* None of the Pokémon Ranger games have been released in .
** However, Pokémon Ranger games from other regions can still communicate with Korean Generation IV core series games.
** In the core series games, the met location that displays as Pokémon Ranger in other regions is displayed in Korean games as 다른 지방 .
==In other languages==
==Related articles==
Category:Game series
*
de:Pokémon Ranger (Spielreihe)
fr:Pokémon Ranger (série)
it:Serie Pokémon Ranger
zh:宝可梦巡护员（系列）