Pokémon Ranger: Shadows of Almia facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Pokémon Ranger: Shadows of Almia |
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North American box art
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| Developer(s) | Creatures Inc. |
| Publisher(s) | Nintendo The Pokémon Company |
| Director(s) | Katsuyoshi Irie |
| Producer(s) | Hiroyuki Jinnai Hiroaki Tsuru |
| Designer(s) | Hajime Kuroyanagi Yukinori Torii Hirofumi Matsuoka Tomoaki Imakuni Yasuhiro Ito Satoko Harigaya Tomohide Takaiwa |
| Writer(s) | Akihito Toda |
| Composer(s) | Takuto Kitsuta Kinta Sato Shinobu Amayake |
| Series | Pokémon |
| Platform(s) | Nintendo DS |
| Release date(s) |
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| Genre(s) | Action role-playing |
| Mode(s) | Single-player |
Pokémon Ranger: Shadows of Almia (ポケモンレンジャー バトナージ, Pokemon Renjā Batonāji, "Pokémon Ranger: Vatonage") is an exciting action-adventure game for the Nintendo DS console. It was created by Creatures Inc. and published by The Pokémon Company and Nintendo.
The game was first announced in Japan in March 2008. Later that year, it was released in North America and Europe. In this game, you play as a Pokémon Ranger, someone who helps Pokémon and people in a special region called Almia. The game includes 270 different Pokémon, even some new ones from Pokémon Diamond and Pearl. You could also download new missions using the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection.
Exploring the Almia Region
The game takes place in the Almia region, a new area far from other Pokémon regions. Almia has many different landscapes. You can find hot deserts like the Haruba Desert and chilly places like the Hia Valley.
Becoming a Pokémon Ranger
You start your adventure as a student at the Ranger School. You quickly learn the ropes and become a rookie Ranger. Your goal is to become a top-level Ranger! You can choose if your character is a boy or a girl. This choice does not change which partner Pokémon you get.
How to Capture Pokémon
The main way to play is by capturing wild Pokémon to help you. You use your Nintendo DS stylus, which is called a Capture Styler in the game. To capture a Pokémon, you draw circles around it on the screen.
There's a special way to capture Pokémon in this game. Instead of just drawing a certain number of loops, you need to fill up a Pokémon's Friendship Gauge. You do this by drawing loops around the Pokémon. If a Pokémon attacks, you can lift your stylus to avoid the attack. But be careful! If you stop drawing for too long, the Friendship Gauge will slowly go down. As your styler gets stronger, each loop you draw fills the gauge more quickly.
Taking on Quests
Shadows of Almia also has "Quests." These are like mini-missions that aren't part of the main story. Citizens of Almia will ask for your help with different tasks. When you complete these quests, you can earn new partner Pokémon. You can also get power-ups for your styler, like being more resistant to attacks or having longer capture lines.
Choosing Your Partner Pokémon
Unlike the first Pokémon Ranger game, you get to choose your partner Pokémon in Shadows of Almia. In the first game, your partner was set (Minun for boys, Plusle for girls). Here, you start with either Pachirisu, Munchlax, or Starly. There are 17 possible partners in total, one for each Pokémon type that existed at the time. You can find the other 14 partners by completing side quests or special events. Once you've befriended them, you can switch your partner Pokémon anytime you want.
Different Styler Types
In the game, you'll use four different types of stylers:
- School Styler: This is a simpler version of the capture styler, used when you're learning.
- Capture Styler: Your standard tool for capturing Pokémon.
- Fine Styler: This styler has a special charge feature. If you hold down the stylus, it charges up. This helps you capture Pokémon faster by sending more "feelings" to them. You can even upgrade this feature!
- Vatonage Styler: This is a unique Fine Styler. It's special because it can capture Pokémon that belong to the bad guys, Team Dim Sun, instead of just releasing them.
The Story of Almia
The story of Pokémon Ranger: Shadows of Almia is full of adventure and mystery.
Starting Your Ranger Journey
Your journey begins at the Ranger School. You quickly show how good you are at capturing Pokémon, like a Pikachu. You become friends with two classmates: Rhythmi, who wants to be an Operator, and Keith, who is a friendly rival and dreams of becoming a Top Ranger. You and Keith almost discover something strange Mr. Kincaid, a teacher, is doing in the basement. He then seals it off. Both you and Keith show great potential and graduate with honors after a big ceremony. You stay in Almia, while Keith and Rhythmi go to another region for more training. Your family moves to a nearby town, and you live with them.
Facing Team Dim Sun
Soon, a sneaky group called Team Dim Sun appears in Almia. They use special machines called Miniremos and Gigaremos to control Pokémon for their own plans. You become an Area Ranger, helping people in Vientown. You also get your first partner Pokémon by befriending it. Your first big mission is to patrol a nearby cave. There, you find strange Pokémon that are being controlled. You rescue them and discover the source of their control is a Gigaremo unit.
After reporting back to Ranger HQ, a big forest fire breaks out in Vien Forest. You help stop the fire with the help of a Blastoise. This opens up the path to Pueltown, the next town you can visit.
Uncovering the Truth
Your next important mission is to find Barlow, the leader of the Area Rangers. He was last seen investigating strange things on a volcanic island called Boyleland. After exploring Boyle Volcano, you capture two of Team Dim Sun's guards. They tell you that Barlow is on their large ship, which they use to move Pokémon. You chase after the ship and find Barlow. Together, you face the leader of Team Dim Sun, who turns out to be Mr. Kincaid, your old teacher! Kincaid sends a Drapion to fight you, but you defeat it. Kincaid tries to sink the ship, but you stop him, and he escapes. Barlow steers the ship to the Ranger Academy, and your mission is a success!
Becoming a Top Ranger
You are promoted to Top Ranger and get to use the Fine Styler. Your first mission as a Top Ranger is to help Sven, another Top Ranger, investigate a Dim Sun mining operation. You discover that Team Dim Sun is looking for Dark Crystals. These crystals are used to power their control machines. You also find a diary that belonged to Brighton Hall, the former president of a company called Altru Inc. The mining site is actually where Altru Inc. first started looking for new energy.
You and Sven learn that the Dark Crystals' bad effects can be stopped by pieces of three special gems called the Tears of Princes.
The Tears of Princes and Altru Tower
You and Keith go to collect these gems. You get the blue gem from Almia Castle and the red gem from Boyle Volcano. But Keith gets captured by Team Dim Sun! They use him to make you give up the yellow gem from Hippowdon Temple. Meanwhile, Sven secretly raids Dim Sun's underwater base and finds plans for an "Incredible Machine." With help from Isaac, a former classmate, you discover that the plans are for Altru Inc.'s tower. This tower is actually a giant Gigaremo, powered by a huge Shadow Crystal! This means Altru Inc. is secretly behind Team Dim Sun.
Soon after this discovery, three Dim Sun agents called the Sinis Trio attack the Ranger Union headquarters. They trick Isaac into returning to save his sister. After you and Keith defeat one of Blake Hall's (Altru's president) deputies, the Ranger Union plans a big attack on Altru Tower, called Operation Brighton. You and Keith charge the tower to find the Yellow gem, rescue Isaac, and break a barrier.
The Final Battle
You confront Blake Hall at the top of the tower, but it's too late to stop the tower from fully activating. Using the Shadow Crystal's power, Blake summons a powerful Dusknoir. You capture it and defeat Blake's deputy again. Blake then pushes the Incredible Machine to an unsafe "Level Dark." This summons Darkrai, the protector of the Shadow Crystal. But the machine makes Darkrai go wild! It breaks free from Blake's control, traps him and his deputy, and goes on a rampage.
You use the power of the Tears of Princes, linked with your Styler, to capture Darkrai. This saves Blake and turns the Shadow Crystal into the Luminous Crystal, ending the mission. Professor Hastings arrives and reveals that Blake was actually Wyatt Hall. Brighton Hall had changed his name and offered him to the Shadow Crystal, a choice he later regretted. Blake feels bad for what he did and agrees to face justice.
Peace returns to Almia. The characters enjoy a concert, and you return home to your family. The game ends with Darkrai circling the Luminous Crystal. In an extra mission, Kincaid tries to restart Team Dim Sun under a new name, Team Debonairs. They try to turn the Luminous Crystal back into the Shadow Crystal. With Darkrai's help, you stop them, ending Kincaid's plans and ensuring a peaceful future for Almia.
See also
In Spanish: Pokémon Ranger: Sombras de Almia para niños
