Pokémon Ranger: Shadows of Almia

Pokémon fans, get ready for a grand adventure this winter as Pokémon Ranger: Shadows of Almia launches across Europe on 21st November. Sworn to protect the people and the Pokémon of the all-new Almia Region, players will be powering up their Capture Styler to team up with Pokémon in an adventure to thwart the evil forces endangering Almia. Featuring Pokémon familiar from Pokémon Diamond and Pokémon Pearl, the Almia Region offers adventure around every corner, including additional missions that can be downloaded using Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection.

In Pokémon Ranger: Shadows of Almia players start off as a rookie at the Ranger School, with the ultimate goal of becoming Top Ranger still a distant dream. But as soon as a series of mysterious events disturb the peace in Almia, the brave Rangers of the Ranger Union are called in to investigate. Who is causing Pokémon all across the region to behave so strangely – and why? Players will get to the bottom of the biggest threat Almia has ever faced, uncovering the origins of the Ranger Union in the process.

Challenging Missions and dozens of additional Quests will put players’ skills to the test as they try out the revamped process of capturing Pokémon by befriending them with a device called the Capture Styler. This makes use of the Nintendo DS Touch Screen in a fun and exciting way. Players must slide their Stylus on the Nintendo DS Touch Screen and draw loops around the target Pokémon with the Styler’s Capture Disc - but be careful, capturing Pokémon is not as easy as you think!

Players must work out how to use the specific strengths of Pokémon they’ve befriended to their advantage. By using Poké Assists in clever ways even the most dangerous Pokémon can be captured. Helping out the people of Almia in need allows players to earn all sorts of power-ups for their Capture Styler, preparing them for the dangerous boss encounters ahead.

The skills of befriended Pokémon will also come in handy to conquer the many obstacles found in the varied terrain of the Almia Region. Skilful use of Field Moves specific to certain Pokémon will help players cut vines, cross underwater lakes and burn logs blocking their path. But a Ranger can’t rely on other Pokémon alone, and must develop skills to climb dangerous cliffs, navigate the narrow platforms of a treacherous temple or find a way to escape from the enemy’s hideout.

True Pokémon Rangers will be rewarded with additional Missions that can be downloaded via Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection, which can result in unexpected surprises.

So get ready to live a wild new life as a Pokémon Ranger. Team up with your favourite Pokémon and defeat a mysterious evil as Pokémon Ranger: Shadows of Almia is launched across Europe on 21st November 2008

About Nintendo

The worldwide pioneer in the creation of interactive entertainment, Nintendo Co., Ltd., of Kyoto, Japan, manufactures and markets hardware and software for its Wii and Nintendo DS systems. Since 1983, when it launched the Nintendo Entertainment System, Nintendo has sold nearly 2.7 billion video games and more than 470 million hardware units globally, including the current generation Wii and Nintendo DS as well as the GameBoy, GameBoy Advance, Super NES, Nintendo 64 and Nintendo Gamecube. It has also created industry icons that have become well known household names such as Mario, Donkey Kong, Metroid, Zelda and Pokemon. As a wholly owned subsidiary, Nintendo of Europe, based in Grossostheim, Germany, was established in 1990 and serves as headquarters for Nintendo's operations in Europe.

About Pokémon

Pokémon UK, a branch of Pokémon USA, Inc., based in London, UK, manages and oversees the Pokémon franchise in UK, Europe, Middle East and Africa which includes licensing, merchandising, TV animation, home video entertainment and publication. Pokémon was launched in Japan in 1996 for the Game Boy®, and has since gone on to sell more than 180 million games worldwide (over 37 million in Europe) making it the fastest selling video games ever.