Series guide
All Pokémon Ranger games in order
Pokémon Ranger is the DS spin-off where you catch nothing: you draw loops with the stylus to befriend Pokémon for one mission, then let them go. Three games, all on Nintendo DS, all standalone — and one of them hides the most-asked-about egg in the series. Below are all three games in order, with what each one adds and buying notes for the cartridges we stock and test.
The short answer
Pokémon Ranger (2006) → Shadows of Almia (2008) → Guardian Signs (2010), all on DS and all standalone. Start with Shadows of Almia; buy the original for the Manaphy mission only if the cartridge has never used it.
Every Pokémon Ranger game in order
- Pokémon Ranger · 2006 · Nintendo DS — the Fiore region and the capture styler — Europe in April 2007; carries the one-time Manaphy egg mission
- Pokémon Ranger: Shadows of Almia · 2008 · Nintendo DS — the biggest of the three: a partner Pokémon of your choice, ranks and a longer story
- Pokémon Ranger: Guardian Signs · 2010 · Nintendo DS — Oblivia, flying on Latios or Latias, four-player co-op missions and the Ranger Signs
Do you have to play them in order?
No. Each game is a new region with a new Ranger, and the capture styler is explained again every time. What order does show is the series getting kinder: the first game demands perfect loops, Shadows of Almia lets you pause and use a partner Pokémon, and Guardian Signs adds flying, co-op and shortcuts. Play the newest first if you want the easiest introduction.
Which Pokémon Ranger should you buy now?
- The fullest game: Shadows of Almia — the longest story and the most Pokémon.
- Co-op and speed: Guardian Signs — four-player missions and the fastest captures.
- The collector’s pick: the original — for the box, and for a Manaphy mission that may still be unused.
- The main series instead: see all Pokémon DS games.
Buying Pokémon Ranger second-hand
The Manaphy egg works once per cartridge
The first Pokémon Ranger lets you send a Manaphy egg to Diamond, Pearl or Platinum after a special mission — but only once per cartridge, ever. A second-hand copy has usually used it. If Manaphy is the point, ask; we note it in the listing when we can tell.
The stylus is the game — check the touchscreen
Capturing means drawing loops around Pokémon, fast. A DS with a worn or scratched touchscreen makes the trilogy harder than it is; a DS Lite, DSi or 3DS with a clean screen is ideal. The cartridges themselves are region-free.
Play on a DS, 2DS or 3DS — all fine
All three are standard DS cartridges: they run on every DS model and on the 3DS and 2DS family, whatever the region. The Wi-Fi event missions of Guardian Signs (Deoxys, Heatran, Shaymin) are no longer available; everything on the cartridge is.
Shadows of Almia is the one to start with
It is the longest and the most polished, and its story does not need the first game. Guardian Signs is the fastest to play and the only one with co-op; the original is the shortest and the most collectable for the Manaphy mission.
Every copy tested before it is listed
Booting, gameplay, saving, label condition — checked on real hardware. We have been doing this since 2019, with 1400+ verified reviews at 5.0★, and we ship tracked to all 27 EU countries. Originals only; if something ever turns out not to be genuine, you get your money back.
See the Pokémon DS games in stockQuestions we get asked
Do I need to play the Pokémon Ranger games in order?
No. Each game has its own region, hero and story — Fiore, Almia, Oblivia — and none refers to the others beyond a cameo. Start with Shadows of Almia, the biggest one.
How many Pokémon Ranger games are there?
Three, all on Nintendo DS: Pokémon Ranger (2006), Pokémon Ranger: Shadows of Almia (2008) and Pokémon Ranger: Guardian Signs (2010). There has been no Ranger game since.
Can I still get Manaphy from Pokémon Ranger?
Only from a cartridge whose Manaphy mission has never been completed — it works once per cartridge, and the egg goes to Diamond, Pearl or Platinum. Most second-hand copies have used it.
Do the Ranger games work on a 3DS?
Yes. They are ordinary DS cartridges and play on any DS, DS Lite, DSi, 2DS or 3DS, from any region. The touchscreen matters more than the model.
Which Pokémon Ranger should I buy?
Shadows of Almia for the fullest game; Guardian Signs if you want co-op or the shortest one; the original if you collect or want the Manaphy mission.
Do you ship outside the Netherlands?
We ship to all 27 EU countries with track & trace. Parcels leave from the Netherlands, there are no customs charges within the EU, and your country’s exact rate appears at checkout before you pay.
Years given are the first release; European dates were sometimes a few months later. Pokémon Ranger-games in het Nederlands.
