Product Description

Monster Rancher for the Nintendo DS.

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Monster Rancher DS is a strategic action game for DS in which players are tasked with raising, training and fighting monsters in order to become the preeminent monster rancher in the land. The first Monster Rancher game developed for the DS, Monster Rancher DS features the ability to create monsters both by sketching them, as well as calling them to life via the DS' built-in microphone, strategic combat using various attacks and combos and multiplayer wireless support locally and via a Wi-Fi connection.

Monster Rancher Comes to DS
Raise, train and battle your monsters in Monster Rancher DS, the newest addition to the beloved monster breeding series. Filled with nostalgia from past games, fans of the series will recognize popular characters and monsters such as Mocchi, and Suezo, plus a selection of all-new new monsters to discover. Generate monsters by drawing pictures in the "Magic Field," or by speaking into the DS/DSi/DSi XL microphone in "Incantation" Mode. Use your best strategy to raise, train and battle your monsters, as you struggle to become a legendary master breeder. In addition, players new to the Monster Rancher world will be helped along the way to become the ultimate power in the monster business with the addition of the character Cleo, who will serve as your guide to all things Monster Ranching.

Learning fighting techniques from Cleo in Monster Rancher DS

Raise, train and fight monsters with a little help from Cleo.
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Gameplay
Monster Rancher DS is an adventure monster combat game, with light strategic, animal simulation and RPG elements tossed in. The goal of the player is to become the ultimate monster rancher by raising, training and fighting your monsters within tournaments. Players are aided in all this with the onscreen help of the character Cleo, as well as other characters to a lesser extent. Action starts with the creation of monsters. This can be done either by sketching within the 16x16 space grid of "Magic Field" mode, prompting the creation of a monster in the upper screen of the DS, or within "Incantation" mode players can simply speak into the DS' microphone to call up monsters programmed to appear off specific audio cues. Once created, monsters need to be trained, with skills in specific areas that will be important in battle according to the player's whim. Players can also watch, care for and feed their monsters on the ranch. Combat consists of one-on-one battles that take place in limited rectangular grids, with monsters using different attacks which allow them to move forward and back. The strategic element in this resides in using the limited number of spaces to your advantage, for example, staying out of the range of an opponent's presumed attack or conversely crowding him in a section of the grid where an attack can not be avoided. Along with the single player mode players can engage in local and Wi-Fi two-player action where they can pit monsters against each other or combine monsters to create a new breed.

Key Game Features

Use Your Imagination - Recite your favorite word and see what monster is created, or, if it's too loud to speak, draw a silly picture and see what monster appears. Unlock a secret method of creating monsters as you play through the game. You can even combine your favorite monsters to create a new, more powerful monster.
Train to Become a Master Breeder - Find the best strategy to raise your monster on a weekly basis—too much rest or too much of the same training can be ineffective.
Bring Out the Rivalry - Not only was the training and management portion of monster breeding brushed up, but there are also many instances to fight rival breeders in the game as well.
Play with Friends - Battle your friends locally or online. Friends can also combine their monsters to create exciting new types through a local connection.
Battle Rounds - Choose attack techniques to be placed in the short, medium, and long ranges and execute them when there are enough points in the guts meter. If no technique is selected for a range, it becomes a defense panel and evasion skills are improved at that range.
Nostalgia - Favorites such as Monolith, Gali, Mocchi, and Suezo rejoin the cast of monsters in what can be called a Monster Rancher series compilation.

Additional Screenshots:

Creating a monster by sketching it in Magic Field mode in Monster Rancher DS

Sketch your monsters.
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Creating a monster by using the DS' microphone in Incantation mode in Monster Rancher DS

Or use magic words.
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Leveling skills for the monster Baku in Monster Rancher DS

Train and level your beasties.
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Tournament battle brackets in Monster Rancher DS

Then put then to the test.
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