In the region of Fiore, the delicate balance between people, Pokémon, and nature is protected by Pokémon Rangers, stalwart youths who use a device called a "capture styler" to capture panicked and troublesome Pokémon by encircling them with a Capture Disc. It's up to the player, as a new Pokémon Ranger, to stop the plans of the Go-Rock Squad, who plan to capture Legendary Pokémon and use them for evil.

The game makes innovative and extensive use of the touch pad, requiring players to use their stylus to circle Pokémon on the bottom screen, sometimes calling on the abilities of already-captured Pokémon to assist with special moves, marking a great departure from the usual RPG-based gameplay that the Pokémon franchise is known for. Outside of battle, Pokémon may also be called upon to clear obstacles like hay bales, metal fences, and dead trees with "Field Moves" like Burn, Cut, and Tackle, similar to the Hidden Machines (HMs) of previous Pokémon installments.

Players will travel between four different towns, play through over ten missions, and have the opportunity to capture over 200 different Pokémon in this game that has been billed as a prelude to the next generation of Pokémon.