Pokémon Diamond and Pokémon Pearl Europe release date - July 27th

[PapaZeb]

Pokémon is a phenomenon I never quite got in my age group. When I was 13 I got heavily into Magic the Gathering and was quite confused and confounded by the sudden influx of Pokémon players to the places I played Magic at by the time I turned 17. From the cartoons to the GameBoy games to the collectible card game I was mostly amused at watching a younger generation get heavily into what I thought at the time was a fad - a flash in the pan compared to Magic, just another copycat gamesystem with not much to back it up.

Fast forward ten years and you've got a series of games that sells millions in the first few days of release - and you've found me actually picking up my first Pokémon game to find out what all the fuss is about. I discovered a not-terrible game system, a fairly weak story, and a horribly addictive compulsion to train Pokémon, discover new Pokémon, capture more Pokémon, and defeat other Pokémon players. *twitch twitch*

Originally Posted by Press Release

With over 100 new Pokémon to discover in this epic new adventure, players across Europe can now take on the challenge and search for the new and mighty Legends to save the world! With 3D graphics and making full use of the DS capabilities, including the touch screen, microphone and the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection, Pokémon Diamond and Pokémon Pearl for the Nintendo DS promise to be the most involving, exciting and deep Pokémon adventures to date.

Pokémon Diamond and Pokémon Pearl are already being enjoyed by millions of people. In America, independent sales data gathered by the NPD Group showed combined sales exceeded 1.75 million copies in just 14 days of availability, and in Japan over five million copies have been sold since launch in September 2006!

Set in the beautiful region of Sinnoh - a land of myths and stories about the legendary Pokémon - players begin by assuming the role of a ‘Pokémon Trainer’ who sets off from the town of Twinleaf. Players will meet the Pokémon-mad Professor Rowan, who asks them to join him in his mission to document all the species of Pokémon that exist using a special tool – the Pokédex. Players must leave Twinleaf and travel all around Sinnoh to complete this mission, whilst trying to reach their ultimate goal of becoming the Pokémon League champion. This can only be achieved when eight Pokémon Gym Leaders have been defeated. But players need to keep their wits about them, as on their journey they will encounter the shady Pokémon thieves, Team Galactic, and become embroiled in their wrong doings!

True to tradition, collecting and battling Pokémon play a key role in these games and by making full use of the touch screen, the battling system is even easier and quicker to use. What’s more Pokémon Diamond and Pokémon Pearl can now be connected to the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection allowing you to battle, trade, and voice chat with friends from anywhere in the world!

The immense depth of Pokémon Diamond and Pokémon Pearl is revealed in several new features including the Pokémon Super Contest and the Underground World. The Super Contests take place in the Pokémon Contest Hall, where trainers can enter their Pokémon in to a competition consisting of three trials: Visual (dressing up), Dance (a rhythm game) and Acting (Pokémon perform battle moves to the judges). Trainers can also enter the Pokémon Super Contest with up to three other players using the DS’s unique wireless functionality. Players can also explore underground tunnels beneath Sinnoh with up to seven other friends, digging up Pokémon fossils, spheres, and other vital items.

Your Pokémon from the GBA adventure series need not miss out on your adventures in Sinnoh! By using the Double Slot feature of the Nintendo DS, you will be able to transfer Pokémon from Ruby, Sapphire, FireRed, LeafGreen and Emerald version games over to Pokémon Diamond or Pokémon Pearl, once certain conditions have been met. Also players who have completed the Manaphy Egg mission, in Pokémon Ranger, will be able to transfer the Manaphy Egg to Pokémon Diamond or Pokémon Pearl where it will hatch. To discover more about this mysterious and exciting new Pokémon see www.manaphy.eu ; for details.

A special stylus is available for those who pre-order (a Dialga stylus when ordering Pokémon Diamond and a Palkia stylus when ordering Pokémon Pearl ) through any GAME store in the UK. Pokémon Diamond and Pokémon Pearl launches across Europe on 27th July 2007 for an estimated retail price of around £29.

[Stu]

I've spent a good decade avoiding these little bastards in every shape or form they've ever come in, then picked up both Diamond and Pearl for my son and I to trade/battle with. Surprisingly good fun, bit of a grind-fest though.

[Hammer]

I'm not sure if I'll get this or not. I enjoyed the original games, but when I bought a copy of one of the GBA games, I didn't enjoy it much at all.

[SqueeTDM]

I loved Blue, Red and Yellow. Gold and Silver were alright.
I dont like the newer ones
To many Pokemon now

[Fallenblackrose]

Well i think Diamond is quite good, only got one badge and ive had it a while but ive been busy. Not sure if i think its as good as Emerald, i'll wait and see but so far looks promising.

[Joe Spinebuster]

Pokémon Red / Blue was my life in High School, I loved training up my Pokémon and whooping the shit out of my friends and family.
I downloaded Gold / Silver when they first came out, but just had this overwhelming feeling of "I've already done this and now I need to start all over again" when I tried playing them, so never even bothered fighting as far as the first Gym. It didn't offer enough evolution in gameplay from the first one to make me stick at it. Plus my friends were moving on to other lame ass interests like girls, so I had no-one to play it with.

Every now and then I hear about a new Pokémon game and kinda go "ooh, think I'll pick it up and see what it's like", but I never do. The original is still a firm classic in my eyes, but I've just never got around to picking-up any of the recent updates for a quick spin.
Have they updated the versus battle system yet? In the old days, all skill went out the window if both players had a level 99 MewTwo, and it was just a case of "whoever gets the first move wins".

[Wreakin_Havok]

Mon the red/blue games.

My Articuno could destroy everyone.

[PapaZeb]

The best reason to pick up this game:
Internet play + Internet auction house system.

From about the 2hr mark (depending on how fast you play), once you get your first gym badge you can wander into the marketplace and start bidding or selling Pokemon to feed your addiction.

Add in talking smack to some poor kid in Japan over the headset you can pick up for the DS - that's what this is all about.

[Joe Spinebuster]

OH SHIT, POKÉMON BATTLES VERSUS RANDOM CUNTS WITH A HEADSET?? I HAVE NEVER BEEN MORE SOLD ON ANYTHING IN MY LIFE.

Just over a month until my birthday, I think I can wait until then....

[PapaZeb]

In Japan, this has basically replaced schoolkids cellphones - wireless signals everywhere, they just call up their mate with a DS and have a free conversation for ages.