Pokémon Pearl (Nintendo DS)

Pokemon Pearl is a traditional Pokemon RPG that takes place in a region called Sinnoh.

In the Sinnoh region, there are two Pokemon that symbolize the region. They appear in the Sinnoh reigon`s myths and old folklore. One is called Dialga, and is said to have the power to control time. The other is called Palkia, who is said to have the ability to distort space. The sinister organization called Team Galaxy is trying to rule the region by utilizing these two Pokemon`s power. During your adventure to complete your Pokedex and become the Champion, these two Pokemon, and Team Galaxy, will intertwine into the story and lead you on a fantastic journey across the Sinnoh region.

When you set off on your travels, you`ll be able to play as either a boy or girl Trainer. You will also utilize the DS`s dual slots to transfer Pokemon from the GBA Pokemon games and be able to link up with Pokemon Ranger to access more special content. Pokemon fans have caught glimpses of Mime Jr., Lucario, Munchlax and Weavile in Pokemon movies, and these Pokemon will be debuting in this adventure.

• Worldwide battles and trading using WiFi.
• Real-time clock feature changes the time of day based on the DS clock. The Pokemon you can catch vary based on the region and the time of day. Also, certain Pokemon moves` power changes based on time.
• More elaborate Pokemon Contests. Players can use the accessories and dress up their Pokemon. Players make "Poffin" out of Berries to rasie their Pokemon`s contest stats.
• New dual-type Pokemon, new/altered moves, and new special abilities add to the already deep strategy of Pokemon battling.
  3-D enviornments and updated graphics.

You might not see the supporting merchandise so much nowadays but Pokemon is still the most successful games franchise in history. Diamond and Pearl sold 5 million copies in Japan in under three months and 1 million in America in just one month, breaking all records for the year and the series. At first sight though this looks disappointingly similar to the existing games, with only a subtle 3D effect for the game world and largely static 2D battles. However the gameplay has undergone a complete overhaul, adding numerous new features and reintroducing others from Gold/Silver/Crystal, that had previously been removed.

The basics are still the same though, as you venture out into the world (called Sinnoh this time) in an attempt to catalogue each and every pokemon and battle the evil Team Galactic. Catching and training a pokemon for combat also works the same as before, although beauty and talent contests have been greatly expanded for those that prefer as little violence as possible. The game includes a day and night cycle, which severely impacts the appearance of pokemon, and you are given a new gadget called a poketch which starts as a simple watch but can be upgraded to everything from a scanner to a map. Secret bases are back and considerably more sophisticated than before but the most important new feature by far is the online mode. You can now trade, chat and battle with fans from around the world – proving that progress is not always just a case of better graphics.
Harrison Dent