What seemed like eons ago, Diamond and Pearl was announced for the then-new Nintendo DS. After a year and a half screen shots finally emerged, showing a psudo-3D look while still keeping the same 2D game play as the former, then Fast forward to September 2006, where Japan received the game and managed to get over 4 million sold in months.

So, is it worth the money? That’s rather a trivia question, I could say these games are awful, but most of you reading this would buy anyway, after all you’re on a Pokemon site.

But I don’t have to say that, because really these games are very damn good.

When you load up the game, you’ll see the usual, the ‘main’ Pokemon on the screen, the press start button which everyone just usually presses A and the New Game. You know the drill. Select your name, gender your rivals name, start of in a small town, a situation calls you to pick one of three ‘starter’ Pokemon as there called, and the local professor instructs you to become THE POKEMON MASTER.

Its slightly different this though. You start with a news report about a Red Gyarados at a local late. (A nod to GSC, not that you ever get to catch this creature in the game) You and your awfully inpatient t rival go to visit, finding a briefcase left and you’re quickly attached by flying Pokemon. Hastily, you both choose a ball (Fire, Water and Grass types, like you needed to be told) and fend them off. The professor, Rowan who is a bit more harden than the grandfatherly-figure of Oak, gives you the Pokemon for excellent show of usage and a Pokedex to record data and away you are, on your adventure.

Yes, the structure of 8 gyms is still there. Working in the template, maybe, but not totally a bad thing. The Gyms are challenging and have quite clever puzzles within them and are spread out quite nicely within the region. But oh, don’t worry, Gym Battling is not all you do within the games, the area of Shinnoh is absolutely massive, full of secret caves, hidden nooks and whatnot. It defiantly is the biggest map, and one of the more interesting ones, Snow a terrain that’s been demanded since who knows long on a mountain at the top of a region, a volcano, and several large islands in the sea. Remember In RSE where a lot of the map was water, and surfing became a chore sometimes? No more. Shinnoh keeps it to a minimal.

Battling isn’t the only thing on offer- Contents make a return, new and improved. Now in three stages opposed to the RSE’s two stages, are still based on looks and move judging, but have thrown dancing into the mix. That’s right, if you wish to make your Machamp dance like its on Saturday Night Fever, you can now, it is incredibly fun. The first stage has been expanded by letting you dress up your Pokemon and presenting it, no longer do you have to relay totally on its contents stats but allows for more control, whilst the third appeal allows you to select your judge this time. Talking about the other game play factors, another one makes a welcome return after being absent on the cave-dark GBA screen – that’s right, Day and Night, back and improved. A dusk stage, which covers the land in a orange glow, and a very late time within the night where even the building lights have been turned off, giving more life to a pleasant feature. The device, that had been mandatory since GSC, is the Poketch, a watch that is upgraded as you travel the game, first a simple watch, upgrades will allow you to do things like keep watch at the breeding centre, see a map of planted berries and check your Pokemon’s happiness. While it isn’t a major gamepaly feature, you’ll wonder how you did without it, it will certainly please hardcore games with items like a calculator and a counter (For counting your EVS), and talking of which, EV training has been made easier with the inclusion of several stat boosting items in the similar fashion to the Macho Brace. GameFreak loves you.

Now, the DS, what couldn’t it do that the GBA could? Graphically, the game is much more advanced than RSE, boosting muli-layer maps (Particularly noticeable in the 6th Gym) and a Psudo-3D look. Sound is improved, CD quality now, with even the cries of Pokemon sounding different. Two screens one a touch? Used for the Poketch, selecting battle commands and baking Poffin, the equivalent to RSE’s Pokeblocks.

But all them can’t compare, and indeed, shouldn’t to the ultimate features DP has going for it.

Wi-Fi.

That’s right – the long held dream of Pokemon Fans since the first days of Red and Blue – To Battle online. Perhaps, this biggest thing about DP, is to allow you to battle and trade with your friends that could be on the other side of the world. That in itself would be great, but GameFreak decided to add neat other touches, one called Global Trade Station. This allows you to put up a Pokemon you want to trade and allows you to select what you want to trade it for, right down to the level and gender. And who knows, go away for a while, come back, you might find the Pokemon you wanted, from anywhere in the world. Believe me, it’s a strange, yet wonderful feeling to walk out of the GTS with a Japanese Pokemon in my party.

Another feature is in the Battle Tower, you can download other people’s teams to battle, which, the more battles you win, the higher rank you get and your record will be sent trough Wi-Fi.

This practically eliminates the trading problems in earlier games – finding someone, or forcing someone to play Pokemon so you could have all the starters, most exclusive Pokemon are easy to obtain now. Really, the only deciding factor that is now a concern when you buy either Pearl or Diamond is what legendry you like the most on the box.

However, there are limitations to Wi-Fi. The friend code Nintendo seems very fond of is needed to battle and personally trade with people, that’s right, anyone hoping for a random battle encounter such as the races in Mario Kart DS, will be disappointed here. Why have they done it? If you look at it both ways, it could be said it’d suck to fight something with a team of 6 full over-powered legendaries, which wasn’t wanted while Friend Codes allow you to make up your own rules. Perhaps in the next set of Wi-Fi games.

But that can’t over-shadow the fact how fun it is to fight on Wi-Fi, and no, anyone who fears it will be as slow as those dreaded link battles in older games have no fear, its much, much more bearable.

And let’s not forget voice chat.. While not amazing quality, does fun. Yes, you can swear at your friend while he's crushing you.

The story line doesn’t drive too much from become a Pokemon Master while an Evil Team interferes (Team Galactic in this case, who wishes to cease the power of a legendry Pokemon). There are a few interesting characters with the depth you’d expect from Pokemon games (Not much) But there are expectations, such as the Galactic Team Boss, who may not have a fleshed out background as the characters in FRLG thanks to the Fame Checker, but is quite a good villain.

Really though, if your anything like me, the storyline is only part of the game, the enduring value is in breeding, training and fighting online is a huge part of it. Potentially, these games can last for years.

Now the Pokemon themselves, if you felt that RS had too many similar Pokemon to previous generations, these ones have quite a shift away from that and some new twists to one Pokemon that changes form depending on when it lasts battle. Some might complain about the amount or Pre-/evolutions for older Pokemon (Lets be honest, no-one complained about the amount in GSC) but quite frankly it seemed some Pokemon needed a breath of fresh air such as Yanma and Tanglea. Another point is the amount of legendaries within the game, but do remember they extend the game length too, and are quite interesting to get, some of them have a more active role such as the legendry trio that takes part in the story line. While on the subject of storyline, some complaint that RS (Perhaps not Emerald) felt too removed from the established Pokemon World, DP doesn’t neglect and makes it feel more connected with even several cameos from past characters.

Anyone worried about their GBA Pokemon, needs to fear no more, another complaint on RSE’ lack of tradability to old games, keeping old Pokemon away. This is solved, thanks to Palpark, simply insert your GBA game into the bottom slot, and go to Palpark to re-catch your Pokemon in a very easy way. However, Limited to only six Pokemon per pack a day will undoubtedly frustrated some players, and there’s no way to trade your old Pokemon back to the games, even if you deleted new names.

And yes, old Pokemon do make appearances in the game, after you have beaten the Elite Four and gotten the National Dex when the requirement to see every Pokemon in Shinnoh (See not catch), you’ll find lots of old Pokemon around though several methods. Most Pokemon are available in both games, expectations of course are the old starters and legendaries.

Yes, It may seem like too much praise here, but there are some negative features about the games, such as the slightly limited Wi-Fi, perhaps its fitting a template too much, but is hard not to recommends to anyone who is a Pokemon fan. Would I say these are the best games yet? I can’t say for sure, but it has a lot going for it, very much so.

And no, you can’t go back to Johto.

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