Gotta Cath Em All - Pokemon!

Pokémon :o)

As a younger child I used to love playing Pokémon on my fatty Game Boy and Game Boy Advance! And at 19 (shh!) I still do!

So almost everyone has played Pokémon before or even seen the cartoon that was shown on TV years ago (yes, I watched that too!). and I'm sure everyone knows what the whole Pokémon fantasy is, and the Storyline.

- The Pokémon History! -
Pokémon was first released in Japan for the Game Boy all the way back in 1996. There have now been 100s of million sales of the Pokémon franchise. Originally in Pokémon, you played a young boy (you could pick his name) who was sent by a Pokémon Professor who was trying to learn about all of the Pokémon in the region you are in. Somehow you will receive your very first Pokémon from the Professor as well as a Pokedex which record information about each Pokémon you catch. I say somehow because in each different game (Pokémon Red, Blue, Green etc.), there are slight variations such as the professor's names, an evil teams name (Team Rocket, Teams Magma and Aqua, and Team Galactic), and how you receive your Pokémon.

You have a choice of three for your starter Pokémon. They are three different types, Fire, Water and Leaf. Each different type of Pokémon (such as fire, water and leaf) has a different effect on a different type of Pokémon when battling. For example, water Pokémon have a very damaging effect on fire Pokémon, fire Pokémon have a very damaging effect of leaf Pokémon and electric Pokémon have no effect on ground Pokémon. Classically, there are 17 different types of Pokémon, but as I said, there are some variations throughout the games.

Anyway back to your starter Pokémon, after you have picked your starter Pokémon, you will have a friend (you also get to pick his name) who is also working on the Pokedex who will pick the stronger type of Pokémon against your chosen Pokémon (so if you picked a fire Pokémon, your rival would pick water). You will meet your rival several times throughout the game and he will always seem to beat you.

After you have got your starter Pokémon, you will be able to catch other Pokémon using Poke balls whose data will be recorded on your Pokedex. There are two aims of the game, to collect all the Pokémon in your region, and to complete all the gyms which are in each town, then to complete to Pokémon league (which consists of the region's Elite Four and the Pokémon Champion). In the first few Pokémon games, after completing the Pokémon league, the credits are rolled and that is the end. However on the newer games such as Pokémon Diamond, you can carry on playing, doing extra challenges.

The last thing I'll say about Pokémon is the Pokémon Gyms. Altogether there are 8 Pokémon Gyms. The Pokémon Gyms are situated in a different town. In the Pokémon Gyms you must defeat the Gym Leader who has a reputation of being a great Pokémon trainer. In each Pokémon Gym, the Gym Leader will own and specialise one certain different type of Pokémon. After defeating the Gym Leader you will receive a Gym Badge. This lets you use a "HM" which is a move for your Pokémon but also a special power that can be used outside of battle. After you have each Gym Badge, you can battle the Elite 4 and Pokémon Champion. These are the best Pokémon Trainers in the whole region.

- Pokémon Diamond -
I think I've said enough about the Pokémon series now, so know I'll get on with the game!

Pokémon Diamond and Pokémon Pearl are the joint fourth generation of the Pokémon series.

Set in the region of Sinnoh, in Pokémon Diamond you must find and catch each Pokémon possible (there are 493 altogether) as well as destroying Team Galactic, the criminal syndicates of Pokémon Diamond and Pokémon Pearl. Team Galactic plan to create a new world order and you must stop them!

The game starts with Professor Rowan telling you all about the world of Pokémon. Traditionally, in Pokémon you could only play a boy but in Pokémon Diamond and Pokémon Pearl, have a choice of being a boy or girl. After picking your name (and sex), you be shown your friend who is your Pokémon rival. He will be the opposite sex of you and you will pick his name.

After that you are in your house in Twinleaf town. You will go downstairs to find your mother watching a television documentary about the rare Red Gyarados that had been spotted at Johto's Lake of Rage. Your mother then tells you to visit your friend (the boy or girl who's name you picked at the very beggining of the game) so you do so. Then your friend and you go to a lake just outside your town hoping to see Red Gyarados. Whilst you are there, you see Professor Rowan and his assistant (who will be either a girl, Dawn, or a boy, Lucas depending on your sex) talking at the lake. They leave, leaving behind a case in the wild grass. Your friend convinces you to go into the grass although you are not sure it will be safe because of wild Pokémon. And just as you reach the case, a wild Pokémon appears (two actually)! Panicked, you open the case to find three Poke balls. After picking your Poke ball you must battle the wild Pokémon with your chosen Pokémon. Just as you've defeated the Pokémon, Professor Rowan's assistant comes out, noticing you have used the Pokémon. Later, after speaking to Professor Rowan you get to keep the Pokémon as Professor Rowan has seen that your chosen Pokémon is very fond of you. This is where your adventure begins!!

You will then go on to battle the Gym Leaders and Team Galactic, as well as some other extra missions.

- Glitches -
In the Japanese version of Pokémon Diamond and Pokémon Pearl, there were various glitches found. However, most of these glitches were fixed by Nintendo, and the European versions of the games seem fine.

- New Features -
In my opinion, there weren't as many new features as I would have liked. The new features include, playing multiplayer as well as online multiplayer. To play in multi-player, there is an underground area beneath Sinnoh. In multi-player, mini games can be played as well as making secret bases (secret bases have been in various other Pokémon games, it is a secret home that you can decorate). You can play online using the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection in which you can trade, battle and communicate through voice chat online.

- Price -
As Pokemon Diamond and Pokemon Pearl are joint, the two games can be bought both together and separately. Both Pokemon Pearl and Pokemon Diamond are RRP £29.99. However, it can be bought cheaper although the cheapest you can find them (separately) is for about £20.00, so the discount isn't that large. To buy them together (although it is hard to find the set together) it is RRP £59.98 though I managed to get it at £48.00 on Amazon, late last year.

- Graphics -
Just like in the old Pokemon games, the games graphics are 2D. However, from playing all of the other Pokemon games I have noticed that the colours are brighter and that there are some 3D effects in the background of the game.

- Audio -
In each different town there will be different background music. Each town has it's own sort of theme, for example, in Floaroma Town, which is the flower paradise, the music is very sweet and floral. The music for each town is quite catchy. There is also music during a Pokemon battle. There is background music which is full of action as well as the Pokemon who make sound effects when they make a move. In battle, in my opinion the music gets quite annoying and I have to turn it off!

- Critics Opinion -
Pokémon Diamond and Pokémon Pearl was given very high praise. The lowest score Pokémon Diamond and Pokémon Pearl was given was 81%.

- Verdict -
Although there were not as many new features as I would have liked Pokémon Diamond and Pokémon Pearl are both excellent games. There is a lot to do to keep you entertained, and the storylines keep you hooked. I would highly recommend both Pokémon Diamond and Pokémon Pearl.