Pokémon Diamond (DS)

Nintendo's cash cow (cash Pikachu?) returns, reminding us that there are some great games buried underneath the hype.
2/18/2008 12:00 AM | 4 Comments | Page 1 of 3

When Nintendo released the first entries of its Pokémon series in the United States, many people were quick to dismiss the increasingly popular games as a fad. The games were, after all, accompanied by a marketing blitz including a TV show, a card game and enough toys and merchandise to smother an elementary school student. Nearly 10 years later, the initial shockwave has passed, but Pokémon is still going strong. Sure, your local anchorman isn't discussing Pikachu and pals on slow news days, but whenever Nintendo releases another game in the series, it inevitably finds its way to the top of the charts.

Up until now, there has yet to be a "real" Pokémon game for the DS. Fans have had to make do with a series of spin-off games of varying quality. From racers to puzzle games to roguelike dungeon crawlers, Nintendo seemed content to give us anything but another traditional "gotta catch 'em all" role-playing game. That has finally changed with the release of Pokémon: Diamond Version and Pokémon: Pearl Version.

Like most of the other Pokémon RPGs, this DS release comes in two distinct flavors, Diamond and Pearl. Both games are essentially the same, with the only real difference between them being a handful of exclusive critters to catch. This promotes linking up with a friend to do a little trading as you get further along in the game. If you're really torn over which version to buy, just grab the one with the cooler looking monster on the cover. That's the legendary Pokémon that you'll have the opportunity to capture later in the game.

Despite the franchise's immense popularity, there are still plenty of gamers who refuse the give the series a chance because of its ability to attract the young'uns. Sure, the pocket monsters are adorable, and the gameplay is relatively simple as RPGs go, but if you allow yourself to get into the game, you'll find a surprising amount of depth. Also, given the fact that Nintendo and Game Freak have been doing this Pokémon thing for over a decade now (in Japan, anyway), these are the most refined versions of the game yet.

You control a young hero who sets out on an adventure to become a Pokémon master. This involves exploring a large world crawling with beasts to capture and train, thus filling up your Pokédex, a sort of virtual encyclopedia of the game's fauna. New towns usually bring with them a new challenge in the form of a Gym Leader, who can be defeated to earn one of the eight coveted Gym Badges. Once those are in hand, you'll be able to face the Elite Four at the Pokémon League Championship.

The actual quest is fairly linear, leaving the bulk of the game's strategy in its turn-based battle system. It's an evolved form of the old rock-paper-scissors match where Pokémon of different types have distinct advantages and disadvantages over each other. Fire types, for instance, are powerful against grass types. Put them up against a water type, however, and they'll likely be knocked out before they can pull off a move. There's quite a bit more depth to it than that, thanks to the multitude of dual-type Pokémon. These multi-talented beasties can be extremely handy to have in your party, but their split types also result in extra weaknesses. Forming the ideal party is one of the greater challenges in the game, and since you can only have six Pokémon with you at a time, you'll often have to swap them out when you're facing different opponents.