Recent Comments

Pokemon Diamond and Pearl game review

Pokemon Diamond and Pokemon Pearl begin much like any Pokemon game — you’re a kid who dreams of training Pokemon, and you run into a kindly professor who makes that dream come true. In this case the professor is named Rowan, not Oak or Elm, the professors from past Pokemon games.

THE LOWDOWN

Graphics: 7.0

Sound: 6.0

Gameplay: 9.0

Value: 9.0

Overall Score: 8.0 out of 10.0

Pros: The best thing about Pokemon Diamond and Pokemon Pearl is that they look and feel like a good old Pokemon game. The controls are the same, the goals are the same and the play is similar.

Cons: The new monsters are not especially cool, and some changes to the game aren’t that fun.

There are other story changes as well.

In the past, games began with the professor inviting you to his lab and giving you a Pokemon. As Diamond and Pearl open, you and a friend are exploring by a lake. You find a briefcase in tall grass and are attacked by two bird Pokemon called Starlys. Fortunately for you, that briefcase belonged to Professor Rowan, and you find three Pokeballs inside.

Your string of good fortune continues because after you defeat the wild Starlys, Professor Rowan informs you that the Pokemon you used on the Starlys has bonded with you.

Thus begins two Pokemon journeys: yours and your friend’s. (I’m not sure what your friend’s name will be. The game offers the names Barry and Tyson, among others. I named my friend Doofus, and he lived up to his name.)

You walk from town to town in a land called Sinnoh finding, capturing and training little monsters that you then enter in fights with other Pokemon. Sinnoh is vast and has some really fun puzzles, and some of the gyms make great use of the DS’s ability to render 3D.

As in other Pokemon games, winning fights earns you money, and it earns your Pokemon experience points that make them stronger and sometimes evolves them into more advanced versions of themselves.

One thing Pokemon games have always done right and continue to do right is to offer a certain rock-paper-scissors approach to combat. In many of the past games, you chose between a Charmander, Squirtle and Bulbasaur for your first beast. If you took Charmander, a dragon, you could cook Bulbasaur, the plant Pokemon, in fights—but Squirtle, the water Pokemon, had your number. Squirtle, however, was vulnerable to Bulbasaur’s plant attacks. It all evened out.

Diamond and Pearl have that same rock-paper-scissors balance. The first three Pokemon are fire, water and plant creatures: Chimchar, Piplup and Turtwig.

One thing that stands out about Diamond and Pearl on Nintendo DS is how similar they are to the old Game Boy games. They still have the same turn-based fighting system, the same basic exploration and dialog controls. The game has changed only on the surface.

You can control some parts of Diamond and Pearl using the touch pad controls on the bottom screen, but I found it wasn’t worth the trouble. I played the game using standard Game Boy controls.

Instead of using the select and start buttons to bring out registered items, look for inventory and access your Pokedex, you now have X and Y buttons.

In past Pokemon games, you turned berries into blocks to feed them to your Pokemon. You did this by playing a mini-game in which you pressed a button as a centrifuge spun your berries around.

In Diamond and Pearl, the berry blender is replaced with a pot in which you stir your berries using your stylus as you cook them into Poffins. It’s a cute game that’s not bad, but it’s not especially fun, either.

Overall, if you liked past Pokemon adventures, you should like Diamond and Pearl. They preserve the old games well.

Change Can Be Good: Diamond and Pearl introduce some cool changes. One of these is a new Pokeball called a Heal Ball that lets you catch, heal and use wild Pokemon on the fly. If you’re going into an area where your favorite Pokemon run wild, you can leave an open slot in your party and catch that Pokemon with a Heal Ball. As soon as it’s yours, you can use it.

The biggest changes involve DS’s WiFi ability. In the past, you either needed to link Game Boys with a cable in order to battle other players or swap Pokemon with a friend. Later, Nintendo released a wireless controller for Game Boy, but you still needed to have your friends right there to swap or fight.

DS, with its WiFi compatibility, lets you take fights to the Internet. There’s even a wireless headset that lets you talk to friends as you battle them.

And Change Can Be Not-So-Good: If there’s one place Diamond and Pearl fall a bit flat, it’s in the area of new monsters. Between them, Diamond and Pearl offer more than 100 new monsters to collect. But these new monsters aren’t as cool as most of the originals. You begin with Turtwig, an adorable baby turtle with a tree growing from its head; Chimchar, a baby monkey with a flame on its tail; and Piplup, a baby penguin.

Turtwig

Turtwig, seen here in concept art, is one of the new and overly adorable starter creatures in Diamond and Pearl. He’s sort of a replacement for Bulbasaur.

These creatures are too cute to be cool — or even evolve into something cool.

Of course, there were some goofy original Pokemon. Let’s face it—Mr. Mime was downright embarrassing. But the new monsters include Burmy, which looks like a weed and evolves into Wormadam, which looks like a Chia Pet. That’s not to say you can’t get a kick out of the Diamond and Pearl Pokemon: Nintendo has added new animations to the mix, some of which have hilarious results. The one that really got me is the animation for Machop. It’s supposed to look like he’s boxing, but to me, it looks like he’s making funny duck-like noises by placing his right hand in his armpit and flapping his left arm over it.

On a less comical note, Nintendo has expanded the Pokemon contests in Diamond and Pearl, making them a bit dull.

More: Game tips | Pokemon primer | Games Guru Q&A

50 Comments on Pokemon Diamond and Pearl game review

  1. Legend_Chaser // June 11, 2007 at 7:42 am // Reply

    Also… to catch Rotom, the normal Pokemon with a Legendary aura, go to the Mansion in Eterna Forest between the hours of 8pm to 5 am, and go to a room with a TV. Click on the Tv, and it will say something like this: ‘It appears as if there is a Pokemon indide the TV… bump the TV?’ Clck ‘yes’ , and the screen will move around… Legendary Pokemon music will turn on.. the Eartch shall be pulled forth from this known universe and.. a Level 15 Rotom will appear. Catch it, and ye shall know the poewr of a Lv.15 rare Pokemon… let it escape ye greedy hands… and thy Rotom shall be a mystery to all who wish to capture it… 😉

  2. Legend_Chaser // June 11, 2007 at 7:37 am // Reply

    Hey, for the dude who got Heatran, I suggest getting all the other Legendary Pokemon, and since you have the National Dex, go to Canalave City, go to the sailor’s house, talk to his son and mom, talk to him, go to the island with him, meet the Pokemon, get an Item, go back to him, go to Canalave city, he gives the Item to him son, they’re happy, the Pokemon’s gone, AND you don’t have an item for your brave efforts… BUT! the Pokemon is not free to catch… just use the PokeApp that lets you see Sinnoh, and has some little stars, circles, a square, and some other things on the bottom. Put an item on the bottom of the App onto the map. Before long, some faces should appear. One is Mesprit, the other is Cresselia, the Pokemon you met on the Island. If i did this… believe me, YOU can too lol. 🙂 good luck!

  3. You didn’t pick the right door! Go out of the cave and use HM08 on the rocks on the mountain. You don’t have HM08? Behind a house on a route near Snowpoint city. God, I really hate dumb people.

  4. my team kicks butt! i got skunk tank lvl 51 that knowscut,rocksmash,flamethrower,and night slash, a empoleon lvl 88 that knows brine, surf, waterfall, and dig, a uxie that knows yawn, confusion, futuresight, and extrasensory, a dialga that knows brickbreak, fireeblast, blizzard, and roar of time, a fearow that knows roost, drill peck, fly, and defog,and a heatran that knows lava plume, firespin,iron head, and scary face

  5. im stuck on well, i dont really know because i got to stark mountain, my partner Buck got the magma stone, talked to her she returned the stone to stark mountain,and i caught heatran. WHAT DO I DO?!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!?

  6. Legend_Chaser // June 10, 2007 at 6:19 pm // Reply

    And a note for the person who wrote the Main Article on the top of the page, And Change Can Be Not-So-Good, I HIGHLY disagree with you about the ‘ dull ‘ and ‘ too cute ‘ Pokemon aspects. Although the starter may be a bit too cute, you don’t see any Torterra with huge spikes on their backs going around hugging all the new Pokemon trainers, and same thing for Infernape, with all that armor and flams, it looks like something you’d want to lock up in a jail cell and never be released. As for the odd looking Pokemon… I sort of agree with you, but , like all the other games, after you beat the Elite Four, it may seem to get a bit dull, but, there is still SOOOOO much to do! I mean, the National Dex opens up so many features, and the Battle Tower, you just can’t stop the Party! For all of the fans who agree, i think this should help the new people to Pokemon who got a bad impression from the article And Change Can Be Not-So-Good! ! 🙂

  7. Legend_Chaser // June 10, 2007 at 6:11 pm // Reply

    For those of you kids and adults who are looking for maybe buying this game, i would HIGHLY suggest it. All of the Pokemon games have and E (everyone) rating… which is a very good thing these days. The games involve some thinking t some points, but that’s why there is the Prima Game Guide company, an official game guide company, and probably the BEST guide company ever. These games are great for everyone, from kids to adults (and older 😉 ) and will be a great game-play expeirence!

  8. Legend_Chaser // June 10, 2007 at 6:07 pm // Reply

    .:-:. Has anyone else lost any battles on purpose? In total in the whole game of Pearl, i’ve only lost about 3 battles… which i lost on purpose bc my Pokemon evelved after the battle and i wanted to go somewhere, and 2 bc i was SOOOOO bored of sening out so many Pokemon… and 3 bc i had to go somewhere. But, i use more strategy and wits (and a few Hyper Potions here and there) than level… although I COULD always just turn around and whip out about 40 (i’m not kidding) of my level 100 Pokemon and just win these battles with no effort whatsoever -.- 🙂

  9. Legend_Chaser // June 10, 2007 at 6:02 pm // Reply

    Well, I’m waiting for my friend to get back to home from his trip to brag about getting 4 Legendary Pokemon in one day… could have gotten 5, but I had to wait a day until I could transfer the Regis over to my Pearl, but for those of you who don’t want to migrate rare Pokemon from your older games to Diamond and Pearl… you should, bc soon, i hat to say it, they’ll be considered old, cheap-looking games, like good old Blue Red and (in Japan only) Green are today…So, what are you waiting for? Get the Nationel Dex and start Migrating!!! lol

  10. Legend_Chaser // June 10, 2007 at 5:57 pm // Reply

    Yes, you get Heatran at Stark Mountain… first you go up with Buck, Flint’s brother, then you go to the house next to the Pokemon Center in the Survival Area, talk to the old man and Buck n the house, then hike back to Stark Mountain, catch Heatran, then go do whatever you feel like… and by the way, (i was stumped on this too) those little jutting rocks, the big ones, by riding your bike at the high speed over those, you can jump em’ all, that’s how you get ’round em’ all!

  11. Legend_Chaser // June 10, 2007 at 5:54 pm // Reply

    By the way… the Prima Pokemon Diamond and Pearl guide is SO COOL!!! – but – it doesn’t have the Pokedex section… the part that shows the Pokmon evolving stages… but, soon Prima should make a new one… but, if you’ve beaten the game, and could care less about the fine deatails, I suggest the Prima Pokedex, it has all the Pokemon ,old and new, and a fairly decent Pokemon Diamond and Pearl walkthrough!!! – I can’t decide right now… – 😉

  12. Legend_Chaser // June 10, 2007 at 5:50 pm // Reply

    I haven’t been on the Comments section lately… but, just to say, for all of those Rockin’ Pokemon Pearl fans who HATE being called ‘ girly ‘ by those Pokemon Diamond fans… it’s just a name, lol. But, if you look at it, Dialga is stronger than Palkia :(, BUT most of Palkia’s moves prove more useful… like Psacial Reand, no re-charge, and lots of damage! But, Dialga, on the other half, had Roar of Time, which does a BIT more damage, BUT you have to… RE-CHARGE!!! I’m not saying Diamond is bad… I’m just supporting those Paerl fans. Thx.. later ppl!

  13. tom k 45$$ // June 10, 2007 at 1:47 pm // Reply

    do u get Heatran at stark mountian?

  14. sweet Awsome must have game

  15. I am stuck at mt. corrent and a grunt wont move and let me through the tunnel. I am on my way to the finnal battel ( or so I think) aginst the galactic boss. by the way the grunt has no pokemon what do I do??!!!!!!!!!!!! PLEASE HELP ME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ANYONE PLEAS JUST HELP ME!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  16. recneps888 // June 9, 2007 at 9:09 pm // Reply

    This game sounds so incredible!

  17. what a oval stone evolve

  18. Penguin Lover // June 9, 2007 at 7:43 pm // Reply

    Ohhhh yeah I also like

    Lucario he is as cool as ths smiley

    8)

  19. Penguin Lover // June 9, 2007 at 7:42 pm // Reply

    I LOVE THE POKEMON PIPLUP

    HE IS SOOO CUTE

    🙂

  20. Smallcrusher // June 9, 2007 at 7:09 pm // Reply

    Just wondering, how do you evolve magmar into magmorter, and electibuzz into electritive?

  21. Diamond Holder // June 9, 2007 at 6:44 pm // Reply

    It’s awesome.

    Althought i have trouble with the elite 4

  22. diamond and pearl are my favorite games

  23. i am trading my kadabra so please trade for it the offerer is pretty good i just want a the evolved form of growlth.

  24. You don’t need water fall for mt coronet you have to go outside and there is a 3rd cave out side but it is hard to see.

  25. i beat this game and it is really easy and if you focus on one pokemon you can beat the elite 4 easily. I have 2 level 76 and 1, 70 and a lot of 50’s

  26. i kick but in diamond!!!!!!!!!!!!(i have lots of lv. 50-70 Pokemon!!!!!!!!!!!!!)

  27. pokemon is coool // June 9, 2007 at 1:39 pm // Reply

    i have grotle! he is LV.34

  28. Legendary Hunter // June 9, 2007 at 12:34 pm // Reply

    Hey linoone52 how do you get darkrai, arceus, and shayin.

  29. Psychicmaster // June 9, 2007 at 12:06 pm // Reply

    I have just begun attempting to take on the elite four. My team is Torterra, Lucario, Garchomp, Palkia, Drapion, and one other offense pokemon that varies. Any tips for beation the champion? As for moves, my Drapion knows X-scissor, my Lucario knows Psychic (yay), and Palkia is loaded with TMs (I went a bit overboard.)

    P.S. Lucian is awesome! I’m his No. 1 fan! I guess you can tell why-I’m the Psychicmaster!

  30. gamerguy37 // June 9, 2007 at 11:26 am // Reply

    My team consists of Empoleon with waterfall, shadow claw, surf, and brine

    luxray with thunder, thunder fang, strength, and cruch

    staraptor with aerial ace, fly, defog, and brave bird,

    mesprit with confusion, grass knot, extrasensory, and shock wave

    machoke with submission, wake up slaps, cross chop, and rock climb

    and dialga with fire blast, flash cannon dradon claw and roar of time

    13 of the 17 moves types….so my team can kick anyones but

  31. THAT 1 GUY // June 9, 2007 at 11:21 am // Reply

    dude i got giratina and i got rhydon lvl 70 giratina lvl 75 garchomp lvl 66 dialga lvl 60 luxray lvl 53 claydol lvl 54 infernape lvl 52

  32. IT IS SO COOOL

  33. how do you get to Flower Paradise

  34. samuel1246 // June 9, 2007 at 7:39 am // Reply

    I’ve beaten the game and I thought the game has its high and low points. I thought a cool new feature was the dual slot feature where you can migrate pokemon from GB

    games. I migrated all of my legendaries to Diamond. Including my level 100 Jirachi.

    I thought it was cool that it that you can go underground and mine for treasures and make a secret base and meet up with friends. I really love Boys Life.

    YOU GUYS AT GAMING GURU RULE!!!!!!!!!!!

  35. kakshi101blue // June 8, 2007 at 11:35 pm // Reply

    man pokemon diamond is way better i have palkia and diagla i mean really i really need the nationl pokedex really bad so if anybody is good at this game i beat the whole game those 4 people are pretty there is a surpize at the end of the last of the lege 4 u will see wat it is kinda werid so beat the game and plz beat the league 4

  36. pokemonmaster88 // June 8, 2007 at 9:13 pm // Reply

    Roboman i completely agree (even though i got all three of that starters)

  37. true master // June 8, 2007 at 8:54 pm // Reply

    this game is so awesome!

  38. It is easy to saythat Infernape is so totally the best it can burn tethera to a crisp and use grass moves on empoleon it is simply the best.Pokemon dimond is the best Dialga can crush Palkia.

  39. I have level 100 every thing and I have 20 ho-ho’s

  40. infernapefan52 // June 8, 2007 at 2:02 pm // Reply

    i cantt wait to get diamond!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    PS.im getting it tommorow!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!111

  41. freaky games but sweet

  42. infernapefan52 // June 8, 2007 at 1:30 pm // Reply

    i love infernape

  43. HOW DO YOU GET WATERFALL FOR MT.CORONET

  44. Who else here has darkrai, arceus, and shaymin? I do, and they are all level 100!

  45. pokemaster // June 8, 2007 at 9:42 am // Reply

    chimchar rocks

  46. tom k 45$$ // June 8, 2007 at 9:10 am // Reply

    Weavile 101

    how DO YOU GET Heatran

  47. Boboobobob // June 7, 2007 at 9:07 pm // Reply

    In The latest Boys life the city thy show dosent exist does it if it is tell me where it is?

  48. Boboobobob // June 7, 2007 at 9:05 pm // Reply

    I say Piplup is the best starter cuz When becomes a Emplomeon (i might of spelled it wrong XD) its steel so its very strong in Attack and Defense!!!!1

  49. says says says says says // June 7, 2007 at 7:57 pm // Reply

    I got 7 cranidos from underground and now i have 1 rampados

  50. Pokegeek101 // June 7, 2007 at 7:01 pm // Reply

    Pokemon Diamond RULES I have a Infernape level 100 and like 10 more level 100’s me-da-best-diamond-legend: I can beat you super easily(I got arceus wich is the pokemon that can change types with plates A.K.A Splash plate toxic plate ect.)

Leave a Comment

Please don't use your real name.