Pokémon Diamond and Pearl

Fourth-generation Pokémon games for the Nintendo DS.

Pokémon Diamond and Pearl are role-playing video games developed by Game Freak and published by The Pokémon Company and Nintendo for the Nintendo DS in 2006. They are the first installments in the fourth generation of the Pokémon video game series and introduced features such as Internet play over the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection. The games sold around 18 million units worldwide, making them among the most successful Pokémon games of all time.

Quick Facts

Developer

Game Freak

Publisher

The Pokémon Company (JP); Nintendo (WW)

Director

Junichi Masuda

Producer

Hiroyuki Jinnai
Hitoshi Yamagami
Gakuji Nomoto
Hiroaki Tsuru

Designer

Shigeki Morimoto; Shigeru Ohmori

Programmer

Tetsuya Watanabe

Artist

Ken Sugimori

Writer

Toshinobu Matsumiya
Hitomi Sato
Akihito Tomisawa
Suguru Nakatsui

Facts from the source article.

Did You Know?

The game's music was scored by Hitomi Sato and Junichi Masuda under the supervision of Go Ichinose, with a few fanfares composed by Morikazu Aoki.
The command buttons in the battle screen are large and color-coded to facilitate gameplay for players unable to read.
Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl were produced by ILCA and acted as faithful remakes, with the addition of game mechanics introduced in later titles.

Story

Diamond and Pearl are set in the fictional region of Sinnoh, an island based on the Japanese island of Hokkaido. Sinnoh is not directly connected to any other Pokémon region and is characterized by large, snow-covered mountains; Mt. Coronet divides Sinnoh in half. Sinnoh has a northern feel and is the first region with snow-covered routes. Its waterways include three main lakes—Verity, Acuity, and Valor—that form a triangle, though only 30 percent of Sinnoh's landscape comprises waterways.

Underneath the surface is the Sinnoh Underground, a large maze of caves and tunnels. The games chronicle the adventures of a new Pokémon Trainer who strives to become the Pokémon League Champion by collecting and training Pokémon. Eight Pokémon Gyms led by Gym Leaders reward skilled Trainers with Gym Badges. The protagonist must also thwart the schemes of Team Galactic, who plan to use Pokémon to create a new universe for themselves while destroying the current one.

The games begin in the protagonist's hometown. After viewing a television report about a red Gyarados spotted at a faraway lake, the protagonist and their best friend, Barry by default, travel to check the local lake. They spot Professor Rowan, a Pokémon Evolution Researcher, and his assistant, Lucas or Dawn. After a short discussion, the professor and assistant leave a briefcase behind.

When attacked by a wild Starly, the protagonist and rival examine the briefcase and choose one of three Pokémon—Turtwig, Chimchar, or Piplup—to battle the attacking Pokémon. After defeating the Starly, the assistant retrieves the briefcase, and Professor Rowan offers the chosen Pokémon to the protagonist, asking them to embark on a journey and fill their Pokédex.

Release

The first details about Pokémon Diamond and Pearl emerged during a Nintendo press event in late 2004, alongside the announcement of Pokémon Dash and information about the Japanese launch of the Nintendo DS. Junichi Masuda said the games would offer new ways to play and that he aimed to create the definitive Pokémon experience. Although a 2005 release in Japan was initially expected, Nintendo later confirmed that development was still ongoing and pushed the launch to 2006.

The company stated that Diamond and Pearl would connect with Game Boy Advance Pokémon titles, letting players move their creatures to the new games, and would fully support the DS’s Wi-Fi, enabling up to 16 players to link up wirelessly. More details arrived in mid-2006, when Nintendo President Satoru Iwata revealed ongoing work on connectivity with Pokémon Battle Revolution, as well as new features like the Pokétch and time-based mechanics. Japan got the games on September 28, 2006.

To mark the release, a limited-edition DS Lite was sold at Japanese Pokémon Centers and through the Pokémon fan club by mail, featuring Dialga and Palkia in silver and gold on a metallic black finish. A two-disc soundtrack, Nintendo DS Pokémon Diamond & Pearl Super Music Collection, came out in Japan on December 22, 2006, reaching number 253 on the Oricon charts for one week. On December 20, 2006, Nintendo of America announced an April 22, 2007, North American release, with pre-order bonuses of special DS styluses featuring new Pokémon.

A limited demo was shown at the Game Developer’s Conference, and a launch party took place at the Nintendo World Store in New York City. Nintendo of Europe set a July 27, 2007, release for the European Union, while Nintendo Australia chose June 21, 2007. A European launch event was held at GAME stores inside Hamleys.

Reception

Pokémon Diamond and Pearl earned review scores that were a bit higher than those for FireRed and LeafGreen and Ruby and Sapphire. The top mark came from UK Official Nintendo Magazine with a 92, while Game Revolution gave the lowest at 67. That same magazine later placed the game 20th on a list of the greatest Nintendo titles. GameSpot’s Ryan Davis rated it 8.5 out of 10, calling it the most well-rounded Pokémon game yet, and IGN and GameZone also gave 8.5.

GameSpy awarded a 4.5 out of 5. ComputerAndVideoGames.com gave slightly lower scores than Ruby and Sapphire, but 1UP.com raised its grade to an A− from the earlier B−. Critics agreed that while the core gameplay and story hadn’t changed much, the games remained engaging. Davis noted the formula held up well, showing strong fundamentals and good execution.

The Wi-Fi features were widely praised. 1UP.com called wireless connectivity the biggest improvement, and both GameSpot and GameSpy described the online system as robust and the most significant new addition. ComputerAndVideoGames.com said the Global Trade Center made Pokémon feel truly alive again for the first time since the late 1990s.