Pokemon Diamond: The Complete Review

Pokemon has always strived to deliver a grand adventure into unknown lands filled with strange creatures to the player, leaving a unique impression just like adventures they had as a child. Pokemon Diamond succeeds in propelling this heritage to new grounds, with new technology and many years of experience to grow from. By befriending the Pokemon in the vast land before the player, they can explore every corner, and fill every slot in the dictionary-like Pokedex.

The main aspect of play is in the battles between Pokemon, whether they be those of rival trainers or wild beasts, and the controls have been even more streamlined since the last version for simplicity. Anyone will be able to learn the mechanics, and while they are simple, battling is still fun due to the amount of different types of strategies that the player can choose from.

The Diamond version sets itself apart from the others in the long series primarily through the use of the Nintendo DS's Dual Screen and Wi-Fi capabilities. This handheld device connects millions of pokemon game owners and allows them to not only battle and trade with one another, but also to talk via the built in microphone. The controls are seamlessly integrated into the DS and the player can choose between the D-pad and the touch screen to operate their game.

The story guides the gameplay loosely enough to allow the player to truly feel a sense of freedom and adventure, while still maintaining a major goal. One of the Pokemon series' ever-present characters, Prof. Oak, grants the young adventurer a pre-captured pokemon to begin their journey to mastering the world's creatures of all shapes and sizes. And this is exactly what the player must do if they wish to make the title of Pokemon League Champion, and to subdue the evil members of Team Galactic.

As is customary in the pokemon franchise, Diamond has a legendary pokemon to call its own. The temporal steel dragon, Dialga, is the special monster in Diamond and cannot be captured or obtained in any of the other games. The antithesis of Dialga is the spatial creator Palkia, who has been in a never ending dual with the Time Ruler.

The highlights of the franchise are the interconnections between predecessors and the connectivity of the trainers in real life. Communities large and small form as players access the Wi-Fi channel to engage in glorious battle, commence trading, and communicate with one another. Pokemon brings people of all walks of life together in one huge family of these adorable pets and their respective owners.

Pokemon Diamond is a game worth getting as there is much to love and more to share the love with thanks to the Wi-Fi ability. Fans of the series and newcomers alike will find that there is more to pokemon than merely catching them all. Mystery and lore lies beneath the surface as the player follows the path of a Pokemon Master.