Pokemon Pearl Version

As long as you don't mind it being effectively a fancy remake of past Pokemon adventures, Diamond and Pearl provide a fantastic experience with great Wi-Fi features. [July 2007, p.70]

There’s a lot to do in Pokemon Diamond and Pokemon Pearl, which looks as good as a top-down Pokemon game is going to get for some time. It also benefits more than any other sequel in the series from a predecessor due to online capabilities. [JPN Import]

Indeed, it's somewhat ironic that only now, with the integration of Wi-Fi, Pokémon has become the community game it's always pretended to be. Casting a retrospective eye upon the series, it would appear that every game since the series started in 1995 has just been a level up. This, finally, is the real deal. [JPN Import]

An extremely well conceived game. While some may complain that it is too much like past titles, it's hard not to get drawn into the charm and depth of the universe.

The enhanced visuals and online functionality alone make them more enjoyable than any of the previous games, and you don't want to be the last trainer on the block to get with the times.

Overall, the better graphics, easier controls, and clearer visuals help make this Pokémon game the best in the bunch. The great Wi-Fi connection modes also make this a must have for any Pokémon fan who may own too many versions already.

Armed with a host of new Pokemon, an expansive new world, and the functionality of the DS, Diamond and Pearl constitute the ultimate Pokemon experience. [June 2007, p.102]

Whatever anyone tells you, you're never too old to enjoy Pokémon. Anyone who says otherwise is an idiot, a liar or possibly both. No, the immense depth, inescapable charms and boundless personalisation found here is enough to put most other commercial releases to shame, with the new battle mechanics making Diamond and Pearl even more covertly complex than the series has previously been.

An update is what they've got; graphical upgrades, new characters, new moves, but with the same classic gameplay. Whether this is your first Pokémon game or your fifth, this formula still works like magic.

As much as I love Pokémon Diamond and Pearl, it alarms me to see how little the core game has evolved over the years.

Pokémon Diamond or Pearl will satisfy any fan of the previous games: it’s accessible, it’s fun, it features online play and trading, and the battles are more involved than ever, and you’ll get hours of enjoyment out of it – as long as you play against people your own age.

Regardless of such niggles, Diamond and Pearl are among the best Pokémon titles so far, if not the best. Visually the game is fantastic, ably juggling 2D and 3D elements, and the soundtrack is catchy, upbeat and distinctly Pokémon themed.

Familiar collecting and battling, but immaculately designdd and with online play. [June 2007, p.62]

In the end, it's more of the same with some added critters. If you're hankerin' for a batch of Pokemon on the DS, pick it up. If you haven't beaten the other versions, though, you may want to go the cheaper route.

For those who zip through Pokémon games, you can become the League Champion in a little more than 30 hours, but it should take everybody maybe 40 or more hours to complete. Rest assured, the game isn’t anywhere close to over after the credits roll.

Ultimately, it's another addictive treadmill of a game that offers nearly limitless replayability and depth. [July 2007, p.94]

The best Pokémon role playing game so far. [Sept 2007]

It's one of those games that offers an enormous sense of accomplishment for even the littlest things performed. And the touch screen functions of the Nintendo DS help move things faster and easier with simple navigation menus.

The differences between Diamond and Pearl and their predecessors are small, but they add up. Refinement is paramount here -- refined balance of battle skills, refined relationships between monster types -- as is expansion.

The additions and alterations aren't game changing, and Diamond and Pearl do what the Pokémon franchise has always done best--deliver an accessible and highly addictive role-playing game experience.

Don’t let the score say otherwise; the game is great. Personally, I want the series to at least dabble with innovation. If you love the Pokemon franchise, I am 100% positive you’ll love Pokemon Pearl.

While naysayers can decry the repetition, the strength of the handheld series continues to be that nobody will whip through the games in few weeks. Diamond’ or ‘Pearl’ are worthwhile investments because they represent months and months of gameplay.

Renting won't do justice to the amount of content the games provide and the inclusion of online (though limiting) boosts ups the replay value tremendously. It's simple and engaging for newcomers while catering to long time players. Buy it and go catch 'em all!

Frankly, this is, for better or for worse, exactly the kind of Pokemon game that we are all expecting. The storyline hasn’t evolved, the gameplay is unchanged but has had a few refinements, the DS’ touchscreen is liberally used, the game is playable online, the graphics are sharp but still evoke the GBA standard, and there’s plenty of new Pokemon to capture.

The addition of online trades and battles finally delivers on the promise that the first Pokémon games made. The crucial social interactivity aspect of Pokémon now takes place on a global scale. It only took 10 years!

With Wi-Fi battles and Global Trade, D/P is essential. [Sept 2007, p.81]

If you can get past all this, it’s a magnificent game and easily the most solid Pokémon game yet.

Although the single-player quests might invoke a sense of deja vu, Pokemon enthusiasts will love the brand new story and other small tweaks added to the game. The new online battles, however, make this a Pokemon essential for anyone's -- fanboy or not -- DS collection.

Pokemon Diamond and Pearl are not only the best Pokemon games yet, but some of most enjoyable on the DS.

There are a few slight tweaks here and there, and the online functionality is surprisingly robust, but otherwise, this game could have been done on the Game Boy Advance with minimal issues. At the same time, there's more content on this card than four typical DS games combined so you're definitely getting your money's worth.

It's Pokemon. Moreover, it's Pokemon with online play. If you're a Pokemon fan, that reason alone is enough to pick up Diamond and Pearl, ignoring the new Pokemon and new features.

The fact that it's far from a perfect game and not much of a step forward doesn't make it any less of a must-buy. The core single-player adventure is guaranteed to occupy you for more than thirty hours, and the promise of extensive global trading and (surprisingly deep) Wi-Fi battling awaits those who complete the main storyline. Get this game.

Whether you’re a hardened Pokemaniac, an open-minded person with a love of great games or even an impressionable child, you’ll struggle to get better value for money than you will find in this glimmering pair. [June 2007, p.124]

Whether you're a long time fan or Pokemon newcomer, this is a solid, fun game. [July 2007, p.86]

Bright and breezy, it offers almost bottomless value, creates a believable and consistent world, offers a real strategic challenge as well as the kind of brainless completism that’s best suited to delayed trains and rainy afternoons, and hides a staggeringly intricate set of mechanics inside an accessible and non-threatening world. [July 2007, p.84]

What Diamond and Pearl lack in core innovation, they make up for in finesse, refinement and an overall abundance of gameplay. An easy recommendation.

Despite its foibles, this simplified RPG is accessible to anyone, and remains as engrossing as it ever was.