Pokemon Diamond - Nintendo DS - Review

Now, I have been a fan of the Pokemon video game series for a decade now. Such a fan, in fact, that I am the only thirty year old I know that still watches the cartoon series. So it should go without saying that when Game Freaks released Pokemon Diamond and Pokemon Pearl for the Nintendo DS, I had to rush out and buy it. And buy it I did.

I was hoping to see a new, revolutionary twist when I played my first Pokemon RPG video game on the Nintendo DS, which happened to be Pokemon Diamond. When I started playing, I realized I was in for the same basic game as Pokemon Red was ten years ago. After choosing the sex of your trainer, you start out as a rookie who is asked to collect Pokemon for a PokeDex. You must train Pokemon, beat gym leaders and a rival who is out to prove he is better than you, all the while, Team Galactic is out to rule the world by collecting all the Pokemon. Can we say, déjà vu?

So why would anybody buy a video game that has changed very little in over ten years and four hand-held video game systems? Because the Pokemon formula works, and it works well in Pokemon Diamond. This is not to say new features aren't featured in Pokemon Diamond, and it is these new features that make this video game even more entertaining and addictive.

Firstly, Pokemon Diamond uses the touch screen for battles, using large icons to make it even easier. Don't worry, you are still able to use the old, scrolling menu system if you feel more comfortable with that. Pokemon Diamond also has a day/night system based on the Nintendo DS internal clock, which is a feature similar to Pokemon Gold and Silver. This time system adds another level to the strategic gameplay of Pokemon Diamond, since some Pokemon come out only at night and others only on certain days. But the best new feature, by far, is the ease of trading Pokemon with other trainers. Thanks to the Nintendo DS Wi-Fi, it is now possible, and very fun, to battle and trade with trainers from around the world. You can even talk to other trainers during battle using the Nintendo DS built-in microphone!

All in all, I would rate Pokemon Diamond an 8/10. While the graphics, sound, and gameplay are barely updated in the past ten years, the Pokemon formula still works wonders. Plus, the new features add so much to this video game that the old school aspects are barely noticeable.