1. Probably won't be getting this name. I was hoping for a newer fresher take on the gameplay, not more of the same old. Pokemon is like Madden, same shit with an updated roster. :D

Posted at 12:35PM on Oct 1st 2006 by Silver R. Wolfe

2. What's wrong with the same old gameplay? Isn't that what makes Nintendo games fun?

I personally think that this style of gameplay is perfect for the series. It's very pick-up-and-play (seeing as how the game only uses 2 buttons).

Posted at 1:30PM on Oct 1st 2006 by Marc

3. Speaking of rehashing old things, I'm somewhat surprised we haven't seen a Pokémon version of Nintendogs. ;)

Posted at 1:32PM on Oct 1st 2006 by Fortyseven

4. Do you like anything about the DS? :(

Posted at 1:38PM on Oct 1st 2006 by Agrajag

5. I have a feeling Diamond and Pearl is gonna be better than Ruby/Sapphire and Gold/Silver. If you've seen some vids of the game...and all of the features the game offers, its gonna be great and I can't wait. I just hope Gamespots right about that November 06 release : /

Posted at 1:48PM on Oct 1st 2006 by Tyler

6. I agree that they could update the gameplay a bit. Give us fully animated battles, cut down on the less interesting roleplay elements, and allow us to customize things a bit more.

But then, if they did that, it would become the game they RIPPED OFF to create Pokemon . . . Mail Order Monsters (1985)

I'd love to see Mail Order Monsters updated on new consoles, actually.

Posted at 2:04PM on Oct 1st 2006 by The ZeroCorpse

7. @2

The same old thing is what nintendo is all about? Funny I could have sworn that innovation was the keyword...

Posted at 2:11PM on Oct 1st 2006 by V. Watermelon

8. so the monkey can throw its poo on people then when it evoleves it throws it in the bag lites it on fire and puts it on people's door steps......who should i choose?

Posted at 2:18PM on Oct 1st 2006 by Mike

9. *Glances at box art*

When...when did pokemon get this scary? I haven't followed the series since Gold and silver...

Posted at 5:15PM on Oct 1st 2006 by CJC

10. Red and Blue have been my favorite Pokémon games so far, but Diamond and Pearl are looking to be great!

The only problem is that the battles still seem to be slow and very much un-animated...

Come on, it's the DS, not the Game Boy.

With that aside, the rest of the game is looking pretty good. Oh, and the supposed North American release date is Q1 07 or Spring 07, just like Ruby and Sapphire four years before it.

Posted at 5:57PM on Oct 1st 2006 by Josh

11. The fact that battles are still not animated really isn't acceptable at this point. The DS has at least as much power as the system that Pokemon Stadium was on, so for the battles to still consist of two static images throwing special effects at each other is rediculous. I'm betting the only reason for it is to make people buy Pokemon Battle Revolution.

I don't think these will be bad games, per se, but what they've managed to do with the DS's capabilities is really disappointing. Especially after seeing video of Dragon Quest Monsters Joker, which puts these games to shame. For a such a popular series that works so closely with Nintendo to be shown up by a spinoff series that started out clearly trying to capitalize on the pokemon craze is kind of absurd.

Posted at 6:55PM on Oct 1st 2006 by Dan

12. who cares?! sure, updated graphics would be great, in fact, expected, but at least we're getting more of the goodies! bring in the pokemon!

Posted at 8:05PM on Oct 1st 2006 by tyler

13. @ Agrajag

I do, just not alot of the games that people are hyping up. I'm looking forward to Phoenix Wright: Justice For All and FFIII.

Posted at 8:32PM on Oct 1st 2006 by Silver R. Wolfe

14. Well high five to that, then! o/

Posted at 8:38PM on Oct 1st 2006 by Agrajag

15. um... I've heard quite a lot of hype about the Phoenix Wright sequel and FFIII in the past month or two...

Who cares about hype? If it's a good game that's all that should matter... sounds to me like someone is too cool for school (or maybe just Pokemon:).

Posted at 9:38PM on Oct 1st 2006 by oe

16. Man... all the Pokemon playing I did in the Red/Blue and Gold/Silver eras started coming back to me when I looked at these. The online is what makes this game so must-have. Embarrasing as it is I'm getting ready to buy a DS for Pokemon. I picked up a cheap copy of Fire Red today and I've already played like 6 hours. I wanna have a decent set to trade into Diamond/Pearl.

My name is Nik, and just when I thought I was done with Pokemon forever its pulling me back in.

Posted at 10:36PM on Oct 1st 2006 by Nik

17. @ oe

Yes, Phoenix Wright: Justice For All and FFIII are both very hyped, there were other hyped games that I just didn't buy into.

And it's not about being too cool for Pokemon, I'm just sick of the gameplay never really getting changed for a few little tweaks here and there. Just enough new stuff to get people to call it a new game. (Once again, similar to what Madden does. :D)

Posted at 10:47PM on Oct 1st 2006 by Silver R. Wolfe

18. The "same gameplay, new coat of paint" style of game is a tried and true method. The large majority of games released in the last 5-10 years follow it, because it's much safer commercially to stick with an established concept than take too many risks and change the recipe a lot.

Some thinks this attitude stifles innovation, some think not. Pokemon games still have a massive following, despite the minimal changes to gameplay - while this keeps making a ton of money, don't expect too much to change. In the end, they're still very enjoyable games.

The wi-fi capabilities are quite a significant addition, and something fans have been wishing for for a long time, so that's a step in the right direction.

I totally agree with the comments about battles - so much more could have been done, and it wouldn't have been a 'risk' - eye candy is nice, but it doesn't change the gameplay. Pity.

Posted at 11:42PM on Oct 1st 2006 by Kefka

19. Having played Diamond myself, I can say the lack of fully animated battles is a bit disappointing... but graphics aren't why I play Pokémon. I play because it's a fun, light-hearted RPG story with a very serious RPG system (in case you didn't know, the Pokémon system is rather complex... And I don't just mean elemental types, either).
From early on, the animation seems like Emerald (the Pokémon move a bit when they enter battle), but I think the attack animations may be a bit more detailed... Maybe. I haven't gotten that far in, yet.

But, if you want a well animated Pokémon title, then get Battle Revolution for Wii when it comes out.

Posted at 12:59AM on Oct 2nd 2006 by BPMΩ

20. Playing Diamond here as well (And I'm kinda bi-lingual, enough to understand the plot and the basic conversation of this game anyway). Certainly, while the basic formula hasn't changed, there's been nice incremental changes to the series which have improved the enjoyability of the games dramatically. (And Pokémon's not the only RPG which has that going for it. Dragon Quest springs to mind there.)

As for the person above complaining at the same time that battles are slow and unanimated....what are you smoking? If there's anything playing Japanese RPG's teaches you, it's that you can have one, or the other. If you want all those battle animations, you slow down your battles dramatically. Turn them off (and I won't be doing that with Diamond, if only so I can easily recognise the moves without having to worry about missing the name of the attack my opponent used), and it goes very quickly. Leave them on and...well, okay, so they're not spectacular, but they're functional. If you want spectacular, get the Wii game.

Posted at 11:51AM on Oct 2nd 2006 by Archaic