Pokémon Diamond Version and Pokémon Pearl Version are story-based video games created by Game Freak and released by The Pokémon Company and Nintendo for the Nintendo DS in 2006. These games are the first in the fourth generation of the Pokémon video game series. They were first available in Japan on September 28, 2006, and later released in North America, Australia, and Europe in 2007. A third version, Pokémon Platinum, was released in each region two years later. Remakes called Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl were launched for the Nintendo Switch worldwide on November 19, 2021. A prequel titled Pokémon Legends: Arceus was released for the Nintendo Switch on January 28, 2022.
Like earlier Pokémon games, Diamond and Pearl follow the journey of a young Pokémon Trainer who trains and battles Pokémon while stopping a criminal group named Team Galactic. The games introduced new features, such as online play using the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection, changes to battle rules and Pokémon Contests, and the addition of 107 new Pokémon. The games are separate but share the same story. While they can be played individually, players must trade between them to complete the Pokédex.
Development of Diamond and Pearl was announced during a Nintendo press event in the fourth quarter of 2004. The games were created to use the Nintendo DS’s features. They were expected to be released in Japan in 2005 but were finally released in 2006, the 10th anniversary year of the franchise. To promote the games, Nintendo sold a special edition Nintendo DS Lite in Japan and held a celebration for their North American release.
The games received mostly positive reviews. Critics praised the online features and graphics, and many said the gameplay, though not greatly changed from earlier games, remained enjoyable. Diamond and Pearl sold more copies worldwide than their Game Boy Advance predecessors, with about 18 million units sold. They sold over 2 million more units than Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire and nearly 6 million more than Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen. They also sold more copies than their successors, Pokémon Black and White, by over 2 million. The games are among the most successful Pokémon games ever made.
Gameplay
Pokémon Diamond and Pearl are role-playing video games with adventure features. The basic way to play these games is similar to earlier versions. Like all Pokémon games for handheld devices, the games use a top-down view and have three main screens: a map where the player moves around, a battle screen, and a menu where the player can manage their team, items, or settings. At the start of the game, players have no Pokémon or Poké Balls but can choose one of three Pokémon as part of the story. Once players get Poké Balls, they can catch more Pokémon. Players use their Pokémon to attack others in battles. When a wild Pokémon appears or a trainer challenges the player, the game switches to a turn-based battle screen. During battles, the player can use a move, use an item, switch Pokémon, or run away. Running away is not allowed during battles with trainers. All Pokémon have hit points (HP); if a Pokémon’s HP drops to zero, it faints and can’t fight unless healed at a Pokémon Center or with an item. If a player’s Pokémon defeats an opponent by making it faint, it earns experience points. When a Pokémon gains enough experience points, it levels up. Most Pokémon change into a new type when they reach a certain level. As Pokémon level up, their abilities improve, and they learn new moves at specific levels. If a Pokémon cannot evolve, it learns new moves more quickly.
Capturing Pokémon is an important part of the game. Players can use Poké Balls to catch wild Pokémon during battles, but they cannot catch other trainers’ Pokémon. A successful capture adds the Pokémon to the player’s team or stores it if the team already has six Pokémon. Factors that affect capture success include the target Pokémon’s HP and the strength of the Poké Ball used. Lower HP and stronger Poké Balls increase the chance of capturing a Pokémon. Making the target Pokémon sleep or paralyzed also improves the capture chance. Each Pokémon species has its own unique capture rate.
Diamond and Pearl keep the basic gameplay of earlier games but add new features. The day-night cycle returns with five time periods: morning, day, afternoon, evening, and night. The game also changes how moves are classified. In earlier games, moves were divided into "physical" or "special" based on their type. In Diamond and Pearl, moves are grouped into three categories: physical (contact attacks), special (non-contact attacks), and status (moves that don’t cause damage).
Some new features use the Nintendo DS’s features. The Pokétch, a smartwatch-like device on the DS’s bottom screen, has apps like a clock, calculator, map, and drawing tool. These apps are earned during the game. The Underground, a large area under Sinnoh, allows players to play multiplayer games, build secret bases, and collect items. These items can be used in the main game. The games also support the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection (now discontinued), enabling online trading, battling, and voice chat. The Global Trade Station lets players trade with others worldwide. Players can search for Pokémon they want and offer their own. If another player has the desired Pokémon and wants the player’s, the trade happens immediately. Trades can also be left for others to complete later. Some Pokémon from international trades have descriptions in the language of the game they came from. According to Pokémon art director Ken Sugimori, the Global Trade Station was his favorite new feature.
Pokémon Contests are events where players compete for ribbons. In Diamond and Pearl, Contests have three stages, two more than earlier games. In the Visual stage, players use the DS’s touchscreen to add accessories to their Pokémon to boost traits like "Cool" or "Cute." In the Dance stage, players tap buttons in rhythm with music. The Acting stage is similar to earlier Contests, where Pokémon use moves to impress judges. Like Pokéblocks in earlier games, Poffins—baked goods made from berries—can be used to improve a Pokémon’s traits and help it win Contests.
Diamond and Pearl are compatible with other Pokémon games, including Ruby, Sapphire, Emerald, FireRed, LeafGreen, Pokémon Ranger, and Pokémon Battle Revolution. After earning the National Pokédex, players can transfer Pokémon from Game Boy Advance games to Diamond and Pearl by inserting a Game Boy Advance cartridge into the DS. Up to six Pokémon can be transferred at a time, and they are sent to Pal Park, where players can capture them. Transfers are limited to six per day per cartridge, and transferred Pokémon cannot be sent back. After completing a special mission in Pokémon Ranger, players can send a Manaphy egg or Riolu to Diamond or Pearl. Players can also wirelessly transfer Pokémon from Diamond and Pearl to the Wii games Pokémon Battle Revolution and My Pokémon Ranch.
Story
Diamond and Pearl take place in the fictional region of Sinnoh, an island inspired by the Japanese island of Hokkaido. Sinnoh is not connected to any other Pokémon region. It is known for large, snow-covered mountains, including Mt. Coronet, which divides the region in half. Unlike earlier regions, Sinnoh has a "northern" feel because it is the first region with snow-covered paths. Sinnoh also has many waterways, including three main lakes—Verity, Acuity, and Valor—that form a triangle. However, unlike the Hoenn Region, which is mostly water routes, only 30 percent of Sinnoh’s landscape is covered by waterways. Beneath Sinnoh’s surface lies the Sinnoh Underground, a large maze of caves and tunnels.
The games follow the journey of a new Pokémon Trainer who aims to become the Pokémon League Champion by collecting and training Pokémon. Like other games in the series, Diamond and Pearl include eight Pokémon Gyms led by Gym Leaders, who specialize in specific Pokémon types. Gym Leaders act as challenges, and defeating them earns Gym Badges, which are needed to progress in the story. As in other core games, the protagonist must also stop the plans of a crime group called Team Galactic. This group wants to use Pokémon to create a new universe while destroying the current one.
Like all mainline Pokémon games, Diamond and Pearl begin in the protagonist’s hometown. After watching a TV report about a search for a red Gyarados spotted at a distant lake, the protagonist and their best friend, Barry, travel to the lake to investigate. They meet Professor Rowan, a Pokémon Evolution Researcher, and his assistant, either Lucas (a boy) or Dawn (a girl). After a short conversation, the professor and his assistant leave, leaving a briefcase behind. When they are attacked by wild Starly, the protagonist and their rival examine the briefcase. They choose one of three Pokémon inside—the Grass-type Turtwig, the Fire-type Chimchar, or the Water-type Piplup—and battle the Starly. After defeating the Starly, Lucas or Dawn returns the briefcase to Professor Rowan. Seeing the bond between the protagonist and their chosen Pokémon, Rowan gives it to them and asks them to begin their journey and fill their Pokédex.
Early in the game, the protagonist meets Team Galactic when they must rescue Professor Rowan from their members. Their goals are not clear at first. Later, the player encounters Team Galactic again when they take over a wind farm and set up a base in Eterna City. Eventually, they take control of Sinnoh’s three lakes to capture the Mirage Pokémon Uxie, Azelf, and Mesprit. After earning the seventh Gym Badge, Team Galactic captures the Mirage Pokémon and imprisons them in their headquarters. There, they extract crystals from the Pokémon to create the Red Chain, an object that can control the Legendary Pokémon Palkia in Pearl or Dialga in Diamond. After freeing the Mirage Pokémon, the protagonist reaches the Spear Pillar, an ancient ruin on Mt. Coronet, where Team Galactic’s leader summons Dialga or Palkia. The Legendary Pokémon’s power disrupts Sinnoh, causing the Mirage Pokémon to try to stop it. The player battles Palkia or Dialga, and after defeating or capturing the Pokémon, Sinnoh returns to normal. The protagonist then continues their journey, eventually reaching the Sinnoh League. After defeating all Elite Four members, they battle Cynthia, the Sinnoh League Champion, who had appeared earlier in the game. Defeating Cynthia makes the protagonist the new Sinnoh League Champion, completing the main story. In the post-game, a new island with unique Pokémon, new stores, and a tournament center becomes available. The protagonist’s old friend, who challenged them before, also appears and offers one final battle.
Development
Pokémon Diamond and Pearl were created by Game Freak. Junichi Masuda was the game director. The music for the games was composed by Hitomi Sato and Junichi Masuda, with guidance from Go Ichinose. Morikazu Aoki also created some short musical pieces for the games. According to Tsunekazu Ishihara from The Pokémon Company, the games were designed to use the DS’s special features, such as Wi-Fi and a slot for Game Boy Advance cartridges. The buttons used during battles are large and colored to help players who cannot read. The touchscreen was designed to let players use their fingers instead of a stylus to touch the screen. Most of the game’s graphics are 2D, but some background elements are 3D. Some people criticized the use of 2D graphics. In response, Ishihara explained that the team wanted to keep the original idea of Pokémon being played on a large map. He said the games were physically 3D but designed to feel like the original version. To address concerns about Friend Codes, Ishihara said they were used as a safety step to prevent players from chatting with strangers over Wi-Fi. Nintendo shared information about bugs found in the Japanese versions of Diamond and Pearl. These bugs caused players to get stuck in walls or lose saved data. Nintendo sent fixes to some stores in Japan to solve these problems. In mid-2020, people who look for hidden information shared the source code for Diamond and Pearl. This revealed unused images and designs for new Pokémon that were not included in the final game. These files were first shared on ResetEra and were part of a series of leaks about unfinished game builds from Nintendo.
Release
In the fourth quarter of 2004, Nintendo announced the development of Pokémon Diamond and Pearl during a press conference. The company also revealed Pokémon Dash and shared details about the Japanese launch of the Nintendo DS. The game's creator, Masuda, said the games would offer many new ways to play and aimed to make them the best Pokémon version ever. Although the games were expected to release in Japan by 2005, Nintendo stated that developers were still working on gameplay features and delayed the release until 2006. The games could connect with Pokémon games for the Game Boy Advance, allowing players to transfer Pokémon. Nintendo also said the games would use the DS's Wi-Fi capabilities, enabling 16 players to communicate wirelessly at once. More details were shared in mid-2006, including plans to link the games with Pokémon Battle Revolution and features like the Pokétch and time-based events.
Pokémon Diamond and Pearl were released in Japan on September 28, 2006. To celebrate, Nintendo sold a special edition DS Lite with silver and gold versions of the games' mascots, Dialga and Palkia, at Japanese Pokémon Centers and through the Pokémon fan club. A two-disc soundtrack titled Nintendo DS Pokémon Diamond & Pearl Super Music Collection was released in Japan on December 22, 2006, and reached number 253 on Japan's Oricon charts. Nintendo of America announced the North American release for April 22, 2007, and offered pre-order bonuses, such as special DS styluses. A demo of the games was shown at the Game Developer's Conference, and a release party was held in New York City. Nintendo of Europe released the games on July 27, 2007, and Nintendo Australia on June 21, 2007. A launch event in London featured a performance by the band McFly. In Australia, the Nintendo DS Connection Tour 07 included events like Pokémon Trading Card Game competitions and trivia games.
The games helped revive interest in the Pokémon brand. Nintendo of America's marketing vice president, George Harrison, noted the games attracted players of all ages, including older fans of the original Pokémon games. Pokémon USA opened a temporary boutique in Times Square's Toys "R" Us, selling licensed merchandise like action figures and clothing. A partnership with Burger King in 2008 included exclusive Pokémon trading cards in Kids Meals.
Pokémon Platinum Version, released on September 13, 2008, in Japan, followed Diamond and Pearl. It was released in North America on March 22, 2009, in Australia on May 14, 2009, and in Europe on May 22, 2009. The game received generally positive reviews, with scores of 84% on Metacritic and 83.14% on GameRankings. Critics praised its improvements over Diamond and Pearl but noted it was similar to them. It was named the ninth-best Nintendo DS game and the fastest-selling game in Japan, selling 7.6 million copies.
Reception
Pokémon Diamond and Pearl received slightly higher scores than FireRed and LeafGreen and Ruby and Sapphire. The highest score was 92 from UK Official Nintendo Magazine, while the lowest was 67 from Game Revolution. UK Official Nintendo Magazine later ranked the game 20th in a list of the greatest Nintendo games. Ryan Davis of GameSpot gave the games an 8.5/10, calling them "Great" and stating they were "the most well-rounded Pokémon games to date." IGN and GameZone also gave the games an 8.5/10. UK Official Nintendo Magazine gave the games 92%, and GameSpy gave them a 4.5/5. The games received slightly lower reviews from ComputerAndVideoGames.com compared to Ruby and Sapphire, but earned an "A−" grade from 1UP.com, an improvement from Ruby and Sapphire's "B−".
Most reviewers believed that while the gameplay and storyline were similar to earlier games, Diamond and Pearl remained engaging. Ryan Davis of GameSpot said, "[I]t's a little surprising how well the formula holds up in Diamond and Pearl, which is a testament to the strong fundamentals of the series as well as the quality of the execution." The games' Wi-Fi connectivity also received positive feedback. 1UP.com called the addition of wireless connectivity the games' "biggest improvements." GameSpot and GameSpy both listed online play as a positive feature, calling the system "robust" and "probably the most significant new feature." ComputerAndVideoGames.com said of the Global Trade Center, "Suddenly, Pokémon feels properly alive for the first time since playgrounds were abuzz with monsters in the late '90s – and you'll instantly forgive Game Freak their technical stubbornness the first time you switch on your DS and find the level 100 Munchlax you craved is on your cart."
The graphics generally received positive reviews. GameSpot praised the blend of 2D and 3D graphics, and GameZone said the graphics were "better than what I had originally imagined" and that "a Pokémon title hasn't ever looked this good on a handheld." GameSpy felt the graphics, though simple, made the game "a pleasure to explore." ComputerAndVideoGames.com, however, said that "the so-called '3D' isn't up to much: it's just a viewpoint shuffle, with DS's gutsy engine taking a nice long nap between the odd hypnotic windfarm or fog effect." The audio was not as well-received: IGN felt the cries made by the Pokémon "still screech with the flair of the original Game Boy" and that the music, while "more advanced," was "not much beyond [Game Boy Advance] quality." GameZone also felt the sounds had not been updated, saying "This [the audio] is the only area that hasn't taken one step forward. It remains stagnant and doesn't show any progression over the GBA titles." GameSpot cited the games' "recycled" sounds as one of the negative points.
First released in Japan in 2006, Pokémon Diamond and Pearl had the most successful launch week of games in the Pokémon series and the best launch week for any Nintendo DS game in the country. Within forty-six days, the games sold three million units, becoming the fastest DS games to do so; by the end of the year, sales reached five million units in just under three months, making Diamond and Pearl the best-selling Pokémon games in Japan. In the United States, pre-orders for Diamond and Pearl passed 533,000, almost twice the pre-sale numbers for FireRed and LeafGreen. Within five days of release, the games sold around one million copies and were the fastest-selling Pokémon games ever until the release of Pokémon Platinum. The games were the seventh-best-selling video games of 2007, with around 4.27 million units sold in the United States; by early 2009, sales passed 5.3 million units. As of September 30, 2017, Pokémon Diamond and Pearl combined have sold 17.67 million copies worldwide, making their sales totals around one million higher than those of Ruby and Sapphire and around six million higher than those of FireRed and LeafGreen. The games also boosted sales of hardware in the United States, spurring the sales of 471,000 DS units and causing video game sales in April 2007 to rise 20% from April 2006. In Europe, the games sold around 1.6 million units within seven weeks of their release and topped the charts in Spain, Germany, and the United Kingdom. Additionally, there have been more than 10 million Pokémon trades via Wi-Fi.
At G4's G-phoria 2007, the games won "Best Handheld Game" and were nominated for "Best RPG." In 2008, Pokémon Diamond and Pearl were nominated for the British Academy of Film and Television Arts Children's Kids Vote Award. In IGN's Best of 2007 Awards, Diamond and Pearl were named the best Nintendo DS online multiplayer games and the best Nintendo DS RPG games of the year. In the 2006 Famitsu Game Awards, Diamond and Pearl won the Best Hit award and tied with Final Fantasy XII for the Game of the Year award.
Competitive battling in Pokémon became much more popular with Diamond and Pearl. The physical special split allowed Pokémon such as Gengar and Gyarados to use their higher attacking stat and gave special/physical coverage moves to formerly all-physical/special types, and online play made Pokémon battling possible all over the world.
Legacy
Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl are improved versions of the games and were released for the Nintendo Switch on November 19, 2021. Pokémon Legends: Arceus is an action role-playing game that takes place before Diamond and Pearl and is set in an older version of the Sinnoh region called the Hisui region. It was released for the Nintendo Switch on January 28, 2022. Both games were first shown in a Pokémon Presents presentation on February 26, 2021.
Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl were made by ILCA and were created to closely follow the original Diamond and Pearl games, with new features added from later games. The games received average reviews, with praise for their faithfulness to the original games and criticism for missing features from Pokémon Platinum and for how newer and older features were combined. The game's art style, which made characters look like "chibis," also received mixed reactions. By May 2022, the games had sold over fourteen million copies.
Pokémon Legends: Arceus kept the main gameplay rules but changed how players move through the world, allowing them to freely explore five different areas called "biomes" in Hisui. Players can interact with Pokémon in the world, and some Pokémon can attack and hurt the player. Battles with Pokémon can happen directly in the world. The game received mostly positive reviews, with praise for its new gameplay style and criticism for its art style. The game was nominated for Best RPG at The Game Awards. By May 2022, the game had sold over twelve million copies.
Pokémon Battle Revolution is the first version of a Pokémon game for the Wii. The game uses wireless connections to link with the Nintendo DS, allowing players to use their Pokémon from Diamond and Pearl in different game modes.
My Pokémon Ranch is a Wii game made by Ambrella and released through the WiiWare download service. It was first released in Japan on March 25, 2008, and later in North America on June 9, 2008, and in Europe on July 4, 2008, for 1,000 Wii Points, which was worth about US$10.00. Like the GameCube game Pokémon Box: Ruby and Sapphire, My Pokémon Ranch lets players store and organize Pokémon from Diamond and Pearl. Pokémon moved from those games to My Pokémon Ranch are shown in 3D and can interact with the player's Miis.