Nintendo celebrates the launch of the new Pokemon Diamond and Pokemon Pearl games for the Nintendo DS system with an afternoon of festivities for gamers and Pokemon fans of all ages on April 22, 2007. We at VGB are also celebrating with our “win Pokemon Diamond or Pearl competition“.
Diamond & Pearl have already sold over five million times in Japan, and are expected to be among the top-selling games of the year in the United States (it later turned out they sold 1 million copies in the first 5 days in the USA). More than 5,000 Pokemon fans are expected to attend their launch-day fun-filled event. The Rockefeller Plaza will become a Pokemon fan’s paradise with interactive game play stations showing off the brand new games, Trading Card Game play area, where a movie lounge featuring the newest Pokemon movie, Pokemon Ranger and the Temple of the Sea, and a special Kids Zone for younger Pokemon fans.
Attendees can be among the first to pick up their pre-ordered copies of Pokemon Diamond and Pokemon Pearl at the Nintendo World store, participate in a Poke Ball scavenger hunt, take photos with favorite Pokemon costume characters (PIKA PIKA!), and win prizes including exclusive Pokemon Nintendo DS Lite units, Pokemon gear and tickets to summer sporting events.
WHO: Parents, kids, Pokemon fans and video game fans of all ages
WHEN: Sunday, April 22 — Nintendo World Store Opens: 8AM — Event: 1 to 5PM
WHERE: Nintendo World store — 10 Rockefeller Plaza — New York, NY 10020 — 646-459-0800 — www.nintendoworldstore.com
New Pokémon Diamond or Pokémon Pearl FACTS…
Format: Nintendo DS
Launch Date: 04/22/07
ESRB age rating: E (Everyone)
Game Type: Role-Playing Game
Accessories: Nintendo DS Headset
Players: 1-8 (1-4 in Pokémon battles)
Developer: GAME FREAK, Creatures
Key game information:
* Collect, Train and Battle with More Than 100 New Pokémon (107 Pokemon total): For the first time, players have the chance to catch new Pokémon Munchlax, Weavile, Lucario, Mime Jr., Bonsly and many others.
* New Region: Set in an entirely new region called Sinnoh, the Sinnoh Pokédex has 151 Pokémon total – some old and more than 80 new. This means the National Pokédex could now have more than 480 Pokémon (493 Pokemon total). Overall there are over 100 new Pokémon, even some that aren’t in the Sinnoh Pokédex! How do you find them all?
* 3-D World: The game now has a 3-D look to the environments, making the world of Pokémon jump off the screen like never before.
* Worldwide Battles/Trading Using Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection: Once Friend Codes have been registered, two players can then battle and trade while talking.
* Night and Day: Using the DS clock function, the game transitions from morning, day and night in real time.
* Intense Battles: Many new dual-type Pokémon, new and refined moves and new special Abilities add to the already deep strategy of Pokémon battling.
* Bring Pokémon from GBA: Players can bring Pokémon from their Game Boy Advance Pokémon games to Pokémon Diamond and Pokémon Pearl using the GBA game slot on their Nintendo DS.
Game storyline: In the Sinnoh region, there are two Pokémon that symbolize the region. They appear in the Sinnoh region’s myths and old folklore. One is called Dialga, and is said to have the power to control time. The other is called Palkia, who is said to have the ability to distort space. The sinister organization called Team Galactic is trying to rule the region by using the power of these two Pokémon. During the adventure to complete the Pokédex and become the Pokémon League Champion, these two Pokémon, and Team Galactic, will intertwine into the story and lead players on a fantastic journey across the Sinnoh region.
Characters: More than 100 new Pokémon make their debut in Pokémon Diamond and Pokémon Pearl. Many are new, and some are even evolutions and pre-evolutions of characters from past games. The player can choose to be a boy or girl trainer. There are eight new Gym Leaders, as well as a new Professor and a new rival. Team Galactic takes the role of the new villains this time around.
How to progress through the game: Players start out as an aspiring Pokémon Trainer (either a boy or a girl) and aim to become the Pokémon Champion. They choose from one of the three starter Pokémon. As they journey through the Sinnoh region, they will catch and level up Pokémon and battle with other Trainers and Gym Leaders to make their way to the top. The story unfolds as the player goes from town to town, across towering mountains, through muddy swamps and deep into caves beneath the earth.
Special abilities/moves/features:
* Worldwide battles and trading using Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection.
* Real-time clock feature changes the time of day based on the DS clock. The Pokémon characters players can catch vary based on the location and time of day. Also, the power of certain Pokémon moves changes based on time.
* More elaborate Pokémon Contests. Players can use accessories and dress up their Pokémon. Players make “Poffins†out of Berries to raise their Pokémon’s contest stats.
* New dual-type Pokémon, new/altered moves and new special abilities add to the already deep strategy of Pokémon battling.
* 3-D environments and updated graphics.
Communication features:
* Once the player has completed the Sinnoh Pokédex and become the League Champion, he or she can use the dual-slot feature of the Nintendo DS to import Pokémon from Pokémon Ruby, Pokémon Sapphire, Pokémon FireRed, Pokémon LeafGreen and Pokémon Emerald. Once players enter an area called Pal Park, they can see and capture their Pokémon from previous games, which are then permanently transferred to Pokémon Diamond and Pokémon Pearl. Up to six Pokémon per day can be transferred to Pal Park and then captured in Pokémon Diamond and Pokémon Pearl.
* Pokémon Diamond and Pokémon Pearl are fully Wi-Fi compatible, allowing players to trade and battle worldwide. Also, the games use local wireless to battle and trade with up to four players (eight in the underground game). Also, when using Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection, two players can chat using the DS microphone.
* If players own Pokémon Ranger, they can enter a special code (found on www.Manaphy.com) to unlock a mission to receive a special Manaphy Egg from Pokémon Ranger and then hatch it in Pokémon Diamond or Pokémon Pearl.
With Friend Codes: If players are connected through Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection, they can trade or battle as they talk to their friends. They have to exchange their “Friend Code†with their friends first.
Without Friend Codes: Global Trade Station (trading without Friend Codes): The Global Trade Station uses Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection and allows players to trade Pokémon with others who have Pokémon Diamond or Pokémon Pearl anywhere in the world. They post Pokémon they want to trade on a board, and they can browse through Pokémon other players have posted without directly interacting with other players.
Battle Tower (battling without Friend Codes): The Battle Tower allows players to battle with seven Trainers who have registered their player data in the Wi-Fi Battle Dome. After players battle, they can then upload their data so that other Trainers can battle “them.†The more players win, the higher their rank rises. Players can register where they live on a terrestrial globe called Geonet in the Global Trade Station. If players exchange data with players from other areas, their location will be registered on the Geonet as well.