Pokemon Pearl Version

"A reason alone to own a Nintendo DS"

I have to admit that when I first heard that Nintendo was going to release new Pokemon games on the Nintendo DS I was happy and a bit worried at first. One of my worries was that it would turn out as the not so well received Pokemon Dash, which was released back in 2005. Another was how the touch screen would be integrated into the game play elements. Luckily, those worries are put to rest in the first few minutes of the game and Pokemon Pearl becomes a wonderful game that will keep your eyes glued to the small screen for hours.

Story – 10/10

In terms of the Pokemon franchise, the stories in each generation of games are very similar and this is the case in Pokemon Pearl. Do not let this drag your opinion down of the game, as it is very well thought out and planned to perfection. The game begins with you and your best friend, who also happens to be your rival, going to the lake that is near your hometown of Twinleaf, which is in the region of Sinnoh. Before entering the lake area you run into the Professor of the Diamond and Pearl series, Professor Rowan. As you near Lake Verity, you realize that there is no red Gyarados to be seen and wild Pokemon begin to ambush you. Seeing as there is no hope of escape, you and your rival take one of the Pokeballs that the Professor left behind and battle it out. As in with the other games, Game Freak gives you the choice of a fire, water or grass Pokemon. In this case it is Chimchar, Piplup or Turtwig, respectively.

The storyline in this game is quite massive compared to the old Gameboy and Gameboy Advance games. Some old elements return such as an organized team of crime, in this case it is Team Galactic. Another part of the story is that it has some confusing elements, but all in all, it is constructed to its finest point. As in the same vein of the other Pokemon games, you will be taking on all of the Gym Leaders, which there are eight of and finally finishing off with the Elite Four.

Gameplay and Control – 10/10

Pearl perhaps has the best gameplay out of any Pokemon game. With the abilities of the Nintendo DS hardware, the game feels more alive. This includes many new TM and HM moves, including some new attacks and old favourites from previous games. The touch screen can be used to touch out attacks and different commands, but this is optional as you have the option of still using the directional pad. But what would a Pokemon game be without all of the creatures that inhabit the imaginary world? The fourth generation games include over 100 new species of Pokemon, which brings up the franchise to having 493 different kinds of Pokemon. This can be the case that some tie in with older Pokemon, either as a pre-evolution or a whole new evolution.

One feature that Pearl brings back into play is the day and night system which was first introduced in the second generation of Pokemon and the games to go along with it; Gold, Silver and Crystal. This means that some Pokemon may only appear at a certain time of the day, whether it is morning, day or night. A new feature that is included is that you can actually dig deep underground into a whole new area. This area enables you to dig up fossils, items and build a secret base of your own choosing. The secret base part is much like the third generation of games (Ruby, Sapphire and Emerald), but more items are allowed in the base.

The most important gameplay element of course is the Poketech, which you receive within the first hour of the game. It can act as a tool for many different things. The most commonly used would most likely either be a clock or used as a map for tracking Pokemon. The Poketech functions on the touch screen which makes performing tasks a breeze. Other neat features that can be upgraded on the Poketech is allowing it to be used as a notepad for writing down memos if you need to or simply getting a quick status check of how your team is doing.

Graphics – 9/10

Battle wise, Pearl keeps the tradition strong of having great visuals and well though out animations. One thing to keep in mind that mostly all of the animations for attacks have been reworked so it is nice to see the attacks look different and gives the game a bit more of an epic feel. Another neat feature is that it borrows the element that Crystal and Emerald used, which was animating the Pokemon as they are released from their Pokeball. The world itself is actually in 3D this time instead of the traditional 2D. Interestingly though, the camera is set a slant so you can get a bigger view of the world and how big it is for the game. Though it is not the best game visually on the DS currently, it suits the style of game very well.

Music and Sound – 9/10

The music in Pearl is great, but seems to sound a bit like the older games music. This is good, because it gives the game a livelier environment and does not dull down on parts that may not seem too exciting. As usual, the boss battles have their own themes, which vary from the trainer battles, which is the same for the gym that you are in. My one complaint is that the sound effects sound a bit outdated. This includes the sound of the Pokemon as they come into battle and attack each other. If this were to be updated, it would get a perfect score for the music and sound of the game.

Play Time and Replayability – 10/10

If you have ever played a Pokemon game in your life for a hand held console, you will know how times consuming they are. Not that it is a shot towards the developers, it's just that you may play to long that your eyes or fingers start to hurt, as well as forgetting about what is happening in the real world. The story alone will most likely take you over 15 hours, which is good considering the length of the game. One more feature that will keep people coming back for more is the ability to play with people across the country with the DS' Wi-Fi capability. This is not only limited to battles but you can trade with people to get all of the Pokemon that you might not have been able to get before.

After you have finished the main quest of the game, the real depth of it comes into play and will consume even more of your time. This happens after you see all 150 types of Pokemon that are in the main Sinnoh regions, in which you get the National Pokedex. This will help you keep track of all 493 Pokemon. The last part of this that will keep you coming back for more is the ability to import Pokemon from your old Gameboy Advance games into the game's pal park, in which you must find them in a smaller area.

Final Recommendation - Buy

This game is a must own for anyone who has a Nintendo DS and a reason in itself to buy the system. The game's lengthy quest will keep you on hours end wondering what will happen, as will the search for seeing every type of Pokemon and catching them. Basically the only thing that might keep you from wanting to play this is the game's sound and music, but there is pretty much a small chance of that happening. One great thing about the game is that you don't have to watch the show or play the older games to know what's going on, as this game is that easy to follow. With the easy control scheme, a high fun factor and a moderate difficulty, Pokemon Pearl is a must own.

Reviewer's Score: 10/10, Originally Posted: 07/26/07