Game Details
Price
  • $35.00
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Pokemon Diamond (Nintendo DS)

common sense media says

Classic Pokemon format, this one's worth catching.


parents & educators say

What parents need to know

Parents need to know that this is a non-violent game, even though the focus is on "battles" with the Pokemon that are strategic turn-based moves and don't feature any physical contact between characters. When a Pokemon loses all of its health, it faints. This is the newest version of the Pokemon series, and it allows children who have played the earlier GBA versions to download their caught Pokemon into this game. Pokemon Pearl is the same game as Pokemon Diamond except it contains different wild Pokemon for you to catch.

Educational value: Not applicable.
Positive messages: Not applicable.
Violence & scariness: Not applicable.
Language: Not applicable.
Consumerism: Part of the Pokemon franchise.

More on Pokemon Diamond

What to talk about

Talk to your kids
Families can talk about why Pokemon is such a popular franchise. Why do you like Pokemon? In this game Professor Rowan is trying to catalog all the Pokemon. Is it important to know many facts about different animals? Why are the trainers fighting each other if they aren't mad at each other?

What's the story?

What's the story?
POKEMON DIAMOND (or the sister game, Pokemon Pearl) revisits the classic formula that made the earlier Pokemon games so popular: Collect Pokemon, battle with them, and become the best Pokemon trainer around. You and a friend find a briefcase left behind by two mysterious strangers, and find Pokemon inside. When you return the briefcase to the strangers, one of them -- Professor Rowan, a renowned Pokemon expert -- asks for your help in indexing the various species of Pokemon that live in the wild, and you agree. In order to find and catalog the Pokemon into the Pokedex, it's necessary to explore the countryside and towns, and battle the wild Pokemon.

Is it any good?

Is it any good?
 

One major new feature is the ability to play wirelessly over the Nintendo Wi-fi connection, which allows players who aren't close to each other to battle and trade Pokemon over the Internet. They can even use the Nintendo microphone to voice chat, but will need a friend code, which means players can't choose random strangers to play.

The graphics are 2D with some 3D elements. The interface doesn't make much use of the DS touch screen, except during battle when it becomes very handy with large, thumb-friendly icons, which alleviate the need to scroll through choices with the directional pad. Pokemon Diamond and Pokemon Pearl are true to the Pokemon franchise and faithfully include most of the features of past games. Deceptively simple in concept, both games are rich in strategy, making them fun for both kids and adults who like the franchise.

Game themes & details

Game Details
Available on: Nintendo DS
Available online
Genre: Role Playing
Developer: Nintendo
Released on: April 21, 2007
Price: 35.00
ESRB Rating: E for Everyone

This review was written by Anise Hollingshead
 
 

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What parents & educators say

8

Most useful reviews by all members

pokemonlover234
kid, 13 years old
 
Best Video Game In The UNIVERSE!
OK, when I first heard of pokemon I thought it was the craziest idea and nobody anywhere would like it. And I myself doubted it would ever be fun. I thought it was just plain weird. But one day I saw my cousin catch a Buizel, and every time a wild pokemon appeared I said "Battle it! Please!" Finally I bought it and set to work, playing it for so long that I caught Dialga and was on my way to the Pokemon League while my cousin, who'd had it for a year, was far behind. I managed to guide a few people thru Mt. Coronet, and people at school ask me how to get thru the game. I will never stop playing it and NEVER sell it. It is the best game I've ever seen in my life! Pokemon Platinum has the same story except that Giratina is the main legendary, so they are both amazing, no matter what. I've been playing LeafGreen and Emerald, and neither are close to as good.

obnoxiousm
educator and parent
 
Best Pokemon Game Ever, Great Dissection of Cult of Personality
I'm coming at this review as an educator second (No 13 year old kid for me, just a bunch of students), but a Pokemon player first. I've been at Pokemon since I was in sixth grade and Diamond/Pearl is the best installment in the series. In the game you play a kid on his or her journey to travel and train Pokemon in battles, but along the way you get mixed up in trying to stop Team Galactic, a cult who wants to rebuild the world from scratch to get rid of the evils of human spirit. To do this, they, sorry for the spoilers, capture and experiment upon living Pokemon. Not for the faint of heart. The violence in this game, while not as bad as the XD/Colosseum cycle, is pretty high for a Pokemon game in what happens to several Pokemon. Also, the political controversy int his game may be too much for some smaller kids to truly grasp, especially since the translators made a few links between Team Galactic's ideology and structure and that of a controversial real world religious group, whose name I am almost afraid to mention. Aside from that though, the game takes a frank look at what kind of person would join one of these evil syndicates and how a charismatic leader can induce people to do bad things. Dark themes for young kids. Maybe your older kids can appreciate it. Another thing I want to mention is Cynthia, the female champion of the game and a great role model. She's friendly, compassionate, generous, always searching for the truth, and extremely tough. As a feminist I was glad to see her included, but also the fact that she's a woman champion almost completely unmentioned by the game. If you play on the level I do she doesn't seem so great given the implications of how high her Pokemon's stats are and how she must have rejected tons of other Pokemon to get such good ones, but most players will not reach that conclusion. I love this game and I still play it regularly. It's my favorite Pokemon game and I recommend it to the oldest of my younger cousins and even my teenage students, but sometimes I worry about what my six year old cousin would make of Team Galactic and Cyrus.

Hotaru Chan
teen, 14 years old
 
Not the best, but still good
This isn't my favorite Pokemon game, there are others I like much more, but this is still a great series and this particular one isn't an exception.

Dohayecarumbadoh
kid, 13 years old
 
Off 5- Iffy 6-7 On 8+
This game is totally awesome! I've completed the game & I'm helping a friend through it! Pokemon ROX!!!

ladiesman117
kid, 11 years old
 
i enjoyed
pokemon diamond is realy fun , it has some action , and adventure. you can play for hours. you can trade with other people around the world using wifi. or get a buudy and trade if they have the same game.

tips
kid, 12 years old
 
tips
Here are some tips on this game. To get palkia (after fainting him in pearl) change the date to oct. 21 and go back to spear pillar. Next Garitina after getting the national dex go to the route south of Vielstone city an opening will appear near the lakefront if you go in there you will find a cave called turnback cave get to the end and find Garitina. Last there's Rotom. After getting the national dex go to the old chatue or something like that and go to the room with the TV at 8pm Rotom will appear ( level 15 no strong pokemon)

SSBMboss
teen, 18 years old
 
A looooong Pokémon adventure.
Again the same formula is applied, the scenario is even worse, the 4th generation has plenty ugly Pokémon, but the game mechanics are EXTREMELY GOOD. The physical/special is applied to moves instead of types, and strategy is on a really high level on this one. There's nearly every Pokémon from every generation, so you can spend hundreds and hundreds of hours searching them and making them evolve. It never gets old. Reading is IMPOSED to fully enjoy the title. Aside from that, everybody can play to Pokémon without minding being offensed or whatever.

kittykaters12
kid, 13 years old
 
I laughed!
My friends got me into Pokemon so I picked up this game, thinking I'd get bored of it. Ends up it is really fun! I love catching pokemon and doing other activities on it. It is excellent.

ILUVMEAT
teen, 17 years old
 
I played it but couldn't beat elite 4 champion
This game is a rather long version full of having to go back and forth completing goal after goal and task after task to get one step ahead. I got all the way to the elite four champion and could not beat her. I finaly traded it in for cash along with other things to buy another game. its like all the others so not really inappropriate.

 
I'm a huge fan of pokemon. This game was not Pokemon's best.
I have always loved the Pokemon games. This isn't the best of them; I'd recommend HeartGold/SoulSilver before this, because they are remakes of old, excellent Pokemon games that are much better than this. Or just wait until Pokemon White and Black versions come out. This game was entertaining. Fun, even. But not the best there is. It feels like Nintendo has run out of ideas when it comes to pokemon and is digging through a trash bin, turning every random thing they can think of into a pokemon. This game is fun but not nearly as good as they used to be. Actually, if you really want to be economical, go out and buy a used Gameboy Color Silver, Gold, Yellow, Red, or Blue Version. They are better than the new ones and you can get them for a quarter a piece now.

Fawned
teen, 16 years old
 
OK
Fine but I believe this game is not for ages 7. They can easily get habits like thinking about monsters and pretend throwing a pokeball. Yes it can be humorous, but it can get quite annoying for parents and older siblings. The graphics are approving, but some need improving on other stuff. This game is a bit worth it, but really fun to battle with others!

SweetDisposition
teen, 14 years old
 
Warning: This game is highly addicting.
Ok, I think I'm officially obsessed with this game. After 115 hours of gameplay, I can tell you this game is a superb entry into the Pokemon series. By ds standards, this is a nice looking game. The day/night feature is something the franchise lost after G/S/C, but it's finally back! Personally, I'm not a huge fan of the pokemon in this region, but the game is heavily addicting nonetheless. The game is much better if you have people to play with. Friend codes are a pain to work with, but if you can find friends to battle and trade with the game becomes more functional and fun. Get this game, but be warned: once you start it, you'll be hooked.

Cubby326
kid, 11 years old
 
OK,when I first heard of pokemon kids my age were collecting the cards like CRAZY The're still collecting them! Back then I loved the show and I still do! But when I got my DS it totally changed me. I was starting to become a game FREAK.My starting game is the game I am talking about right NOW pokemon diamond I thought it was the sickest game ever!I thought nothing would ever come close besides pokemon pearl and pokemon platinum.

weeone23
teen, 15 years old
 
fun
my bro got this game n when i was his age i played the games. he asked me for help n i actually got in 2 it again. i felt like a nerd but sum of my friends played it n thn i gt into it. its a fun game n when u have an action reply its so much fun. the wifi is fun 2

Spova Lover
teen, 15 years old
 
Fun, and VERY challenging
This game is very fun but it is a huge challenge. There are multiple conflicts including defeatng a major evil agency, completing your pokedex, and beating the elite four in an intense battle. along the way you also must collect all 8 gym badges by battling 8 different poke masters, each of which has a different specialty (e.g. water, grass, fire, etc.). So overall you will enjoy this game as long as you enjoy challenges.

brieona
teen, 14 years old
 
Really great Pokemon game
This was the first Pokemon game I played, and it was very easy to get into and enjoy. I marked this as educational because there are a few puzzles in it, such as the seventh gym. The game has the message that you should do what is right; the antagonists are eventually defeated by the player character. The storyline gets dark at points (the antagonists mention destroying the universe and creating a new one, and later attempt to do this), but I'd say this is okay for anyone eight and older.

Marshmellow-chan
kid, 11 years old
 
Not as good as other Pokemon Games
Pokemon Diamond/Pearl is not as good as the other Pokemon games, which I would give five stars. The Pokemon Company was just figuring out how to make a game on the DS, but they later made Platinum, HG/SS, and B/W which were better. It also concerns me that the heroine has a mini dress that doesn't even cover herself.

VelvetGirl353
kid, 11 years old
 
Perfect for just about anyone
You are in the world of pokemon, battling, winning, losing, EVERYTHING.

bao
teen, 13 years old
 

madelineshadowrose
teen, 13 years old
 
i want the old pokemon back!
I personally dont like this one

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About our rating system
ON: Content is appropriate for kids this age.
PAUSE: Know your child, some content may not be right for some kids
OFF: Not age appropriate for kids this age