| WHAT: | Nintendo celebrates the launch of the new Pokemon Diamond and Pokemon Pearl games for the hand-held Nintendo DS system with an afternoon of festivities for gamers and Pokemon fans of all ages. These games have already sold millions in Japan, and are expected to be among the top-selling games of the year in the United States. More than 5,000 Pokemon fans are expected to attend this fun-filled event. 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, a movie lounge featuring the new 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, 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 |
| WHERE: | Nintendo World store |
KEY INFORMATION
- Collect, Train and Battle with More Than 100 New Pokemon: For the first time, players have the chance to catch new Pokemon Munchlax, Weavile, Lucario, Mime Jr., Bonsly and many others.
- New Region: Set in an entirely new region called Sinnoh, the Sinnoh Pokedex has 151 Pokemon total - some old and more than 80 new. This means the National Pokedex could now have more than 480 Pokemon. Overall there are over 100 new Pokemon, even some that aren't in the Sinnoh Pokedex! How do you find them all?
- 3-D World: The game now has a 3-D look to the environments, making the world of Pokemon 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 Pokemon, new and refined moves and new special Abilities add to the already deep strategy of Pokemon battling.
- Bring Pokemon from GBA: Players can bring Pokemon from their Game Boy Advance Pokemon games to Pokemon Diamond and Pokemon Pearl using the GBA game slot on their Nintendo DS.
Game storyline: In the Sinnoh region, there are two Pokemon 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 Pokemon. During the adventure to complete the Pokedex and become the Pokemon League Champion, these two Pokemon, and Team Galactic, will intertwine into the story and lead players on a fantastic journey across the Sinnoh region.
Characters: More than 100 new Pokemon make their debut in Pokemon Diamond and Pokemon 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 Pokemon Trainer (either a boy or a girl) and aim to become the Pokemon Champion. They choose from one of the three starter Pokemon. As they journey through the Sinnoh region, they will catch and level up Pokemon 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 Pokemon characters players can catch vary based on the location and time of day. Also, the power of certain Pokemon moves changes based on time.
- More elaborate Pokemon Contests. Players can use accessories and dress up their Pokemon. Players make "Poffins" out of Berries to raise their Pokemon's contest stats.
- New dual-type Pokemon, new/altered moves and new special abilities add to the already deep strategy of Pokemon battling.
- 3-D environments and updated graphics.
Communication Features:
- Once the player has completed the Sinnoh Pokedex and become the League Champion, he or she can use the dual-slot feature of the Nintendo DS to import Pokemon from Pokemon Ruby, Pokemon Sapphire, Pokemon FireRed, Pokemon LeafGreen and Pokemon Emerald. Once players enter an area called Pal Park, they can see and capture their Pokemon from previous games, which are then permanently transferred to Pokemon Diamond and Pokemon Pearl. Up to six Pokemon per day can be transferred to Pal Park and then captured in Pokemon Diamond and Pokemon Pearl.
- Pokemon Diamond and Pokemon 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 Pokemon Ranger, they can enter a special code (found on www.Manaphy.com) to unlock a mission to receive a special Manaphy Egg from Pokemon Ranger and then hatch it in Pokemon Diamond or Pokemon 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 Pokemon with others who have Pokemon Diamond or Pokemon Pearl anywhere in the world. They post Pokemon they want to trade on a board, and they can browse through Pokemon 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.