Pokémon jewels in July

By Robert Purchese Published 22 May, 2007

Diamonds and Pearls for you.

Nintendo has finally pinned a release date on the excellent Pokémon Diamond and Pokémon Pearl, which will now be available throughout Europe on 27th July.

This DS gem from Game Freak makes full use of the touch-screen, microphone, and Wi-Fi connection, plus it boasts a critter count of over 100 - making your desire to catch them all take a very long time indeed.

Everything here is simply bigger and better, and many rate it as the best installment in the series to date; prompting sales of 1.75 million copies in just two weeks across the pond, and more than five million since it launched in Japan in September 2006.

It isn't just for kids, either, and Luke Albiges will tell you why in his glowing Pokémon Diamond/Pearl Eurogamer review.

Nintendo's also giving you the chance to get hold of a chocolate PokeBall containing a unique code that will unlock a Manaphy Pokémon in your Pokémon Ranger game. And once you've hatched the the critter you'll be able to transfer it to your new Diamond or Pearl game.

All you have to do get your hands on this treasure is turn up at a GAME store anywhere in the UK on 2nd June with your Pokémon Ranger game. You'll even be able to pre-order your limited edition of Pokémon Diamond or Pearl on the same day, securing yourself a "very special" character stylus. How very thoughtful.

Picture of Robert.

About Robert Purchese

Bertie is Eurogamer's Senior Staff Writer. When he's not hunting down news stories he's often found playing with his kids or gabbling about fantasy games and strange online worlds.

Read more articles from Robert by visiting the Robert Purchese archive page.

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Comments (26) Latest comment 5 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • CallousB #1 5 years ago

    Earlier than I thought. I'm guessing this means we should expect Pokemon Battle Revolution around September.

  • Agent_Llama #2 5 years ago

    It says on the Game site you have to have completed Ranger to get the code or something. :o( I don't want Ranger!

  • zeroK #3 5 years ago

    Will there be any difference to the US version? End of July is still soooo far away :-(

  • kincaide #4 5 years ago

    @zeroK - No, so buy it NOW

  • neilka #5 5 years ago

    Ł20 now or Ł30 in two months? How to decide?!

  • mouse Verified Graphic designer, Eurogamer Network #6 5 years ago

    Three fucking months behind. Sort it out NOE!
    Edited by 1 at 22/05/07 @ 16:28

  • poxymoron #7 5 years ago

    Never played any Pokemon games, but I am a huge rpg fan so thought I would see what all the fuss is about. Just headed over to playasia to bag myself a copy, but the bastards won't ship this game to Europe. Arse.

  • trevd72 #8 5 years ago

    shafted again

  • R.Pete.G #9 5 years ago

    "Critter count of over 100"

    Over 100? Gosh.

    Let's hope it has *slightly* more than that.

  • Hunam #10 5 years ago

    Im pretty sure that there are like 150 around the main game to catch, but the game does let you have every pokemon ever ever.

    so over 400, not sure on the mechanics of it all, but im sure you can.

  • Rush2112 #11 5 years ago

    Why people would wait until the end of July for this is beyond me. I've had it for weeks. Ł18.99 delivered from Movietyme, folks. Only took 4 days to arrive.

  • Poorandugly #12 5 years ago

    It's brill. Adults enjoy it for the deep, involving gameplay and kids for the bright colours and cheerful soundeffects.

  • Freelancepolice #13 5 years ago

    The majority are available later on but yes you can catch something like 380 without any other cart

  • The-Bodybuilder #14 5 years ago

    Pokemon should be banned as a class A drug, I tells'ya.

  • FunkyRenegade #15 5 years ago

    It looks like I'm in the majority having already got a copy :D
    I'm loving it so far, the graphical update makes it feel all the newer :)

  • captainrentboy #16 5 years ago

    A joke for you all! How do you get Pikachu on a bus?..........Punch the little yellow bastard in the ribs repeatedly until he's puking blood, then he'll know who's boss and will merely get on, minimum of fuss.
    It went something like that anyway.

  • CitizenGeek #17 5 years ago

    I look forward to this. I remember liking Pokémon games a lot, but I'm older now, so I wonder if I'll still like them? I probably will, they're usually lots of fun!

  • Kniteshade #18 5 years ago

    This DS gem from Game Freak makes full use of the touch-screen

    More like shoehorned in.

  • Drakron #19 5 years ago

    What?

    I got Diamond just yesterday in a shop.

  • Agent_Llama #20 5 years ago

    Playing with the stylus is utterly impractical as you have to keep it in your hand ready whilst still using the D-pad and buttons for most functions. Hence I only use the buttons.

    Shoe-horned? Never.

  • MasterControlProgram #21 5 years ago

    ZZZZZZZZZZZ

    *Yawn*

    /oh look, another PokemZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ

  • Freelancepolice #22 5 years ago

    I've been through this with someone else. The option to use touch screen is there if you wanted to use it (albeit in battles and pokedex). No gameplay has suffered as a result and there's no gimmicky minigame for the sake of it, so no it hasn't been shoehorned in.

    As someone has already pointed out, would you prefer to have to move your character around or blow on the microphone to remove status effects on the pokemon. It could quite easily of gone the way of diddy kong racing and forced you to do ridiculous things with the touch screen, luckily it went the way of mario kart and as such you're free to play with d-pad and face buttons :)

  • kenty #23 5 years ago

    i got it from simplygames.co.uk a couple of weeks back for Ł22.99, only took 2 days to arrive, wewt! They don't seem to list the US version any more though, ninty probably shouted at them

  • Kniteshade #24 5 years ago

    @Owen-B:

    Kk, maybe the word shoehorned isn't the right one to use here. I agree with most of what you say, I'm not looking for any specific stuff with the stylus. It doesn't work but GameFreak had to go and do lil half ass stuff in it just to say they have it in there. The touch screen battle interface, that wasn't necessary. I found it annoying whenever I was capturing Pokemon, too much "dialog boxes" to go through (I counted 4 and it was only a simple 2 A presses on the GBAs'). It's already slow enough as it is.

    I'd prefer it, like somebody mentioned, Mario Kart like how there is one set area dedicated to the uses of the touch screen rather than what GameFreak has done and put it in cracks here and there where it's not really necessary.

  • trevd72 #25 5 years ago

    @ Owen-B problem is not everyone is as informed as us. I got pearl yonks ago. why should we have to wait yet. if it was not for me knowing these things my kids would never have played wario twist.

  • FaceOmeter #26 5 years ago

    Ł20 now or Ł30 in two months? How to decide?!

    Zing! This game disappoints in a few key areas but it's still absolutely fantastic and any respectable RPG player should at least try it, especially at movietyme's price... I'm nearing the 70 hour mark, and I've only had it a week and a half! And I'm supposedly writing a dissertation at the moment...