Pokemon Diamond / Pearl - hands-on - Day 1

With Teams Rocket, Magma, Aqua, Snagem and Cipher and the Phobos Battalion all safely dealt with in previous adventures, this latest gang of miscreants, Team Galaxy, is by far the most sinister and advanced of them all. Sporting the latest in quasi-futuristic attire and leaders named for the planets, Team Galaxy seeks to conquer space and time using the power of some long-dormant legendary Pokemon, and will interfere with your adventure repeatedly.

The move to the Nintendo DS hardware has allowed developer Game Freak to improve the overall presentation of the game by building the world in 3D, improving the battle effects and expanding the interface onto the system's trademark twin screens.

While the move to a 3D overworld isn't as impressive as it could've been, the final result remains clear, attractive and true to the series' timeless aesthetics. The towns gain much in feel from being constructed in 3D, and several puzzles use the 3D to their advantage. Battles, on the other hand, remain a nice and speedy but strictly 2D affair, with slightly more elaborate attack effects.

The addition of the second screen has allowed Game Freak to build upon Ruby and Sapphire 's excellent interface. Just about the whole game is presented on the top screen and controlled via the D-Pad and face buttons, but the lower screen provides a number of handy shortcuts, tools and sorting options, mostly intended for finger use. Most significantly, early in the game, you'll acquire the Pokewatch, a customizable digital wristwatch that fills the lower screen while exploring Shinou, which can display a variety of useful game data. Most of the game's side activities, such as Pokemon Contests and the new Shinou Underground are designed for full-on stylus use.