by butthead

Created on: March 15, 2007   Last Updated: April 12, 2007

I've got to catch 'em all!

Of course, as a child, I did my best - but I got tired when the number of pokmon became higher than I could count. Still, the franchise continued to grow, past the interest of part time gamers and into a fandom with its own cult following.

Nintendo's newest offering - what is being called Pokmon Generation IV (consisting of versions Diamond and Pearl) - presents gamers with 107 new critters to catch.

The game also retains the typical starter pokmon - Turtwig (grass), Chimchar (fire) and Piplup (water). It may be worth pointing out that Turtwig is similar to its distant predecessor Bulbasaur in that both seem to suggest a relation between the earth and turtle or tortoise types.

Aside from starters and legendaries, a good portion of the new pokmon are additional stages in evolution of previously established ones. These include stronger evolutions of Aipom, Misdreavus, Murkrow, Sneasel, Magneton, Lickitung and weaker evolutions of Chimecho, Sudowoodo, Mr. Mime, Chansey, Snorlax and Mantine.

Various old pokmon achieve new evolutions when traded to another player while holding specific items, including Rhydon, Electabuzz, Magmar, Dusclops and a new Porygon. Still others come around at the behest of certain items. These include evolutions of Togepi, Gligar, a female evolution of Snorunt and a male evolution of Kirlia. Leveling up with 'ancient power' yields evolutions of Tangela, Piloswine and Yanma.

There are also two new evolutions of Eevee - Leafeon and Glaceon. These come about by leveling up in certain locations, as does a new and bearded evolution of Nosepass.

Although imagination has no boundaries, one has to wonder when the font of good ideas will dwindle. With the advent of Diamond and Pearl, now seems as good a time as any. Generation IV sees even more ridiculous excuses for pokmon, from the fruit based Cherubi to the hot air balloon Drifblim. There is the musical note pokmon Chatot, adn what game would be complete with not one, but two bell based pokmon - Chingling and Bronzong?

No animal species is safe from the anime caricaturization of the empirical pokmon franchise. There are two new bee pokemon - speculated to be distant relatives of Beedrill - a lion, otter, skunk, beaver, squirrel and even a sea slug based pokmon.

The names have become less inspired, as well, from the unsuspecting Purugly to Stunky to the suggestive Lickilicky.

As with the last two generations of games, Diamond and Pearl have more than their fair share of legendary pokmon. The mascots of the respective titles are Dialga and Palkia, dragons that control the flow of space and time. It is said that these are alternate forms of Arceus, the creator pokmon responsible for the existance of the universe. It is also said that Arceus created the Lake Trio to do its bidding.

The Lake Trio consists of Uxie, Mesprit and Azelf - three unthreatening psychic pokmon that look about as soft and cute as Mew. Each reside in one of the three lakes of Sinnoh. Also likened to Mew is the new Manaphy, who posesses the ability to switch the hearts of pokmon and people. Corny? Yes. But a rainbow of ridiculous new powers and events make the next generation of pokmon games better than ever.

Regardless of the slew of new pocket monsters, Diamond and Pearl prove to be worth the time and effort a user can be expected to invest in them. And you can rest assured that all 400+ of your old favorites will be back and ready for action.

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