The PokeBlog: Diary #2

Nintendo fans: your wait is almost over. The first major installment in the beloved handheld Pokémon series in three years is here – or just about to be. Sure, right now, you can’t play it, but soon you’ll be playing it. We, on the other hand, have been playing it. Quite a bit, actually. And leading up to our full review of the games, we’ll be doing blog-style reports of our journey through Pokemon Diamond and Pearl.

Below, site editor-in-chief Phillip Levin takes you through his weekend of playing Pokemon Diamond. Keep reading.


I spent most of my weekend curled up on my couch playing Pokemon Diamond. Looking back, it’s now just a blur of battling Pokemon trainers on different routes, capturing new Pokemon and defeating one or two Gym Leaders.

For someone who wasn’t really anticipating Pokemon Diamond and Pearl, I sure got sucked into Diamond this weekend. I think it’s a testament of just how addicting the Pokemon games can be. How someone who has played and beaten Pokemon Red, Blue, Yellow, Gold, Silver and Sapphire can become so absorbed in a game that is basically same old thing as before baffles me, so don’t ask how it can happen. Just understand that it did.

I ended my blogging just before the weekend by saying that my team of Pokemon were weak. Well, that’s finally starting to change. Before I detail my award-winning crew, I have to inform you that I never train a full team of six Pokemon. My reasoning is that it takes too long to keep six Pokemon all at the same level, and I’ve always found that I’m better off just leveling a few and making sure those few are all higher level than the Pokemon I am battling against.

So, with that out of the way, my team right now is made up of four Pokemon, but I am thinking of getting it down to three (I typically beat each Pokemon game by using around three). My starter Pokemon, Prinpulp, at the time of writing this, is my highest level Pokemon: level 27. He’s a water-based Pokemon that started off cute and has evolved into his second form, which looks less like a baby penguin and more like the kind of penguin that would eat your face if given the opportunity. Next up, there is Graveler, who recently evolved from a rockin’ Geodude. He’s level 26. Also level 26 is Luxio, one of the new Pokemon in the game. He’s an electric-type and packs a pretty solid punch. He started as a cute, furry little Sphinx but evolved sometime Sunday night. Finally, there is Kadabra (level 25). Hardcore Pokemon fans know that he’s the second-stage evolution of Abra. I’m a big fan of Kadabra (and an even bigger fan of Alakazam). Over the years, I’ve leveled several Abras into, eventually, Alakazam, and I have to say that the Abra family tree is one of my favorites.

Pretty early in my playtime, I came across an item called Share Exp, which is an item that a Pokemon can hold, thus giving it battle experience for each battle its teammates take part in, even if he himself never leaves the safety of his own Pokeball. I love the item, and it’s basically allowed me to have four Pokemon all at similar levels, because otherwise, I would have just three. While all my Pokemon were around level 20, I came across the cute and tempting Sphinx. His electrical attacks destroyed by Prinpulp and convinced me that I needed to add an electric-type Pokemon to my mix, so I threw a Pokeball and captured him. Unfortunately, he was just level 12 or so. So, I handed off the Share Exp to him, and in no time, he was caught up to my other Pokemon.

I did a lot of traveling in the land of Sinnoh this weekend. In my travels, I came across Oreburgh City, a town built around coal mining. I had to go deep into the coal mine in search of the town’s Gym leader. Within the mine, I did battle with slew of rock-type Pokemon, as one would expect. In fact, this is where I found my Geodude, who has served as a trusty Pokemon ever since. Eventually, I uncovered the familiar but loved HM “Rock Smash,” which I instantly taught to my Geodude. Unfortunately, I couldn’t use the move outside of battle without the Oreburgh City Gym Badge. So, I took on the city’s Gym Leader, rocking his world with my Prinpulp.

On my way out of the mountain town, I bumped into my friend/rival, who told me he was on his way to defeat the Gym Leader in Eterna City. So, I immediately set foot in the same direction. The journey turned out to be quite a hike, requiring me to travel half-way up the Sinnoh region. I saved the Professor’s assistant from certain pain when I came across her being jumped by the good-for-nothing Team Galactic. If you haven’t guessed it, Team Galactic is the spiritual successor to Team Rocket. The fight was nothing for my team, although it did introduce the concept of double team battle, where you and a friend each fight with one Pokemon, and your two opponents also fight with one Pokemon each. Fights unravel in the same manner as traditional one-on-ones, only there are now two Pokemon against two Pokemon, rather than just one against one.

After defeating Team Galactic – and laughing in their collective face – I traveled the short route to a placed called Floaroma Town. The small town housed just a couple of shacks with only a few people to talk to, but it was heavily populated by flowers – everywhere. The flower capital of Sinnoh was nice, but after picking some berries, I was on my way. Eventually, I journeyed through an enchanted forest with the help of an in-game character looking for someone to help her through the densely-Pokemon-populated forest. Together, we teamed up and destroyed all the bug-type Pokemon we could find (and a few bug-obsessed Pokemon Trainers along the way). Eventually, we made our way through the forest and discovered Eterna City, an aging town with rundown buildings but fame for its bicycle shop. I tracked down the city’s Gym. Before I could challenge the Gym Leader, I had to find her first. Her Gym was a maze of bushes and shrubbery, which camouflaged her trainers. I had to carefully search each and every corner of the maze, one-by-one picking out and defeating her minions. After finally beating each one, she appeared at the very back of her garden. I of course whooped her grassy team. And I took her badge with pride.

I’ve fought my “friend” – also known as my rival – multiple times this far into the game. He hasn’t been particularly challenging, mostly because I think I’ve been leveling my team so well. Each time we meet, I decimate his laughable team. The kid is hyper, and quite frankly, he scares me a little. I am pretty sure he should be on Ritalin.

So far, I am enjoying my experience with Pokemon Diamond. I have a couple of small complaints, however. For example, I have yet to be particularly impressed by any of the new Pokemon. So far, all of them seem a bit on the generic side. What’s more, there don’t seem to be many “new” Pokemon. I continue to run into the same few Pokemon over and over and over, no matter where I am. I am hoping this changes as I get further into the game, but so far, it hasn’t.

Keep in mind that in my blogging, I am purposely not detailing every step of the way. There is a lot to be had in between the areas described in today’s diary. I don’t want to spoil the entire game, so I am leaving out bits and pieces along the way while still trying to describe my adventure, thus far.

I am about 15 hours into the adventure, and I have three badges. I expect the adventure is going to be around 40 hours when all is said and done. Be sure to check back in the coming days for more on Pokemon Diamond and Pearl.


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