(April 13, 2007) — Many old school Pokémon fans might remember the original 150 Pokémon in Pokémon Red, Blue and Yellow, where there is a choice of starting out with either Bulbasaur, Charmander or Squirtle (or in the case of Yellow, Pikachu). The number of Pokémon seems to rise with the installments of Pokémon Gold, Silver and Crystal and some familiar faces vanished completely. More complexity was added with the advent of Sapphire, Ruby and Emerald; in these versions you could choose between a male or female character. There also were Pokémon that could only be caught at certain times and in certain places. You also knew that (along with your rival) you were bound to run in to Team Rocket, Magma or Aqua, depending on the version of the game. In the newest releases, Diamond and Pearl, you have Team Galactic, who will do anything to stop you. One thing has stayed the same: the strange rule of three. Poké-programmers have released the games in sets of three and in every game except Yellow you were allowed to pick between three Pokémon: water, fire or earth. In Pearl and Diamond, there is no exception—you now have to pick between Piplup (water), Chimchar (fire) and Turtwig (earth). Other trends that Poké-programmers have yet to break is the strange habit of either naming Pokémon on their appearance or using and ending like “tyke” or “kid” coupled with their elemental type. Some of the newer Pokémon are not exactly new—they are simply one of the previous Pokémon in an evolved or devolved form. A new development that has occurred in Pearl and Diamond is the fact that the characters are fashion-conscious. In only 10 days you will be able to play a character that not only worries about their flowing scarves but about their stylish hats and just how badly their pants complement their sweaters. Technology on the new Poké-planet, Sinnoh, has changed too; you’ve gone from pokédex to pokégear to the most recent (and very stylish) pokétech watch. This touch screen watch—which seems to complement your character’s outfit extremely well—will guide you on your Pokémon adventure. You can now also dig tunnels in order to build your secret base, look for rare fossils or play an underground game of capture-the-flag. Poké-programmers have now made the game even more realistic with a new 3D feel, and gamers can now tell the gender of a Pokémon based on their physical appearance. On April 23 poké-fans can expect the newest installment in the Pokémon series for Nintendo DS. With the impending release of Diamond and Pearl, one can only wonder what the next installment will be named…Ivory perhaps?