Generation IV
Generation IV Pokémon games will consist of Pokémon Diamond and Pearl on Nintendo DS, and Pokémon Battle Revolution on the Wii. Diamond and Pearl take place in Sinnoh, while Battle Revolution's setting is PokéTopia.
Advances in gameplay
This generation, following complaints about Generation III's incompatibility with the previous two generations, finally will remedy this somewhat, being compatible with the GBA games of that generation, and allowing players to transfer up to six Pokémon per cartrige ahead to Sinnoh every day. Additional advances are as follows:
- Day/Night system returns from Generation II, with new time periods, evening and late night.
- More Natures are added to the total from the previous generation.
- Another new villain, Team Galaxy.
- Wi-Fi battling and trading over the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection.
- More Abilities from the previous generation.
- An actual 3D rendering of the overworld, as opposed to only sprites.
- More Pokémon with more type combinations, bringing the present total to 493.
- New versions of Contests, with more rounds.
Sinnoh starters
Though it was previously rumored that the Grass-type/Fire-type/Water-type trio would be replaced instead with a Dark-type/Psychic-Type/Fighting-type trio, these proved to be false, and Diamond and Pearl's staters will be the Grass-type Naetle, the Fire-type Hikozaru, and the Water-type Pochama.
New abilities for old Pokémon
Some old Pokémon gain new abilities:
- Pidgey, Pidgeotto and Pidgeot can have Tottering Steps.
- Arbok can have Sticky Hold.
- Nidoran♀, Nidorina, Nidoqueen, Nidoran♂, Nidorino and Nidoking can have Fighting Spirit.
- Cleffa, Clefairy and Clefable can have Magic Guard.
- Paras and Parasect can have Dry Skin.
- Venonat and Venomoth can have Rose-Tinted Glasses.
- Meowth and Persian can have Technician.
- Mankey and Primeape can have Anger Jar.
- Machop, Machoke and Machamp can have No Guard.
- Seel and Dewgong can have Wet Body.
- Shellder and Cloyster can have Skill Link.
- Drowzee and Hypno can have Foresight Dream.
- Hitmonlee can have (すてみ).
- Hitmonchan can have Iron Fists.
- Tangela can have Leaf Guard.
- Kangaskhan can have Spirit.
- Horsea, Seadra and Kingdra can have Sniper.
- Staryu can have Natural Cure.
- Mr. Mime can have Filter.
- Scyther and Scizor can have Technician.
- Smoochum and Jynx can have Foresight Dream.
- Pinsir can have Unconventional.
- Tauros can have Anger Jar.
- Eevee can have Adaptability.
- Porygon and Porygon2 can have Download.
- Hoppip, Skiploom and Jumpluff can have Leaf Guard.
- Sunkern and Sunflora can have Sun Power.
- Murkrow can have Good Luck.
- Granbull can have Quick Pace.
- Shuckle can have Glutton.
- Teddiursa and Ursaring can have Quick Pace.
- Swinub and Piloswine can have Snow Camouflage.
- Remoraid and Octillery can have Sniper.
- Stantler can have Unobstructed View.
- Smeargle can have Technician.
- Tyrogue can have Indomitable Heart.
- Hitmontop can have Technician.
- Miltank can have Spirit.
- Poochyena and Mightyena can have Quick Pace.
- Zigzagoon and Linoone can have Glutton.
- Shroomish and Breloom can have Poison Heal.
- Skitty and Delcatty can have Normal Skin.
- Sableye can have (あとだし).
- Illumise can have Rose-Tinted Glasses'.
- Numel can have Simplicity.
- Camerupt can have Hard Rock.
- Spinda can have Tottering Steps.
- Barboach and Whiscash can have Danger Foresight.
- Shuppet and Banette can have Unobstructed View.
- Tropius can have Sun Power.
- Absol can have Good Luck.
- Snorunt and Glalie can have Ice Body.
- Spheal, Sealeo and Walrein can have Ice Body.
Other generation IV games
Pokémon Battle Revolution will come out around the same time as Diamond and Pearl, and will allow a Pokémon Stadium-like arena for the Pokémon to battle in, presumably allowing direct linkups to Generation III games through the Wii's Gamecube controller ports and the GBA-GCN link cable. It will also allow Diamond and Pearl to link to it through wireless communications between the Nintendo DS and Wii.
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