New information was released on the official Pokémon website this week in regards to Pokémon Diamond & Pearl for the Nintendo DS. The games, like their predecessors, will allow players to play as either a male or female character and will include the familiar "night and day" system which is now based on the DS's internal clock. As usual, the time of day will affect the types of Pokémon you meet and how they evolve as well as the visual presentation of the game.

A few new things will be introduced to the Pokémon world in Diamond & Pearl, including a new distinction between some Pokémon in regards to gender. In previous games the only distinction between a male or female Pokémon was a male or female symbol, but now some of the Pokémon will have differences in appearance as well. For example, the spots on the wings of a Butterfree or the size of a Scizor's abdomen will be used to allow players to tell males and females apart.

The Pokédex has also been given a new makeover: the addition of a second screen makes it look similar to a DS, complete with touch screen capabilities. With the help of the stylus, players will be able to access information in their Pokédex quickly and conveniently. Accompanying the Pokédex is the new Pokémon watch, an upgradeable apparatus that's main function is to display the time of day in the corner of the screen. In addition the watch will have a calculator and will offer players the ability to check the status of Pokémon in breeding centers. Finally, the watch contains a function allowing players to calculate the affects a Pokemon's technique has on another technique.