Today, Nintendo introduced their newest DS, the Nintendo DSi. It's basically a Nintendo DS Lite with several exciting new features. Compared to the Nintendo DS Lite, it is smaller in every dimension, weighs less, has larger screens, and has better speakers. It features two built-in 0.3 megapixel cameras, one on the bottom-right corner of the cover facing out and one on the hinge facing in, where the microphone is located on the DS Lite.

What's even more cool about this new handheld system is that it'll also act as a music player. All its media content will be stored on an SD memory card. It even comes with a web browser! Finally, you'll be able to download software directly through an online Nintendo store. The Nintendo DSi will be released in Japan on November 1st this year at a price of 18,900 yen (or about $180), and will be released outside of Japan in 2009.

Press Release:

With monsoon force and cyclone intensity, Pokemon is unleashing a storm on the world of trading card games with the brand-new Pokemon Trading Card Game (TCG) expansion Diamond & Pearl-Stormfront hitting outlets nationwide on November 5, 2008. This latest installment of the best-selling Pokemon TCG contains more than 100 cards featuring new Pokemon LV.X, including the Gripper Pokemon Dusknoir and Superpower Pokemon Machamp. Loaded with the latest Trainer cards, new game play options, and some of the most powerful Pokemon ever, Diamond & Pearl-Stormfront is guaranteed to change game strategy for Pokemon Trainers, collectors, and fans everywhere.

Features of the new Pokemon Trading Card Game: Diamond & Pearl-Stormfront:

• Powerful new Pokemon LV.X cards, including Dusknoir and Machamp
• Two theme decks built around the popular Gyarados and Tyranitar
• New strategies such as Trainer cards that can be played in pairs
• Theme decks and parallel set cards with an innovative look and holographic treatment

For more information, visit www.go-pokemon.com.

Here's an interesting fan project I want to share with you all:

Calling puzzle fans and Pokemon pixel artists! Members of the puzzle site Wii Picross have banded together to turn all 493 Pokemon into picross puzzles. This ambitious project started by Exodecai from Brooklyn, NY, is looking for a lot more people to come and try their hand at designing.

Find out more in this WP forums post.

Picross is a popular logic puzzle game that uses number clues to reveal a picture solution on a grid. You don't need any particular art skills or knowledge of the game to join in, just a love of Pokemon and the ability to make simple black and white pixel art using the Wii Picross designer screen. WiiPicross.com is a free site that you can play from the Wii Internet Channel or any PC browser. It has over 4500 puzzles and the internet's most rapidly growing community of players and designers.

Can they make it? Not without your help. There are currently 77 Pokemon puzzles in the 'Picrodex' including some duplicates so there's still a long way to go!

Press Release:

Experience the new Pokemon movie which took more than $US 47 million at the Japanese box office last year, more than any other Pokemon film to date! The latest movie – The Rise of Darkrai (PG) - starring Pokemon trainer Ash and his faithful companion Pikachu, is available from all good retailers nationwide for the first time in the U.K. on 29th September 2008, RRP £12.99. This DVD comes with an exclusive limited edition Pokemon Trading Card.

Join Ash on his quest to become the greatest Pokemon Trainer in the universe! Pokemon: The Rise of Darkrai will see us heading off with Ash, Pikachu, plus Brock and Dawn on an epic journey through Alamos Town. Guided by local resident Alice, the trio and Pikachu are much enchanted by the beautiful and seemingly idyllic sights of the town. But their enjoyment is rudely interrupted when confronted by the devastation of the town’s beautiful gardens. The mysterious Pokemon Darkrai is accused of the destructive chaos. Yet the real trouble for Ash and his friends really begins when a fierce battle breaks out between the two mythical legendary Pokemon Dialga and Palkia.


But who is Darkai? Is it friend or foe? As the sky tears above Alamos Town and Dialga and Palkia struggle through the rips in a newly created dimension, their ensuing battle threatens to tear a hole in the time-space continuum! Will Ash and his friends survive this showdown and learn Darkrai’s true nature?

The Pokemon series of Trading Cards and video games are arguably the most successful in the world. The videogames have sold over 180 million copies worldwide and more than 14 million units of the Pokemon Diamond and Pearl computer game has been sold since April 2007. Pokemon Diamond and Pearl toys are also selling very well in the UK with exciting new products to be added to the range in autumn 2008. More than 490 characters now exist in the Pokemon universe and the number of Pokemon characters is growing all the time.

Pokemon is ranked in the top ten amongst children’s programmes on all commercial channels, and currently airs on CITV and ITV4, with Pokemon Diamond and Pearl also broadcasting on Cartoon Network and CNTOO as well.

Once again, it's been a long time since I've pushed out an update for Pokemon Dream. However, that is changing (and I mean it this time); there are many exciting new features and enhancements to come. I plan on applying the many insights and skills I've gained this summer while interning at a company that makes insanely great products.

Recently, you may have noticed this new layout. I am currently in the process of adapting all pages to run smoothly with it. Along with the new layout comes some organizational changes. Most notably, if you look on the right menu bar, the Anime section is gone. It has joined its brother, the Trading Card Game section, under the renamed Medley category (which was previously called "General"). As you all probably know, it's been literally years since our anime and TCG content has been updated, and I think it makes sense now to throw them in the backstage. Don't get me wrong -- the Pokemon anime and TCG themselves are still very popular after all these years. Unfortunately, here at Pokemon Dream, we simply don't have enough resources to keep up with all that information.

However, taking this step allows us to focus on providing the content we're best at, and that's walkthroughs, game guides, and the PokeRep. When Pokemon Platinum comes out, you can be sure to find the best walkthrough at Pokemon Dream. The PokeRep will be kept up to date and amazing new features will be coming out for it over the next few months. And, of course, I'll be updating a lot more often. So, come back to Pokemon Dream often and check out the great stuff we'll have in store for you!

So, after a few, requests I finally decided to write an article on Pokemon Platinum. Here's the breakdown (I must say, it sounds a lot cooler than Daimond or Pearl):

-Pokemon Platinum is scheduled to be released on Septemer 17 to all of Japan. The dates for anywhere else have yet to be announced.

-Giratina will be appearing on the cover, being the third of the dragon trio. (Giratina, Dialga, and Palkia)

-There will, of course, be a special promo DS kit:



(Left: Cover for Pokemon Platinum, Right: Promo DS with original color "Platinum White")

-The GTS will have some new changes to it, including the introduction of the "Global Terminal". This allows you to also trade with your your friends over Wi-fi. (The way that this is different from just regular trading over Wi-Fi has yet to be announced).

-A new item called the "Battle Recorder" is introduced, which (of course) records battles, which you can then send to anyone in the world.



-The story is slightly different from that of the others. Shinnoh's gotten colder, and a mysterious void has appeared at the top of Mt. Coronet, which takes you to the Ruined World, Giratina's original domain. In this world, Giratina takes on his Origin Forme:



-Due to Shinnoh's colder climate, the main characters have taken on a more covering clothing style to keep themselves warm. Even the Poketechs have a new design:



I'll put up more info as I get around to it.

Press Release:

More than 47 million counterfeit products seized worldwide in past 16 months

BELLEVUE, Wash.—April 7, 2008 – Pokemon USA, Inc., a worldwide leader in trading card games, today announced the results of recent anti-piracy actions taken in cooperation with Nintendo of America Inc. to combat the production and distribution of counterfeit Pokemon® Trading Card Game products.

On March 26, law enforcement officials in New York raided seven stores known to be selling fraudulent Pokemon Trading Card Game merchandise. Thousands of products were seized and several arrests were made. In early April, one action at a production facility in China secured nearly 1.2 million counterfeit cards and investigations continue.

During the past 16 months, more than 47 million counterfeit products have been seized at production facilities in Thailand, Singapore, Poland, Italy, the Czech Republic, Australia, and China. One seizure in China in 2007 netted more than 26 million illegally produced cards. Nintendo and Pokemon will continue to target the retailers and manufacturers trafficking in counterfeit Pokemon product.

“Pokemon wants to send a message to importers and producers that we will not stand for the distribution of fraudulent Pokemon product,” says Pokemon spokesperson, J.C. Smith. “Pokemon is committed to ensuring our fans receive the quality product they've come to expect.”

Pokemon Dream's Drawing Boards have recently been hacked. The hacker has set up the ban list so that anyone visiting would be denied access. I apologize for this annoyance and hope to get this fixed soon. For the meantime, I have set up a temporary Drawing Board -- although there's only one temporary board that only allows five people, it is better than nothing. Again, I apologize for any inconvenience.

UPDATE: The Drawing Boards are back up! I've set up a sixth Drawing Board as a bonus. Enjoy!