Pokémon Opal set for worldwide release

There’s always a third game, right? With the Japanese release of the eleventh movie, Giratina and the Sky Bouquet, coming up in a few months, Nintendo has announced the third game in the Diamond & Pearl generation. Pokémon Opal has been set for a July release on the Nintendo DS. What’s different about this game? Well…

• Deeper storyline surrounding Dialga, Palkia, and Giratina; potential to capture all three.
• New Battle Nation area expands the Battle Tower offerings of Diamond & Pearl.
• Pokémon are now in 3D during battles, in the Pokédex, and on the GTS.
• Optional voice commands for attacking in battle.
• Lugia and Ho-Oh finally obtainable without a Nintendo event.
• Minor shuffling of trainer and building locations expected.
• A few surprise cameos.

Is that enough to warrant catching them all again? The game launches in Japan on July 19, in North America on July 20, and in Europe on July 24. Full press release after the break.

ON JULY 20, POKÉMON FANS RETURN TO SINNOH FOR ONE MORE ADVENTURE
Pokémon Opal Brings a Bigger Story and New Features to Pokémon on the Nintendo DS

REDMOND, Wash., April 1, 2008 – Completing the trilogy of Pokémon® adventures for the Nintendo DS, Pokémon Opal will bring Pokémon trainers, young and old, back to the land of Sinnoh for an exciting adventure. Players will embark on a new journey that crosses paths with the legendary trio of Dialga, Palkia, and Giratina as they learn the true significance of these Pokémon with respect to the creation of the world. Collect them all as well as over 480 Pokémon when Pokémon Opal goes on sale in North America on July 20. Furthermore, Pokémon Opal will mark the first time a game in the series will launch in all major regions of the world within a single week, with the Japanese launch leading the way on July 19 and Europe following suit on July 24.

Expanding on the adventures that Pokémon Diamond and Pokémon Pearl started before it, Pokémon Opal introduces a rich new storyline as Team Galactic seeks out the powers of the legendary Pokémon responsible for the creation of the universe. Trainers will be able prepare for the fight and hone their skills by venturing to the brand new Battle Nation region of the game map, tackling greater challenges than those found in any previous Pokémon® game. To truly make the experience unlike any other on the Game Boy Advance or Nintendo DS, Pokémon will be realized in true 3D in the Pokédex, at the Global Trade Station, and even in trainer battles!

But Pokémon Opal‘s voice recognition abilities are what will have everyone talking – literally. Gone are the days where players are required to press a button in order for their Pokémon to attack. A new, intuitive voice system uses the microphone built into the Nintendo DS to let players call out the commands to their Pokémon. Watch as the Pokémon react to kids’ voices as if their voices can actually be heard! The Nintendo DS Headset, sold separately, offers an even more intuitive method of interaction.

“The Pokémon® television show that kids have been watching for years demonstrates trainers calling out commands to their Pokémon. Kids want to be able to do the same,” says Cammie Dunaway, Nintendo of America’s executive vice president of Sales & Marketing. “With Pokémon Opal, players both new and old will finally be able to do that. They’ll finally be able to become true Pokémon masters.”

Pokémon Opal offers a few new surprises to those who have already completed Pokémon Diamond and Pokémon Pearl. Players will need the help of all the Pokémon they can get, including a pair of legendary birds not available in the handheld games since Pokémon Crystal. On top of that, every town in Pokémon Opal has received a slight makeover, with changes including altered locations and added characters to meet and talk to. Don’t be surprised by a few special cameo appearances as well, some that any true Pokémon® fan is sure to appreciate.

More than 167 million Pokémon games have been sold worldwide. When Pokémon Diamond and Pokémon Pearl were released in Japan, they became the fastest-selling Pokémon games ever, with 5 million units shipped to retailers in their first three months of availability. For more information about these games, visit www.Pokemon.com.

The worldwide innovator in the creation of interactive entertainment, Nintendo Co., Ltd., of Kyoto, Japan, manufactures and markets hardware and software for its Wii™, Nintendo DS™, Game Boy® Advance and Nintendo GameCube™ systems. Since 1983, Nintendo has sold nearly 2.2 billion video games and more than 387 million hardware units globally, and has created industry icons like Mario™, Donkey Kong®, Metroid®, Zelda™ and Pokémon®. A wholly owned subsidiary, Nintendo of America Inc., based in Redmond, Wash., serves as headquarters for Nintendo’s operations in the Western Hemisphere. For more information about Nintendo, visit the company’s Web site at www.nintendo.com.

Pokémon USA, Inc., a subsidiary of The Pokémon Company in Japan, manages the property outside of Asia which includes licensing, marketing, the Pokémon Trading Card Game, an animated TV series, home entertainment, the official Pokémon Web site and an online retail center www.pokemoncenter.com. Just coming off its 10th worldwide anniversary in 2006, Pokémon was launched in Japan in 1996 for play on Nintendo’s Game Boy® and has since evolved into a global cultural phenomenon. Pokémon was introduced in North America in September 1998 and today is one of the most popular toy and entertainment properties in the world. For more information, visit www.pokemon.com.