Nintendo has unveiled some more information on the forthcoming Pokémon Diamond and Pearl for the DS on the official Pokémon web site.

The action takes place in the new setting of Shinou Country, based on the real-life island of Hokkaido, where players will also be able to choose from female or male characters.

What’s new in this you may be thinking? Well in past games the male and female Pokémon have been visually identical, but in this game they will be distinct. Pokémon willies and lady-bits? Shudder!

The DS's built-in clock will also be used to control the time in the game and influence elements of gameplay, as the website says: "the types of Pokémon you'll meet and how they evolve will be affected [by the time of day]."

The Pokédex has been redesigned with two screens to look like a DS and the touchscreen control allow much quicker access to info on the various Pokémon. Also new is the Pokémon watch which will help you monitor how your Pokémon are doing in the breeding centre and loads of other handy stuff.

Plus, as SPOnG has previously reported on, Pokémon Diamond and Pearl will be fully playable online plus compatible with Pokémon Battle Revolution on Wii.

Basically if you are a fan of Nintendo’s license-to-print money, life is just about to get a thousand times better. Share this item on... Comments >>