Shock and horror!
The pokemon are 3D, which is sweet, but attacks on opponent teams are often repeated by multiple characters, involving the attack picture and the pokemon walking forward like all it's other attacks.
The single player mode involves battling other pokemon trainers. Yep. About it. You can get poke coupons from this to fund for clothes for your trainer. Unfortunately, this whole thing is purposeless.
I moved to the online play. I thought that would be interesting, my first Wi-Fi experience after all was this game, but the other trainers online either had hacked versions of their pokemon, such as all shiny, or everything being a legendary pokemon, which are completely taboo. I simply cannot have fun if others have main ideas involving ruining the experience of online gaming.
One positive giving this less than a totally useless grade is the fact that mystery gift is used, giving Pokemon Diamond and Pearl owners secret rare pokemon or hard to find items such as dawn and dusk stones.
If you don't own either DS game, though, this game is less than useful. It is like video game spam to you. Maybe about the same level as a movie-marketing tie-in. If you do own the game, though, a rent is about as much as you want.