Pokémon Diamond, Pearl get Aussie release date

Aussie Pokémon fans keen to catch 'em all yet again with Pokémon Diamond and Pearl for the Nintendo DS now have a fixed date to mark on their calendars. Nintendo has confirmed that the latest Pokémon games will hit Oz on June 21 and will retail locally for A$69.95 ($58).

Pokémon Diamond and Pearl debuted in Japan in September last year, becoming two of the fastest-selling Pokémon games with more than 5 million sold in the first three months of release. The games take place in a new land called Sinnoh and feature close to 500 critters to collect.

As well as the usual catch and battle mechanics found in all other Pokémon games, Diamond and Pearl will make use of the DS's Wi-Fi and voice capabilities. The games let players log onto the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection service for battles with others around the world, while the DS's built-in microphone can be used to chat with friends wirelessly. To make voice chats easier, Nintendo will also be releasing the DS Headset (A$19.95) in Australia on June 21.