10 years after the original Pokemon games were released it's amazing how new and fresh this game feels.
-493 different Pokemon
-wifi trading and battling
-excellent replay value
-Tougher battles require good strategy
-Good graphics for a Pokemon game
The Bad:
-Story isn't very engaging but at par for Pokemon games
-Would have been nice to explore Hoenn like you could explore Kanto in Pokemon Gold/Silver/Crystal
Having not played Pokemon since the Gold/Silver/Crystal days I decided to pick up Pearl just on a whim because it was on sale. I was instantly reminded why I loved Pokemon games so much. They formula is basically the same, a professor gives you the choice of 3 Pokemon and you set out on an adventure to become the league champion. But the game has over 100 new Pokemon and a complete new area called the Sinnoh region. It would have been real nice if you could explore the Hoenn region from Ruby/Sapphire like you could explore Kanto in Gold/Silver. Unfortunately you can't but it's not that big a deal.
One of the best features is the Wi-fi trading. Early in the game you gain access to the GTS (Global Trading Station) which always you to trade Pokemon all around the world. Although your searching restrictions are limited (you can only search by Pokemon, gender and level) it gets the job done nicely.
With so many Pokemon to collect, the replay value is excellent. To date I have over 100 hours of play time and I'm not even close to getting bored of it.
In conclusion, this is the best Pokemon game I have ever played. It's got enough old elements to feel like a genuine Pokemon game and enough new elements to not feel repetitive and boring. I highly recommend this game.