DS players can also connect to the Internet and 'battle' with other players around the world. Finally, players can wirelessly upload Pokémon from Diamond and Pearl to the Wii games Pokémon Battle Revolution and My Pokémon Ranch. After completing a special mission in Pokémon Ranger, the player will be able to send a Manaphy egg or Riolu from Ranger to Diamond or Pearl. Pokémon transferred to Diamond and Pearl this way cannot be sent back to a Game Boy Advance cartridge. Pokémon uploads are restricted to six every twenty-four hours per Game Boy Advance cartridge, and the player must capture the uploaded Pokémon before performing another transfer. After six Pokémon are uploaded from the cartridge, they are sent to the Pal Park, an area where the player can capture the transferred Pokémon. After earning the National Pokédex in Diamond and Pearl, the player can 'Migrate' Pokémon from the Game Boy Advance games to Diamond and Pearl by inserting a Game Boy Advance cartridge into the Game Boy Advance cartridge slot of the Nintendo DS while Diamond or Pearl is in the DS slot. In addition to compatibility with each other, Diamond and Pearl offer compatibility with the Game Boy Advance Pokémon RPGs, Pokémon Ranger, and Pokémon Battle Revolution. (The trade does not have to be instant an offer can be left for other players to browse and complete, even while the player is offline.) Certain species of Pokémon traded internationally will have a Pokédex entry in the language of the game it originated from. Players can search for any Pokémon that they have seen in the game and can offer their own if another player is offering the requested Pokémon and is looking for the offered Pokémon, the trade occurs immediately.
The main system for trade is the Global Trade Station (which for Pokémon art director Ken Sugimori was the new feature he was most pleased with ), that allows players to trade with people around the world. Diamond and Pearl also employ support for the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection (discontinued), allowing players to communicate through voice chat, trade, and battle online. The items mined in the Underground can then be transferred into the player's bag in the main game. Beneath Sinnoh's surface is the Underground ( ã¡ãã¤ãã ChikatsÅ«ro), a large area used for wireless multiplayer gaming in it, players can create and decorate secret bases (first featured in Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire) and participate in minigames. These applications are obtained throughout the game. The Pokétch ( ãã±ãã Poketchi), a simulated smartwatch, uses the DS's bottom screen and hosts applications including a clock, a calculator, a map, a counter, and a drawing pad. Some of the games' new features capitalize on the Nintendo DS's features. If the player cancels an evolution the Pokémon will learn new moves faster. Pokémon's stats also increase every time it levels up, and they will also learn new moves as well. After accumulating enough experience points, it can level up most Pokémon evolve into a new species of Pokémon whenever they reach a certain level. If the player's Pokémon defeats the opposing Pokémon (causes it to faint), it receives experience points. All Pokémon have hit points (HP) whenever a Pokémon's HP is reduced to zero, it faints and cannot battle unless revived at a Pokémon center or with an item. During battle, the player may fight, use an item, switch the active Pokémon, or flee (the last not an option in battles against trainers). Whenever the player encounters a wild Pokémon or is challenged by a trainer to a battle, the screen switches to a turn-based battle screen where the Pokémon fight. The player can also use his/her Pokémon to do damage to the other Pokémon. Once Pokéballs are obtained, the player can capture more Pokémon using Pokéballs. The player begins the game with no Pokémon or Poké Balls, but is given the choice of three Pokémon as a part of the story line. As with all Pokémon games for handheld consoles, gameplay is in third-person overhead perspective, and consists of three basic screens: a field map, in which the player navigates the main character a battle screen and the menu, in which the player configures his or her party, items, or gameplay settings.
The basic mechanics of the games are largely the same as their predecessors. Pokémon Diamond and Pearl are role-playing games with adventure elements.