If you love Pokemon and plan on picking up Pokemon Black or White, then you’re going to have to stop by GameStop at least three times this month. Yes, it’s pokemon distribution time again, and everybody loves shiny versions of the legendaries Raikou, Entei and Suicune…

As is expected for every portable Pokemon game, Nintendo has announced that there will be preorder incentive items for Pokemon HeartGold and SoulSilver designed to encourage people to place their orders early. Not like the game really needs it in the first place, given it’s Pokemon, one of the best loved and best selling portable games series in existence. Nonetheless, it is nice to get something for free when buying a game you already knew you were going to buy.

The preorder program starts February 1, 2010, and will give every person who takes the time to reserve a copy a statue of one of two legendary pokemon found in Pokemon HeartGold and SoulSilver. If you place your preorder for HeartGold, you get a figurine of Ho-Oh that appears to be preparing to soar up into the skies. If you prefer SoulSilver, you get the Lugia figurine pictured at the right.

Amazon isn’t mentioning the preorder offer yet, but…

Owners of Pokemon Platinum for the DS will be able to do what Action Replay DS owners have all probably done by now, get the Member Card to trigger the Darkrai catching event! The Pokemon Platinum website has been update to reveal that through August 3, 2009 and September 13, 2009, owners of the game can connect to the Nintendo Wi-Fi connection with the Mystery Gift option and download the Member Card key for the Canalave City inn.

The site has step by step instructions for unlocking the Mystery Gift menu option and getting the key, but we’ll go through it here really quick as well. The first think you need to do is make sure you’re near a Wi-Fi hotspot where you can connect to the internet. Head to Jubilife City, to the third floor of the Jubilife TV building. Tell the producer there that your opinion on TV is “Everyone Happy” and your feedback on TV is “Wi-Fi Connection”. Mystery Gift will then unlock as an option on the main menu…

Pokemon is easily one of Nintendo’s most prominent and recognizable series. That means that the company is going to do everything in its power to promote and hype up the game to ensure that almost every DS has a copy of Pokemon.

Pokemon Diamond and Pearl were huge successes, selling over 10 million copies. So it is no surprise that Nintendo decided to go the way of Pokemon Yellow, Crystal and Emerald – release a slightly updated and tweaked version called Pokemon Platinum.

So if you own Diamond or Pearl, is Platinum worth it? The answer is a resounding maybe…

Nintendo already knows people are going to go out and buy Pokemon Platinum for the DS. It’s a given. Even though it’s basically just a slightly tweaked version of Pokemon Diamond/Pearl, those few extra legendary characters and scenarios are worth an extra $34.99.

The company’s decided to sweeten the deal. You know, lure in those uncertain fans who were possibly thinking about getting another game in March. Starting on February 15, 2009, every Pokemon Platinum preorder gets a 2.75″ Kaiyodo Girantina Origin Forme figurine. Personally, I think the Dialga and Palkia styluses that came with Pokemon Diamond/Pearl preorders were better, but everyone’s tastes are different. Like with all preorder items, the Girantina Origin Formes are first come…

In case you haven’t heard the rumor/revelation, the new version of Pokemon Diamond/Pearl will be called Pokemon Platinum. Scans from Coro Coro Comic magazine confirm the new DS Pokemon title, which may be out in September 2008 in Japan.

The title Platinum doesn’t really fit among Diamond and Pearl. Platinum is a white-gray metal and diamonds and pearls are precious gems. It’s like one of those games you played in school, where you had to pick out the thing that didn’t belong. There are plenty of more appropriate names for Pokemon Platinum, so let’s look at a few options…