At this point, there is no reason to even duck the inevitable - Digimon and Pokémon will forever be intertwined as games that share more overarching similarities than differences. That's how the Nineties were fought and that's how they continue - with Bandai-Namco's Digimon DS going up against Nintendo's Pokémon Diamond and Pearl to see whose monsters will take up permanent resident in your DS. This may sound sappy, but I say "let's quit the flame wars and all be friends," as there are enough positive differences between the games that you could be quite content owning one of each. Even if you are a devout Pokémaniac - and I know the majority of you are - the endearing personalities these digital monsters have and the intriguing ways you raise them help push this title in directions that Nintendo's pocket monsters still have yet to venture.

Digimon World DS opens with your character accessing a computer in secret, wanting to find out if the rumors they have been hearing about 'digital monsters' are true. Somehow, they tap into the Digital World and are sucked right into the monitor (ala Captain N)! Once inside, your character's wildest fantasy of raising and battling Digimon comes true, as they are given the title of 'Digitrainer' and sent out to adventure however they see fit. As time has all but stopped in the real world, they obviously accept with gusto - as I would imagine any of us would.

From here, Digimon takes an MMORPG slant (minus the online part), as you have one central town full of people and Digimon who talk in full English - none of that 'Pika, pika' nonsense! As you complete the tasks handed out by the townsfolk and raise your trainer level, you gain access to harder dungeons and better items throughout the Digital World. Items are particularly important, as Digimon can equip weapons and armor to increase their stats like your standard RPG. Dungeons consist of set areas where wild Digimon roam invisibly, waiting to strike you with a random battle at any time. You don't capture Digimon simply capturing them though - you have to fight each Digimon a specific amount of times to collect enough data about it to create your own. For the most part it's a concept that works, but with some Digimon appearance rates close to zero, it can take far too much time to meet the quota. Advancing your rank and leveling up your Digimon is generally your main concern, with a mixture of side quests (if you choose to accept them) and bite-sized story elements to fill in the gaps. It may not be all that different from how Pokemon progresses, but it does feel a bit less constricting, for what it's worth.

The first two minutes you spend raising your Digimon will not seem different to any other RPG with an emphasis on collecting, but the game quickly slaps that idea out of your hands. First off, Digimon World DS does not have one type of experience - it has one for each Digimon type! When it comes to just gaining levels, the game doesn't differentiate between the types - it's all about free love. It's only when you want to evolve your Digimon that you will see why there are so many types. Each Digimon has a set evolutionary path, but unlike in Pokémon, evolution isn't a straight line for each monster. Which Digimon you can evolve into depends on factors such as the current level, points in a certain stat and how much of a certain experience type has been earned. For example, you may simply need to be level 13 to evolve into one Digimon, but another could ask for you to be level 20 and have 70 points in defense, as well as 200 Dark experience points. This not only adds layers of strategy to the rather dull level grinding, but it keeps Digimon from losing usability as your party grows, because you never know when your Digimon will come up to an evolutionary fork.

Another way that Digimon World DS shakes up the raising status quo is through the Digi-Farm. This isn't the Pokémon Day Care - this is its revolution. These upgradeable farms not only house Digimon to allow them to level up while you are not around, but they feed them, provide equipment for them to focus on upgrading specific stats and, if all goes well, increase their friendship levels with you. All of this happens on the top screen at all times and after an in-game day passes, you receive a growth report that covers what went on while you were away.

That's not all though! Since your Digimon actually talk and have personalities, they not only talk to themselves for you to read and learn about them on a personal level, but you can visit the farm yourself and chat it up with them. If they like you, this can lead to them asking you for a favor and giving you items they have found on the farm. The Digi-Farm as a level builder alone is a wonderful idea, but once you add in the personal side of it, that dingy Pokémon Day Care isn't even worth watching a Mudkip!

In battle, you take up to six Digimon (three active, three on the bench) at a time to rumble with. Using a first person perspective - not unlike the Dragon Quest series - you select your attacks via the standard RPG menu, pick one of five plains to direct your assault at (instead of the actual enemy) and watch the attack graphics land. As attacks go by, the turn meter at the left of the screen goes through its motions, letting you know how your choices have affected the turn order, instead of leaving you to simply guess. Requiring that you choose the area of attack each time, rather than your enemies, lends a decent amount of thinking to multiple foe battles, especially once multiple panel attacks become available, stripping some of the "I could battle all day long without looking at the screen" boredom that Pokémon falls victim of. The amount of wild Digimon that can appear against your party at any given time is based upon how many you have active, which can prove to be a lifesaver if your team has been dismantled and you are trying to get back to town.

Graphically, Digimon DS is a mixed bag. The battlefields are nicely painted, with a small amount of animation for greater detail, while the in-battle Digimon portraits are large, detailed and far more animated that anything Pokemon has to offer. Yet, outside of battle, all the areas and characters appear to be ripped straight from a Game Boy Advance title. Sprites are terribly small for a DS game and the tiles used to build these areas display minute creativity and texture. It''s as if these parts of the game were built using the same awful graphics engine that was seen in Pokémon Blue Rescue Team. The sound department doesn't necessarily suffer from any developing deficiencies - the bouncy, bubbling tunes and the 'thwacks and whacks' effects are up to par - but I couldn't hum you a bar of any of the songs from the game if my life depended on it. The sound isn't memorable, but it gets the job done.

As with any other well-executed monster collecting game, the teeth are long with Digimon World DS. The total quest is lengthy, with over 250 different Digimon to collect, raise and interact with, keeping you busy for hours upon hours. WiFi play may be a feature on the box, but don't be fooled - this isn't Pokémon's wireless battles, but rather for trading only. Wireless battles are limited to local play, which is a bit of a bummer now that Pokémon Diamond and Pearl are out and could be a deal breaker for a few potential buyers out there. As long as you dig the game, the chances are high that you'll give up on it before it gives up on you, making it a smart purchase for the player who likes to get the most out of their games.

Digimon World DS may have been released at the end of last year, and it may not have all the robust features that Pokemon Diamond and Pearl have recently brought to the arena, but don't let that cloud your judgment when it comes to picking it up. As a gamer who has not only never played a Digimon title until this one, but dropped far too many hours into his copy of Pokémon Diamond, I was quite impressed with what Namco Bandai have brought to the table. If they manage to create a title next time around that looks as impressive as this one plays, then Digimon could very easily steal the crown of 'Pocket Monster Ruler' from the stagnant head of the Pokémon franchise.

Reviewed by Tony Peters for AceGamez (All Rights Reserved).