Which generation began with Pokémon Diamond and Pearl on Nintendo DS?

Pokémon Diamond and Pearl began the fourth generation of the Pokémon video-game series.

Game Freak developed the pair for Nintendo DS, and the games were first released in Japan on September 28, 2006. They introduced the Sinnoh region, new species such as Turtwig, Chimchar, and Piplup, and legendary mascots Dialga and Palkia.

Their Nintendo DS design enabled features that were not available in the same form on earlier Game Boy Advance games. These included wireless communication, touch-screen functions through the Pokétch, and online trading and battling using Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection.

The games are sometimes confused with Pokémon Platinum, which is a later third-version title in the same generation rather than its beginning. Diamond and Pearl were also notable for connecting with earlier Game Boy Advance Pokémon games through the DS’s cartridge slot, allowing limited migration into the new adventure.