Just when I thought I've debunked one copycat/neophyte-hacker, another copycat seller showed up on eBay.  And this new fellow got some skills when it comes to hacking and deceiving others.

Recently, one of the Nintendo Pokemon Event distribution cart was leaked to the public and its ROM is now freely available for download on the Internet.  BTW Nintendo, that’s what you get when you arrange distribution event to be held at 4500 locations managed by 20-year olds (no offense to 20 year olds out there).

To make worse of the situation, people have found way to alter the ROM, so the distribution cart can broadcast ANY Wonder Cards, everything including TRU Manaphy, TRU Darkrai, GS Deoxys, Movie 08 Regigigas and SHAYMIN.

Here is the video of the hacker in action.

Below is the break-down of the couple clues pointing toward dubious tempering,

1. The Japanese Event Pokemon were distributed on a Japanese distribution cart.  The video is showing an English version of the distribution cart.  Why?  Because it was originally the Gamestop Deoxys distribution cart, but with the Wonder Card information altered to distribute Regigigas instead of Deoxys.
   
   
2. Thanks for showing that no cheating device was attached to the GOLD DS, and thanks for SHOWING a real Japanese Pearl cart was used to download the Wonder Card.
   
   But, why not also show the actual game cart in the GOLD DS?  Is it because instead of looking like this (a real US Event distribution game cart),
   
   

   

   
   
   the cart in the GOLD DS looks more like this (a FLASH ROM device used to pirate DS games)?
   
   

   

   
   
3. Also as mentioned in previous blog post, the Regigigas distribution was limited to only those who had purchased the pre-order 08 Movie Ticket.  So unlike other distribution events in the past that used a broadcast distribution cart like the one in the video, Regigigas was distributed through a game cart that required manual authentication.
   
   Here is a screen shot of what the non-broadcast Pokemon distribution system for Regigigas should looks like,
   
   

   

   
   Basically pre-sale ticket holders would log into the distribution system, and the store employee would accept the distribution requests after the identifies of the applicants are confirmed.
   
   No broadcast Regigigas distribution cart (like the one shown in the video) was ever made.

The video was certainly entertaining.  But on the other hand, I am sadden by this whole hacking trend and how it's ruining the whole point of the special Pokemon Event.

Perhaps Nintendo will do something about improving the inventory control of the distribution carts in future Pokemon events.  But until then, please be careful of dishonest eBay sellers.

UPDATE: Second dishonest hacker/copycat found (this new guy is pretty good)!  Click here for analysis of the latest Pokemon hacking video.

I know this is bound to happen sooner or later: another eBay seller has decided to mimic my auctions of unique Pokemon trading service.  But what I wasn't expecting is that this copycat is also a dishonest hacker.

It's okay that he is copying my auctions by offering Event Pokemon converted from Wonder Cards, and by embedding Youtube videos of his conversion process in his eBay listings.

But what is not okay is that like most hackers, he is trying to make a quick buck at the expense of unsuspecting buyers by means of false claims and deceptions.

First, this seller has sold the same SHINY Shaymin with Quiet nature over 20 times, and yet his description clearly stated "NO CLONE".  Now in his copied auctions, he is claiming his Shaymin Wonder Cards were downloaded at the 11th Movie Event in Japan, but that is far from the truth.

His hacking left a trail of evidence that will be brought forth and explained in the following analysis.

Here is a copy of his video:

At first glace, everything might appear to be normal, but here are the problems with his wonder card video,

1. First and probably the most important of all, is that the Japanese Movie Shaymin Wonder Card can only be downloaded onto a Japanese-copy of Pokemon Diamond/Pearl.  In his video above, the Japanese Shaymin Wonder Card (WC) is being converted on an English-copy of Pokemon Diamond.  This is an impossible combination, as I had to use Japanese Pokemon Diamond/Pearl to download the Shaymin WC at the theaters.
   
   The simple fact is that all Shaymin Wonder Cards on English version of Pokemon D/P are HACKED!
   
   
2. At 0:31, the Shaymin Wonder Card contains several ??????? characters.  This is an obvious sign that his Wonder Card is hacked because most hacking devices and programs do not support the Japanese characters.
   
   

   
   
   
   

   
   Please note that this glitch is not because of the English Pokemon games do not support Japanese character.  In fact English Pokemon games support the Japanese characters just fine.  The best example is that all GTS trades from Japan will display readable, legible Japanese names in Japanese characters.
   
   
3. At 0:48, his journal displays May 31st and Jun 1st, which means the Pokemon game think he has not played the game since June 1st.  But in his video above at 0:28, the screen displayed that the Shaymin Wonder Card was downloaded on July 17th.  If the Wonder Card was downloaded on July 17th, then his latest journal entry should be some date after July 17th.  The explaination?  He hacked his Wonder Card onto an older image of Pokesav.  What's an image of Pokesav?  That leads to the last and final point.
   
   
4. Here is the final clue.  This seller unabashedly copied every aspect of my conversion video,
   
   1) Movie Intro
   2) Game Title Screen
   3) Wonder Card
   4) Pick-up at the Poke Mart
   5) Reviewing Pokemon Summary
   6) Saving the Game
   
   But there is one part he didn't copy which is showing the game is actually running on a legitimate copy of Pokemon cart.  My guess is that he is running Pokemon Diamond off a rewritable DS ROM (it's a game pirating device that also work as a cheating device), such as the R4 or Edge.

Here is one of my original Wonder Card conversion video for reference and comparison.

Once again, it goes to show that people who copy other people's contents are usually dishonest about other things as well.

Click Here for UNCLONED SHAYMIN Trading Service.

The 11th Pokemon movie premiered this past weekend.  It turned out "Giratina and the Sky Bouquet" is the second of the three-movie trilogy that is planned for the Diamond/Pearl (and Platinum) Pokemon series.

Most reviews of the movie have been above overall positive.

This SHAYMIN Wonder Card was distributed to attendees right before and after the movie screening.  Unlike the Regigigas event, the Shaymin was distributed by an area-wide access point (but with coverage limited to inside the theater showing the movie).  Mutliple DS can download the WC simultaneously.  And if you are quick, you can swap out multiple game carts to download the Shaymin WC for each individual game cart.

After the credits, the screen also showed a short teaser trailer of the next Pokemon Movie (12th).  Palkia is back in the trailer, so is Dialga and Giratina.  It's kind of obvious who (#493) is going to show up stop all the fighting.

Here is a short video of the Wonder Card conversion.

Click Here for UNCLONED SHAYMIN Trading Service.

I will let the picture speak for itself.

After numerous false starts, looks like Groundbreaks will finally be released this fall!

But the dang visible slot makes another unwelcoming return.

I needed a creative outlet over the long weekend, so I picked up a retail copy of the of MAXIS SPORE Creature Creator.  It's probably the most enjoyable $10 I've spent in a long time.

Here are a couple Youtube clips featuring Dialga and Palkia built with the application. 

Given that the program has a limited selection of body parts, and also there is a maximum limit on the number of body parts that can be used per creature, some compromises had to be made.  But overall, I think they are close enough to the source material for most Pokemon Fan to recognize what they are.

One of the most common question I have been asked is, "How do you catch Shaymin?"  Or, "Do you have Shaymin for trade?"

As many hard-core Pokemon video game fans would know, currently there is no legitimate way of catching Shaymin in-game.  However, that is about to change on July 19th, 2008 in Japan.  Nintendo is giving out Shaymin through Wireless download with the 11th Pokemon Movie.  All movie attendees can get the Shaymin Wonder Card at the theater.

In preparation for the Shaymin distribution event to be held on July 19th in Japan, I've purchased a brand-new copy of Pokemon Diamond JPN to hold the Shaymin Wonder Card (Pearl JPN is going to be busy converting unique promotional Regigigas for my customers).

Right before I pop open the shrink-wrap seal...

The DS game cart...

Close-up of Pokemon Diamond JPN game cart...

Check back on the week of July 21st for your chance to acquire one of world first legitimate/legit Shaymin!

UPDATE: Click here to purchase Japanese 11th Pokemon Movie (Giratina and the Sky Bouquet) Regigigas Trading/Download Service.

The Japanese version Pokemon Pearl game cart arrived in the mail on Saturday, June 21st:

And within it, contains the just released, unused Wonder Card for the promotional 11th Pokemon Movie - Level (Lvl/Lv.) 100 Regigigas.

As some of you know, the third installment of fourth generation Pokemon game, will be called Pokemon Platinum.  And early marketing material for the game has revealed that by trading the promotional Pokemon Movie Regigigas to the Platinum game, it will trigger the events to battle and capture the legendary Regice, Registeel and Regirock.  All three legends were previously unavailable to the other 5th generation Pokemon games, namely Diamond and Pearl.

This Regigigas will be offered as part of the Deoxys trading service.  This trading service will be similar to that of the Darkrai/Manaphy trading service, where screenshot of the event wonder cards in each auction listing will be eventually replaced by screenshot of the actual Pokemon received by the buyer.

As always, here is a video of the Wonder Card converted into Regigigas.

After transfering Regigigas from JPN Pokemon Pearl to USA Pokemon Pearl, everything made a little more sense...

UPDATE: Click here to purchase Nintendo Gamestop distribution giveaway event Deoxys Trading/Download Service.

The details the Deoxys that will be given away Gamestop during the final two weekends of June has been revealed at the Gamestop website.

The level 50 Pokemon event Deoxys will be holding NeverMeltIce and will have the following move set,

• Psycho Boost (unique move of Deoxys)
• Zap Cannon (suitable for Deoxys attack-form)
• Iron Defense (suitable for Deoxys defense-form)
• ExtremeSpeed (suitable for Deoxys speed-form)

Deoxys is a special event Pokemon that is not accessible through normal game play.  This might be your only chance to fill Pokedex with Deoxys for your Pokemon Diamond and Pearl game.

UPDATE: Click here to purchase Nintendo Gamestop distribution giveaway event Deoxys Trading/Download Service.

According to the new US Gamestop promotion material, the US store chain will be distributing Deoxys on the weekends of June 20th to 22nd, then again on June 27th to the 29th.

UPDATE: Details of the Gamestop Deoxys is now available.  Click here for more information!

This will be a wireless distribution for the Pokemon Diamond and Pokemon Pearl games.  And you can be certain that I will be adding untouched/unique Deoxys to the standard Darkrai/Manaphy trading service.

Deoxys was first available in Pokemon Sapphire and Ruby (and later in Emerald) as part of Nintendo Pokemon Event.  During the event, instead of just downloading the Pokemon into your party directly, you were instead given a boat ticket that allows you to visit Birth Island (a previously off-limit island), where you have to solve a puzzle then battle Deoxys in order to capture it.

Also, Deoxys cane take up one of four forms (speed, defense, attack and normal) depending on which GBA Pokemon game you have transfered it to.

In Pokemon Diamond and Pearl, you can freely change Deoxys form by visiting one of the meteor craters in Vilestone town.

Deoxys is a DNA Pokemon, who is the result of an alien virus being mutated while onboard of a meteor that crashed on Earth.