Having three young boys, I've learned more than I ever wanted about the complexities of Pokémon trading (and on many grocery trips have found myself empathizing with this poor mom). Now, with the launch of the Pokémon Global Trade Station, my junior Trainers can match wits (and collections) with potentially millions of others outside of our home base. Using Pokémon Diamond and Pearl software and a Nintendo Wi-Fi connection, players beam their info to the GTS (imagine E*TRADE, only with flashing colors and a hyperactive 8-bit soundtrack), where they can deposit their collections and trade/battle/compare with fellow Trainers around the world. (Mindful of global etiquette, the site even teaches vistors how to say "hello" and "thank you" in select languages, and also provides mini-lessons on countries visited.) And, parents, even if you don't have the gadgets needed to connect, it's also a fun primer on the ever-expanding world of Pokémon.
