It has been a long time since fans ofPokemongames first started asking Nintendo and The Pokemon Company to work on remakes of Generation 4 games, and understandably so because these were the titles that first introduced many players to the series. This November, 15 years since the original games' release, those fans will have their wish granted in the form ofPokemonBrilliant DiamondandShining Pearl, the firstPokemontitles to be made outside of Game Freak.Pokemon Brilliant DiamondandShining Pearlshouldn’t be faithful remakeson all levels because of issues including a lack of Fire-type Pokemon and speed both in-and-out of battle, and today’s Pokemon Presents showed that the games may be headed in the right direction.
Pokemon Brilliant DiamondandShining Pearlare a very different take on the original games thanks to new features taken fromPokemon SwordandShield, like the option to change outfits, but also older features given new life. Changes to the Underground and the addition of Pokemon Hideaways are great in their own right, and they are accompanied by the renovated look of 3D Super Contests and Poke Ball customization via stickers. These little details and the new content markPokemon Brilliant DiamondandShining Pearlas the new blueprint forPokemonremakes, as they don’t takeDiamondandPearl’s identity away, but still manage to make more out of them.
RELATED:Pokemon Legends: Arceus, Brilliant Diamond, Shining Pearl Releasing Soon Is Good News For Gen 9
Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl’s Improvements Over the Originals
One of the most iconic and fun features of the original games was how players could go to the Underground and start digging for treasures, build a secret base, and customize it with a plethora of collectibles.Pokemon Brilliant DiamondandShining Pearlseem to deliver that again, capturing the essence of what made that feature so great about the original titles, but they also add Pokemon Hideaways to provide players with ways to find specific critters. In fact, placing statues in the underground base will now have two purposes, with the first being customization, and the second being making the Hideaways more likely to contain Pokemon of the same type as that of the monsters sculpted in the respective stone simulacra.
Pokemon Hideaways also seem to help with one ofPokemonDiamondandPearl’s most lamented issues, a lack of Fire-type Pokemon in the region. In fact, by finding a Fire Hideaway, players will be able to catch and then train Pokemon of that type more easily, possibly also solving the issue of some of those species being tied to the oldPokemon FireRedandLeafGreencartridges - Magmar and Vulpix.
Then, Contests also seem to be more polished in the remakes. In fact, the new Super Contest Shows are seemingly more interactive than in the past, and even more varied, making for a verydifferent experience compared toPokemon DiamondandPearl. The player’s performance will likely determine the outcome of the Contest for the selected Pokemon in all sorts of competitions.
Finally, another fun change comes with the Capsule Decoration feature, which allows players to place stickers on the 3D model of a Pokeball. These stickers can be found throughout the game, and when that specific Pokeball is thrown into battle, it will have neat effects based on which stickers the players placed on the capsule. This extra layer of customizationprovidesPokemon Brilliant DiamondandShining Pearlwith more optionsfor players than the original games. Ultimately, the remakes will be a nostalgia trip for veterans, and a modern experience for newer players.
Pokemon Brilliant DiamondandShining Pearlwill release on June 08, 2025, for Nintendo Switch.
