Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl Preview: Sinnoh Remakes Explored

With a little over a month remaining before their planned 19 November launch, ILCA’s remakes of the first Nintendo DS Pokémon titles, Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Pokémon Shining Pearl, are among the most significant games in Nintendo’s holiday line-up. During a preview event, we were given an eyes-on look at the games, seeing both the elements retained from the original Diamond and Pearl and the modern conveniences added to the Sinnoh journey.

Our presentation opened with the world itself, which stays close to the original Diamond and Pearl vision. The camera still uses an overhead perspective, while Sinnoh’s inhabitants appear as chibi-style characters. Everything has nevertheless been rebuilt using 3D models and new textures, as the first trailer revealed several months ago. One new aspect of travelling the routes between towns is being able to have a Pokémon companion walk behind you at all times. It is an appealing feature previously seen in Let’s Go Pikachu and Eevee, as well as the Sword and Shield Isle of Armor DLC, and one I am very pleased to see make a return.

Pokémon companions and Super Contest Shows

For even more members of your Pokémon party out in the world, you can visit Amity Square. This area lets certain pre-selected “cute” Pokémon wander throughout the park, creating a kind of hide-and-seek activity. Your creatures can discover items in the area and, once you locate them, they will start following you as you explore Amity Square. When several party members are beside you, the developers have included an in-game camera zoom feature, allowing you to take photographs with your partners. Take along all your favourites-provided the Amity Square reception attendant considers them cute-and create a few memories.

On the subject of cuteness, Pokémon Super Contest Shows are also returning. Super Contests let players compete across several categories, such as Cuteness, Toughness, Coolness, and others. During each contest, you play a straightforward rhythm game and aim to activate a pre-selected Pokémon move at precisely the right moment to impress the judges. They also provide an opportunity to view the results of your Ball Capsule customisation. Ball Capsules allow stickers to be attached to particular Poké Balls, producing unique animations and embellishments whenever that Pokémon is sent out. In the demonstration, one Pokémon appeared with a mix of flame and water effects. Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl will include over 90 such stickers, with some available as rewards for winning Pokémon Super Contest Shows.

Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl modern features

Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl will not be wholly faithful reproductions of the originals, since the remakes incorporate several proven features from the latest mainline Pokémon games. Pokémon battles now use the full 3D models expected from Sword and Shield. Trainers also have full-sized models, letting you display your character’s outfits during battles. Once a battle ends, EXP Share is granted to every Pokémon in your party. It has been confirmed, however, that this option cannot be switched off on this occasion. Other returning quality-of-life features include autosaves and the ability to view the effectiveness of your moves.

An important question surrounding these remakes was whether Hidden Machines would return, given how differently they function in modern Pokémon games. Here, earning Gym Badges unlocks HM moves for use in the overworld, but your Pokémon do not need to be taught those moves. If you use an HM such as Strength to shift a boulder, a wild Pokémon will appear and perform the move on your behalf. It does not make much sense, but I will gladly accept the convenience instead of sacrificing valuable move slots. These useful wild Pokémon can be summoned through the revised Pokétch, the watch-like device from Diamond and Pearl, which now resembles a modern smartwatch more closely. Apps on the new Pokétch include a step counter, Pokémon friendship checker, calculator, item dowsing machine, and drawing pad.

Exploring the Grand Underground

The highlight of the demonstration for me came when we entered the Grand Underground, an enormous underground map comparable in size to Sinnoh’s surface region. In these caverns, trainers can dig items out of the walls. This is where Pokémon statues can occasionally be found: decorations that may be placed inside your Secret Base. Secret Bases are distinctive customisable rooms located throughout the Grand Underground. The Pokémon figures you choose to decorate with influence the Pokémon available to find and catch in larger Underground chambers known as Hideaways. Use particular Bug-type Pokémon statues, for instance, and you will have a greater chance of encountering more Bug Pokémon in the nearby Hideaway. A device positioned at the entrance to your Secret Base indicates how its decorations will alter the Hideaways. Collecting statues will be a major component of the Grand Underground and of your wider Pokémon collection strategy. Certain statues are even available in rare Shiny versions, which have an effect different from that of their standard equivalent.

My Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl demonstration was brief, but it offered a great deal of insight into the overall package. Based on what I have seen, I am very excited about these remakes, returning to Sinnoh, and exploring every one of these changes myself.