The Pokemon Company and Nintendo recently announcedPokemon Brilliant Diamond and Pokemon Shining Pearl, the long-awaited remakes of the fourth generation ofPokemongames. As the series’ first installment of games on theNintendo DS system,Pokemon Diamond and Pokemon Pearlhad a major role in setting the pace for future titles. Many fans consider both generations 4 and 5 as the pinnacle forPokemongames, and the series run on the DS served as the stepping-stone for its continuation onto powerful hardware. Since the announcement trailer forPokemon Brilliant Diamond and Pokemon Shining Pearldropped, many fans have spent their time scrying through it to pull out every piece of information possible.
With the information that has been provided so far, it looks like bothPokemon Brilliant DiamondandShining Pearlwill stick to their roots. This relatively true to the source approach to the remakes ofDiamondandPearlfits with how past remakes have been treated and has been a good thing in the past. After ll, the remakes of pastPokemongames have been praised for the ability to modernize and build on content that was originally there. With the fourth generation of remakes coming out on a considerable hardware upgrade compared to its predecessors, it is exciting to speculate about whatPokemonwill be updating for the Nintendo Switch.
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Recent Changes to Pokemon
A large part of thePokemonremakes’ purpose is to deliver a sense of nostalgia for fans. Remakes of the franchise’s previous games helps keep longtime fans in the loop and encourages veteran players to keep up with the current generation of games. The last few generations ofPokemongames have seen major changes in the series and standout in many ways when compared to their predecessors.Pokemon X and Pokemon Ytook advantage of the 3DS’ hardware and launched the series into 3-dimensional environments which allowed players to operate on more intricate planes. Gen 6 also introducedMega Evolutions, a type of in battle evolution that certain Pokemon could use, which drastically changed how Pokemon battles played out.
Pokemon SunandPokemon Moonexpanded on the idea of battle mechanic changes with the addition of Z-Moves. These special moves were extremely powerful but could only be utilized by Pokemon and their trainers once per battle. With the series upgrade on to Nintendo Switch inPokemon SwordandShield, both the Mega Evolution and Z-Move mechanics were unified into the new Dynamax and Gigantamax battle mechanics. While changes like these are impressive for the series, alterations to core gameplay do not always receive warm welcomes.
The change in gameplay divided some fans, and while many loved being able to watch their favorite childhood series evolve, others could end up with feelings of alienation. With the release ofBrilliant Diamond and Shining Pearlthis fall, it’s possible that fans that may have felt this way and possibly walked away will return to the series. The main story ofBrilliant Diamond and Shining Pearlpromises to bring back familiar territory and will hopefully find a complimentary middle ground that delivers a brilliant game.
The Underground Returning
A feature that many players enjoyed and are hopeful will return toBrilliant Diamond and Shining Pearlisthe region’s Underground. Eagle eyed fans have spotted a segment from the reveal trailer for the two games that appears to show off what looks like the subterranean area’s return. At the 57 second mark of the video above, the player’s sprite is seen running through a cave segment that carries a noticeable resemblance to the Underground.
The new Digging Duo inPokemon Sword and Pokemon Shieldessentially serve the same purpose as the Underground, though the latter provided a far better experience for players. While the Digging Duo are able to dig up valuable items, they also require players to trade the in-game currency of watts in exchange for their skills and the items found from their digging. The Underground feature, on the other hand, did not require that players trade in-game resources and instead encouraged player participation. By exploring Sinnoh’s Underground and excavating the caverns, players were able to find fossils, evolution stones, and other useful items for Pokemon to use and hold onto. On top of that, it was a great location for secret bases and necessary to catch a certain Pokemon (Spiritomb).
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Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl Should Update Past Features
Generation 4 is also home to many other features that would be welcome as re-additions to the Pokemon series. The Great Marsh was a Pokemon reserve that essentially served asDiamond and Pearl’sSafari Zone. While this type of area is not present in every early game, it was in Generations 1, 3, and 4. If the Great Marsh were to feature the dens used byDynamaxand Gigantimax Pokemon, the area’s revamp could be a fantastic fusion of past and present game mechanics. Obviously, that would break from the roots approach, making it unlikely, but it’s an interesting concept nonetheless.
At the same time, theDiamond and Pearlgames were also home to a niche cosmetic feature that is rather surprising not to see in the current generation of games. With the addition of customizable character models and different cosmetic items, the Pokeball sticker system could fit in great. The ability to customize the balls of Pokemon and add some flair to favs was a fun way to express companionship with specific Pokemon. The return of both features could be a great way to polish some mechanics that couldn’t be fully realized in their original iterations and capitalize on the new technology present in theNintendo Switch. At the same time, it would help to strike up those feelings of nostalgia many players will be looking for whenBrilliant Diamond and Shining Pearlrelease.
Old and New Features in Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl
Overall, many fans’ hopes forBrilliant Diamond and Shining Pearlare high, even thoughfans still have questions about the newPokemongames. The two games will represent a generation of Pokemon that were important to many players. At the same time, while some of the new features that games have added may have pushed some fans away, there is a lot that new tech could improve on from the originals. Based on past remakes, players will most likely see current mechanics worked into the game along with major similarities toDiamond and Pearl. It is important that all theses bits and pieces that players love of are present.
This isn’t to say thatPokemon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearlshouldn’t be 100 percent copy and pasted from the original two games. The development of a healthy balance will likely be the best way for all fans to have an experience that is enjoyable. With the updates and the better hardware that the Nintendo Switch has, it would be nice to see things like the Underground, Great Marsh, and Pokeball stickers return in a more polished state. It’s important that the games are familiar to veteran players and, at the same time, feel just as new to fans regardless of if they’ve played Gen 4 or not. Hopefully, as fans wait for theBrilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl’srelease date, these features are made more clear.
Pokemon Brilliant Diamond andShining Pearlare set for release in late 2021 on Nintendo Switch.
