Pokémon: Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl are coming to Nintendo Switch this week, and as is the case will all mainline Pokémon games before this, several differences exist between the two versions. As always, the biggest difference players will notice between the two games is what wild Pokémon are available, with some exclusive to one version of the game or the other. Version exclusive Pokémon have been a mainstay of the series since the original Pokémon Red and Blue, in order to encouraging trading between the two versions.
Pokémon: Diamond & Pearl changed the franchise when it released in 2007 for the Nintendo DS, taking place in the Sinnoh region. Players would capture and train Pokémon, in order to compete in Pokémon Gym Battles, as well as trying to stop the nefarious Team Galactic from awakening a legendary Pokémon for their own evil uses. The games were praised for their gameplay changes from old entries, as well as being the first Pokemon games to include Wi-Fi Connectivity and broadening the scope of the story. The game has also received some criticism in recent years from being relatively slow compared to the games prior and since, but this has only pushed fan outcry for a remake to fix some of those shortcomings, which is finally coming to the Nintendo Switch.
Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl differs from its original version not only in many improvements made upon the original and bringing back fan-favorite features such as Pokémon following the player, but also in its many version-exclusive Pokémon. Compared to the original game, BDSP has fewer version exclusives, allowing returning players access to monsters previously unavailable in the original respective version. This addition, however, only increases the importance of trading, and knowing which Pokémon are absent from each game in order to make those trades is key to Pokédex completion.
Dialga & Palkia Remain "Box Art Exclusives" In Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl
Keeping with the original games, legendary Pokémon Dialga and Palkia will be version exclusives. These exclusives keep a tradition that began with Pokémon Gold and Silver versions, of the legendary Pokémon appearing on the game box being exclusive to that version. Dialga, the Steel/Dragon type Legendary Pokémon of time, is exclusive to Brilliant Diamond, as its boxart mascot. Similarly, Palkia, the Water/Dragon type Legendary Pokémon of space, is exclusive to Shining Pearl, appearing as the mascot on the box as well.
Dialga and Palkia are a major component of the story of their respective games, in which the ultimate goal of the main antagonist, Cyrus of Team Galactic, wishes to harness the power of Dialga in Diamond or the power of Palkia in Pearl to create a new universe for himself, without regard for the effect this may have on the universe. The version chosen dictates which Pokémon he seeks out to achieve his evil goals. Players should ensure they choose the version featuring their preferred member of the duo, as there will only be one per game, and players may have their own opinions on whether Palkia or Dialga is the better choice.
Ramanas Park Introduces Returning Legendary Pokemon to Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl
A major feature in the original Diamond and Pearl games was Pal Park. A location accessed after defeating the Elite Four and becoming the Sinnoh Champion, players could import Pokemon from the previous generation into Diamond and Pearl by inserting a GameBoy Advance cartridge in the bottom cartridge slot of the Nintendo DS, allowing the imported Pokemon to be caught in Pal Park. As Pokemon Home already provides a feature of importing and exporting Pokemon already on the Nintendo Switch, the developers of Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl replaced Pal Park with Ramanas Park. While still keeping the same layout as Pal Park, Ramanas Park has several caves with pedestals, that, when activated by a slate item, will begin an encounter with a legendary Pokémon.
Exclusive to Brilliant Diamond will be Raikou, Entei, and Suicune, the Legendary Beasts trio of the Johto region, in addition to Ho-Oh, Gold Version's exclusive Fire/Flying type legendary Pokémon. Similarly in Shining Pearl, exclusives include Articuno, Zapdos, and Moltres, the Legendary Birds trio of the Kanto region - differing from the Crown Tundra Legendary Galarian Birds - as well as Lugia, Silver Version's exclusive Psychic/Flying type legendary Pokémon. Fans of the GameBoy and GameBoy Color classics will be pleased to see the returns of their favorite legendary Pokemon, possibly helping dictate which version they choose.
Which Sinnoh Natives Will Be Exclusive In Pokémon Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl?
Many fan-favorite Pokémon were introduced in the original Diamond and Pearl games, some of which were version exclusives themselves. Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl have fewer version exclusives than the originals, allowing for more flexibility in purchases for players who were seeking out a personal favorite. In Brilliant Diamond, the Poison/Dark type Pokémon Stunky and Skuntank return as version exclusives, as they had been in the original. In their place in Shining Pearl will be the Normal type Pokémon Glameow and Purugly, also version exclusives to the original Pearl version.
Fossil Pokémon have been a Pokémon series staple for years, received when a Fossil item is revived by an NPC back into a Pokémon. The fossil a player receives will be based on which version they are playing, as it had been in the original games. Brilliant Diamond owners will receive the Skull Fossil during gameplay, which can be revived into Cranidos, the Rock-type Pokémon, who evolves into Rampardos. Shining Pearl players will instead receive the Shield Fossil, which can be revived into Shieldon, the Rock/Steel type Pokémon, who evolves into Bastiodon. Players hoping to receive each of these version exclusives will need to trade with players of the opposite version.
Version exclusives have been present in the Pokémon series since the very beginning. Although version exclusives have received some criticism, they provide a fun obstacle to the "gotta catch 'em all" motto the games tout. The presence of version exclusives encourages a social aspect of the game, one in which players will team up to help one other complete the Pokédex, some Pokémon even requiring trades to evolve. Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl may feature only a handful of exclusives this time around, but it's important for players to remain informed as to which version has which exclusives, in order to avoid missing out on a favorite Pokémon and being forced to rely on a trade to get it.