Gathering berries in Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl has taken a nostalgic twist compared to recent titles like Pokémon Sword and Shield. Scattered throughout Sinnoh, players will find rich patches of soil hidden away on routes. Here, a variety of berries can be plucked and planted, giving players controlled access to specific berry varieties thanks to selective growing. The return to classic berry mechanics is a big improvement over recent Pokémon titles and adds a deeper level of satisfaction to the process of berry collection throughout the game.
Berry patches and selective growing were a key feature in Ruby and Sapphire, reinventing and expanding on the berry mechanics from Gold, Silver, and Crystal. Berries in the Pokémon games possess unique characteristics, properties, and flavors. They are also essential to Pokémon contests as the key ingredients in the condition-boosting Pokéblocks and Poffins, allowing players to tailor Pokémon companions to specific contest categories. While plants could grow without interference, players could care for their berries by watering them to increase the yield of each plant. Mulch was added in Diamond, Pearl, and Platinum, offering further ways to interact with growing berry plants.
However, berry mechanics became less prominent in later Pokémon titles, with patches being cut out entirely in Sun and Moon. The growing mechanics were replaced with shakeable berry trees found on routes, or for Sword and Shield, the Wild Area. The yield from shaking berry trees is random, but shaking the trees too many times can also lead to a wild Pokémon encounter, potentially costing a player the majority of their berry pile. Unfortunately, the watered-down mechanics are dull and lack the investment and cathartic interactions of classic gameplay.
Classic Berry Mechanics Should Be Included In Future Pokémon Games
The use of classic berry mechanics in Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl has shown how beneficial the process was compared to the shakeable berry trees. Players have better control over gaining the types of berries they need for cooking or to use as hold items when in battle. The berry growing process is also a fun side project, especially for those who enjoy farming-style mechanics in RPG games. Because of this, Nintendo should consider reimplementing classic berry growing mechanics in future Pokémon games. Mulch could return with new ways for players to influence growth patterns, and cross-breeding could be added to open an opportunity for new rare berry types. It could be possible to get different grades of watering cans, similar to rods, that increase the chance of special berry spawns or high yields.
It could also be possible to add berry types that increase the rate of Shiny Pokémon appearing. These berries could be particularly rare, and require the right mixture of mulch, location, crossbreeding, and water cans. Once spawned, the berries could be fed to the lead Pokémon in a party, temporarily increasing the chance of locating a shiny Pokémon species in the wild. While the berry mechanics in Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl are a simple revamp, they could open the door to the end of shakeable berry trees and the potential implementation of better options in future titles of the series.