Pokémon fans have been waiting for the Sinnoh remakes pretty much since Generation VIII came out. They finally got their wish when the last Pokémon Direct confirmed the anticipated games, Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl, will come out at the end of this very year.
Reception to the trailers was divisive, with people both loving and showing reservations towards the chibi art style and apparent faithfulness to the original games. Fans already have multiple theories about these remakes and how they fit into the larger Pokémon world. And while they can get carried away by their wishful thinking, some of these theories make actual sense and are real possibilities for the upcoming games.
HMs Will Not Be Necessary
Many fans appreciate the fact that HMs are no longer a requirement in the Pokémon games. HMs, after all, are more of a gimmick than an actual necessity and they become annoying after a while. The original Sinnoh games needed a whopping eight HMs to completely traverse the region. The Victory Road alone required five, meaning the player's HM mule needed a permanent place in the team.
Many are hoping that HMs stay gone and some of the modern solutions (flying taxis, secret techniques, etc.) take their place. With so many options to substitute these hidden machines, many fans, including popular Poketuber PokeTips, believe, or at least expect, that these HMs will not be featured at all.
The Battle Frontier Will Return
Although not included in the original Diamond & Pearl, the Sinnoh Battle Frontier is a major part of the Platinum post-game. Widely considered to be one of the strongest assets in Generation IV, fans fondly remember the Frontier and eagerly await its return in the remakes. With the new games remaining faithful to the original in the main storyline, the post-game then becomes the perfect place to include some innovations.
A major part of the current gaming industry is extending the games' lifespan beyond the main story's ending. The Battle Frontier perfectly fulfills this purpose. Poketuber RuffledRowlit believes it will return and further adds that Junichi Masuda, director of the original Diamond & Pearl who's also co-directing BD & SP, most likely learned from the fan backlash Game Freak got when the Battle Frontier was not included in ORAS.
ILCA's Involvement Is Both Promising And Worrying
A major reveal from the BD & SP trailer was that ILCA, not Game Freak, is in charge of the remakes' development. ILCA developed Pokémon Home, so they have some experience with the franchise. Their involvement can also be seen as a positive sign, with Game Freak showing a willingness to change.
However, this is ILCA's first game, and fans can't help but be a tad worried about the result. Diamond & Pearl remakes are some of the most demanded games in the entire franchise, so fans will have high expectations for them. And if reception to the trailer is any indication, things are off to a shaky start.
The Underground And The Pokétch
The Sinnoh underground is a major part of the original D&P. Secret bases, digging for treasures like Evolutionary Stones, Fossils, and Spheres, and interacting with other players are some of the features available in the large space. The Pokétch is an in-game digital device that occupied the entire bottom screen of the DS. It included standard apps, like a clock and calculator, and useful innovations like the Pedometer, the Dowsing Machine, and the Berry, Friendship, and Daycare Checkers.
The trailer for BD & SP confirmed the Underground's return and fans are already excited. The Pokétch, on the other hand, remains a mystery and there are doubts about how it will translate into the Switch. The most likely option, like some Reddit users propose, is that one of the many buttons on the console will activate it.
Mega Evolutions Will Return
And speaking of Mega Stones, many fans, including PokeTips and Poketuber HDvee, believe they'll make a comeback in BD & SP based on potential merchandise promoting the remakes. Introduced in Generation VI, Mega Evolutions allow certain Pokémon to achieve a higher albeit temporary form, enhancing their abilities and turning them into vicious threats.
Megas played a prominent role in all Gen VI games, including ORAS. They were MIA in most of Generation VII and Gen VIII's Sword & Shield. However, with popular Sinnoh Pokémon like Lucario and Garchomp having Megas, BD & SP provide the perfect opportunity to bring back this successful feature.
Mythical Pokémon Will Get Their Own Chapters
The Sinnoh region has an abundance of Legendary and Mythical Pokémon, some of which played prominent roles in the original games. Dialga and Palkia are obviously the remake's mascots, but the Lake Guardians and Giratina are also bound to make significant appearances.
The remakes also have the chance to further experiment with Legendaries and Mythicals. GameRant suggests fan-favorite Pokémon like Darkrai, Shaymin, and even Manaphy should have their own chapters in the post-game, similar to the Delta episode in ORAS. Further episodes could explore Rotom, Heatran, and Regigigas. As for Arceus, it might feature in some way, but it will probably be saved for Pokémon Legends.
There Will Be More Surprises
The trailers suggested little to no innovations in BD & SP but fans aren't entirely convinced. Indeed, if these upcoming adventures were straight recreations of the originals, surely they'd be referred to as "remasters" instead of "remakes."
So far, every Pokémon remake has added at least one or two features of the generation in which they are released. There's no reason why BD & SP couldn't incorporate some elements from Sword & Shield and still keep the nostalgic tone of the originals. Like any fan knows, trailers are only meant to tease, not reveal the entirety of a game's content so surely there are still a lot of undiscovered things about these upcoming remakes.
Giratina & The Distortion World Will Be Part Of A DLC
While on the subject of Giratina, it's clear that the Renegade Pokémon will make an appearance in BD & SP. After all, its own game, Pokémon Platinum, is not only considered to be the superior Sinnoh game but one of the absolute best in the entire franchise.
Poketuber aDrive discussed the possibility of a DLC called Polished Platinum based on a rumor. The DLC will apparently be released in February 2022 and will feature the return of popular NPC Looker. DLCs are controversial in the gaming community but they aren't going away anytime soon. On the bright side, the DLC format will allow for a real adaptation of Platinum's story, instead of just hastily summarizing it as ORAS did with Emerald.
Pokémon Legends: Arceus Is A Direct Prequel
Many fans theorize that the recently announced Pokémon Legends: Arceus will serve as a direct prequel for the Sinnoh games. The resemblance between the lead characters in Legends and the ones in BD & SP has led to the belief that the former are literal ancestors of the latter.
Furthermore, a detail on the sleeves of the Legend's characters' outfits resembles Team Galactic's symbol, leading to the theory that Arceus will also deal with the rise of the villainous organization. There's also the chance that, just as the player creates the region's first Pokédex, they'll also create the first Pokémon League and even early versions of major cities like Canalave, Hearthome, and Sunyshore.
Pokémon Legends: Arceus Will Overshadow BD&SP's Success
Pokémon Legends: Arceus seems fresh and promising, everything fans wanted from a new game. After the Pokémon Direct, reactions to BD & SP were mixed at best, whereas Legends received near-universal praise. Fans everywhere actually hope this new open-world style translates into Generation IX.
Indeed, fans seem to be more excited about Legends than about the long-awaited Sinnoh remakes. Countless memes flooded the classic r/pokemon subreddit, with many posts expressing disappointment at BD & SP. Only time will tell, but as of right now, the entire future of the franchise seems to rest on Arceus' shoulders.