Fans have been clamoring for remakes of the Generation 4 Pokémon games for years, and they'll soon be here in the form of Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl but which version should fans buy? Choosing which version of Pokémon to buy has never been easy, and Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl are no exception. It can be hard for even long-time fans of the franchise to choose between two versions given how they're so similar and so different at the same time.
The main difference between Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl is the exclusive Pokémon. Dialga and Palkia are the mascots of Diamond and Pearl, and Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl are no different. If a fan overwhelmingly loves Dialga and but doesn't like Palkia, or vice versa, then that should help make the decision easier.
But there are other Pokémon exclusive to one version or the other. Besides the legendaries, there are many other Pokémon that are exclusive to the different versions. There are only four Pokémon exclusive to each game that have been confirmed so far, but the original Pokémon Diamond and Pearl had many other exclusives, so it stands to reason that the new versions will as well.
Exclusive Pokémon In Brilliant Diamond And Shining Pearl
Every fan has their favorite Pokémon, so the exclusives should help tip the balance one way or the other. Cranidos, Rampardos, Stunky, and Skuntank are exclusive to Brilliant Diamond, which means that any fan who desperately wants them should choose that version. Seel, Scyther, Murkrow, Larvitar, Poochyena, and Kecleon, along with all of their evolved forms, were also all exclusive to the original Diamond, and will probably be in the new versions as well.
Shieldon, Bastiodon, Glameow, and Purugly are exclusive to Pokémon Shining Pearl. Slowpoke, Pinsir, Misdreavus, Houndour, Stantler, Spheal, and Bagon, along with their evolved forms, were exclusive to the original Pokémon Pearl, so fans who considered any of them a must-have should choose Shining Pearl. No matter which version players choose, it won't be possible to collect every Pokémon by themselves, unless they buy both versions of the games and have a spare Nintendo Switch handy.
Of course, fans may not need both versions in order to complete their Pokédex. Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl could feature the original games' Global Trade Station, or its functionality could be folded into the confirmed Union Room. Either way, the games are confirmed to feature online trading, so players will be able to trade with each other and exchange their exclusive Pokémon.
Building A Team In Pokémon Brilliant Diamond And Shining Pearl
The version-exclusive Pokémon don't make too much of a difference for fans who aren't picky about them, but competitive players will want to make sure they get the Pokémon with the best stats possible. Shieldon and its evolution, Bastiodon, have some of the best Defense stats in the game. On the other end of the spectrum, Cranidos and Rampardos have some of the best Attack. For fans who take the games seriously, choosing between Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl may come down to the numbers rather than the actual Pokémon.
Brilliant Diamond, if it follows the original Diamond's exclusive list, would have Scizor, Tyranitar, Dewgong, Mightyena, Honchkrow, Kecleon, and Aggron. Aggron, Scizor, and Tyranitar are fan-favorite Pokémon and powerhouses that would make a good addition to a competitive team. They also all have Mega Evolved forms, so if the Diamond and Pearl remakes do have Mega Evolution, as many fans hope, they would become even better. Shining Pearl, on the other hand, would have Slowbro and Slowking, Walrein, Pinsir, Houndoom, Stantler, Mismagius, and Salamence. Salamence, Slowbro, and Houndoom also all have Mega Evolved forms and could be key members of any player's competitive team. If Mega Evolution does make a comeback, certain Mega Stones could even be version-exclusive.
Of course, competitive teams also depend on player preference and playstyle. Some players might prefer a faster team, or put more emphasis on special defense than physical defense. Casual and competitive Pokémon players will both have to take a look at which exclusive Pokémon that Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl have and make their decision based on which Pokémon they prefer. It's also possible that the only exclusives are the ones that have been shown so far - Cranidos and Stunky. With such a short time until the release date and no further news on exclusives, it's a possibility that can't be ruled out.
Brilliant Diamond And Shining Pearl's Price And Preorder Bonuses
No matter which version, Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl both have the same price, $59.99 USD. Price isn't a factor when choosing which version to buy, so fans can rest easy. There's also a Double Pack that includes both copies for $119.99 USD. Many retailers are also offering preorder bonuses for the Double Pack that varies depending on which retailer it's bought from. Best Buy, for example, is offering a keychain with the three starters of the game: Chimchar, Turtwig, and Piplup. Gamestop is offering a set of two pins of Dialga and Palkia. Walmart is offering a set of three pens that also feature the games' starter Pokémon. Finally, Pokémon Center has a set of three keychain plushes of the three starters.
There are few bonuses for preordering single copies of the games. Pokémon Center offers a random keychain plush of one of the three starter Pokémon. Preorders for the physical versions of either Brilliant Diamond or Shining Pearl will include a Manaphy Egg and the newly-revealed Pokémon Platinum outfits for the player characters, regardless of which retailer the game was bought from. Digital preorders also include 12 Quick Balls in addition to the Egg. A digital preorder of the Double Pack includes the Manaphy Egg, the Platinum outfits, the 12 Quick Balls, and an additional 200 Poké Balls.
Possible Differences Between Brilliant Diamond And Shining Pearl
Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl are both still a ways away from releasing, so it's impossible to say exactly what the major differences will be between them. Historically, Pokémon games have been near-identical aside from their exclusive Pokémon. However, the new games have many features that past ones have not. Character customization, Pokémon Contests, and Walking Pokémon have been in past games, and the Underground was a feature in the original Diamond and Pearl, but no game has had all of them before. It's entirely possible that these features will lead to differences between the two versions.
Character customization has been a fan-favorite feature in every Pokémon game it's been featured in. There have already been several outfits debuted in various trailers, and it's possible that certain outfits will be exclusive to one version of the game or another. Pokémon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon featured version-exclusive clothing, so it wouldn't be a stretch to expect it in Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl. There could also be version-exclusive accessories in Super Contests, or decorations for players' Secret Bases in the Grand Underground. There's also the possibility that the games will make certain Gym Leaders version-exclusive, like Pokémon Sword and Shield did.
There could even be version differences that are completely new. Certain characters or even entire towns could be exclusive to either Pokémon Brilliant Diamond or Shining Pearl. Game Freak could be taking this opportunity to introduce new differences between the versions and add more variety to the series as a whole. There's no telling everything that will be in the games until they release, so it's certainly possible. With the evidence available right now, however, the question of which game to buy comes down to which Pokémon that players want to catch on their journey to become a Pokémon Master.
Sources: Best Buy, Gamestop, Walmart, Pokémon Center