Pokémon Brilliant Diamond/Pokémon Shining Pearl

4.15

Graphics

4.3/5

Gameplay

4.0/5

New Features

4.3/5

Playtime

4.0/5

The Good Stuff

• Good 3D graphics, texture & color
• New gameplay features
• Great music & sound effects
• 40+ hours of gameplay

The Bad Stuff

• Shorter Pokedex
• Same gaming mechanics from original

Get It Now

Hello, Pokemon fans. Welcome to the Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl Review. This video game is available right now for the Nintendo Switch/OLED console and the Switch Lite handheld. With new colorful 3D graphics, familiar turn-based, and new gameplay features, is this next installment one of the best Pokemon games of 2021? Let’s check out the review. 

Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and

Pokemon Shining Pearl

Overview

Get ready for another Pokemon adventure with two new installments, Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Pokemon Shining Pearl. It’s actually a remake of the 2006 release Pokemon Diamond/Pokemon Pearl on the Nintendo DS. You play a young pokemon trainer who travels throughout the Sinnoh region, fighting other pokemon trainers, gym leaders, and other wild pokemon.

You start out with your own pokemon, then you collect more throughout the world, whilst getting them stronger to fight stronger trainers until you reach the elite four, then you become the Pokemon champion. Compared to the older version, it’s a gorgeous game with beautiful 3D graphics, colorful texture excellent visuals, and great overall gameplay.

There are two versions you can buy. Both with the same visuals, most pokemon, and gameplay. But with one or two different pokemon, which you can get from trading online. So It doesn’t really matter which one to buy really. Overall. Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Pokemon Shining Pearl are great pokemon games, with colorful 3D graphics, and great gameplay, and include new gaming features and mechanics. 

What’s to Like

So why should you get a copy of Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Pokemon Shining Pearl? Let’s see here below. Firstly, the game comes with colorful textures and 3D graphics. The original game included 2D sprites and models in a 2D top-down perspective.

Now it’s been modernized with 3D models and sprites, with a nice zoom-in camera when facing other pokemon trainers, great overall animations, and colorful content and visuals. Next are the new gaming features and mechanics. There’s a quick button press to catch pokemon during battles. There’s an underground area where you can explore, and find rare pokemon and rare items.

If you have to save files from other Pokemon games, you can get rare pokemon by talking to NPCs. You can even change Pokemon on the go from your boxes without having to go to a Pokemon Center. There’s so much more for you to discover in both of these games.

Thirdly, the games come with an excellent great musical score, including good sound effects and great background music. There’s still no voice acting from NPCs as all speech is dialogue, but the Pokemon still maintain their cries even the Pokemon favorite, Pikachu.

Then lastly, the two games include 40+ hours of gameplay, even long after you’ve completed the main story. There are much stronger and rare pokemon to find, and a separate area for you to explore. Just know that you will spend a lot of hours playing this game. 

What’s not to Like

As much as the two new games come with great features, there are a few things that you should take before you get the game. Firstly, this is a remake so all the gaming mechanics from the original 2006 release are included. For instance, you still need to find Pokemon in tall grass, except in the underground area. There’s no voice acting so dialogue is written in text. The games still use the top-down view of the original. 

Next is the two games both come with a shorter pokemon roster. Upon playing the game I was having trouble finding fire-type pokemon as they are very few. So if you want to, choose the fire-type pokemon when you start for an easier gaming experience.

Verdict

Overall, Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Pokemon Shining Pearl are excellent remakes of the original 2006 versions, of Pokemon Diamond and Pearl. Gamefreak has succeeded in preserving the original gaming mechanics, whilst giving both games a modern look, and new gaming features. 

Even though there are fewer Pokemon to find, the two games are great to play and enjoyable for all ages. If you like the older Pokemon games and want one with a modern look to it, then I recommend you get one of these games. 

If you played and liked Pokemon Sword and Shield, you may not really like these two games reviewed here. Rather wait for the newer Pokemon Arceus coming out early in 2022. Thank you for checking out my review of Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Pokemon Shining Pearl. If you like this review, please leave a comment here below.

Click on the buttons provided to see how you can get yourself one of these awesome pokemon remakes of 2021. So what are you waiting for? If you want to go on another Pokemon adventure, then get yourself a copy of Pokemon Brilliant Diamond or Pokemon Shining Pearl.