Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Pokémon Shining Pearl came out on 19 November 2021 on Nintendo Switch. Faithful remakes of Diamond and Pearl, released fifteen years earlier on Nintendo DS, they take players back to Sinnoh, the region of Dialga, Palkia and Giratina, with a brand-new graphic style and several additions: the Grand Underground and its Pokémon hideaways, Ramanas Park and its legendaries, and the Super Contests Showcase. It is also the first main-series game developed by the studio ILCA rather than GAME FREAK.

They remain the easiest way to discover Sinnoh on a recent console, playable on Nintendo Switch as well as Nintendo Switch 2 and compatible with Pokémon HOME.

The guide

For details on locations and Trainers, since the route is identical to the original games, our complete guide to Diamond, Pearl and Platinum remains a reference.

Brilliant Diamond or Shining Pearl?

The story is the same. Brilliant Diamond features Dialga and offers Cranidos, Murkrow and Larvitar, among others, along with the legendary beasts and Ho-Oh at Ramanas Park; Shining Pearl features Palkia, with Shieldon, Misdreavus, Bagon, the legendary birds and Lugia.

What’s different from Diamond and Pearl

  • The Grand Underground replaces the Underground and adds hideaways for wild Pokémon.
  • Ramanas Park replaces Pal Park and is home to the legendaries of Kanto, Johto and Hoenn.
  • The Super Contests Showcase turns Contests into a rhythm game.
  • The Hidden Move app on the Poketch replaces HMs taught to Pokémon.
  • Several elements from Platinum are included, such as the Formes of Giratina, Shaymin and Rotom, but not the Battle Frontier.