A staple of the Pokemon video game series is releasing two games with each featuring version-exclusive Pokemon, and Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl is no exception.
Different Pokemon generations have had a variety of features to differentiate either title within each generation, and this has changed over time. Unfortunately, there isn’t much to tell apart Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl besides the different Pokemon split between the two games.
There are several version-exclusive Pokemon between Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl, but nothing else of note to set the two games apart. Here’s what players need to know before choosing which game to roll with, and what they have to look forward to once they’re playing.
What are the differences between Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl?
The only differences between Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl are the version-exclusive Pokemon found in each.
Version-exclusive Pokemon are an expectation outside of spin-offs like Pokemon Colosseum, but most games have gone a step further in this regard. Pokemon Sword and Shield had different gym leaders and rivals, Sun and Moon had reversed day and night cycles, and Black and White had a city that changed forms.
Pokemon Ruby and Sapphire was a leader in this regard with different enemy teams, but Pokemon Diamond and Pearl actually took a few steps back afterwards. Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl will follow in those footsteps, with no real difference beside the version-exclusive Pokemon. Here’s what’s in store in that regard.
Pokemon BDSP version-exclusive Pokemon
The different version-exclusive Pokemon of the original Diamond and Pearl games will be maintained in BDSP. There are some new features in the games that will introduce other version-exclusive Pokemon, however. The most notable feature in this regard is the big post-game addition, Ramanas Park.
Ramanas Park will take a page out of Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire’s book and make a number of past generations’ legendaries available for capture. Pokemon Brilliant Diamond players will have access to Ho-oh and the legendary trio from Gold and Silver, while Pokemon Shining Pearl players can capture the legendary birds of Red and Blue along with Lugia.
Alongside Ramanas Park’s offering, the Grand Underground is set to make a number of Pokemon available to players that weren’t in the original Diamond and Pearl. This will bring several more version-exclusive Pokemon to BDSP.
Should I get Pokemon Brilliant Diamond or Shining Pearl?
Players torn on which game to get should pick up Pokemon Brilliant Diamond instead of Shining Pearl.
In the original games, Pearl was definitively better than Diamond because of the lack of fire types that were available. Houndour and Houndoom were Pearl-exclusive, and were sorely needed for players that didn’t pick Chimchar as their starter.
This is set to be fixed in Pokemon BDSP with some of the new features, with a number of different fire Pokemon being made available in the Grand Underground. Though Brilliant Diamond won’t be radically better than Shining Pearl, access to strong version-exclusive Pokemon such as Scizor and Tyranitar makes it the better option for most players.
