RPGs, as a genre, typically are filled to the brim with people to help and objectives to complete. Yes, the beloved side quest is a staple of the genre. Despite that, one of the most popular RPG series of all time, Pokemon, lacks in that department. Considering the focus on catching them all, side quests would just be bloated on top of the goals of the game.
Even so, the Pokemon games still have a few side quests and side objectives to complete. The post-game is home to many of these, but Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl (BDSP) gives the player some cool side quests during the main campaign. The rewards may not always be worth the effort, but in terms of cool ways to interact with the world, BDSP has some solid, as well as hidden, side quests.
Updated May 11, 2022, by Tom Bowen: When it comes to side quests and post-game content, the Pokemon series rarely disappoints, and this is once again the case with Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl. The gen 4 remakes are full to the brim with bonus content, with enough to keep players busy long after the main story has been completed. For those who are looking to squeeze as much fun and value out of the games as they possibly can, these are the best side quests in Pokemon Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl.
12 Wayward Cave & The Mira March
One of the earliest side quests can be found right after clearing the Galactic Building in Eterna City. Underneath cycling road, Route 206 winds back to a hidden cave entrance. Wayward Cave is home to a bunch of inactive trainers and some decent items, making it a solid place to check out. However, at the back of the cave, players will find a lost girl in need of some directions.
This is Mira. She's the second partner trainer in BDSP, wielding a supportive Kadabra. The trainers all activate from here, and players will need to battle their way out of the cave with Mira at their side. There isn't a reward for getting her to the exit aside from a sense of pride and accomplishment. At the very least, she will be unlocked as a partner and opponent for the Battle Tower during the post-game, so it isn't a waste of time.
11 Master the Battle Tower
While on the subject of the Battle Tower, players should be sure not to sleep on it. As mentioned above, it's unlocked after completing the main story and can reward players with some fantastic items. Perhaps the most useful of these are Nature Mints, which can be used to change a Pokemon's nature, but that's far from the only reason for players to participate.
The structure and strict rules of the Battle Tower can make it an incredibly rewarding experience for those looking for a challenge, while the Battle Points that each victory rewards should suffice for those who don't enjoy being tested. As well as Nature Mints, players can also trade these points for things like Rare Candy and Ability Patches, the latter of which can be used to unlock a Pokemon's hidden ability.
10 Super Content Ribbon Collection
Ribbon collecting is underrepresented in new Pokemon games but was a bigger deal during Gen 4. As such, BDSP brings back Ribbons with a vengeance. Some of these can be obtained in the world, but the majority are locked behind the major minigame: Super Contests.
Super Contests are a revitalization of the same minigame from the originals, with some new twists. While packing more visual flair, these contests aren't nearly as complex as the originals. However, there are still plenty of ribbons to collect for those who find the minigame enjoyable. Completing all the contests will let players compete against Fantina at the highest difficulty, which can very loosely be called a reward.
9 The Unown Mystery Of Solaceon Ruins
In the forest to the east of Solaceon Town, players can find some ruins. There are a whole bunch of solid items, both on the ground and hidden, so it's worth checking out. More importantly, this cave is home to the mysterious Unown. This is a terrible Pokemon that wields its (now exclusive) Hidden Power, but it does have the cool mechanic of coming in multiple shapes. A house outside will give Pokeball Capsules as a reward for collecting them.
Later on, a Ruin Maniac in a cave on Route 214 will dig through the cave based on how many Unown players collect. When they get all 26, he'll finish digging, giving players access to the top of the Ruins and two more special Unown. It's somewhat fun collecting them, and the Pokeball capsules are a great reward.
8 The Odd Keystone & Catching Spiritomb
Spiritomb is a powerful Pokemon with one of the best type combos in the series. In the original games, catching it required some forbidden content: connecting with another human being in the Underground. In BDSP, Spiritomb returns with the same restrictions, albeit better for solo players.
After obtaining the Odd Keystone from the stranger on Route 208, players can slot it into the ruined tower on the south side of Route 210 and start the side quest. This requires players to speak with all 32 unique NPCs in the Grand Underground. This is a rather RNG-heavy and time-consuming process, but with enough patience, players can talk to them all and get their ghastly reward.
7 Iron Island & The Riolu Egg
After players have battled their rival in Canalave City, they'll learn about their training on Iron Island. The boat in town allows players to travel to Iron Island, which is loaded with the standard cave-dwelling Pokemon and some Steelix. Further down, they'll encounter another follower named Riley.
Riley will agree to train with players and, together with him, they'll battle their way to the bottom of Iron Island. The trainers in Iron Island are actually rather strong at their level, so having Riley as backup is nice. In the end, players will need to defeat Team Galactic (who are there for entirely nonsensical reasons), and Riley will give players the Riolu egg. As this is the only way to get Lucario in the game, it's definitely worth doing just for Pokedex completion.
6 Catching The Lake Guardians
After clearing out Mt. Coronet, catching the box legendary, and defeating Team Galactic, the Lake Guardians will return to their respective lakes. At this point, all three can be found and caught, although their levels are formidable for a team that's at the level of the rest of the content. The battles aren't difficult, but the catch grind will certainly be the hard part.
For Pokemon completion, it's necessary to at least encounter all three of them. Uxie and Azelf don't provide too much trouble, and both are solid psychic types to add to any team. Mespirit is a roaming Pokemon, so players will need to pick up the Map Marker at the PokeEtch Building to pin its location down. As long as players remember to pack a lot of PokeBalls, they'll be able to get them eventually.
5 Ramanas Park & Otherworldly Legendaries
In the post-game, there are a handful of cool side quests to do. The first, and the one many trainers will be interested in, is Ramanas Park. As the replacement for the Pal Park, this location now serves as BDSP's equivalent to the Ultra Wormholes from USUM. By redeeming Mysterious Shard, players can get access to a collection of battles against legendary Pokemon from Gens 1-3.
The different rooms determine which legendaries players will encounter, but they'll require slates that are purchased using Mysterious Shards found in the Grand Underground. Some of these catches are more difficult than others, especially when contending with the low catch rate. Additionally, players will gain access to a "superboss" wild encounter after catching the Regi trio. They're fun challenges, and an easy way to round out the National Dex.
4 The Race For The Magma Stone
After reaching the Battle Area, players will encounter a hotheaded trainer named Buck. He'll challenge them to a race to go into Stark Mountain and retrieve treasure at the back of it: the Magma Stone. However, upon discovering how brutal the cave truly is, Buck will ask that players join forces with him to make it to the end.
Stark Mountain is full of powerful Pokemon and powerful trainers, but like the other follower missions, Buck will keep players topped off. In the end, Buck retrieves the Magma Stone and heads back to the Survival Area, and players get access to catching the legendary Heatran.
3 Exploring The Expansion To Victory Road
During the climb through Victory Road, trainers will encounter an NPC that is blocking a path deeper into Victory Road. He tells players to return when they have become the Champion. If they do, he's gone, and they can finally see what mysteries he was hiding.
The mystery is the last partner escort in the game, this time with Marley. Marley is a bit of a moody woman but wishes to see the other side of Victory Road on Route 224. The fog in this cave is thick, and the Pokemon are dangerous, but it isn't too hard to make it to the end. Lead her out of the cave, and she'll mention a strange rock at the end of the route.
2 Gym Leader Rematches
After exiting Rowan's lab when players revisit it to speak with him, Roark will ambush them from the Grand Underground. He congratulates them on their new title and tells them that he and the rest of the gym leaders have been training and are fired up. All eight of them are hungry for a rematch.
These rematches have fully realized teams with strategies, proper EV/IV training, and competitive move/item sets. They'll provide quite the challenge to teams that aren't as well trained as they are. Players will need to match them with an EV-trained team if they want to have a fighting chance. That, or power-level to the point they aren't as dangerous. Winning with a stat stick may not be the most fun way, but a win is a win. Take caution, and take all eight of them down once again.
1 Catch Event Pokemon
Like the original games, Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl feature several event Pokemon. As well as Mew and Jirachi, both of whom can be acquired from the old couple in Floaroma Town if the player has save data from certain Pokemon games on their Switch, players can also get their hands on three other Mythical Pokemon, including the all-powerful Arceus.
In order to get Shaymin, players will need the Oak's Letter item, while catching Darkrai will require the Member Card. Sadly, both of these items are time-limited rewards obtained via the games' Mystery Gift function, meaning that players will need to claim them while their respective events are active. Arceus is a little simpler, however, with players simply needing to complete Pokemon Legends: Arceus and then return to the playable character's bedroom to acquire the Azure Flute. They can then take the flute to the Spear Pillar to encounter Arceus.