Pokemon Shining Diamond and Pokemon Brilliant Pearl are set to release in November 2021, finally giving Sinnoh fans their long-awaited remakes. The original Pokemon Diamond and Pearl games released way back in 2006, so memories of the games can be fuzzy for those who haven't already revisited them. The Sinnoh region is getting special attention recently with the announcement of the remakes and Pokemon Legends: Arceus, so fans should refresh themselves on what the region has to offer.
The DS originals are still great, fun Pokemon games with unique features and characters. The remakes look like they won't deviate much content-wise from the originals, so fans will know what to expect if they return to the Nintendo DS entries. For some, the originals might actually be the preferable way to enjoy the Sinnoh region.
Sinnoh's Story
It's been a long time since Sinnoh was in the spotlight. It's worth picking up the original DS games just to re-learn the layout of the region. According to Pokemon lore, Sinnoh was the first region to be created by the legendary Arceus. Sinnoh's ancient history will be the focus of Pokemon Legends: Arceus, so fans can track how the ancient region became the modern cities found in the original games.
The plot of Sinnoh is often forgotten among the Pokemon games, but this generation is where the villainous teams took a step further in terms of scale. While Archie and Maxie from Hoenn did have the shared goal of altering the planet and its climate, Cyrus of Sinnoh is the first team leader to have a truly galactic scale of evil. Cyrus is a nihilist with the goal of creating a "world without spirit," as he believes emotions are the source of all pain. Even when Cyrus is defeated by the player, he is still dedicated to his ultimate goal and states he will achieve it someday.
Cynthia is another interesting character from the region; she's the regional Champion and helps the player throughout the game. She has an invested interest in the mythology of the region and conducts her own research. Dialga and Palkia are great legendaries as masters of time and space, and they play a significant role in the overarching lore of the Pokemon franchise.
Memorable Pokemon Minigames
Diamond and Pearl have some unique minigames fondly remembered by fans. There were Super Contests, an expanded version of the Contests found in Hoenn. Here, Pokemon were rated based on appearance and performance, like in a pageant or dog show. The Super Contests included a dress-up section, a Simon Says type dancing game, and an "acting competition" where Pokemon perform moves for judges. Contests were a fun break from the typical battles, and a chance to show off beloved Pokemon.
Poffins, pastries for Pokemon, were items that could enhance Contest traits. They were also the focus of another minigame, where players would use the touch screen to stir ingredients and bake Poffins. The quality of the player's work would influence the effectiveness of their Poffins.
There is a whole side area to explore in Sinnoh: The Underground. The Underground is practically a whole other game in itself, with a surprising amount of content. Players can explore and mine in the underground tunnels, buy items, and build their own secret base. For players who may have overlooked the Underground, that alone is a good reason to return to Generation 4.
Unique Features for the Pokemon Franchise
Another popular feature of Generation 4 was Pokeball customization. Players could add capsules and seals to their Pokeballs, to add personal flair to their Pokemon whenever they were sent into battle. Sparkles, letters, and special effects would display upon the Pokemon's exit from the ball. Subsequent games have abandoned this feature in favor of trainer customization. However, the opportunity for players to customize their Pokemon make the Sinnoh games unique.
Trainers in Diamond and Pearl were also given a Poketch, a sort of retro smart-watch, that could run up to 25 apps. Some apps needed to be unlocked through NPCs, giving players an incentive to talk to everyone. Many of the apps were useful for gameplay, like the Daycare Checker and Berry Searcher. The Poketch was a fun and inventive use of the Nintendo DS dual screen, and it maintains a retro appeal while being surprisingly useful.
The visual style, while simpler than the full 3D style Pokemon fans are now used to, is charming and many fans' favorite iteration of the "Pokemon style." It was a major update at the time from the fully 2D top-down sprites found in Generation 3, and the sights of Sinnoh are still lovely and memorable.
They're still good games, and after all of the new features found in modern Pokemon, it can be nice to return to a nostalgic favorite.
Changes Ahead for Pokemon
The most obvious update ahead in the remakes are the graphical updates. Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl will use 3D graphics with stylized overworld sprites. The gameplay updates will bring in some modern quality-of-life mechanics; it's expected that there will be shared XP for the party and tweaks to balancing.
From what is known about the Sinnoh remakes so far, it seems that nothing from Generation 8 will be included. There won't be any Dynamax versions of Sinnoh Pokemon. There is no confirmation on whether Mega Evolution or any other modern mechanics will be included, but considering the remakes' focus on being faithful to the originals, their inclusion is also unlikely.
If the Sinnoh remakes really do end up being a completely faithful recreation, fans may have to decide whether the graphics remaster is worth it. A refresher on the original DS games would allow fans to decide whether Diamond and Pearl are fine on their own, or if they even want to go through Sinnoh again.
Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl are set to release in November 2021.