Pokemon Shining Pearl

 Switch
User Score
5.5

Mixed or average reviews- based on 430 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 177 out of 430
  2. Mixed: 88 out of 430
  3. Negative: 165 out of 430
Buy Now
Buy on

Review this game

  1. Your Score
    0 out of 10
    Rate this:
    • 10
    • 9
    • 8
    • 7
    • 6
    • 5
    • 4
    • 3
    • 2
    • 1
    • 0
    • 0
  1. Submit
  2. Check Spelling
view
per page
  1. xXFedericXx
    Nov 25, 2021
    2
    This is a classic pokemon game with new mechanics that makes it worse. If you skip every trainer in your path you will still be 10 levels over your opponents. Just smash your head on your pad and you'll complete the game easily. Just play pokemon emerald, more content post game, less easy, simply a better game!
  2. Kidwild
    Jan 15, 2022
    2
    For a so called "remake". It feels like a RE-BREAK to me! One-step forward. Only to go two steps backwards...pathetic. More like Broken Diamond, and Shattered Pearl.

    This Game had potential. But it was squandered, like the last game. Sword, and shield. The game is TOO EASY. (I get it. The newcomers need handholding. But the other folks, would like a challenge DANG IT!) Being faithful    For a so called "remake". It feels like a RE-BREAK to me! One-step forward. Only to go two steps backwards...pathetic. More like Broken Diamond, and Shattered Pearl.

    This Game had potential. But it was squandered, like the last game. Sword, and shield. The game is TOO EASY. (I get it. The newcomers need handholding. But the other folks, would like a challenge DANG IT!)

    Being faithful to the OG game. Is not the best of ideas. Especially, if it is going to be a Complete copycat of the DP game. Like c mon... If you are going to perform a remake. Then it needs to be a REMAKE! With new stuff to boot. Not little bit of new stuff. But a TON! Final Fantasy 7 remake managed to remake a lot of their old game. into something much, more bad ass!

    THIS!? LOL it's the same game, with a new coat of paint. If you're going for a remaster. Then at the least. make it, With a more quality improvement. to be an overall. Quite a lot better, than the OG game. Or just simply better.

    Now this game isn't all bad. There are some new stuff. underground. That is one of the few SAVING GRACES for this sorry excuse of a game. other saving graces as well. At least this game...BEATS Sword and shield. That is for sure.

    Not worth the 60$. Not even worth 40$! Only buy this game, If you lack the OG copy of DP. And try to get it for 20$ or less...Else avoid it. (At least this game, managed to be better than the GTA definite edition trilogy. And the Battlefield 2042. AKA COD copy. with worse everything.)

    Game-Freak and the other company. and T.P.C needs to Care less on profits. and care more on quality...More staffing members, More time. (not infinite time. So a needed deadline. but not a Crunch time, deadline...And listen to GOOD fan feedback and good suggestions. (Money is needed yes. But compassion is needed too. to keep the fans loyal. And the Reputation staying in the good/golden side. The reputation is right now...being gravely Tarnished.)

    As of now. This franchise is turning into a EA's version of a game. All milked to death for easy money... (even fan made games, did better than this.)    … Expand
  3. neko555
    Nov 20, 2022
    2
    It already made little sense to remake this game, but doing it the way they did should be a crime. It is not a remake, it contributes little or nothing, the only thing they have done is adapt it for children of 3-5 years.
    I don't understand the effort of this franchise to infantilize its games more and more, especially considering the age of its average player. But worst of all, it's how    It already made little sense to remake this game, but doing it the way they did should be a crime. It is not a remake, it contributes little or nothing, the only thing they have done is adapt it for children of 3-5 years.
    I don't understand the effort of this franchise to infantilize its games more and more, especially considering the age of its average player. But worst of all, it's how absurdly easy it is, something already imposed in all pokemon games. Simply press A without stopping to beat the game. Is it so difficult to put an option to deactivate sharing experience? I think that the ideal would be to distribute experience as in the original gold and silver, but they seem determined to ignore the fans.
    I have always used scene, but I have bought original games that I like like all pokemon, but for several generations I have not bought one, they do not deserve my money.    … Expand
  4. llamaboy
    Feb 3, 2022
    2
    This game is hilariously bad. They do not include the additions from platinum( which already greatly diminishes the quality of the game) there are slight new additions that add basically nothing to the game itself, and the graphics are sub-par at best (aside from the water which looks pretty good) if you want to play these games, just play Pokémon platinum.
  5. TheLinkgirl
    May 26, 2022
    2
    I've loved the Pokemon series my whole life, so this review comes from the heart: Pokemon BDSP are dreadfully low effort remakes. Most of the enjoyment in this game comes from the fact you're playing a Pokemon game. Beyond that, almost everything is just not as good as the original DP.
  6. CaptainCharisma
    Aug 5, 2022
    2
    Embarrasing lazy effort from gamefreak, nothing to see here. Just play Legends Arceus.
  7. soulsilverjk
    Nov 20, 2021
    2
    An extremely uninspired reskin of the old Diamond and Pearl games without any of the platinum improvements. They could have reskinned platinum and my review would have increased to a 7/10.
  8. Exocation
    Dec 1, 2021
    2
    The new style looks very ugly, but everyone can decide that for himself. The optics on the other hand are just bad, plain bad, just go to YouTube and look at a comparison between this game an Pokemon let's go, which was released 3 years ago! The are worlds between, this game just looks ugly. Plus, why on earth would you not include all the improvements the Platin edition already did?? PLUSThe new style looks very ugly, but everyone can decide that for himself. The optics on the other hand are just bad, plain bad, just go to YouTube and look at a comparison between this game an Pokemon let's go, which was released 3 years ago! The are worlds between, this game just looks ugly. Plus, why on earth would you not include all the improvements the Platin edition already did?? PLUS they actively made the game worse, for example by adding a global exp share that you CANT disable. All in all, the game is very ugly and you can feel how lazy the devs/Nintendo was to release this poorly made cash grab. This game and the Pokemon series deserve so much better.… Expand
  9. HeraticParadox
    Mar 13, 2022
    2
    This remake tries to be a faithful adaptation of the original, but they somehow managed to make it worse with the few quality of life additions they chose to include. The worst offender is the always on XP share. It took what was one of of the closest Pokémon games to being a traditional RPG experience and turned it into a mindless slog through the antiquated design of the games unchangedThis remake tries to be a faithful adaptation of the original, but they somehow managed to make it worse with the few quality of life additions they chose to include. The worst offender is the always on XP share. It took what was one of of the closest Pokémon games to being a traditional RPG experience and turned it into a mindless slog through the antiquated design of the games unchanged original map. The change to the HM system was nice. I no longer needed to keep a Bidoof with me at all times in the overworld, but, for some reason, they decided to revert back to TMs breaking. The graphics, while trying to be a chibi reproduction of the original, somehow managed to be worse. The pixel art of the original, while probably a bit behind the times for the DS, was still elegant. I really thought the graphics of the Let’s Go games was going to be Nintendo’s low point for the series, but they proved me wrong. Even the movement feels bad. How they took a grid based top down game and made the movement feel bad is mind blowing to me. The controls feel imprecise and I was constantly colliding with environmental objects. The whole game just feels cheap, and yet it costs more than the original did. It just feels like they cut every corner possible to get the game out quickly. A good old fashioned cash grab. Thankfully the game was at least mostly bug free, but that’s really the only praise I can give it. I regret buying this game, but not nearly as much as I regret the 24hrs I spent beating it.… Expand
  10. Darkred401
    Mar 27, 2022
    2
    If you want a diamond and pearl remake just get platinum

    Bdsp changes so little that it would be smarter to port the original. The game has nice lighting and water effects but the overall art style is ugly and loses the appeal of the original pixel art. The music is the one positive with great mixing though certain themes feel off or lose the original appeal. Ultimately it feels like    If you want a diamond and pearl remake just get platinum

    Bdsp changes so little that it would be smarter to port the original. The game has nice lighting and water effects but the overall art style is ugly and loses the appeal of the original pixel art. The music is the one positive with great mixing though certain themes feel off or lose the original appeal.

    Ultimately it feels like a rushed cash grab to have an annual release    … Expand
  11. Bnois
    Nov 21, 2021
    1
    Low effort demake without the soul the original game had. I guess Pokemon company just wanted to make some quick buck during christmas time.
  12. ZoroGust
    Dec 7, 2021
    1
    It's so lazy it looks like a remaster! Justified the dexit to enhance the "graphics improvement", but tell me what this remake has graphically to bring only the pokemon of the original game?
  13. Lap1as
    Nov 26, 2021
    1
    Нет русского языка! Это просто стыдно, сейчас у многих малобюджетных инди игр(в которых иной раз текста больше чем в покемонах) есть локализация с русскими сабами, а у nintendo с game freak денег не хватило? Нинка позиционирует себя как друг семьи, но мой ребенок должен страдать играя на неродном языке.Нет русского языка! Это просто стыдно, сейчас у многих малобюджетных инди игр(в которых иной раз текста больше чем в покемонах) есть локализация с русскими сабами, а у nintendo с game freak денег не хватило? Нинка позиционирует себя как друг семьи, но мой ребенок должен страдать играя на неродном языке.
  14. TinCanStone
    Nov 22, 2021
    1
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Pros: Some song remixes are pretty good (but even the worst Pokémon games tend to have decent music), some battle backgrounds look nice.

    Cons: -Awful chibi style in the overworld that makes some scenes that are supposed to be tense into jokes (Cyrus awkwardly waddling around the edges of the carpet before talking about putting an end to everything)
    -Little to no Platinum features (no Charon, Looker, or Villa for example)
    -Costs about 9-6 more dollars (assuming you bought DP/Pt when they released for $40) than the originals when accounting for inflation and not including a NSO subscription
    -Forced EXP Share, regardless of if you hated grinding or not
    -OP Amie buffs upon reaching 100% friendship
    -Scuffed following Pokémon mechanic with the same exact issue SwSh had with some Pokemon being incredibly slow even though they literally got it correct in LGPE
    -Overworld Pokémon scaling so bad it’s hilarious
    -Only the original 493, not even any regional forms which even LGPE had (the same game that also cut cross-gen evos)
    -Still has many issues that plague the Pokémon series (Clunky and slow battle system with text boxes for everything, bad in-battle scaling, static/boring idle and attacking animations, lack of difficulty options)
    -Instead of Secret Bases you have rooms that you place uninteresting statues inside of and nothing else
    -So faithful that it contains many of the problems that DP had that Pt actually fixed/improved, the only problem that was technically improved in BDSP is Pokemon distribution
    -Just generally lazy and an obvious cash-grab since TPC knows that they’ll still sell

    Basically, just play Platinum or some ROMHack if you want to play a Sinnoh game.    … Expand
  15. Mestear
    Nov 22, 2021
    1
    This is not a remake. This is a simple reskin of an old game. Nothing have changed besides graphic. What was the point to release pokemon shining pearl? Ah yes, to get 60 $ from silly and nostalgic people. Gen 4 is one of my favourites, but I won't buy the game.
  16. cHughes
    Dec 7, 2022
    1
    Pokémon fans may have thought the series could not steep any lower following the release of the Let’s Go titles, however somehow GameFreak manages to top the lows of even those childish Kanto remakes. What’s worse, these were remakes of many fans’ favourite generation of Pokémon games, and favourite overall region, Sinnoh. The games took ‘faithful remake’ way too seriously, with absolutelyPokémon fans may have thought the series could not steep any lower following the release of the Let’s Go titles, however somehow GameFreak manages to top the lows of even those childish Kanto remakes. What’s worse, these were remakes of many fans’ favourite generation of Pokémon games, and favourite overall region, Sinnoh. The games took ‘faithful remake’ way too seriously, with absolutely no change to the original Diamond and a pearl formula. The games became boring after a few hours of play and could be categorised as the original games with a ‘lick of paint,. The one positive of these games is the ability to shiny hunt the mythic Pokémon, even that is being generous however. The games are utterly disappointing and upsetting as a Pokémon fan. Lazy, lazy instalments.… Expand
  17. OcellCanari
    May 15, 2023
    1
    Pokemon Shining Pearl falls short of capturing the magic of the original game, and it pales in comparison to its predecessor. Despite the nostalgia factor, this remake fails to deliver a satisfying experience. The visuals lack the charm and depth of the original, feeling uninspired and lacking in artistic creativity. The gameplay remains largely unchanged, with no significant improvementsPokemon Shining Pearl falls short of capturing the magic of the original game, and it pales in comparison to its predecessor. Despite the nostalgia factor, this remake fails to deliver a satisfying experience. The visuals lack the charm and depth of the original, feeling uninspired and lacking in artistic creativity. The gameplay remains largely unchanged, with no significant improvements or innovations. It feels like a missed opportunity to enhance the game for modern audiences. The lackluster soundtrack and repetitive sound effects only contribute to the overall disappointment. While the original Pokemon Pearl was a groundbreaking title, Shining Pearl feels like a lazy attempt to cash in on nostalgia without adding anything substantial. Die-hard fans may find some enjoyment in revisiting the Sinnoh region, but it's hard to shake the feeling that the original game was far superior in every aspect. Pokemon Shining Pearl ultimately fails to capture the essence and excitement of its predecessor, leaving fans longing for the original's greatness.… Expand
  18. AngryShark92
    Feb 8, 2022
    0
    ***Apparently there has just been a massive invasion of bots on Metacritic that are out trying to protect the review scores of certain titles, and thus these ratings and this site in general are now completely compromised. The only reviews that get removed are the negative ones, but the 10/10 bots stay up. Sort it out Metacritic. Look at the profiles of the 10/10s if you don't believe me.***Apparently there has just been a massive invasion of bots on Metacritic that are out trying to protect the review scores of certain titles, and thus these ratings and this site in general are now completely compromised. The only reviews that get removed are the negative ones, but the 10/10 bots stay up. Sort it out Metacritic. Look at the profiles of the 10/10s if you don't believe me.

    No other way to say it, this was a lazy attempt at a remake, not as good as Omega Ruby/Alpha Sapphire, and nowhere near as good as Heart Gold/Soul Silver. There really isn't much here for those that played or own the originals.

    I have 3 huge issues with these games. First, this mandatory EXP share is making the game way too easy, it was a big flaw in Let's Go, as well as Sword & Shield, and to include it in a game that did not have it in its original version is a terrible decision. Second, God. Where is Arceus? As of right now, there is no way to get him in these versions, only a transfer from Poke Home if you had him in a previous game. Third, this weird blur effect that exists, which I have seen mostly in Tunnels and Forests, looks awful and seems really unnecessary because it only exists in certain spots and the rest of the area looks crisp and focused so I am not quite sure what purpose this effect has, unless its a bug.

    On top of those 3, I have found the game to be slower and more unresponsive in some areas, particularly in battles and conversations, and there are some backgrounds within battles that look "questionable", to say the least. Also, where is all of the content from Platinum? Just remake the 3rd iteration of each game if you are going to be this lazy, I miss the distortion world.

    Other than those issues, I think most of the aesthetics are great, the music is still great, the animations and models within battles (not a fan of the chibis outside of battle) are well done, and the nostalgia factor still exists, barely. Its a definite lazy effort, and I would only recommend it to newer players who never played the original Gen IV games.

    + Player models & animations are solid
    + Pokemon models are good
    + Aesthetics of cities/towns & surrounding environment
    + Soundtrack has not been ruined
    + Underground content has been expanded for the better

    - EXP share is a fatal flaw that makes these newer games way too easy, GET RID OF IT
    - Unnecessary blur effect
    - Arceus is nowhere to be found
    - Some texture issues
    - Responsiveness and hangup issues
    - Platinum content missing
    - A lot of unobtainable Pokemon
    - Forgot to add positive modern changes (TM use), but managed to include negatives (EXP share)
    - Endgame content is lacklustre to say the least
    - Subtle changes from the originals like blocking Wayward cave with strength, and making Eterna's gym different
    - Incorrect Poké showing up when using HM move
    - Dowsing machine is terribly implemented for a non touch screen console

    Overall, it just feels like they got "just enough" done and thus I feel like a 5/10 is a justified rating. Gamefreak is obviously turning its attention to games that provide more revenue, and like many other franchises recently, it feels like its all becoming stale because of the lack of quality and effort being put into them. Unfortunate.    … Expand
  19. OnlyOneHere
    Nov 23, 2021
    0
    This game is absolute garbage. The greedy developers are charging $60 for a 15 year old remake, and let me remind you that this is only half of the game for $60. They are charging a ridiculous price of $120 for the full game. It doesn't even have the AAA quality to justify the $60 price tag. The graphics are joke. The gameplay is so boring and repetitive. Character models look like trash.This game is absolute garbage. The greedy developers are charging $60 for a 15 year old remake, and let me remind you that this is only half of the game for $60. They are charging a ridiculous price of $120 for the full game. It doesn't even have the AAA quality to justify the $60 price tag. The graphics are joke. The gameplay is so boring and repetitive. Character models look like trash. They literally look like plastic toys with stickers on their faces.

    The physics are pathetic. The bicycle physics and animations are beyond horrible. This is a 2021 $60 game. There is no excuse for the physics and animations to be so awful. When my Pokemon attacks other Pokemons, I should be seeing the animals thrown around. The attention to detail should be just like the Pokemon anime. The developers are too cheap and lazy to make a combat system with depth and detail. I don't recommend this game at all.    … Expand
  20. AlexBlasio
    May 12, 2023
    0
    terrible, mediocre game, unfinished with unjustified changes, it suffers to play this game!
  21. asdfgrand
    Nov 26, 2022
    0
    The most terrible remake game project humanity ever encounter with horrible, glitch-filled launch. GameFreak should have no love on their creation anymore, so neglecting they outsourced the game development to ILCA, the horde of assistant programmers who have zero experience of development from scratch. Pokemon is dead.
  22. greninjaX
    Nov 20, 2021
    0
    easily the worst of the pokemon remakes (aside from let's go). they won't even use the platinum dex. the purposely keep problems from the original in order to be "faithful remakes". pokemon remakes shouldn't be faithful. they should try to improve and make it feel fresh. BDSP refuses to do that. it continues the pokemon companies trend of making all the switch pokemon games awful.
  23. Calabasaloka
    Nov 25, 2021
    0
    Pura mierda, como todos los juegos de Pokémon desde los Let's Go. Desde la sexta generación eran simplemente malos, antes aún, tenían algunos problemas (rejugando blanco y negro, son peores de lo que recordaba). Pero desde que pokemon llegó a switch esto es un desproposito, se ríen el cara de la gente y se cagan en una obra que nació como un proyecto verdaderamente apasionado. Pokemon estáPura mierda, como todos los juegos de Pokémon desde los Let's Go. Desde la sexta generación eran simplemente malos, antes aún, tenían algunos problemas (rejugando blanco y negro, son peores de lo que recordaba). Pero desde que pokemon llegó a switch esto es un desproposito, se ríen el cara de la gente y se cagan en una obra que nació como un proyecto verdaderamente apasionado. Pokemon está muerto, y Gamefreak no lo va a resucitar. Hay dos opciones: O Gamefreak, por dignidad, asume su incomptencia y deja la franquicia en manos de buenos diseñadores, o simplemente asuman los seguidores de estos juegos que Sol y Luna fueron los últimos juegos de Pokémon en los que, aunque fuesen mediocres, aún había una pizca de ambición (atrozmente llevada a cabo). Lo que quiero decir es que, aunque Sol y Luna, X e Y u ORAS no merezcan el tiempo de los jugadores y jugadoras, al menos había aún un mínimo esfuerzo por crear algo nuevo con esos juegos, que repetía la fórmula, sí, pero con matices. Ahora ya no quedan matices, la peña se come el mismo juego desde X e Y una y otra vez, pero cada una de las veces más mediocre que la anterior, con menos razón de ser. En fin, que Pokémon murió hace tiempo, solo vengo a recordárselo a algún despistado. Haré lo mismo con el Leyendas Arceus, que va a ser una mierda igual.… Expand
  24. RevUBrah
    Nov 23, 2021
    0
    One job. They had one job. Copy and paste Platinum while sprinkling in bonus content like new Mega Evolutions. And they couldn't do it, so we're stuck with a $60 game with less content than one released 13 years ago.
  25. Ibuki_7731
    Nov 22, 2021
    0
    This game sucks. Everyone defending this game is brainwashed by a company that's a former shell of itself. Easily not worth the 60 dollars. You're better off playing the original DS games. Don't listen to all the brainwashed idiots defending this.
  26. Otts
    Jan 15, 2022
    0
    Shameless budget cash grab. A rushed project cutting as many corners as possible. Maximum profit, no passion.
  27. Zaregoto
    Nov 20, 2021
    0
    I loved the original games when they first came out on the DS, and this doesn't do them justice at all.
    Pitiful overworld art style, screwed up balance because of gen7 movesets and forced exp share, while at the same time providing almost no new content or any platinum content for that matter. They consciously decided against it too. Not just that, Gamefreak looked at gen 4 and was like    I loved the original games when they first came out on the DS, and this doesn't do them justice at all.
    Pitiful overworld art style, screwed up balance because of gen7 movesets and forced exp share, while at the same time providing almost no new content or any platinum content for that matter. They consciously decided against it too. Not just that, Gamefreak looked at gen 4 and was like "this isn't worth our time" and made some random mobile game company create the game for them. It looks like a joke in comparison to Alpha Saphire which released 7 years ago. Please do not support this. Show Gamefreak that you don't just gobble up anything they shove down your throat. Collapse    … Expand
  28. Flamo91
    Jan 13, 2022
    0
    ilca proves not to live up to the title. ending game done very badly.
    scripted tower fight impossible to complete except by luck.
    bad.
    ILCA retired
  29. Ali566
    Nov 22, 2021
    0
    Biggest problems were the graphics/models and the movement. Chibi models, trees, grass etc just didn't look good. Movement in this game felt weird too
  30. TruthfulGamer67
    Nov 23, 2021
    0
    Pokemon is ****

    Thats the review

    Play better games and ignore this game unless you can get it on sale (and even then you might as well save the money)
Page:

Awards & Rankings

11
#11 Most Discussed Switch Game of 2021

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
73

Mixed or average reviews - based on 88 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 37 out of 88
  2. Mixed: 51 out of 88
  3. Negative: 0 out of 88
  1. Nintendo Insider
    Sep 9, 2022
    70
    Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl are faithful remakes of the 2006 Nintendo DS games. They probably lean too much on the safe side, not achieving an awful lot to improve on the originals other than a few quality-of-life improvements. The improved Underground sections are a welcome addition, but the missing features from Pokémon Platinum are a big let-down. All in all, though, the Sinnoh region offers just as brilliant of an adventure as it was 15 years ago and the formula that worked back then (and then some) is still as addictive to this day. If you are a fan of classic Pokémon titles, this is a no-brainer.
    Read full review
  2. Nintendo Force Magazine
    Mar 7, 2022
    60
    If you're a Switch owner looking to play a Pokémon game, this pair should be your third choice after the Let's Go games and Sword & Shield. [Issue #57 – January/February 2022, p. 67]
  3. LEVEL (Czech Republic)
    Feb 18, 2022
    60
    Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl is a decent remaster transferring the fourth generation from Nintendo DS to Switch. The authors handled well the absence of the second screen, but in the case of game mechanics they could go a bit further.
See all critic reviews »