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. MrBardTimes
    Nov 26, 2021
    9
    This is a very well made remake, the aesthetics are on point, the gameplay is what you would expect from a pokemon game. ILCA did a great job with it.
    The only negative point is that for some reason someone thought it was a good idea to make TMs single use again... why? :'(
    I'm not a fan of how the pokech was implemented, as it is a bit annoying to use, but that's because it needed the    This is a very well made remake, the aesthetics are on point, the gameplay is what you would expect from a pokemon game. ILCA did a great job with it.
    The only negative point is that for some reason someone thought it was a good idea to make TMs single use again... why? :'(
    I'm not a fan of how the pokech was implemented, as it is a bit annoying to use, but that's because it needed the second screen the DS had to be use easily, and the switch doesn't have that. This isn't really ILCA's fault, but it would have been interesting if they managed to use the online phone app as the second screen.    … Expand
  2. Ishrod24
    Nov 29, 2021
    10
    What an amazing remake! Beautiful art style. Please remake Gen 1-3 in the same art style ILCA!
  3. Daitya
    Nov 28, 2021
    10
    Un buen y pulido apartado gráfico, banda sonora mejorada, un remake fiel con mejoras, escenarios preciosos en las batallas, un aspecto visual en los combates mejorado(mejor que Espada/Escudo), más postgame que el original... No sé que más decir.

    Polished graphics, upgrade soundtrack, a faithful remake with improvements, beautiful backgrounds in battles, an improved visual aspect in    Un buen y pulido apartado gráfico, banda sonora mejorada, un remake fiel con mejoras, escenarios preciosos en las batallas, un aspecto visual en los combates mejorado(mejor que Espada/Escudo), más postgame que el original... No sé que más decir.

    Polished graphics, upgrade soundtrack, a faithful remake with improvements, beautiful backgrounds in battles, an improved visual aspect in battles (better than Sword / Shield), more postgame than the original...    … Expand
  4. sheep255174
    Dec 5, 2021
    10
    Good game, I generally love all the animations and remade models, and I think it lives up to the original game in every aspect.
  5. LiirThropp
    Nov 30, 2021
    9
    Even when it's obvious they were heavily limited by Game Freak, ILCA handled these remakes very well. Let's not forget that the instruction was a 1:1 remake from the originals, so they didn't have a lot of space to innovate, but graphically it is WAY better than Sword and Shield.
    It also puts the level of complexity and exploration that we had 10+ years ago side to side with the barren    Even when it's obvious they were heavily limited by Game Freak, ILCA handled these remakes very well. Let's not forget that the instruction was a 1:1 remake from the originals, so they didn't have a lot of space to innovate, but graphically it is WAY better than Sword and Shield.
    It also puts the level of complexity and exploration that we had 10+ years ago side to side with the barren and boring gameplay of Sword and Shield.
    That said, it is a buggy mess. I happen to find this very entertaining, but it certainly won't sit well with a lot of people, especially since more than a week has gone by and no patch for the most game-breaking glitches is in sight.
    The only thing I have an issue with is the price. It is definitely not worth $60, if it was $40, it'd be perfect.
    Fire Game Freak already!    … Expand
  6. 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
  7. ShadowRose
    Jan 12, 2022
    8
    This is a really good remake as it stays true to the original game the only thing is that there is not much new added content for people who have played the old version.
  8. MGamer490
    Nov 29, 2021
    8
    I still remember close to 15 years ago when I got my hands on a copy of Pearl, was only a teenager at the time and didn't have a DS so I borrowed my Cousin's DS to play it. On the first night I was up until 5-6am playing it in bed rather than going to sleep, I had an absolute blast. When I heard of the remakes, I was excited to return to Gen 4, but as with any Pokemon game that releases, II still remember close to 15 years ago when I got my hands on a copy of Pearl, was only a teenager at the time and didn't have a DS so I borrowed my Cousin's DS to play it. On the first night I was up until 5-6am playing it in bed rather than going to sleep, I had an absolute blast. When I heard of the remakes, I was excited to return to Gen 4, but as with any Pokemon game that releases, I will definitely play it, because even the rough ones, they are still great games.

    Graphics - Well they have definitely been changed up a bit! At first I was against the new design, but over time it grew on me and I found it to be very cute, as did my partner who was playing Brilliant Diamond alongside me. It felt very much like the original, no major changes in terms of the layout of the game, but the graphical improvements made it feel somewhat new and refreshing which I enjoyed. The Pokemon battles themselves reflected the newer games being in a 3D environment which is what I would have expected, I will always cherish the sprite based battles but these 3D battles is the way it should be and remain from now on.

    Changes - There isn't a whole lot of changes besides a few things such as an exp share that cannot be turned off so your Pokemon will level up despite not being in battle and this can make the game pretty easy, early on I was training up to 25 different Pokemon (no lie) to keep their levels lower and have a bit more of a challenge, you can also access your PC box from anywhere after a certain point in the early game much like the newer games, so that will feel similar to the younger crowd or newcomers who are familiar with these recent Pokemon games, it doesn't bother me necessarily, it is more convenient, I just wonder if its better to have an option to turn EXP share off. You have the Poketch app as well, playing docked makes the app a little difficult to manage as it was used a 3DS tool with the touch screen in the original, so that can be a bit annoying but if you are playing handheld, no major issues besides having to load it up on screen to use it. Not many other changes really come to mind, it feels very much like the originals for the most part.

    Bugs and glitches - There were some minor issues, occasions where the screen would take a while to load, and even a situation where my partner was in a battle and she clicked on a move to use but the screen just stayed still and she could not doing anything other than close the game and re-open, having to start where she last saved, I didn't experience this issue myself but it did feel like the quality we'd expect from this series was lacking just a tad but not enough to ruin the experience.

    Common complaints - Lets just put this on the table because I am seeing negative scores purely based on these reasons - There are no major changes in this remake, there is no national desk, they didn't base it on the Platinum version etc etc. This seems to be a review bomb of negativity that will forever plague the Pokemon series because people are unhappy they are not being given exactly what they want despite clear signs of what the game is from trailers and such. I personally am most fond of my time with Pearl, but also Pearl was made with the new pokemon in mind, and the Platinum version expanded on the pokemon a bit more including ones from previous games, but I don't need them to include the whole pokedex, Pearl and Diamond was there as an introduction to a new world, a new generation of pokemon and this is the first experience people had with generation 4 so giving that experience to newcomers of Pokemon is not a bad thing. There is also the complaint that there is no major changes in the remake but I can guarantee if there were major changes, then people would complain about them changing too much. Its my personal belief that people are expecting way too much from these games at times when this is nothing more than a remake of a classic, just because it isn't based on your favourite one (Platinum) then I don't think its fair to give it a 0, you knew what to expect when you saw the names of the games advertised. So if you are like me and just want to return to Pearl and Diamond, or you are new to the series, then definitely pick this up, you will have a great time, and I never really have a bad time playing Pokemon, its always good fun.

    Final Rating - For Pokemon fans like myself who wanted to go back and play the original with updated graphics and some minor changes, this is great and I finished the game in less than 10 days just because it is so easy to play and have a good time. If you are wanting more from the remake then I would suggest maybe skipping this one as it doesn't do anything overly different to the original.    … Expand
  9. Brunosky99
    Nov 24, 2021
    8
    Gráficamente es hermoso, pero hecho de menos las mejoras implementadas en el Pokemon platino, como los cambios en los gimnasios y el evento del mundo distorsión. Sin embargo es un muy entretenido viaje con sabor a nostalgia.
  10. monarch250
    Nov 24, 2021
    9
    Nostalgia done right!

    This game is made to be very faithful to the original releases and ILCA does a wonderful job of that. Obviously many Pokémon fans would want all the original's wrinkles to be ironed out, but I don't think that was the goal here. The Art Style gets a lot of hate, but this game is gorgeous, the battle animations are great, the character models have ... well....    Nostalgia done right!

    This game is made to be very faithful to the original releases and ILCA does a wonderful job of that. Obviously many Pokémon fans would want all the original's wrinkles to be ironed out, but I don't think that was the goal here.

    The Art Style gets a lot of hate, but this game is gorgeous, the battle animations are great, the character models have ... well.... character and the shadow, reflection and water effects are the best in the series. BONUS: It also runs flawlessly on the switch!

    Long story short... this is a great game and you should buy it. Give ILCA a chance to do more, for their first kick at the Pokémon can, they did amazing.    … Expand
  11. rolegervari
    Nov 26, 2021
    10
    I haven't played Pokémon in 20 years and I'm having a blast. It feels like a classic and that's what I want from Pokémon, isometric cute chibby characters and fun music so I can play in front of my toddler.
  12. Duckfan2037
    Nov 27, 2021
    7
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. If you like Pokemon remakes this one is a great game, if a bit too easy and some difficulty scaling problems at times, for example the third gym leaders Lucario will kick your ass if you at level. I cant imagine a child being able to beat her without help. Other than that the lack of features at launch is abhorrent. Even as far as remakes go. I pre orderded the double pack on the eShop and was immediately disappointed to find out link trade isn't available at launch and will be patched in later. Besides that you will need a Nintendo online account to use it! My score would be higher of this was fixed. I don't and have never supported looking previously free content behind a paywall. Starlink did this and I stoped playing it out of spite for Ubisoft.

    In conclusion, it's a good remake with stripped down features and neat exclusives if you are willing to look beyond the 20.00 a year paywall to play online.    … Expand
  13. Fishcake1o
    Nov 29, 2021
    10
    Great game loads of fun def an improvement on the originals based on the speed alone Great fun definitely recommend
  14. Kreepycake
    Dec 1, 2021
    8
    I haven't played the original diamond and pearl or even platinum but after completing shining pearl I can say I enjoyed the experience, the main problem that I have is exp share as it makes the game far too easy but other than that it was a ton of fun.
  15. HenGamer
    Dec 19, 2021
    0
    most disappointing remake
    no megas dexs sucks lazy remake gamefreak no care about series anymore
  16. blisslovesotome
    Jan 4, 2022
    9
    I honestly didn't expect to like it so much! Too bad for the dubious graphical choices.
  17. I_Trust_In_GF
    Jan 29, 2022
    10
    Remake of the highest quality, it evokes nostalgia for a game that was part of my childhood on the NDS.
  18. hkatbamna1
    Feb 20, 2023
    7
    Visually, its an excellent remake of my favorite pokemon generation. Them keeping the chibi artstyle definitely helped nail the nostalgia of it. Sadly, taking points away for how absurdly easy they made this game. The forced experience share with no option to turn it off made it so my pokemon were perpetually at least 10-15 levels above the opponent. Really would have appreciated SOME challenge
  19. Fra-k
    May 15, 2022
    6
    a sufficient game, that unlike the titles, don't shine at all.
    a timid remake, with not enough new stuff for both old and new players.
    a failed occasion
  20. Schueli
    Aug 10, 2022
    7
    Ja, gibt nicht viel zu sagen. Typisches Pokémon halt. Nur mit hässlichen Figuren in der Oberwelt. Im Kampf passt dann alles.

    Bin durchgerusht und hab nicht viel gesammelt. Macht das, was Pokémon macht und war soweit gut.
  21. SuperkenGaming
    Dec 8, 2021
    8
    Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl
    my first pokemon game in a long time
    I havnt played a base line pokemon game since silver way back in the day, so I was excited to hop back into the remake of the 4th gen.. and while this game is great, its just not as magic as I remember pokemon games being.. The 4th en of pokemon introduces 107 new pokemon and none of them are really any    Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl
    my first pokemon game in a long time
    I havnt played a base line pokemon game since silver way back in the day, so I was excited to hop back into the remake of the 4th gen.. and while this game is great, its just not as magic as I remember pokemon games being.. The 4th en of pokemon introduces 107 new pokemon and none of them are really any exciting, as usual you start by choosing your favorite starter, and this time youre on a journey to stop team galactic whos going to these lakes and snatching up the regions legendary pokemon… and the story is pretty straightforward and therefor not really all that interesting..
    Diamond and Pearl are very straightforward games in general, go through the routes, building up your team of pokemon which btw share exp from the start, so I had to do absolutely 0 grinding to beat this game… go to the gyms, take town the leader, get a badge, get an ability to progress through the world, an ability that you don’t have to attach to a pokemon to use, another change I love vs back in the day.. so no longer are you forced to have a party of pokemon for certain moves to progress the game, you no longer have to save spots in their move sets for a move you don’t really care about all that much..
    But that’s it, that’s the game.. 30 hours of go from this town to this town… It was enjoyable but it was also a bit of a disappointment.. this wasn’t a world or story ill remember, there are no cool mysteries to solve in each town, they all kind of blend together.. This is probably one of the most forgettable monster collecting games ive every played..
    That being said its still pokemon, its still addicting to build the best team possible trying to catch them all if you care to…
    While this isn’t a journey ill remember, its still one im glad I took
    I give Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl
    an 8/10    … Expand
  22. Dragonfire14
    Dec 2, 2021
    7
    It's a shame that these remakes are better than the actual next entries in the series (Sword and Shield). Even though BD&SP (Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl) are better, they are still flawed and no where near what a modern AAA release should be. Missing content, removed content, weird art style, missing options, and bugs are all taking away from making these remakes great. Are theyIt's a shame that these remakes are better than the actual next entries in the series (Sword and Shield). Even though BD&SP (Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl) are better, they are still flawed and no where near what a modern AAA release should be. Missing content, removed content, weird art style, missing options, and bugs are all taking away from making these remakes great. Are they terrible must avoid games, no.

    Graphics:

    The art style in these games is a bit strange. They basically took the original DS games and upscaled/polished them. It is strange to look at, but could be overlooked if the animations and in battle models were fantastic, but they are not. Animations are again lacking and and basic. Pokemon developers refuse to fully utilize the hardware and add animations in that amount to more that using the transition and rotation buttons. This is just a nit pick of mine, but I wish shinies were actually hand made and not a simple hue shift.

    Content:

    These games are remakes, so expecting something completely different is out of the question, but expecting a better experience than the originals is what I went into them with. These games are missing a ton of platinum content, all event content, nerfed contests, and removed game corner. The contest change was the biggest hit to me. They completely threw them out in the remakes changing them into a shell of their former self. Instead of a multi staged mini game it is simply a rhythm game without the rhythm. The removed Arceus, Darkrai and Shaymin events are currently not in the game, but Shaymin has been proven to be in the game through glitching out of the map. I know that in the past these were events later in the game's life, but these remakes should of included them in the base version. Then there is the glitches, there are many. I won't go super into detail here, but a quick google can outline them for you.

    That being said these remakes do make one awesome change to content, the underground. The Grand Underground is amazing, and let's you catch a ton of Pokemon not in the game. Secret bases are a bit simplistic and boring now, but the rest of the Underground is so fun.

    Options:

    The biggest issue with missing options is that exp share is stuck to be on. While I don't mind it since it just eliminates grind time for me, a bunch of players are upset with the lack of difficulty this creates. I hope this option gets added to the game.

    Conclusion:

    While I'm happy Pokemon is back on track to be an actually good game after the mess that was SW&SH, I think these games could of been so much better. I don't know if it is Gamefreak or The Pokemon Company that is holding the series back, but something needs to give. The Pokemon series itself needs an evolution, it needs to finally enter the modern gaming levels, and use modern technology.    … Expand
  23. Federx
    Jan 30, 2022
    2
    avoid like the plague. they somehow managed to make sinnoh even worse, which is quite the achievement
  24. Magmagan
    Dec 17, 2021
    6
    I put in 13 hours into this game. And I don't think there was a single hour that I didn't think "huh, I'd rather be playing Platinum on my 3DS right now".

    Unlike Sword and Shield, that pulls off a global XP share by having the trainer and wild encounters keep up with your levels, BDSP has the same old wild Pokémon and trainer levels with an XP gain that doesn't fit with the original    I put in 13 hours into this game. And I don't think there was a single hour that I didn't think "huh, I'd rather be playing Platinum on my 3DS right now".

    Unlike Sword and Shield, that pulls off a global XP share by having the trainer and wild encounters keep up with your levels, BDSP has the same old wild Pokémon and trainer levels with an XP gain that doesn't fit with the original levels. Even trying to Nuzlocke felt like child's play

    The only redeeming factor is that your Pokémon can run around with you. But that comes in a little too late for that wow factor to carry through the rest of the game.

    If you can, just play the original.    … Expand
  25. PlanetDeadwing
    Dec 19, 2021
    7
    Pokémon Shining Pearl (or Brilliant Diamond) is a game that is constantly at war with itself. It's a game that completely succeeds at emulating the classic experience of arguably Pokémon's finest generation - the mighty Generation IV - and the unforgettable spirit of the duo of games that largely represented it. But in both attempting to be as faithful as possible to the original gamesPokémon Shining Pearl (or Brilliant Diamond) is a game that is constantly at war with itself. It's a game that completely succeeds at emulating the classic experience of arguably Pokémon's finest generation - the mighty Generation IV - and the unforgettable spirit of the duo of games that largely represented it. But in both attempting to be as faithful as possible to the original games while also being modernised and in refined for the Switch, it results in perhaps the strangest gameplay experience out of all the Pokémon games. For me, this game constantly alternated between being a happy trip back in time to the blissful golden years of the late 2000s (back when life was simple, everyone got along, the world made sense, and everything felt right) and a somewhat awkward retread that doesn't entirely justify its existence. This game is so unnecessarily faithful to the original that at times it feels like playing a really shiny port rather than a true remake, and at times it's surreal seeing things about Diamond/Pearl that now feel somewhat dated being celebrated by the game. From the designs of gyms and towns to the chibi art style and even having the exact same Pokémon on every route, this game will repeatedly give you deja vu if you've played the Sinnoh trio multiple times (which I have). But despite these issues, I'm enjoying this game so far, simply because, let's face it - Sinnoh is, and always will be, a realm of absolute magic, and it's impossible not to get sucked into it for hours. It's a shame that there wasn't more done to it though. It needed more stuff from Platinum, more new things and more improvements to old things. But if you can look past its lack of ambition and a few awkwardly dated aspects that didn't translate well to the Switch, Shining Pearl (and Brilliant Diamond) once again prove that there's no end to Pokémon. There is no escape...… Expand
  26. FluffySpartan
    Apr 5, 2023
    8
    It's okay, it's at least better as the main games of the last year's.... The pkmn attack animations are good compared to the game freak games.
    Give another team a good budget and the license for pkmn and the games would be awesome again. Look at new pkmn snap, very good quality because it's not from game freak.
  27. DeadSmack
    May 17, 2023
    2
    So, if you have played the originals, this is the same. It's not a remake, it's just a visual update. And to my taste, the chibi style is horrible. I wonder if 5-10 yrs old Pokemon fans are really the main audience for the franchise. Can't recommend it, you better get the originals and play them.
  28. 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.
  29. elolugo
    Jun 27, 2022
    6
    Good pokemon game. Not perfect, but fun nevertheless. Play it only if you haven't played it on the DS
  30. Poochingus
    Jan 3, 2022
    2
    This was so much of a let down. This is the first time a pokemon main series remake has removed content and features instead of adding them. I don't know why they made this game if they were going to somehow make it worse. What was the point of this game? Multiplayer in this game is about on par with the technology from the gameboy days. Yes, it hasn't been this stripped down since goldThis was so much of a let down. This is the first time a pokemon main series remake has removed content and features instead of adding them. I don't know why they made this game if they were going to somehow make it worse. What was the point of this game? Multiplayer in this game is about on par with the technology from the gameboy days. Yes, it hasn't been this stripped down since gold and silver version. No more global trade. No more multiplayer union rooms either. Underground multiplayer was also gelded. A sad sad sad game. Everyone bashes the art direction, but to be honest, that is the least of my concerns. It is terrible gameplay that really ruins it. There are tons of bugs and glitches. Exp share has no toggle anymore either, which was the worst change added in the previous games and completely ruins the balance of this old game. They included no post game content, where omega ruby/alpha sapphire added amazing post game story and it was fun! These games added nothing, and removed more too. Platinum content simply consisted of just letting you catch giratina and get his origin form. Also they did not include the more fleshed out story for team galactic. Controls are also pretty weak. The originals had great menu layouts and touch controls, they removed the ability to touch menu items for some reason and the menu in combat is pretty weak too. In good form they did not have a fun or engaging post game challenge area. I'm really sick of the battle tower for the 5th or 6th game in a row now, its just the same old thing and it is more luck based than about trying to fight skillfully this time around more than ever. Gameplay is sluggish, despite speeding up movement and hp bars, it doesn't matter when you can't do what every good rpg has been doing for a decade now by having the ability to speed up the combat encounters, and I wish I could turn off the "friendship" emotes, just more wasted time. The little things add up to just annoy you to death and mash the A-button. Loading is also so slow that I thought I bricked the console when I first opened the game. Its amazing how these ugly looking very simple looking games make the console struggle this much.

    I have had more fun with indie games for less than half the price of these cheap imitations of the DS games.    … Expand
  31. 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
  32. nusoul
    Jan 7, 2023
    8
    I don't understand the people who gave this game bad marks, this game is almost perfect as I remember it when I played it on DS.
  33. Woodley1400
    Dec 12, 2021
    6
    Brilliant Diamond/Shining Pearl are faithful remakes of the original games with stylized and colorful graphics and a few quality of life changes. However, this remains my least favorite generation of Pokémon. The remakes still suffer from a lack of Pokémon diversity, too frequent random encounters, and inconsistent difficulty curves. The inclusion of fairy type does add an interestingBrilliant Diamond/Shining Pearl are faithful remakes of the original games with stylized and colorful graphics and a few quality of life changes. However, this remains my least favorite generation of Pokémon. The remakes still suffer from a lack of Pokémon diversity, too frequent random encounters, and inconsistent difficulty curves. The inclusion of fairy type does add an interesting twist to the combat. Annoyingly, movement felt jerky, and I rarely used the bike in the whole play through. Despite its flaws, this is still fun and charming. One of the biggest highlights is the updated soundtrack, which is lovely.… Expand
  34. JimPickens
    Dec 4, 2021
    7
    Pokémon BDSP is remarkably disappointing simply by virtue of being a remake of a heavily flawed game that was improved greatly already with Platinum, unfortunately however is not a Platinum remake.

    The original Diamond and Pearl were slow and agonizing to play, the Regional Dex was comically unbalanced against fire types, and just about every single aspect of the games were improved in    Pokémon BDSP is remarkably disappointing simply by virtue of being a remake of a heavily flawed game that was improved greatly already with Platinum, unfortunately however is not a Platinum remake.

    The original Diamond and Pearl were slow and agonizing to play, the Regional Dex was comically unbalanced against fire types, and just about every single aspect of the games were improved in Platinum, the games third revised version. I generally do not like Gen 4, I don't care for DP or HGSS, but I do like Platinum, I love Giratina, I love Cynthia and I love the Sinnoh region, Piplup is my favourite starter, so I feel these remakes have already shot themselves in the foot when they decide to remake the objectively inferior versions instead for no other reason than to be able to sell 2 copies of the same game to idiots who'll eat up anything GameFreak throws at them.

    BDSP fixes some issues with DP, namely the speed. Originally they were unbearably slow, showcased in an infamous video of a Blissy's health going from 655 to 0, taking 34 seconds. So BDSP already places it's best foot forward by having the game run at Gen 8 speed, then shoots that foot with its art style. Yes the age old complaint, BDSP looks hideous, the chibi art style looks fine from a distance but the game loves to do lose up's of characters during dialogue and it looks pretty rough, Cyrus in particular really suffers here, I just can't take him seriously when he's so gosh darn adorable and cuddly looking. While the style does look nice for cute things, that doesn't really work in a game that debuts Giratina, which I'm sorry, looks like the Gaping Dragon from Dark Souls, it just does, I'm right goddamnit. You would think the cute chibi art style would go great with Pokémon given how easily they could turn them into adorable little chibi models... they don't. For following you around, rather than making the models chibi to work with the characters, they just scaled them down, so Giratina looks like an 8 legged dog and not a giant, terrifying dragon thing. Not helping matters is the following animation, for most it's fine, but some Pokemon like Ekans suffer greatly, because Ekans does not slither, no no no, Ekans slides along the ground in his basic model as if attached by a string, it looks horrible, not least of all because the animation already exists in Let's Go, and could have easily been reused, ILCA are just incompetent, not lazy.

    Combat isn't slow anymore, but feels incredibly slow, it's the same old static, boring turn based combat, which is really disappointing when we exist in a post-Persona 5 world and have seen Turn Based taken to a logical extreme and how engaging it CAN be, Pokemon just refuses to, ironically enough, evolve.

    Story hasn't bee changed much, still fun and engaging, still would've liked it if they used Platinum over DP but oh well, can't sell two copies of Platinum I guess.

    Pokemon BDSP is not bad, but it's not any better than the original Diamond and Pearl, which makes it still worse than Platinum, which it really shouldn't be. The moment to moment Pokemon gameplay will always be fun to me, so I can't say I didn't have fun here, and hell, I can't say I didn't ENJOY these games, I absolutely intend to go back to these at some point and play them again, they're the definitive version of Diamond and Pearl, but not the definitive version of Gen 4, which is honestly really disappointing, and I simply can't ignore it's plethora of flaws both inherent to Diamond and Pearl, and unique to the remakes. Let's all hope Legends Arcues is good... But it probably won't be.    … Expand
  35. lalahand
    May 27, 2023
    8
    Initially I thought this is a **** remake, but after playing all other recent Pokémon games, this is actually the best one on switch
  36. onepiece255174
    Mar 6, 2022
    10
    This review contains spoilers. Llegué con una antorcha para quemarle la casa a IlCA estudios pero no. Este juego es entretenido, viciante. Sin darte cuenta tienes 20 horas jugando. Para ser un remake me gustó mucho, lo recomiendo. Collapse
  37. KeybladeHero_05
    Jun 29, 2023
    7
    I'm going to be honest with you all, this remake was really really boring. Sure the trailer did say that it's a faithful remake but to me, it isn't. Both games and including the original versions, are empty and a lot of people agreed.

    If this was a remake of Platinum then things would be slightly better. By the time I've reached the champion for the first time, I was 5 or 6 levels    I'm going to be honest with you all, this remake was really really boring. Sure the trailer did say that it's a faithful remake but to me, it isn't. Both games and including the original versions, are empty and a lot of people agreed.

    If this was a remake of Platinum then things would be slightly better. By the time I've reached the champion for the first time, I was 5 or 6 levels behind because shared EXP is back for some odd reason.    … Expand
  38. Zumbie101
    May 7, 2022
    6
    It feels like a direct remaster, nothing particularly changes at all which is nice for nostalgia but thats all really. Additional point for removing all the HM's however nothing stands out at all, feels like a re release especially with the overworld sprites
  39. cfc1998
    Jun 27, 2022
    8
    First of all, yes this is a very simple and faithful remake of the original games, but honestly I prefer this way than seeing Sinnoh with Sword and Shield **** graphics and engine. A visual change and a few quality of life improvements are more than fine for me, but if I have one criticism of the game is not adding Platinum content, other than that I enjoyed the game a lot! The post gameFirst of all, yes this is a very simple and faithful remake of the original games, but honestly I prefer this way than seeing Sinnoh with Sword and Shield **** graphics and engine. A visual change and a few quality of life improvements are more than fine for me, but if I have one criticism of the game is not adding Platinum content, other than that I enjoyed the game a lot! The post game content is definitely the best added feature, playing the gym leaders rematches was a lot of fun.… Expand
  40. PMG-Writer
    Dec 28, 2021
    8
    Nintendo managed two successful remakes for fans and children with Pokémon Brillant Diamond and Pokémon Shining Pearl. The storyline is neat and drives us through the game. Thanks to the simple gameplay concept, both games are just fun to play and it motivates enormously to experience the familiar story and catch and train Pokémon. The graphical presentation and the background music areNintendo managed two successful remakes for fans and children with Pokémon Brillant Diamond and Pokémon Shining Pearl. The storyline is neat and drives us through the game. Thanks to the simple gameplay concept, both games are just fun to play and it motivates enormously to experience the familiar story and catch and train Pokémon. The graphical presentation and the background music are successful and round off the good overall impression. Still, there are a few weak scenes in the remakes. Those who would like to play with Pokémons again should take a closer look for "Pokémon Brillant Diamond" and "Pokémon Shining Pearl".… Expand
  41. 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.
  42. CaptainCharisma
    Aug 5, 2022
    2
    Embarrasing lazy effort from gamefreak, nothing to see here. Just play Legends Arceus.
  43. Frad
    Aug 28, 2023
    6
    El regreso a las raíces de la franquicia Pokémon es una experiencia gratificante, especialmente después de haber experimentado las innovaciones de títulos más recientes como Pokémon Arceus y Pokémon Violet. Pokémon Shining Pearl nos brinda la oportunidad de revivir una experiencia clásica, y aunque presenta ciertos aspectos que merecen mención, este remake no pasa desapercibido.

    La    El regreso a las raíces de la franquicia Pokémon es una experiencia gratificante, especialmente después de haber experimentado las innovaciones de títulos más recientes como Pokémon Arceus y Pokémon Violet. Pokémon Shining Pearl nos brinda la oportunidad de revivir una experiencia clásica, y aunque presenta ciertos aspectos que merecen mención, este remake no pasa desapercibido.

    La fidelidad de este remake a la cuarta generación de Pokémon es innegable, y esta lealtad es una característica altamente apreciable. Al buscar adquirir este remake, lo que buscaba era precisamente una reencarnación modernizada de la experiencia original. Las gráficas y texturas, aunque no alcanzan la cima de las capacidades actuales, son respetables y adecuadas para el propósito de revitalizar este título clásico.

    Una mejora notable en este remake es la capacidad de correr en lugar de caminar, lo cual amplía significativamente la experiencia de exploración. Este cambio en la movilidad proporciona un elemento adicional de comodidad y dinamismo al juego, permitiendo una exploración más ágil y fluida en la región de Sinnoh.

    Un aspecto particularmente interesante es la eliminación de la necesidad de utilizar movimientos específicos como "cut", "move" o "swim" a los Pokémon del equipo. En su lugar, un Bidoof interviene para llevar a cabo estas acciones. Aunque esta elección puede suscitar interrogantes sobre por qué un solo Pokémon realiza todas estas tareas, la implementación es aceptable y no perturba la experiencia de manera significativa.

    La introducción del subsuelo ("Underground") es un aspecto que enriquece el juego con una dimensión adicional. A pesar de que no exploté plenamente esta función, considero que es una adición valiosa que, si bien no es esencial, proporciona una capa extra de diversión y descubrimiento.

    No obstante, es justo destacar ciertos aspectos desfavorables. Las batallas, en ocasiones, transmiten la sensación de un título similar a Pokémon Stadium. Aunque esta variación puede ser interesante, personalmente considero que la ejecución podría haberse perfeccionado para una experiencia más equilibrada y coherente. Además, al completar el juego, la sensación de obsolescencia se hace presente, generando una disminución en la motivación para emprender la captura de Pokémon Shiny.

    En resumen, Pokémon Shining Pearl se revela como un remaster acertado que reaviva la magia de la región Sinnoh de manera encantadora. Los gráficos modernizados, la jugabilidad consolidada y las mejoras en el modo multijugador convergen para brindar una versión remasterizada que merece ser explorada. Aunque no está exenta de críticas, esta recreación ofrece una oportunidad valiosa para redescubrir un clásico de la franquicia Pokémon.    … Expand
  44. adrienqua
    Dec 19, 2021
    0
    A SHAME. A lazy remake, it runs at 720p 30fps.
    Nothing new, the game doesn't looks good, clearly too colorful, 3d models are soulless.
    Play the original games, they are way better.
  45. rnd754
    Dec 4, 2021
    10
    Lovely remake! Really takes me back.
    Whenever i play this game it makes me smile.
  46. PixelatedOdyssy
    Dec 7, 2021
    9
    I love this game, I grew up playing the original on the DS and this hits the nostalgia hard. Putting that aside, these are still good games.
    Are they perfect? no
    Are they fun and true to the original? yes the good: I feel like most of the people giving bad reviews expected as drastic of a change as we saw with sword and shield, which this game was never supposed to be. It has tons of    I love this game, I grew up playing the original on the DS and this hits the nostalgia hard. Putting that aside, these are still good games.
    Are they perfect? no
    Are they fun and true to the original? yes

    the good: I feel like most of the people giving bad reviews expected as drastic of a change as we saw with sword and shield, which this game was never supposed to be. It has tons of extra pre and post game content, quality of life changes, and everything you loved from the originals. This game was not marketed as or meant to be something more than a remake that's faithful to the original. There are new legendries, extra battles, easier shiny hunting, the new XP sharing system, and the game is more challenging than the originals at a lot of points. Basically if you like pokemon or liked the original games you will like this game.

    the bad: the price, $60 or $120 for both, is steep. I think $30 would be a much more fair price for one game. There were people who experienced soft locks and bugs, I was not one of those people. Since the 1.1.2 patch, all of those issues have been fixed. I know a lot of people wish they could turn off the new leveling system, I think that should be an option as well, but I also don't mind the XP sharing system. They added a penalty for time skips, so if you change your clock time manually then all timed events (trees, berries, timed pokemon, etc) will freeze for 24 hours. I hate this penalty, as they kept in the annoying timed events like trees taking six hour to find pokemon and berries taking hours of time to grow; they should've found a middle ground. They kept the original battle tower and shop, I think this is bad because the grind to level up pokemon post game takes a long time - I like how easy it was in sword to get XP or rare candies to level up and try new teams, this is a quality of life thing that should've been added. I also think they should've kept the sword and shield shiny hunting and IV hunting methods, the new additions are good, but not preferred imo.

    the mixed: some people complain that there are glitches you can exploit to duplicate pokemon and items, I personally think these are fun and since they only effect your offline play that they do not hinder the game or other people at all. There are also glitches that let you get timed event pokemon early, since this only effects offline play, I don't see it as an issue and it lets you play the game at your own pace. The post game grind feels like its too much, in order to get legendries you need to do a lot of tedious farming, this could've been optimized better.

    Overall. the games are what they were marketed to be, a new coat of paint with a few quality of life features added. This game is far better, especially after the patch, (although its annoying they didn't fix the issues beforehand) than the user score suggests. Its worth playing.    … Expand
  47. Emanuel317
    Dec 8, 2021
    7
    Fiel a los juegos originales... las gráficas me parece bien y sus modelos "chibi" en cuanto la dificultad cuando tienes revancha con la campeona de la región es muy difícil con lo cual es excelente pero con el poder de la amistad puedes ganarle fácilmente.
  48. Edea-Tsuki
    Dec 22, 2021
    0
    The game lacks of all type of content from Pokémon Platinum, which is the "Pokémon Diamond and Pearl +" of gen 4 of Pokémon. This choise is simple lazy and unanderstandable for every fan of Pokémon: why made a remake that don't have things that permits Sinnoh to raise and be liked back as then? Well, the answers is obvious. It's just a product to sold because in the cover is writtenThe game lacks of all type of content from Pokémon Platinum, which is the "Pokémon Diamond and Pearl +" of gen 4 of Pokémon. This choise is simple lazy and unanderstandable for every fan of Pokémon: why made a remake that don't have things that permits Sinnoh to raise and be liked back as then? Well, the answers is obvious. It's just a product to sold because in the cover is written "Pokémon". Nothing else.
    Yes, they added something like the undergrounds upgrade, you can think that all people that tell "hey this game is awesome buy it now it's Pokémon!" are right, but it's what we fan asked? It's what we deserve? No. Absolutely no. Nobody asked for this things, we just wanted a damn, exactly the same, Pokémon Platinum with better graphic. Nothing else. Pokémon Diamond and Pearl suck. They have lot of problems, and only Platinum fixed them. So I really don't understand why Junichi Masuda (because hey, do you really think that ILCA have the fault to this? This things that happens to Pokémon X and Y? Remember that Masuda is the boss in all this projects? So yeah please stop to accuse people that for live and earn money have to follow orders), why Game Freak, why The Pokémon Company and why not? Why Nintendo do this every time with Pokémon? This really hurts. They neither need to make any efforts. They only have to do what we asked from years. So why?
    Onestly I don't want to hear nothing about Pokémon. This brand disgust me, it's like an unrequited love that know your feelings and smash them just to get something from you. Please stop buying Pokémon games like this and concentrate on some "more and gentle lovers"    … Expand
  49. thebrutaltruth
    Dec 25, 2021
    0
    One of the worst games I have ever seen. Complete cash-grab with no improvements whatsoever and they even avoided remaking the superior Platinum version to sell two "different" but not really different versions to grab even more cash. The graphics are even worse than the originals.
  50. Alepod
    Jan 4, 2022
    7
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Nice graphics and fluid gameplay but it is easy during all the main campaign and it becomes truly hard only in the Pokémon League, I’m not a fan of the chibi sprites and I think that the history could be expressed better if it was not chibi, plus the dungeons are easier than before before the HMs or because some elements have been cancelled. If we think at them as the entrée for Pokémon Legends: Arceus it is good and… FINALLY the text is written in an easy to read font, seriously, I have problems at the right eye and I was able to read perfectly during all the game, though this font was introduced in Sword and Shield.… Expand
  51. RealisticStance
    Jan 7, 2022
    6
    When they first announced this, I was ecstatic. Growing up with DP, this was something I had been looking forward to for years. The recent decline in quality with pokemon started to make me skeptical about what would become after all.
    It's not really bad, it is pokemon afterall. It's just disappointing. The devs seem like they were trying hard to make this a remaster more than a remake,    When they first announced this, I was ecstatic. Growing up with DP, this was something I had been looking forward to for years. The recent decline in quality with pokemon started to make me skeptical about what would become after all.
    It's not really bad, it is pokemon afterall. It's just disappointing. The devs seem like they were trying hard to make this a remaster more than a remake, but at the same time they changed it up enough were it isn't a remastered.
    They made the exp share for the whole team permanent, so now there is not really any skill needed. You can say that I'm an adult, so of course it's easy, but when I can just walk through the game, barely grind, and end up 10 levels higher than the next gym leader, you know there is a problem.
    The fact that the Sinnoh dex isn't the platinum one irks me, as it was expanded for a reason. Platinum dex pokemon are in the underground now, so why not just go the extra step?
    The lack of traps and capture the flag just bothers me. What was the point off removing them? It's not like they didn't want to put effort into the underground. They expanded the whole map and added the pokemon encounters, so what was the issue?
    Why were the mythicals given so early? They're obviously overpowered, and they sort of ruin the flow. I know you could simply not use them, but the kid inside me wants to use them to win as easily as possible.
    Following pokemon being brought back is cool, but why make them use realistic moving speeds? If they're slow enough, they'll just keep teleporting to you. HGSS got it right with with just having them be right behind you.
    Nothing similar to Delta Episode? They could have just used Platinums story if they were feeling extra uninspired. Just not much new content? Sure, we have "new" content, which just changes the structure of things that were in the originals, or brings back old features, but nothing that hadn't been touched on before. Every other remake had added on a lot of lore or activities to the story, so why should this one not receive the same amount of care and attention? The only other thing I can really say is that HGSS is the prime example for how a remake should be done. This game did not really follow it.
    (Music is phenomenal, though that doesn't make up for the cons of this game)    … Expand
  52. 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
  53. Kenoct
    Jun 8, 2022
    0
    How to destroy our childhood with an ugly and lazy remake. The original one is way better.
  54. Nintendist
    Jul 2, 2022
    10
    this game is so good and beautiful at the same time. so lovely i love it til the end
  55. Satsoku
    Jan 8, 2023
    6
    I feel like these remakes were a miss opportunity. They are faithful to the original Diamond and Pearl respectively, however, they felt soulless and forgettable compared to the originals, or Platinum even. Playable, but that's about it.
  56. Lucaro
    Jul 9, 2022
    3
    What a sh*tshow.
    Pokemon Platinum was one of the first games I have ever played and is one of my favorite games of all time. With all the remakes that came out for the other Pokemon games, I knew that a remake to Platinum must come at some point. I have waited so long and then I got this: A game with ugly chibis, Pokemon Go graphics, the flaws of Diamond and Pearl that were already fixed    What a sh*tshow.
    Pokemon Platinum was one of the first games I have ever played and is one of my favorite games of all time. With all the remakes that came out for the other Pokemon games, I knew that a remake to Platinum must come at some point. I have waited so long and then I got this: A game with ugly chibis, Pokemon Go graphics, the flaws of Diamond and Pearl that were already fixed in Platinum and this friendship bullsh*t.
    Pokemon was always a cash cow but back then they actually gave a sh't. This was the last newly released Pokemon game I've played and I am very disappointed.    … Expand
  57. DolphinReviews
    Jul 20, 2022
    0
    When Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shinning Pearl was announced during a Pokémon Presents, I thought I was dreaming. The gameplay and animation looked so laughably bad I could not believe a billion dollar company would make this. Let alone sell it for $60! The lowest point of the Pokémon franchise by far. It looks as if a 5 year old was tasked with character design. Reviews have comparedWhen Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shinning Pearl was announced during a Pokémon Presents, I thought I was dreaming. The gameplay and animation looked so laughably bad I could not believe a billion dollar company would make this. Let alone sell it for $60! The lowest point of the Pokémon franchise by far. It looks as if a 5 year old was tasked with character design. Reviews have compared the graphics to a mobile game which is incorrect. Mobile games have far better graphics!… Expand
  58. KinimodYunmi
    Dec 12, 2022
    6
    Hatte mich anfangs erst gefreut Pearl nochmal durchzuspielen, sah aber dann etwas weird aus und ist dann aber doch trotz Remaster viel zu sehr in die Jahre gekommen, man hätte es mit den Funktionen und der Story von Platin remastern sollen und nicht Pearl und Diamant.
  59. nzmetacritic
    Sep 26, 2022
    8
    Hi all!

    I have bought this game recently, like 3 days ago and by far I have had the best experience ever on this game. I have the original copy on my DS version 10-15 years ago but I don't think I ever got to finish it. I loved it back then as well. If you are looking for an Nostalgic/original pokemon classic linear game. This is the game for you. I have never played any pokemon games    Hi all!

    I have bought this game recently, like 3 days ago and by far I have had the best experience ever on this game. I have the original copy on my DS version 10-15 years ago but I don't think I ever got to finish it. I loved it back then as well. If you are looking for an Nostalgic/original pokemon classic linear game. This is the game for you. I have never played any pokemon games after Gen 4 so playing this brought me back so many memories on why I loved pokemon in the first place. I love the Isometric top down camera angle of this game. I hope to see more other pokemon games in this format. A remake but in 3D graphics makes it more beautiful and inspiring to look at. Being able to explore underground and catching wild pokemons and knowing what to catch just made the game more appealing. However I love the tall grass wild feature not knowing which pokemon is battling me. It is more challenging this way. I hope they still continue this style aswell.

    Looking at the negative reviews on this game don't make sense to me. I think going open world for pokemon is also a great idea too but I think Gamefreak should definitely focus on the quality, the story, the amount of content than rushing to finish a game every year.

    Back to the review; It reminds me of ''Pokemon Battle Revolution'' and this game happening all in one instead of buying 2 separate games. I hope ILCA will continue this genre. Personally this game is what I wanted 10 years ago. I am enjoying every moment of this game, it is super fun and addicting. I would like to see Gold and silver remakes including my all time favorite Emerald.

    Negatives. Not Worth $100 NZ because it is a Remake and its literally the same game not much new things or expansions even added to it. its weird that SW/SH is the same price.
    I notice 1 thing versing the gym trainers use the same pokemons that I have fought from normal trainers. Wish for more diverse and varieties of Pokemons when it came to the gym otherwise its too easy!

    8/10 for me Good job ILCA    … Expand
  60. CreeperMW
    Oct 30, 2022
    10
    I love every single little detail in Shining Pearl even love the chibi art style, it's reminds me of old days of Pokemon I wouldn't mind if they did this for HeartGold and SoulSilver if they decide to make a port for switch.
  61. AlexMakesToast
    Nov 20, 2022
    4
    Shining Pearl = 4/10
    ......................................................
  62. 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
  63. 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
  64. TreasureOrTrash
    Sep 8, 2023
    0
    Trash!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
next
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 »