Let's Go Sinnoh!
If there’s one thing Pokémon fans have been consistently asking for, remakes of the popular Pokémon Diamond and Pokémon Pearl would have to be at the top of that list. And in a trailer released on February 26, the developers of the series, Game Freak, announced just that. The remakes entitled “Pokémon Brilliant Diamond” and “Pokémon Shining Pearl” are currently set to release in late 2021 for the Nintendo Switch.
The Sinnoh region remakes come 15 years after the original game’s initial release in 2006. Nintendo promises to keep the game’s original charm intact, saying on its site “The original story has been faithfully reproduced, and the sense of scale in the originals’ towns and routes has been carefully preserved.” Even the overworld looks similar to its predecessor, the flowers of Floaroma Town still looking as beautiful as they did in the originals.
However, Nintendo’s dedication to recreating the original style caused a divide among fans, specifically when it came to the chibi look of the characters in the top-down overworld, expecting the game to look more like the Pokémon Sword and Shield. Fans also think this style gives the game a cheap look, going so far as to say it looks like a badly made mobile game. Some fans also thought the remakes were too faithful for their tastes and wished that there was more variation of the originals rather than a copy.
Personally, I agree with some of the feelings of these fans but am willing to give Game Freak the benefit of the doubt. There is still plenty of time for the game to be refined and changed since its release isn’t set until late this year. I really appreciate Nintendo’s intent on keeping the style of the original games. It means they were listening to what the fans wanted. However, it might be kind of problematic if giving the fans was the sole reason Nintendo made these games, rather than improving on the existing game.
I’m also excited to hear how the composers re-do the soundtrack. The sounds of Sinnoh are some of my personal favorites. I’m especially curious to see what they do with the Lake theme and hopeful that the magic and mysterious tones of the theme remain intact. Pokémon Platinum, the enhanced version of Diamond and Pearl, was the first Pokémon game I ever played, and I’m excited to see what the finished product of the remakes look like.
You can currently pre-order Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Pokemon Shining Pearl through Amazon, Gamestop, Best Buy, and Walmart.
