A new year, a new Pokémon Direct eh? Although many players have loved the latest edition of Pokémon video games, Pokémon Sword and Shield, many have been ravenous for a return to some of the older titles they're familiar with. Of course, we got Let's Go Pikachu/Eevee which was a return to the original 151 Pokémon we know and love but how about a true remake? Well, hold on to your Poké Balls because Nintendo has just announced a Diamond and Pearl remake. Say hello to Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl.
That's right, Nintendo is actually revisiting the Diamond and Pearl era of Pokémon and we can't quite believe it either. The footage shown in the Pokémon Direct shows us that Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl will be in the more modern stylings of Pokémon Let's Go and Sword and Shield for Pokémon battles but will feature the world and basic settings of the original game. That's a top down perspective for exploring the towns and areas, and a modern perspective once battles get going. That is like the ultimate mix for an aesthetic, agreeing with the sensibilities of veteran players and appealing to newcomers too.
Advert
That means we'll be seeing our old friends Piplup, Chimchar, and Turtwig once again very soon. Also, Piplup is the only correct starting Pokémon for Diamond and Pearl sorry you had to hear it from me.
These games won't be produced by GameFreak like the other titles that are part of the mainline series but will be made by ILCA instead, who worked on games like Code Vein and NieR: Automata. And that's simply because GameFreak is working on another game altogether.
The remakes will launch in late 2021, and it's likely that we'll get updates throughout the coming months to drum up hype and celebrate the 25th anniversary. The Pokémon Company seems unfazed by delays caused by the Covid-19 situation. It's firing on all cylinders to bring new content to gamers all the time, including a virtual concert hosted by artist Post Malone which will happen on February 28. The rapper is a long-time fan of the franchise so it'll be interesting to see what he brings to the table when he performs at the end of the month.
Featured Image Credit: ICLA