ARE THE BEST POKÉMON GAMES
DIAMOND AND PEARL
DIAMOND AND PEARL
WHY
By Matthew Byrd
While every Pokémon fan has their favorite game in the series, the 15 years since the release of Pokémon Diamond and Pearl have revealed why they may be the absolute best entries in this franchise.
As the first Pokémon game released for the DS, Diamond and Pearl benefited from that handheld's best features. The addition of the Pokétch alone showed why Pokémon is better with two screens.
Of course, the DS' most important contribution to the Pokémon franchise may just be the addition of Wi-Fi support and the ways wireless play made multiplayer more accessible.
Diamond and Pearl also took full advantage of the DS' power by offering one of the most beautiful overworlds in this series' history. They set a new standard for visual design in Pokémon games.
These games' beautiful visuals were bolstered by the magic of the Sinnoh region. It's one of the most geographically diverse and beautiful regions the Pokémon team has ever crafted.
The Sinnoh region also features some of the most fascinating lore and myths we've ever seen in a Pokémon game. It's no surprise Nintendo is returning to this region with Pokémon Legends: Arceus.
Diamond and Pearl also featured one of the best Pokémon rosters since Gen 1. The additions of Arceus and The Creation Trio changed the landscape of this series' greater mythology.
Speaking of Gen 1 Pokémon, Diamond and Pearl brilliantly introduced new evolutions for Gen 1 Pokémon that breathed new life into them and made everyone reconsider team comp strategies.
Diamond and Pearl revolutionized the series' battle system through the introduction of move categories and a friendlier "fainting" system. Combat in these games was smoother and more strategic.
Diamond and Pearl's brilliant Underground system, which improved the series' Secret Base feature, really highlights how these games updated some of this franchise's best ideas.
With any luck, Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Pokémon Shining Pearl will be the amazing remakes that bring these games into the modern age and allow fans old and new to appreciate them.