News

London, United Kingdom—February 26, in the year of our Lord 2021—Today, during a Pokémon Presents video presentation, Tsunekazu Ishihara—president and CEO of The Pokémon Company—announced Pokémon Brilliant Diamond, Pokémon Shining Pearl, and Pokémon Legends: Arceus—new video games coming to the blockbuster series that spans 25 years. Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Pokémon Shining Pearl will launch in late 2021, and Pokémon Legends: Arceus will launch in early 2022. All three games will be available exclusively on the Nintendo Switch™ system.

In 2006, Trainers were introduced to the Sinnoh region with the release of Pokémon Diamond and Pokémon Pearl on the Nintendo DS system. Players can once again visit the Sinnoh region in Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Pokémon Shining Pearl, which are faithful remakes of two iconic Pokémon games. Pokémon Legends: Arceus will introduce fans to the Sinnoh region of old—before the existence of Pokémon Trainers and Pokémon Leagues. It’s in this long-gone era that players will embark on an entirely new adventure to create the region’s first Pokédex.

“Trainers caught their first Pokémon in 1996 and began an adventure that has lasted 25 years. Through eight regions, many different platforms, and countless Pokémon encounters, they have strived to be the very best,” said Mr. Ishihara. “We hope that fans of all ages will enjoy creating new memories while exploring the Sinnoh region in these new games.”

More details about the highly anticipated New Pokémon Snap game were also shared in the video presentation, in addition to information about special in-game events taking place in celebration of Pokémon’s 25th anniversary.

Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Pokémon Shining Pearl
Developed by ILCA, Inc., and directed by Junichi Masuda (GAME FREAK) and Yuichi Ueda (ILCA), Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Pokémon Shining Pearl enable fans to experience the original story and game features from Pokémon Diamond and Pokémon Pearl in a fresh way. The original games have been faithfully reproduced and colourfully revitalized for Nintendo Switch. The sense of scale of the towns and routes has been carefully preserved, and fans who played the original games will recognize many familiar places. These games are updated with the easy-to-understand, player-friendly conveniences introduced in recent Pokémon core series video games, in addition to up-close-and-personal Pokémon battle scenes.

Trainers will choose either Turtwig, Chimchar, or Piplup to be their first partner Pokémon before setting off on their journey. Along the way, they will be able to encounter the Legendary Pokémon Dialga in Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and the Legendary Pokémon Palkia in Pokémon Shining Pearl.

Turtwig
Category: Tiny Leaf Pokémon
Height: 0.4 m
Weight: 10.2 kg
Type: Grass
Ability: Overgrow

Made from soil, the shell on Turtwig’s back hardens when it drinks water. Turtwig lives along lakes, and the leaf on its head will wilt if the Pokémon is thirsty.

Chimchar
Category: Chimp Pokémon
Height: 0.5 m
Weight: 6.2 kg
Type: Fire
Ability: Blaze

Chimchar lives atop craggy mountains and can agilely scale sheer cliffs. Even rain can’t extinguish its fiery rear end, which is fueled by gas made in its belly.

Piplup
Category: Penguin Pokémon
Height: 0.4 m
Weight: 5.2 kg
Type: Water
Ability: Torrent

Because it’s very proud, Piplup hates to accept food from people. A skilled swimmer, its thick down protects it from the cold as it dives for over 10 minutes while hunting.

Dialga
Category: Temporal Pokémon
Height: 5.4 m
Weight: 683 kg
Type: Steel/Dragon
Ability: Pressure

Dialga appears in Sinnoh-region myths as an ancient deity and has the power to control time. It is said that time began to move when Dialga was born.

Palkia
Category: Spatial Pokémon
Height: 4.2 m
Weight: 336 kg
Type: Water/Dragon
Ability: Pressure

Described as a deity in Sinnoh-region mythology, Palkia has the ability to distort space. It is said to live in a gap in the spatial dimension parallel to ours.

Pokémon Legends: Arceus
The fun of exploring while catching Pokémon and filling in a Pokédex has always been a core part of the Pokémon video game series. Pokémon Legends: Arceus was developed with the desire to deliver an experience infused with new action and RPG elements that go beyond the framework established thus far, while honoring the core gameplay of past Pokémon titles.

As Trainers explore the natural expanses in Pokémon Legends: Arceus, they’ll encounter Pokémon that call these grand vistas home. To catch wild Pokémon, players can study the Pokémon’s behaviours, sneak up to them, then throw Poké Balls. Players can also battle wild Pokémon with their ally Pokémon. By throwing the Poké Ball holding their ally Pokémon near a wild Pokémon, players will seamlessly enter battle. This new gameplay angle is intended to provide Trainers with an immersive experience.

Pokémon Legends: Arceus brings Trainers to the vast Sinnoh region as it existed in the past, long before the setting for Pokémon Diamond and Pokémon Pearl was established. Rich in nature and with Mount Coronet towering at its heart, this is a Sinnoh unlike anything Trainers have experienced before as they embark to create the region’s first Pokédex.

As they start off on their adventure, Trainers will be able to choose either Rowlet, Cyndaquil, or Oshawott as their first partner Pokémon. These three Pokémon arrived with a Pokémon Professor, who encountered them on research excursions to various regions.

Rowlet
Category: Grass Quill Pokémon
Height: 0.3 m
Weight: 1.5 kg
Type: Grass/Flying

This Pokémon from the Alola region uses photosynthesis to store up energy during the day and becomes active at night. It can silently glide to its target and begin pelting it with vicious kicks.

Cyndaquil
Category: Fire Mouse Pokémon
Height: 0.5 m
Weight: 7.9 kg
Type: Fire

Cyndaquil, a timid Pokémon that is often curled up in a ball, is from the Johto region. The flames on its back flare up when it’s surprised and can also be used to protect itself when attacked.

Oshawott
Category: Sea Otter Pokémon
Height: 0.5 m
Weight: 5.9 kg
Type: Water

Oshawott is from the Unova region and has a scalchop on its stomach. It uses the scalchop to retaliate against attacks and to break open hard Berries.

Arceus
Category: Alpha Pokémon
Height: 3.2 m
Weight: 320 kg
Type: Normal

Want to know how Family Friendly Gaming feels about physical copies? Please click here.

Do you appreciate stories like this one? Have you ever considered helping Family Friendly Gaming? For more information click here.