Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Pokemon Shining Pearl Double Pack

Genre: Compilation / Turn-Based Monster Collecting JRPG

Players: 1-4 Co-Op / Competitive (Local Wireless, Online)

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Review:

Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Pokemon Shining Pearl Double Pack is a compilation containing the two named titles, each one basically being the exact same game with only minor differences.

Here is what I thought of these games… which is similarly exactly the same with only minor differences:

Game	Genre	# of Players	Grade	tl;dr
Pokemon Brilliant Diamond	Turn-Based Monster Collecting JRPG	1-4 Co-Op / Competitive (Local Wireless, Online)	C-	Pokemon Brilliant Diamond (like Pokemon Shining Pearl), is the first requisite “remake” entry in its super-popular Turn-Based Monster-Collecting JRPG series for the Nintendo Switch. However, this is a woefully underwhelming and sorely lacking entry in the series, both by the low standards set by Pokemon Sword and Shield, and by the standards set by previous remakes. While the core gameplay here is still excellent, you could get that exact same core gameplay in countless other Pokemon games, many which look better, have more features, and will cost the same price (or less). Do not waste your money on this disgusting, cynical cash grab.
Pokemon Shining Pearl	Turn-Based Monster Collecting JRPG	1-4 Co-Op / Competitive (Local Wireless, Online)	C-	Pokemon Shining Pearl (like Pokemon Brilliant Diamond), is the first requisite “remake” entry in its super-popular Turn-Based Monster-Collecting JRPG series for the Nintendo Switch. However, this is a woefully underwhelming and sorely lacking entry in the series, both by the low standards set by Pokemon Sword and Shield, and by the standards set by previous remakes. While the core gameplay here is still excellent, you could get that exact same core gameplay in countless other Pokemon games, many which look better, have more features, and will cost the same price (or less). Do not waste your money on this disgusting, cynical cash grab.

Sometimes I wonder why a bundle even exists, but even more so this time around. Anyone who is familiar with the Pokemon franchise should realize by now that there is very little to differentiate the two included games – each one has a slightly-different roster of included Pokemon monsters, as well as some differences in the gym leaders you’ll face, but these differences are minimal, and largely present so players have more of a reason to trade with each other to get a full collection.

Unless you have two Nintendo Switch consoles and want to play through this game twice, this game has nothing to offer you as a single player. If you have a second player in your household with their own Nintendo Switch… the value of this bundle is still suspect, as it costs a penny more than just buying the two included games separately. The value in this package is particularly questionable in the digital version, where you can’t even split up the cartridges and give them to different people. Who is this package for? I suppose it’s for collectors who will snatch up any Pokemon game or bundle regardless of its actual value and cost.

At that point, it’s hardly even worth it for me to talk about the included games themselves. However, for those wondering, this is an extremely underwhelming remake of two beloved classic entries in the series that doesn’t even bother to try bringing these games up to modern standards, or the standards we’ve come to expect from remakes within the mainline series. The visuals look outright primitive, the gameplay adds some but not all of the quality-of-life updates made in later games like Sword and Shield, and unlike the original versions of Pokemon Diamond and Pearly there is no way to connect to other games in the franchise. While Pokemon Sword and Shield were a massive disappointment, I would still recommend that game over this one in a heartbeat, because at least that release pushed the series forward in some small ways, even while pushing it backwards in others.

Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Pokemon Shining Pearl Double were already terribly disappointing, underwhelming, unambitious, overpriced cash grabs already, but slapping these two carbon copies of the same game in one package and charging more for it? I strain to think of any reason one would find this package worthwhile. Even though the included games are still fun… if you wanted them both, you’d be better off buying them separately. Or better yet, just buy one of them, since the games are nearly-identical. Or better than that, get Pokemon Sword or Shield for the same price. Or better than that, if you can, get one of the 3DS entries in the series. But whatever you do, don’t buy this rip-off of a bundle.

tl;dr – Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Pokemon Shining Pearl Double Pack is a Bundle containing the two named Turn-Based Monster Collecting JRPGs without any sort of discount (in fact, it’s a penny more than buying them separately). Both games are virtually identical, the game in question being a game with good core gameplay, but gameplay that is largely unchanged from virtually every other recent game in the franchise, all of which are better than this one in a multitude of ways. You have better options for Pokemon games if you want a Pokemon game, but even if you want both Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Pokemon Shining Pearl for some reason, there is still no reason to get this bundle when you can buy the individual games separately for less.

Grade: D-

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