Pokémon celebrated its 25th anniversary last February, commemorating a multimedia franchise that has become one of the most popular and profitable worldwide. But an entire generation of Pokémon fans celebrated for a specific reason that day: the long-awaited Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl were finally announced. The Nintendo Switch remakes of the original “Generation IV” games — Pokémon Diamond and Pearl for the Nintendo DS — are set to release this month. Millions of long-time fans are expected to relive their childhood experience of the originals, while newcomers will be introduced to a classic and beloved part of the Pokémon world from 15 years ago.
The Pokémon franchise is no stranger to remakes — in fact, they’ve been a regular part of the Pokémon formula since 2004, when Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen were released, remaking the first ever Pokémon games, Red and Green. Remakes usually recreate games from previous “generations” for a newer console: for instance, the second-generation Game Boy Color games, Gold and Silver, were remade into HeartGold and SoulSilver for the Nintendo DS in 2009, retelling the same story while updating the graphics and technology. These remakes help keep the Pokémon franchise alive in between original core series games.
But while the popularity of the franchise all but guarantees financial success in each new release, it does not mean the quality of the games is consistent. Though every Pokémon game essentially has the same structure, some are more liked than others. Thus, with the upcoming release of new remakes once again, it’s worth asking: what makes a Pokémon remake good?
Obviously, nostalgia plays a huge part in the success of any remake. The reason Pokémon remakes get made is to cash in on the fanbase’s fondness for particular games. The first Pokémon games I ever played were Diamond and Pearl — as with many fans my age — so I have been waiting for these remakes for a long time. There is an expectation that Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl will capture the essence of the originals and allow us to recreate those old memories. If aspects that fans loved about the originals are also in the remakes, then they are bound to be loved as well. For instance, while most Pokémon games feature only one region of the Pokémon world, one highlight of Gold and Silver was the ability to travel between the Kanto and Johto regions — a feature that carried over to HeartGold and SoulSilver, delighting fans. On the other hand, a beloved feature for many fans of the third generation was the Battle Frontier, which was not included in the later remakes, Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire, to many fans’ disappointment.
But nostalgia alone cannot carry a remake. After all, what’s the point in buying a remake that’s exactly like the original if you could just play the original again? Remakes must also bring something new to the table to justify their existence. For instance, the sixth-generation Nintendo 3DS games finally brought the franchise from two-dimensional, sprite-based gameplay to a livelier 3D world, as well as introduced a new gameplay mechanic called “Mega Evolution”. These features were also included in Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire, breathing new life and perspective to the original third-generation games for the Game Boy Advance. Taking advantage of more advanced gaming technology is what allows remakes to go further than the original versions and give fans a better experience.
But new features aren’t always received well. When the Nintendo Switch games Let’s Go, Pikachu! and Let’s Go, Eevee! remade the first-generation Game Boy title Yellow, they decided to update the mechanic of catching Pokémon — which has remained constant for every game — to resemble that of the popular mobile game Pokémon Go. This change was not taken lightly by long-time fans, who believed that the new mechanic affected and disrupted the usual flow and strategy of Pokémon games. Subsequent games would go on to return to the original mechanic.
Thus, it seems like good Pokémon remakes strike the balance between faithfulness to the originals and new improvements that enhance the experience. Then, where do Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl place among this spectrum? Based on the trailers, the new remakes are leaning towards faithfully recreating the original experience with only minimum additions. This precipitated a mixed reaction, with some long-time fans criticizing the decision to use a “chibi” aesthetic, similar to the original 2D games, rather than take advantage of the Switch’s more advanced technology that would allow for more immersive environments and characters. The apparent non-inclusion of new Pokémon and newer mechanics like Mega Evolution or Dynamax also serves as proof that the remakes only aim to reproduce, instead of update, the originals.
It may still be too early to make a judgment before the games are released. However, based on what has been revealed about them so far, Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl are shaping up to be a missed opportunity at modernizing the beloved originals in light of developments in the Pokémon franchise and in gaming technology. Nonetheless, perhaps the most important lesson in the history of Pokémon remakes is this: no matter how well or badly these games are received, as long as people keep buying and playing them, they will keep getting made.