All of these are questions that we ask ourselves anytime a new Pokémon game comes out. Nintendo’s clever little sales tactic of separating games into two versions doesn’t matter as much as you think it does, though, and I’m going to tell you why. So, should you get Pokémon Brilliant Diamond or Shining Pearl?
You Should Get Pokémon Shining Pearl, but It Doesn’t Matter
For any casual players out there, the decision doesn’t matter one bit. Except for some version exclusives, there is no difference besides the color schemes. So, if you prefer Palia, get Pearl, and if you prefer Dialga, get Diamond.
For anyone considering themselves a step above casual, though, the choice matters for convenience-sake; especially if you’re going to be completing the Pokédex.
I cannot tell you how long I spent trying to trade for Pokémon Shield version exclusives while trying to complete my Sword Pokédex. Everybody seemed to have bought Pokémon Sword. That’s no surprise, though, because Zacian was a better-looking legendary compared to Zamazenta.
When it comes to the new Pokémon games, the same can be said for Diamond and Dialga. Everybody is going to be buying Brilliant Diamond, meaning you’re going to have a harder time trading for Pearl version exclusives.
If you buy Pearl, on the other hand, you’ll have a much handier time filling up your Pokédex.
Ultimately, though, you’re only saving a few hours at most. So the choice is completely arbitrary beyond convenience if you plan on trading with other people.
For us introverts that dread the idea of a Discord trading channel, though, you might want to take a look at the version exclusives.
There are quite a few of them, too. Although, to GameFreak’s credit, the quality of the exclusives is fairly balanced on each side. While I’d argue that Diamond wins out purely because of Murkrow, fan-favorites like Salamence and the legendary bird trio are exclusive to Pearl.
Ultimately, just like with anything Pokemon, it all comes down to personal preference. Just go with what grabs your attention the most and don’t worry about missing out. All of those Pokemon are just a single trade away.
