ThePokemonfranchise turned 25 years old in 2021, and there was no better way to celebrate this big milestone with plenty of newPokemongames. Games likeNew Pokemon SnapandPokemon Unitebrought a different take on thePokemonseries with unique gameplay. Then came the announcement of the rumoredGeneration 4Pokemonremakes in the form ofPokemon Brilliant DiamondandShining Pearl. The original titles are still cherished by fans because they were the firstPokemongame for many, andPokemon Brilliant DiamondandShining Pearlare finally here for a bit of nostalgia for veteran players, or to introduce new ones to the series.
Pokemon DiamondandPearlwere flawed in many ways, with issues like sluggishness in movement and battles, as well as a severe lack of Fire-type Pokemon in the Sinnoh region prior to beating the game.Pokemon Brilliant DiamondandShining Pearlare quite faithful remakes of Generation 4 games, but they still bring a fair share of innovation and improvements to beloved features the originals had, like theGrand Undergroundand the Poketch. However,Pokemon Brilliant DiamondandShining Pearlare not perfect, and among other issues, one of the most infuriating is that there are uncatchable Shiny Pokemon found throughout the game.
RELATED:Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl Players Can be Softlocked Inside the Seventh Gym
Early Uncatchable Shiny Pokemon in Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl
Pokemongames didn’t always have Shiny critters, but they were introduced to the games relatively soon with the release ofPokemon GoldandSilver, which featured the famous Red Gyarados. Shiny Pokemon underwent many changes over the following games, both in terms of visuals — especially considering that the visual effects for allPokemongames evolved over time — and in terms of how often they appeared. To this day, Shiny Pokemon are still extremely rare and possibly one of the most valuable findings in anyPokemongame, which means that encountering a Shiny should always be an exciting experience.
This is not always the case inPokemon Brilliant DiamondandShining Pearlbecause of a few fundamental issues, with the first being thatShiny Pokemonare not locked out of the game throughout the tutorial part. What this means is that players can run into a Shiny Pokemon while they have no Poke Balls, nor other means to catch the rare critter, and then be forced by the game to defeat it in order to progress. This is not something that’s exclusive toPokemon Brilliant DiamondandShining Pearl, but it is rather bad due to the prolonged tutorial, and it should be the last timePokemongames do something like this.
In fact, several players have encounteredearly Shinies inPokemon Brilliant DiamondandShining Pearlby now, with many finding Shiny Starly or Bidoof in the starting area or even the very first Pokemon battle. This can be extremely disappointing, seeing how rare Shiny Pokemon are, and not being able to catch one once it appears is one of the saddest in-game things that can happen. Shiny Pokemon should be something players rejoice over, rather than an occurrence that exposes a fundamental issue with the game and takes something valuable away from players.
As such,Pokemon Brilliant DiamondandShining Pearlshould become the games that exemplify this issue moving forward, with future games — possibly starting withPokemon Legends: Arceus— taking precautions to avoid these incidents. A way to prevent Shiny encounters early in the game could be to lock them out of the pool for the first five or ten minutes of gameplay. That way, veterans won’t feel frustrated knowing what they just lost, and new players can learn the ropes of the game before running into valuable Pokemon.
RELATED:Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl Fan Explains Why Modern Games Feel Different
Shiny Hunting in Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl
Shiny hunting is one of the most common practices inPokemongames, with titles likePokemon SwordandShieldproviding additional methods to hunt for these rare critters through Max Raid Battles. This is something that can be achieved inPokemon Brilliant DiamondandShining Pearlas well, as there are several overworld encounters with wild Pokemon or in locked encounters, such as Legendaries like Dialga and Palkia. However, Shiny Pokemon can be very random, as all the upset players show with their online posts about uncatchable critters appearing at the beginning of the game.
There are other ways thatPokemon Brilliant DiamondandShining Pearlcan be problematic with their Shiny encounters, like the Safari Game, where Shiny Pokemon can appear and there is much less for players over what they can do to catch them. Shiny Pokemon might simply flee without a fair chance at getting them, and that’s not okay. Something similar can happen with the many dual battles inPokemon Brilliant DiamondandShining Pearl, with story moments like that inEterna Forestwhere players are stuck with Cheryl until the exit, and her Chansey can KO random Shiny Pokemon appearing there.
Overall, Shiny encounters should remain one of the best things to happen in anyPokemongame. While it is okay if players happen to mess up the fight and accidentally defeat the wild Pokemon, that’s more of a bummer than it is infuriating because they had a fighting chance. Uncatchable Shiny Pokemon should be something that stops now atPokemon Brilliant DiamondandShining Pearl, with future games addressing the issue and preventing it.
Pokemon Brilliant DiamondandShining Pearlare available now on the Switch.
MORE:Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl’s Timed Drifloon Encounter is a Weird Oversight
