Nintendo announces release dates for Pokémon Brilliant Diamond, Shining Pearl, and Legends: Arceus
What you need to know
- Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl will release for Nintendo Switch on November 19, 2021.
- Nintendo revealed that Pokémon Legends: Arceus is coming to Nintendo Switch early next year on January 28, 2022.
- All three games are available to preorder at various retailers like Amazon and Best Buy.
Nintendo has announced that Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl will launch on November 19 this year. What's even more interesting is that Pokémon Legends Arceus will be out sooner than some people probably expected. Nintendo had tentatively placed it in 2022 at some point, and now the company has announced that it's releasing early on January 28.
Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl are remakes of the beloved generation four titles that feature a chibi art style, which has been contentious among some series fans. Regardless of your thoughts, the style has been modernized and battle animations have been updated to look much better than they were nearly 15 years ago.
Pokémon Legends: Arceus is Nintendo's most ambitious Pokémon game to date. Everyone has been asking for a proper open-world RPG, and Legends: Arceus is finally set to deliver that. The gameplay has been compared to Breath of the Wild, and it truly looks like a huge evolution for the series. Legends: Arceus takes place in the Sinnoh region, long before the events of Diamond and Pearl. Players will be tasked with creating the region's very first Pokédex.
There are a lot of Pokémon games on the horizon, and they look like they could be some of the best RPGs for Nintendo Switch when they release. The future's certainly bright for The Pokémon Company.
Evolution
An open-world adventure
Pokémon Legends Arceus is the next great evolution of the Pokémon series, finally creating an open-world adventure that fans have been asking for. It's due out on January 28, 2022.
Gen 4 remake
Fill out your Pokédex
Brilliant Diamond is a remake of the beloved Diamond from Gen 4. Journey through the Sinnoh region once again, battle epic Pokémon, and take on the Elite Four.
Gen 4 remake
Explore the Sinnoh region again
Capture Palkia and save the Sinnoh region from Team Galactic in Pokémon Shining Pearl. There are plenty of Pokémon to catch once it releases on November 19.
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Jennifer Locke has been playing video games nearly her entire life, and bought a Nintendo Switch specifically for all things Pokemon. You can find her obsessing over Star Wars and other geeky things on Twitter @JenLocke95.