Pokemon Shining Pearl

Platforms

• Nintendo Switch

  Nov 19, 2021

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  8.1

  playscore

  7.3

  27 Critics

  9.5

  8.32K Players

27 critic reviews · 6 community reviews across all platforms

Critic Reviews

• 

  Way Too Many Games

  7.0

  Pokémon Shining Pearl was a nice way to revisit the Sinnoh region, and would be a great introduction to anyone new to the Pokémon series. For any returning players, the lack of what could be considered a “Legacy Mode,” letting players turn off the full party XP share, can take away from the “challenge” of the game. All around it was plenty enjoyable and definitely made more for fans who want to continue their adventure post-game and hunt shiny Pokémon.

  Reviewed on Switch

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• 

  Nexus Hub

  7.0

  Overall, Pokemon Shining Pearl is more of the same old, tried and trusted old-school Pokemon formula. It features plenty of quality of life improvements over the original DS titles while also incorporating newer, more modern Pokemon aspects such as shared experience, spruced up graphics and the streamlined HM system.

  Reviewed on Switch

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• 

  Noisy Pixel

  5.0

  Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl have definite improvements over Pokemon Diamond and Pearl. And while I did have fun, I was constantly reminded that I’ve played a better version of this game, Pokemon Platinum, and that’s been around for 13 years.

  Reviewed on Switch

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• 

  RPGFan

  7.0

  Pokémon Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl are extremely faithful remakes that provide a great entry point to the Sinnoh region for new players and a trip down memory lane for established fans, but a lack of new features or content will leave some players wanting more.

  Reviewed on Switch

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• 

  RPG Site

  7.0

  Were the games held back in scope to not step on Arceus: Legends' toes? I don't know, and I doubt we ever truly will. It's a shame either way - when it's firing on all cylinders, ILCA's first outing shows loads of promise and offers one of the most engaging Pokemon releases in years. I just wish the game itself didn't feel like it was constantly running up against limitations of its own design. Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl are good, but they could've been so much more.

  Reviewed on Switch

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• 

  Video Gamer

  7.0

  There remains about Pokémon Brilliant Diamond the glint of something far gone, and there is something warmly reassuring about the place.

  Reviewed on Switch

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• 

  IGN

  8.0

  People who played Pokémon Diamond and Pokémon Pearl can revisit familiar places and relive familiar scenes once more. For those setting out through Sinnoh for the first time, plenty of new encounters and surprises await. Players of this remake will find the easy-to-understand, player-friendly conveniences of the modern Pokémon series, plus up-close-and-personal Pokémon battle scenes.

  Reviewed on Switch

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• 

  TheGamer

  7.0

  The problem is that these are very good remakes of Diamond & Pearl and excellent games in and of themselves - they’re just nowhere near the best Gen 4 remake. Given that Platinum is still superior to Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl in almost every conceivable way, it’s difficult to comprehend why these games even exist aside from making them available on a modern console, in which case… just port Platinum. That’s the main takeaway I have from my time with Shining Pearl: it’s brilliant and it shines, but not quite as brilliantly bright as a game that came out 13 years ago.

  Reviewed on Switch

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• 

  COGconnected

  7.2

  If you’re familiar with the old games, this will be a mostly pleasant nostalgia trip. Especially if you’ve forgotten everything that happens, like me. The only hitch is the baffling visual and audio design. More than anything, these choices suggest that the Pokemon Company isn’t exactly sure what fans want out of these games. Brilliant Pearl feels well-crafted yet confused, like they pursued several disparate visions at once. If you can see past these strange decisions, you’ll find a set of pretty respectable Pokemon games.

  Reviewed on Switch

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• 

  Metro.co.uk

  6.0

  As a straight remake of the original game, it’s actually fairly difficult to criticise Brilliant Diamond because it does exactly what it says on the tin. But because what it’s doing is so simplistic and unambitious it’s very hard to get invested. Unless Diamond and Pearl happens to be your favourite entry there’s nothing here that isn’t done the same or better in every other Pokémon game for the last 15 years.

  Reviewed on Switch

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Community Reviews

About the game