Pokemon Diamond and Pearl remakes have been the hot topic for years now. Classics like Fire Red/Leaf Green, released in 2004 and Heart Gold/Soul Silver, released in 2009, are some of the highest-rated Pokemon games of all time. Remakes of Generation 3, Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire, were released in 2014, just one year after X and Y, to commercial success as well. A Sinnoh remake is overdue.
Pokemon Diamond and Pearl were the first Pokemon Nintendo DS games and, for many trainers, their first adventure. Selling over 25.27 million copies since 2006, it’s the fourth-highest selling generation of Pokemon ever. As Nintendo continues to smash records with its latest instalment to the franchise, Pokemon Sword and Shield, the question on trainer’s lips is “will we finally be coming home to Sinnoh in Generation 8?”.
10 We Hope There’s: Mega Evolutions For Sinnoh Starters
Given the fact that Dynamaxing and Gigantamaxing from Sword and Shield are explicitly native to the Galar region, it’s unlikely that gamers will see a return to this controversial Generation 8 feature. One thing that has proven popular with fans is the X and Y feature, Mega Evolution. It’s been in almost every game since and has led to fascinating strategy in in-game battles and competitive online alike.
The Generation 3 starters in Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire got Mega Evolutions, which led to rumours circulating online that the Generation 4 starters would get the same treatment in their eventual remake.
9 We Hope It Never Happens: Let’s Go-ification
There are certainly lots of positives to the Let’s Go style of Pokemon games. Features like the more convenient UI, the overworld Pokemon and two-player co-op would be great in a Generation 4 remake. But some fans of the series weren’t sure on the lack of battle mechanics, like throwing Pokeballs and the lack of held items. Some even called the game simplified and streamlined.
Considering Nintendo’s success with the Let’s Go franchise, Twitter users were concerned that Sinnoh would be remade as part of this ‘spin-off’ series, rather than an instalment to the core series. A reputable leaker, who had previously leaked information about Galarian Mr.Mime and the Galar fossil Pokemon, even spoke briefly about the Generation 4 games in a Let's Go style.
Let’s Go Pikachu and Eevee were remakes of Kanto, which had already been made before. For the first Pokemon Diamond and Pearl remakes, most players want to see a return to the more traditional gameplay of the game they loved as children.
8 We Hope There’s: A Wild Area Mt Coronet
The Wild Area, a huge selling point of Pokemon Sword and Shield, was met with mixed responses. Some fans loved that Pokemon was finally an open-world exploration game that made them feel as if they were on an adventure. Others were more concerned about the poor graphics and framerate of the area that dropped significantly when playing online.
Rumours exploded online when the Wild Area was introduced that this would be the future of Pokemon. One rumour that has gained traction is that Diamond and Pearl would take advantage of this new mechanic. One of the main criticisms of the Generation 4 games is that Mt Coronet takes ages to travel across. Players think would be a lot less tedious if you could explore it at will and take in the vastness of the mountain in 3D.
7 We Hope It Never Happens: Sinnoh Dexit
Arguably one of the most controversial actions Game Freak has ever taken was the removal of the National Dex in Pokemon Sword and Shield. Given that the franchises tag line is “Gotta Catch Them All”, to remove the chance to “catch them all” was a decision met with harsh criticism.
A reduced Pokedex was also the case in Let’s Go. Given that Game Freak said hardware limitations were a reason for all the cuts, there’s a current rumour going around that Sinnoh will meet the same fate.
6 We Hope There’s: The Battle Zone
A worrying trend that Game Freak has followed in recent years is the removal of meaningful post-game content. Whilst this might be somewhat rectified by the “Expansion Pass’ for Pokemon Sword and Shield, a lot of post-game content is focused on competitive play.
Some players have spread rumours that Game Freak will hide Diamond and Pearl’s popular Battle Zone behind a paywalled “Expansion Pass” depending on how popular the strategy proves with Sword and Shield.
5 We Hope It Never Happens: HMs Make A Return
Mt Coronet needs all 8 HMs to explore properly. Two HM slaves in your party is a massive factor of why many fans dislike this landmark.
Much to players delight, HMs have been phased out in more recent Pokemon games. They have been replaced with Pokemon services. It’d be a huge step back to see HMs return, but some rumours on Reddit say that Game Freak is developing a “faithful” remake, which could mean you have to dig out your trusty HM slave Bibarel team.
4 We Hope There’s: An Easy/Hard Mode
Pokemon Champion Cynthia is by far one of the hardest Champions in Pokemon history. Her Garchomp was the stuff of nightmares. Sinnoh has some of the highest level trainers, which make strategy and an understanding of battle mechanics essential. Whilst this may be good for players who like a challenge, it might be enough to put some people off.
Pokémon Black 2 and White 2 introduced an Easy Mode & Challenge Mode which came as a welcome change to the Pokemon Universe. Whilst some players think that Diamond and Pearl remakes should keep their difficulty, claiming that people who struggle with the game have Let’s Go. But it’s unfair to gatekeep a game with such an in-depth story and rewarding gameplay.
3 We Hope It Never Happens: The PalPark Transfer System
With the introduction of Pokemon Home, it’s easier than ever to transfer Pokemon between games (if you have the cash.). Diamond and Pearl introduced the PalPark Transfer System to Generation 4.
This was a great idea in theory. Generation 3 was despised by fans for its inability to trade from Generation 2. The ‘Catching Show’ is where it fell apart. A redundant mini-game to run around the park and catch your Pokemon in balls that can’t fail was not fun. Despite the rumours that the PalPark area will need to be used for something, players hope it isn’t that.
2 We Hope There’s: Customization
Fans of the series were delighted when Sword and Shield announced extensive customization options, including new clothing options and a greater variety of skin tones than Sun and Moon.
Players would like to see the character customization back in the Diamond and Pearl remakes. The original games were known for their great Contest games, which allowed the player to dress up their Pokemon and live out their dreams of being an over-bearing pageant mum.
Another fun gimmick of Generation 4 was the option to add seals to ball capsules. Your Pokemon could burst out from their Pokeballs in a shower of hearts and sparks to make sure they made a good impression right from the start. They haven’t made a return since 2008, so it’s almost definitely time for them to shine again.
1 We Hope It Never Happens: Cancelation
In late 2019, a leaker revealed that Diamond and Pearl merchandise was coming. This followed a trend that suggested that Pokemon Diamond and Pearl remakes could get a 2020 release date.
However, nothing more has been revealed since then, which has led to disappointment from fans. As 2020 steadily marches on, it’s looking more and more unlikely that we’ll see Sinnoh this year. Game Freak still hasn’t even officially announced a Diamond and Pearl remake is in the works, so who knows if we’ll even get to see these games at all.