The Sinnoh Remakes are Here! All the Best Bits From Pokémon Presents!

Pokémon has recently announced their plans for the upcoming games in the Pokémon series - including the generation IV remakes titled Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Pokémon Shining Pearl; and a brand new type of entry Pokémon Legends: Arceus.

The presentation’s first big news: an update on the gorgeous-looking New Pokémon Snap. We had a detailed look at the Lental Region, where, pairing up with Professor Mirror, you’ll build up a Pokédex, and investigate the Illumina Phenomenon, giving certain Pokémon a bluish glow. Enter edited pictures online in-game to compete in competitions and gain rewards. New Pokémon Snap will be available from the 30th April 2021.

Next up, the much anticipated (and, unfortunately, leaked) generation IV remakes made their mark. Pokémon Diamond and Pokémon Pearl get a faithful 1-to-1 recreation of the environments and story in a new 3D style, differing only in including “easy-to-understand, player-friendly conveniences of the modern Pokémon series”. Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl have been left for ILCA Inc. to develop, parting with GameFreak as is usual. ILCA Inc. previously worked on Pokémon Home (and Dragon Quest XI, Yakuza 0, and NieR: Automata, to name a few). Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Pokémon Shining Pearl can expect a late 2021 release.

Lastly, we learnt of the Sinnoh ‘pre-makes’. Pokémon Legends: Arceus, showing a ‘bold new direction’ of the series taking place in a Sinnoh of long-ago. Boasting sprawling landscapes in what looks to be an open-world style of gameplay, Legends has a prospective release of early 2022.

For the most part, Legends looks to keep the traditional in-battle UI of mainstream Pokémon games. Wild encounters and battles will look similar to the Wild Areas in Sword and Shield, with what looks like interesting differences in throwing pokeballs. Wild battles still take place, and, one assumes, trainer battles with it. Since this takes place before the Sinnoh we know, there are no gyms, and there is no Pokémon League to compete in.

The plot focuses on our task of completing the region’s first Pokédex, using a small village as your base. A travelling professor will give you the novel choice of Cyndaquil, Rowlet, or Oshawott as your starter Pokémon. All else that is known is, obviously, Arceus will form a central point in your story.

Be sure to check out the Pokémon website for further details; you can check out the full Pokémon Presents below. And as always, if you haven't already, be sure to follow us over on Twitter and Tumblr. Feel free to join our discord server, too!

Written by Harper Stephens