
Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl arrived on the Nintendo Switch this week, so how are they going so far? While we'll likely have to wait a little bit longer for some proper sales data to surface, according to the charts on the Nintendo Switch eShop, Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl are already best sellers in the US, UK, Japan, and even countries like Australia.
So which version is number one? In every location mentioned, it's Pokémon Brilliant Diamond - featuring the legendary Dialga. The remakes of the popular Nintendo DS titles have the potential to rack up quite a lot of sales in the long run - with the Nintendo Switch recently surpassing 92 million hardware sales.
Sales of previous Pokémon game releases on the hybrid platform have also performed incredibly well. Sword and Shield and Let's Go Pikachu & Eevee are part of Switch's top ten best-selling games list. Sword and Shield have sold over 22 million copies and the Let's Go games have shifted close to 14 million so far.
During the Nintendo DS generation, the Diamond and Pearl games were able to sell over 17 million copies and became the highest-selling pocket monster games on the platform at the time.
Have you contributed to the eShop success of Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl on the eShop? Or did you pick up a physical copy instead? Leave a comment down below.
Comments 76
One man’s trash
Great to see these performing well early, hopefully this sends and will continue to send a strong message to Game Freak and Nintendo about what the Pokemon fan base wants to see more of going forward.
Well deserved, some of the greatest modern pokemon games.
I've only played Brilliant Diamond for a couple hours but I love it so far. The adorable art style just makes me happy. And I didn't play the original so I had no expectations to break.
I'm really Enjoying it, I can't believe How much I love the artstyle, I thought it might look a little off, but no, every one just looks so cute! And the pokemon battles look amazing to!
DIALGA SQUAD FOR LIFE WOOOOOO🤪🤪🤪🤪🤪
How unexpected /s
@bluemage1989 Pretty sure they've well and truly got the message that they can release literally anything and people will buy it.
Got my son’s copy yesterday… but it’ll be December 25th before he plays it.
Yay for mediocrity!
Amazing games. Picked up all of my copies yesterday afternoon, my kids are thrilled and I'll be playing my own copy when the youngsters get tucked in tonight. Can't wait to see my niece and nephew's face when they get copies for Christmas from me. Bravo to the developers for creating another critical and commercial hit. I bought an extra copy of Pearl to donate to a children's drive this year, but I might pick up ANOTHER Diamond copy to put in as well to support the developers and make another kid's Christmas this year. You love to see it!
Here in the US, the best-selling games on the eShop are:
1. Pokemon Brilliant Diamond
2. Pokemon Shining Pearl
3. Mario Party Superstars
4. GTA The Trilogy Definitive Edition
5. Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic
6. Pokemon Brilliant Diamond/Shining Pearl Double Pack
7. Shin Megami Tensei V
8. Animal Crossing New Horizons
9. Minecraft
10. Among Us
Pokemon's launch is going to be big.
Link’s Awakening
Friends of Mineral Town
Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl
Chibi Remake Squad Assemble
Of course they are, they are GOOD games
@CovidBarbie Erm not a critical hit.....
Removed - inappropriate; user is banned
Got Physical dual pack but PINs is missing so waiting until they find them to pickup the game.
I'm really digging the environmental art style especially how they blur the foreground & backgrounds.
These remakes isn't for everybody that's for sure but personally I don't really have anything bad to say about the game except for the forced exp share.
Really good games and I'm having fun playing Brilliant Diamond.
We have to remember this isn't a drastic change but a remake that keeps it like it looks before so I can live with that since I played on the 3DS version.
I've been enjoying this remake so far. I do find some of the battles too easy because of the exp. share but it's not much of a deal breaker for me. There are some few changes from the DS games but for the most part, it is as faithful as intended and I find the chibi style to be cute and the overworld just looks gorgeous to me. The rearranged music is just as good as the original but I expected no less since Gen 4 for me has the best soundtracks.
I got to say, after playing SWSH for a long time, I find it nice to go back to the more traditional top-down gameplay for once and I actually wouldn't mind having another Pokémon game like this for the Switch. Heck, I'd be satisfied if they port ORAS and XY to Switch with HD textures
Wait, am I seeing positive remarks in the comments section?!? I thought we agreed we were going to HAAAATE these games! Is it possible that it's actually cool to like a new Pokemon release? Did the Great Salty Elders of Pokemandom issue a decree that I missed? I'm so confused...
Pokémon always sell. Also, these remakes are based on good games, so there's that too. They could have been way better, of course, but in a couple of months we are also getting Legends Arceus, so I say this is a win/win situation.
I don’t get all the hate for the games am really enjoying it and loving the art style.
I am totally holding out for Legends: Arceus. I don't have time for more than one Pokemon game per year or so. It takes me forever to play through. I have Platinum for Gen4.
Not really getting all the hate. It's a pokemon game, it doesn't need to be better.
@JasmineDragon "...I thought we agreed we were going to HAAAATE these games!..."
Don't get me involved in that .... decision, I don't hate those games, really I love those games, in fact, I bought both versions, XD
Looking forward to picking it up!
Wait- Pokemon has selling power?!
that's funny but I have a lot more fun with BD/SP than with SW/SH.
I'm quite enjoying myself with them so far.
@BenAV Eh...not literally.
Put around 10 hours into it and i'm really enjoying myself, the art style is actually fine and no where near as bad as some make out plus in battle it looks like the usual style anyway. Getting 3 Mythicals within the first couple of hours is pretty wild as well haha.
I expected sales to be great despite all of its shortcomings. I will regretfully, not be contributing to the problem.
BDSP not having megas, Battle Frontier, Distortion World, Secret Base decoration, no expanded Pokedex, no EXP Share toggle all contribute to not making this game the definitive experience for Gen 4. I have no issues with the graphics (they have really grown on me), but initially it was a slap in the face that they were not the Gen 8 graphics when the previous remakes were all made using that generation's engine. All of the missing content hurts too much for me to feel good about purchasing this. I feel like I would not enjoy this because I would keep wanting it to be all that it should have been. Going back to 1 use TM is also in my opinion a great move. The GYM leader rematches and tougher E4 are all very welcome and positive changes. No HM is great too! But sadly, this is not enough to get me to bite
This is why we can't have nice things. RIP decent Pokemon games. It was fun while it lasted.
Popular franchises sell regardless of quality, leshockedpikachuface.
Cya
Raziel-chan
@BenAV Yeah its funny how fans are so quick to bring up sales when they're proving your point how pokemon fans will buy anything...
I think I'm beginning to understand the intentions of The Pokémon Company when it comes to the more modern remakes.
Looking back at some of the "better" remakes, such as Fire Red/Leaf Green and Heart Gold/Soul Silver, the amount of content within them is way beyond what was offered in their respective original games. The story was the same or improved, the game was played on much better hardware, and the gameplay was more diverse, but I think there's a line to draw on how far that should go. What they lost was their original charm and rather than being a "remake," it fundamentally ended up being a whole new game because of the meta differences, completely forgetting what it originally set out to be. Sure, you can say that it's more fun to see Pokémon from other generations and regions in a place you grew up in, but at the same time, the idea of being a faithful remake is gonna be lost in some way.
It's not about development constraints, given The Pokémon Company has way more than enough money to invest in that sort of stuff. It's a creative decision that's hard to take in at first, but comes in understandably.
Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl honestly doesn't seem too bad; it's much like what I saw with Let's Go. Simplicity and familiarity is all that the games need.
@NinjaGuy69 Pokemon S&S and its DLC, Lets Go and BD/SP are all good games at the very least and Pokemon Legends is looking to be the biggest shape up the games have ever seen.
@WallyWest That's your opinion. You're free to enjoy whatever games you want (even all of the garbage games that you listed). Have fun!
Really don't understand the dislike for the Gen 4 remakes. They are really well made.
Yes, but these remakes are objectively bad so why do people seem to want these games? Everyone has to like what I like, this is how the world works.
Removed - unconstructive
Looks like all the minority backlash stirred up by the highly dubious review on here, has had little effect on sales, what a shocker.
If Let’s Go which had objectively worse issues then this game [which got a 8/10 here lol] can sell over 10 million then this game will have no problem succeeding. 95% of the consumer base won’t care about dumb hardcore Pokémon community gripes like forced exp share, that it’s chibi, or that it’s not Platinum. They see remake mainline Pokémon game on a modern platform and they buy.
So far, I am loving Pokémon brilliant diamond. Although was very skeptical about the “chibi look”, the quality and traditional feel is definitely still there, and it works beautifully while modernizing the Diamond and Pearl series. The music is great.
Dialga is the better legendary but all my friends are getting Brilliant Diamond so I'm getting Shining Pearl this time. Pearl also has Lugia & the Bird Trio > Ho-oh & the Beast Trio in Diamond
Next up, we'll be seeing Black and White remakes with 8-bit graphics and a budget of 2000 dollars, and it will still sell like hotcakes.
@Onett "Yeah the review here along with attempting to somehow rank it as the worst Pokemon game is a really petulant and weird thing to see on here."
But this IS the worst pokemon game. According to metacritic, if you compare with any other pokemon game, this one has the lowest average score. (comparing with mainline games)
@johnvboy "Looks like all the minority backlash stirred up by the highly dubious review on here, has had little effect on sales, what a shocker"
Being number 1 in the first week doesn't really mean anything. All pokemon games did that. There's still a chance this game ends up being the worst pokémon game when it comes to sales performance (which I hope happens). Let's take a look at final numbers.
@Sinister Because they are literally carbon copy of the originals done lazily. It has less features then platinum.
There are mobile games that look better, but this one is sold at a full price of $60.
Its crazy to me that diamond is already selling better than pearl considering it was the version that leaked early
I mean it's Pokemon, it's always gonna sell like crazy. Fortunately I couldn't care less about the series so it's just an opportunity for me to save my money
@Onett and sales are a better way to do that?
Only issue I have with these is when I try to play docked the game looks blurry and jiggery. Look awesome in handheld on the OLED though
I didn’t get the game day 1 because I was at seaworld. But day 2 is still good. And I’m still gonna like this game no matter what people say.
@IronMan30 please tell me your being sarcastic. Cause if your not then you kinda sound like a grade b jerk.
@Greatluigi yes, that was very heavy sarcasm.
@IronMan30
Because some peoples have different opinions about Pokemon games and they don't really mind with the "mediocre" Pokemon games as long the games are playable.
You don't need to be a fan of Pokemon to play Pokemon games.
@IronMan30 ok
i feel like pokemon as a franchise only appeal to core, long time fans now. as an outsider looking in these games are so stale and safe, i dont remember how i felt paying any of the 3ds entries. i get more interest seeing the new pokemon designs than actually playing the game
I've been super surprised at the negativity around this game. The series is finally going in a direction I like for the first time in a long time. Also, I actually really like the art style, it's pretty similar to the links awakening remake.
@Anti-Matter I know, people on the internet like pretending their opinions are correct and I was making fun of that concept.
People now a days just like to complain just to complain
I am one of those contributers, I wanted this the second it was available. I'm having such a great time, too, easily my favourite Pokémon game on Switch. I wanted classic Pokémon without lame gimmicks and this game delivers. So comfy cozy, I'm getting the same warm fuzzies I had with the original~
Switch is a device where they can bring back litteraly everything.
Remake older games, bam top 10 😂
Even where many complain "boehh, bahhh mehhh" bam top 5 in the list haha. So funny, Nintendo ia gonna Stay forever.
@marcel1_1.,
One thing about people on here, they just refuse to look facts and history in the face, every Pokemon game on the Switch has had it's minority haters on here and various social media platforms, all stating their will be a sales boycott for these games, and yet every time they have been proved incorrect when the games go on sale.
But of course this one will be different, and the wider mass market Pokemon fans will finally wake up and smell the coffee, and realize they are being sold poor games by Gamefreak.
When back in the real world the fans will just buy and enjoy these latest Pokemon releases, and totally oblivious to any issues on here or social media sites, then the complainers can resort to their usual backup plan of, the mass Pokemon buying public are dumb and stupid and will buy anything, or the great sales do not equate to satisfaction or enjoyment, and of course label these people as part of the problem, as they allow GameFreak to be lazy in the first place.
Seriously, you could not make any of this stuff up, and it pretty much writes itself each and every time.
@liljmoore Especially on this site.
Remove the national pokédex? Everyone on Nlife complains.
Game releases: best selling Pokémon game ever.
Nlife community: surprised Pikachu face.
New Pearl / Diamond remakes; everyone on Nlife omplains about the graphics.
Game releases: within a day on bestsellers list.
Nlife community: surprised Pikachu face.
Every time it's the same. Because this isn't the only two examples.
On a personal note, I've been loving the game since friday. It's really a faithful remake of one of the best Pokémon games.
The 3rd best seller right after the two Pokémon versions is the GTA trilogy. (in Europe at least)
This should mean according to some people here that those also are very good games without any glaring issues, because they are selling well.
At this point is it even news if games from the biggest multimedia franchise of the world are selling well on one of the best selling consoles right now? Games like Pokémon, FIFA and GTA will sell regardless their problems or quality.
@ModdedInkling Apologies for the late reply but I still want to give my thoughts on your comment. You had some good points and I would like to share my thoughts as well on this subject.
I disagree with your take on HGSS, Fire Red/Leaf Green as remakes. In my opinion I believe that is an example of how a remake should be done and that more games/developers should follow its example.
HGSS as a remake did exactly what is was supposed to do - remake the game from the ground up while giving you the same experience with updated visuals - being the new sprites for pokemon, character models, cutscenes, etc. Now you have the experience of pokemon silver/gold now with a visual upgrade and its basically the same experience. But as well as the obvious visual upgrades you get tons of more content as well as quality of life improvements, and iirc balance changes for competitive play with typing.
The charm is undoubtedly there with hint of a modern touch as a remade should be. I think the fact that so much thought and effort was put into HGSS not only as remakes but as games themselves are why there are so beloved to this day and a bunch of peoples favorite pokemon game, myself included.
Sure you can argue that the meta changes can change the game drastically which it does but not everyone plays pokemon competitively and it already fulfilled its goal of remaking the game.
Now what separates BDSP from HGSS? Well it doesn't do anything special if anything at all. You could make the argument that its perhaps too faithful to the point where the remake is so 1-1 and uninspired that theres little point in just buying it over the original games. And apparently some content is removed which gives people more reason to just play Platinum.
Don't get me wrong there is nothing wrong with taking a safe approach, just look at the upcoming remake for Dragon Quest 3 - from what we were shown it looks to be very faithful with a gorgeous HD 2D artstyle and that alone won me over because the visual upgrade is so drastic compared to the original game or other remakes of it.
This isn't to say that BDSP aren't worth buying for most people though, a lot of people are enjoying their time with them as I'm typing this reply and I have a lot of friends that bought them, they just in my opinion are uninspired and too bland for me personally to even consider getting them, especially when Platinum exists. BDSP as remakes could've been handled alot better.
@iLikeUrAttitude
I'm actually taking a bit of a more observant approach towards this. Subjectively, I definitely prefer FRLG and HGSS over BDSP.
@Primarina No one is asking a game with all continents, all pokémon, all features, etc. You are attacking a straw man here. Fans are just asking for a good game.
Fire Red and Leaf Green expanded on the originals, with the addition of the amazing sevii islands. HGSS also had extra content. You see anyone hating on these games?
BDSP instead of extra content, has cut content if compared to Platinum. The Distortion World is already done in the originals, the design is ready, they just had to recreate it with 3D models. Why they didn't do it? Why not also add the Battle Frontier? Also, the obligatory exp. share isn't a valid complaint?
@Primarina No one deserves to be attacked for this reason. If you like it, good. You should only be conscious that you are encoraging the company to do the same in future games. Don't expect any of the future remakes to be like Fire red, now that they know that they can cut content and still sell like hotcakes.
People attacking you are probably frustrated pokémon fans who are blaming on you (and all people who buy) for the overly unambitious games we've been getting
If I was that curious about the game, I would've at least waited a little to buy an used copy, that way I'll not be helping the company get a profit. I still might end up doing this.
But as I said, no one should be attacked for personal taste. I was just explaining to you why some people are complaining (they are entitled to complaining, not to to attacking anyone)
Sigh when are people gonna learn to stop giving game freak money they’re not gonna do anything meaningful with.
@pspooky I suppose the chibi look was more to you taste. For me I’m kinda wishing the Pokemon franchise would get it’s act together so we don’t have another repeat of the backlash and disappointment of Gen VIII. Granted, Legends: Arceus seems like a promising shake up, but until it is played, one can’t say for certain.
@Devlind Brand recognition alone can do wonders most of the time.
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