Pokemon Legends Arceus
Image: The Pokémon Company

The next pair of Mythical Pokemon are ready to make their appearance in Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl!

The Pokémon Company has announced that the Pitch-Back Pokémon Darkrai and the Alpha Pokémon Arceus will be available to catch from later today, 15th March, when software update 1.3.0 hits.

These two extremely powerful and intimidating pocket monsters (that doesn't feel appropriate to the incarnation of darkness and, well, Poké God, does it?) have their own unique methods of acquiring. If Pokémon trainers ever played the original Diamond and Pearl, then a lot of this will probably sound familiar!

To catch the centaur-like Arceus, you'll need a Pokémon Legends: Arceus save file on your Switch and must have completed all main missions. You'll also need to have entered the Hall of Fame and be the proud owner of the National Dex in Brilliant Diamond or Shining Pearl. Then return to your bedroom, where you can get the Azure Flute. Take this flute to the top of Mount Coronet and play it at Spear Pillar, where Arceus will appear and be ready to do battle. Bring lots of Poké Balls.

While Arceus' catch method adds the Pokémon Legends requirement, the dream-eating Darkrai is identical to its DS counterpart. You need to obtain the member Card, which you can get between the new moons, via the Mystery Gift feature. And, like Arceus, you'll need to have beaten the Elite Four and the Champion of Sinnoh to enter the Hall of Fame and own that sweet, sweet expanded Pokédex.

You'll be able to download the update at 1:00 am UTC / 9:00 pm EST / 6:00 pm PST, so you've got time to fill your bag with Full Restores and Poké Balls, and prepare your team.

Don't forget, you've still got a couple of weeks to catch the shrubbery hedgehog Shaymin in-game, so make sure you pick up Oak's Letter soon!

Will you be catching Darkrai and Arceus? And are you still playing Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl? Let us know!