Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl release date & UK launch time
Travel back to the Sinnoh region with Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl.
Is Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl out yet? Very nearly! The release date for the Diamond and Pearl remake is right around the corner now, and you might well be wondering when is the precise UK launch time at which you can start playing.
As the Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl release date nears, it's also worth taking this final chance to think about pre-orderer bonuses. Is it worth placing a last-minute pre-order rather than waiting to buy it post-launch? Our handy guide to the game should help you decide!
- For the latest news and expert tips on getting the best deals this year, take a look at our Black Friday 2021 and Cyber Monday 2021 guides.
Without further ado, then – because time is of the essence here – check out all the information you need to know about Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl right here.
Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl release date
The Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl release date will take place on Friday 19th November 2021, which is the last working day of this week!
One thing we know is that Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl will have a day-one patch that weighs in at about 3GB in size - so you'll have to wait for that to install before you can start playing.
When is the Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl UK launch time?
You may have seen it announced that Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl will launch in the USA at 12am ET on 19th November, but what does that mean for players here in Britain? How does 12am ET convert into GMT?
Here's what you need to know: in the UK, the Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl launch time will be 5am GMT on 19th November. You should be able to play the game when you wake up in the morning, then, unless you get up hideously early!
Who is making the Pokémon Diamond and Pearl remake?
As for who is making the Pokémon Diamond and Pearl remake, that would be Japanese studio ILCA, which is leading development here instead of the franchise originators from Game Freak (who are presumably too busy with Pokémon Legends Arceus, the Diamond and Pearl prequel that is coming next year).
Can I pre-order Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl?
Until the game comes out, you can indeed pre-order Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and/or Pokémon Shining Pearl! All the usual places to buy your AAA games should have it in stock. GAME has the Brilliant Diamond version of the game for £49.99 while Smyths Toys has Shining Pearl for £44.99. We'll keep an eye out for any deals that may be announced in the lead up to the game's release.
Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl pre-order bonus
You can also head to GAME to get an exciting Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl pre-order bonus - the UK retailer is bundling in a Dialga Figurine, an exclusive Brilliant Pin, and "a special assortment of Poké Balls to start off your adventure" for everyone that pre-orders the game. Isn't that a good reason to get your order in early?
Which platforms and consoles can play Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl?
In news that should come as a surprise to nobody, you will need to be the proud owner of a Nintendo Switch if you want to play this as it will be released exclusively on that platform - much like every other AAA Pokémon release since that console was launched.
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Is Pokémon Platinum getting a remake?
Alas, no. There is a fan-made remake of Pokémon Platinum doing the rounds, but Nintendo has not announced any official plans to remake Pokémon Platinum alongside Diamond and Pearl. If that changes, we'll be sure to let you know.
Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl gameplay
We were waiting for a while for some new gameplay footage for Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl, and then came it along, with this new video that shows us just that - and the game looks just as much fun as we had hoped.
Click play below to see some of the gameplay in action, including such features as character customisation, Pokémon following you around as you traverse the map, Super Contest Shows, capsule decoration, the Grand Underground and much more!
What is the difference between Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl?
It all comes down to a legendary Pokémon. If you want the chance to catch Dialga the Temporal Pokémon then you will want to get the Brilliant Diamond version of the game, while Shining Pearl will give you the opportunity to get your hands on Palkia, the Spatial Pokémon - other than that they're identical.
Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl Pokédex
The Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl Pokédex will likely include 150 Pokémon, just as the original games' Sinnoh Pokédex did. You should be able to see 149 of them with a thorough playthrough of the main story – don't go skipping any trainers!
To see the 150th Pokémon (which should be the legendary creature that isn't pictured on your game cartridge), you can either trade with a friend or speak to an old lady in the northern part of Celestic Town – she can show you a picture of the creature you missed out on.
Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl trailer
The first trailer for Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl has been doing the rounds for a while now - and here it is for your viewing pleasure! It's already racked up 2.8 million views (and counting) on YouTube, so you can tell that people are excited for this one. As we wait for that November release date and UK launch time to roll around, take a look below to see what the fuss is about:
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Authors
Rob Leane is the Gaming Editor at Radio Times, overseeing our coverage of the biggest games on PlayStation, Xbox, Switch, PC, mobile and VR. Rob works across our website, social media accounts and video channels, as well as producing our weekly gaming newsletter. He has previously worked at Den of Geek, Stealth Optional and Dennis Publishing.
