On November 19, Nintendo will launch Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Pokemon Shining Pearl for the Nintendo Switch. The two titles are remakes of classic Pokemon games for the Nintendo DS, updated for a new generation of Pokemon fans. Nintendo and The Pokemon Company are very aware of the nostalgia involved in these two games' release, which is why they're going to extra mile to make it special. For example, Manaphy will be made available to all Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Pokemon Shining Pearl players shortly after launch.
As part of Wednesday's Pokemon Presents event, Nintendo confirmed a Pokemon distribution opportunity for Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Pokemon Shining Pearl players. The Mythical Pokemon Manaphy will be given out as an egg via the two games' Mystery Gift System. This distribution event will last from the two games' launch through February 21, 2022, after which Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Pokemon Shining Pearl players will have to find a different means to acquire the rare Pokemon.
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Manaphy is a Mythical Pokemon, which in-universe means that they're so incredibly rare that people often don't believe they exist. Outside of the games, Mythical Pokemon are often seen as Legendaries that are only found in special distribution events. In other words, they're quite rare. Manaphy itself is a Water-type Pokemon, said to come from the deepest depths of the ocean. They're also notable in that they can breed, though their offspring are Phiones instead of additional Manaphys.
There's an extra layer to Manaphy's distribution that makes it particularly special, however. Even more special than the usual Mythical Pokemon distribution. That's because the new distribution is itself a throwback to the original release of Pokemon Diamond and Pokemon Pearl. When those two Pokemon games launched in 2006, Nintendo's first distribution event was for a Manaphy egg, just like what Nintendo's doing now.
In other words, Nintendo is celebrating the remake of Pokemon Diamond and Pokemon Pearl by recreating the circumstances of their launch. Returning players for Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Pokemon Shining Pearl will be able to re-experience the nostalgia of not just playing through Sinnoh, but getting a Manaphy egg and raising it alongside their Pokemon adventure.
The Manaphy distribution isn't the only way that Nintendo is revisiting the original release of Pokemon Diamond and Pokemon Pearl. Nintendo is also going to be selling a special Nintendo Switch Lite Dialga & Palkia Edition console. This limited edition Nintendo Switch Lite features an identical design to a limited edition Nintendo DS Lite released in 2006. Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Pokemon Shining Pearl aren't just for new Pokemon players, but are also a nostalgic return for fans of the original games.
Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Pokemon Shining Pearl release on November 19 on Switch.
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