Pokémon Black 2 & White 2 vs. Pokémon Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl: Full Comparison

What exactly are the differences between two Pokemon games, and how do they compare? With a franchise dating back over 20 years, it can be challenging for a new player to answer these questions. Each Generation has unique mechanics, styles, and, of course, Pokemon.

This article breaks down everything there is to know about Pokemon Brilliant Diamond/Shining Pearl and Black 2/White 2. By the end, you’ll figure out which game is best for you and hopefully learn some interesting facts. Each of these iconic games represents a change in the series, with one being a sequel while the other is a remaster. So, let’s jump right in and give a full comparison of these legendary titles.

Games

It’s not often that Pokemon games get direct sequels. Storylines or characters may transfer over to other games but, for the most part, have no connections. Pokemon Black/White 2 was the sequel to the 2010 game Pokemon Black/White. While it didn’t sell as well(7 million copies compared to 16 million), the games feature new storylines taking place two years after the original games.   

Brilliant Diamond/ Shining Pearl are remakes of the 2006 games Diamond/Pearl, the first Pokemon games released on the DS. The remakes feature modernized graphics, a new engine, and an overhaul to some gameplay mechanics. As of 2022, BD/SP sold over 14 million copies worldwide. These sales are close to the original titles that sold 17 million copies. 

Regions 

Brilliant Diamond/Shining Pearl brings players back to the Sinnoh region, an island based on the Japanese island of Hokkaido. Due to its location, it featured the first snow/cold weather route in the franchise. A large mountain splits the island in half, creating two distinct sub-regions. It also doesn’t have many water routes, with most areas in the games taking place on land despite being an island.   

Black/White 2 take place in the same Unova region. Unova is far from other regions like Kanto, Johto, Hoenn, and Sinnoh. The area takes inspiration from New York City and features a mix of residential and industrial areas. Various new Black/White 2 areas are absent in the first games. The region has one of the greatest ranges in the franchise, with small rural towns and large metropolis areas. 

Features 

Brilliant Diamond/Shining Pearl are relatively faithful remakes of the original games but have distinct differences. These changes make the game easier and less of a headache and grind to get through. While not all of them are popular, it showed how the developers tried modernizing the game for today’s audience. 

• HM Moves: HM or Hidden Machine moves make their return in BD/SP. In the original games, these were moves taught to Pokemon and were required to access certain areas. Only the required HMs return and no longer require teaching one of your own Pokemon to use them. 
• Auto-Save: Unlike past titles, BD/SP have auto-saves, meaning you won’t have to save after every minor accomplishment manually. 
• Portable PC: The player’s PC can be accessed from anywhere after unlocking it from the first Gym Battle. No longer will players have to travel to a Pokemon Center to swap out Pokemon. 
• Exp. Share: Pokemon can now gain experience and level without having to battle. If one Pokemon wins a battle, every Pokemon on the team will receive some exp.
• Battle Knowledge: After battling a Pokemon once, the game will inform you which moves are effective/not effective, making fights easier. 
• Pokemon Platinum: Pokemon Platinum is often seen as one of the best games in the franchise. The game fixed issues from Diamond/Pearl and created one of the most memorable experiences. However, content and changes from Platinum cannot be found in these remakes, being more faithful to their direct games.

Most features in Black/White 2 stem from Black/White but have some unique mechanics. This adds to the games being treated more like sequels than other titles like Emerald or Platinum, which act as enhanced base game versions. 

• A Challenge and Easy Mode were introduced, raising and lowering opposing Trainers’ strength.
• Pokemon World Tournament: Players can battle Gym Leaders and Champions from all five regions, bringing back classic characters. 
• Pokestar Studios: A new feature that allows players to make their own movies with Pokemon. 
• Trainers can earn medals, which act as achievements in-game. 
• Every Trainer in the game has their own battle animations, along with the Pokemon.
• Move Tutors return from Pokemon Platinum that teaches moves for Shards. 
•  A new Team Plasma was formed during the two-year time skip, with Ghetsis again running the team. 
• Several areas previously limited to the post-game of Black and White are now part of the main story.

Gym Battles 

Both games feature the classic Pokemon system of fighting eight Gym Leaders before fighting the Elite Four and eventually the Pokemon Champion. However, there are some key differences between the two. Brilliant Diamond/Shining Pearl features an Exp. Share that levels Pokemon up simultaneously.

This takes away hours of grinding for levels and usually makes the final battles easier. While Pokemon Black/White 2 has no such feature, it does allow players to battle every Leader and Champions from previous games. Because of this, there is a larger variety and post-game content to complete than BD/SP. 

Pokemon

At release, fans were taken aback by Black/White since they featured an entirely new roaster of Pokemon. This was the first time in the franchise, besides the first game, that had all new Pokemon created for the game. Past titles relied on a combination of new and old to flesh out the experience. Black/White 2 kept this new roster of Pokemon, making it easy for fans to adjust to the new game.

Similar to Black/White 2, BD/SP features the same Pokemon from the original game. Although some fans wanted a combination of old and new, the team made the remake as faithful as possible. It’s because of this that the remakes are polarizing among fans.

Brilliant Diamond/Shining Pearl Pokedex

Black/White 2 Pokedex