Pokémon Gold & Silver vs. Pokémon Diamond & Pearl: Full Comparison

Everyone knows what a modern Pokémon game looks like. There are certain mechanics that have been core to the series for a very long time, stemming back to some of the franchise’s early releases.

But what actually defines what a Pokémon game should look like? To find out, we’re comparing some of the earlier releases in the franchise, Pokémon Gold & Silver and Diamond & Pearl, to get a better idea.

Pokémon Gold & Silver vs. Pokémon Diamond & Pearl: Release Year and Platforms

Pokémon Gold & Silver came in 1999, just three years after the series began with Pokémon Red, Green & Blue. They came to the Game Boy Color, as opposed to the Game Boy of the originals. This allowed Game Freak to render its new world with a bunch of new colors. It wasn’t a total game-changer, but it certainly made exploring the world more appealing.

Meanwhile, Pokémon Diamond & Pearl became the first games in the series to be released on the Nintendo DS in 2006, kicking off Generation IV. Although this move saw the games stick to a 2D sprite art style, you can immediately see the level of detail go up a notch from previous releases. For many, the blend of consistent aesthetic with this level of detail is the best the series has ever looked, even as we’ve moved into the 3D era of Pokémon in recent years.

Pokémon Gold & Silver vs. Pokémon Diamond & Pearl: Sales

Looking at the sales of these titles, you really get a grasp of how popular the series has been over the years. Pokémon Gold & Silver stand currently at 23.7 million sales in total, a number only bested by Red, Green & Blue, and Sword & Shield.

Comparatively, Pokémon Diamond & Pearl come in at a total of 17.6 million copies sold. Although the games were still wildly popular, it does make sense. The sort of Pokémania we saw in the first few years of the franchise was impossible to maintain, but it goes to show just how many fans stuck around beyond the initial hype.

Due to emulation becoming more prevalent in the gaming industry, especially with the Nintendo DS and Game Boy Color, we expect these numbers to remain around the same now, especially with all of these games having remakes in Pokémon HeartGold & SoulSilver and Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl.

Pokémon Gold & Silver vs. Pokémon Diamond & Pearl: Available Pokémon

Pokémon Gold & Silver and Diamond & Pearl benefit massively from being released after Red & Blue. Gold & Silver only had 151 Pokémon before them, so there was still plenty of room for innovation in the designs.

Pokémon Diamond & Pearl have the same advantage, to a lesser degree. After all, they were part of Generation IV. When you consider we’re now up to Generation IX, it’s only natural that it gets harder to come up with new designs. Diamond & Pearl do a great job, resulting in some of the most iconic Pokémon in the entire franchise such as Piplup, Lucario, and Arceus.

Here’s the full list of new Pokémon you can encounter in Pokémon Gold & Silver and Diamond & Pearl:

Gold & Silver Pokémon

Diamond & Pearl Pokémon

Pokémon Gold & Silver vs. Pokémon Diamond & Pearl: Main Characters

Throughout our Pokémon Gold & Silver comparisons, we generally dislike how the protagonist works in these titles. You’re forced to play as Ethan, the male protagonist. In 2000’s Pokémon Crystal, gamers are eventually given the option to play as a female, but that’s little help here. It’s a small inclusivity change that should’ve been there from the start. Comparatively, Pokémon Diamond & Pearl gives you the choice between Lucas and Dawn. You can’t quite customize them yet (that would arrive in 2013’s Pokémon X & Y) but it’s still a great step forward.

For side cast of characters, Pokémon Gold & Silver doesn’t get much better here either. You’ve got a rival in Silver who pops up at regular intervals. Then, there’s Professor Elm who is there to help you begin your adventure to becoming a Pokémon Master. Comparatively, Pokémon Diamond & Pearl has a little more to offer in terms of characters. Barry, your rival, echoes Silver, while Professor Rowan is there to play the same role as Elm. What eventually separates Pokémon Diamond & Pearl from Gold & Silver are the antagonists, Team Galactic. The likes of Cyrus, Commander Mars, Commander Jupiter, and Commander Saturn are always there to cause you trouble, making it feel like the odds are stacked against you throughout. For us, Pokémon Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl come out on top against Gold & Silver here.

Pokémon Gold & Silver vs. Pokémon Diamond & Pearl: Pros and Cons

Pokémon Gold & Silver Pros

• Nostalgia
• Faster-paced gameplay due to smaller scale
• Less complex meta than Diamond & Pearl
• Easy to emulate in 2023

Pokémon Gold & Silver Cons

• Graphics and gameplay feel very dated in 2023
• Lack of gender choice for the protagonist

Pokémon Diamond & Pearl Pros

• Arguably the best visuals of the 2D sprite era
• Well-balanced meta despite having lots of Pokémon
• Ability to import Pokémon from GBA titles
• Added the ability to trade Pokémon around the world through the Global Trade System
• A real-time clock adds a day/night cycle
• Nintendo DS adds new mechanics through the second screen
• New Pokémon Contests
• The Grand Underground is a unique addition

Pokémon Diamond & Pearl Cons

• Notable lack of progression in sound design

Overall, we’re giving Pokémon Diamond & Pearl the edge. As a full package, Generation IV is well-balanced, not bloated, and just generally feels like a near-perfect iteration of the Pokémon formula. Both are pretty easy to emulate too, so there are no huge availability issues for either release.

Pokémon Gold & Silver vs. Pokémon Diamond & Pearl: The Final Details

We’ve got a few other details to talk about for our full comparison of Pokémon Gold & Silver with Diamond & Pearl.

The first major detail is the regions. Pokémon Gold & Silver and Diamond & Pearl are actually quite similar in this regard. Gold & Silver see you venture through the region of Johto, while Diamond & Pearl introduce Sinnoh. Both Johto and Sinnoh are based on regions in Japan, but the graphical fidelity of Diamond & Pearl means Sinnoh is seen in much greater detail. Later Generations would move away from the Japanese influences, but in these games, that isn’t yet true. Johto might be the more nostalgic region for a lot of players, but both are great fun to explore.

Throughout Pokémon Gold & Silver and Diamond & Pearl, you battle a number of gym leaders throughout the region. These battles are a huge part of progress within the game, with each Pokémon gym leader having their own type for you to adapt to. In total, there are eight Gym Badges to collect in each game. Here are the gym leaders you’ll face in Pokémon Gold & Silver and Diamond & Pearl:

Pokémon Gold & Silver Gym Leaders

Pokémon Diamond & Pearl Gym Leaders

At the very end of most Pokémon games, the Elite Four is the last step before you’re considered to be a Pokémon Master. These series of extremely tough battles test every aspect of your team, with only the greatest emerging victorious. Here are all of the Elite Four battles you’ll find in Pokémon Gold & Silver and Diamond & Pearl:

Pokémon Gold & Silver Elite Four

Pokémon Diamond & Pearl Elite Four

That’s all for our full comparison of Pokémon Gold & Silver and Diamond & Pearl. If you’re picking between these titles, we’d go with Pokémon Diamond & Pearl. They include everything Pokémon Gold & Silver offer, but with solid iterations in the gameplay without being unrecognizable from the general formula.