Recommended Free Tools
Choose Pokémon HeartGold or SoulSilver if you want the Johto remake and its distinctive Pokéwalker experience. Choose Brilliant Diamond or Shining Pearl if you want a Sinnoh remake on Nintendo Switch, the Grand Underground’s Pokémon Hideaways, and compatibility with Pokémon HOME, subject to transfer restrictions. The practical differences are the region and story, signature activities, hardware and connectivity, collection options, and version-specific legendary—not an objectively established ranking of which pair is better.
At a glance
| What matters | HeartGold and SoulSilver | Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl |
|---|---|---|
| Remake of | Pokémon Gold and Silver, set in Johto | Pokémon Diamond and Pearl, set in Sinnoh |
| Platform | Nintendo DS | Nintendo Switch |
| Signature activity | Pokéwalker: take a Pokémon on walks to earn experience, find items, and encounter Pokémon on routes | Grand Underground: explore biomes in Pokémon Hideaways, mine, and use Underground loot for helpful items, evolution, and Secret Base furnishings |
| Online and local play | Nintendo’s DS Wi-Fi Connection service has ended; do not expect official online matchmaking | The Japanese product listing specifies local and internet communication; confirm regional service details |
| Pokémon HOME | Not listed as directly compatible with the Switch app | Listed as compatible, with restrictions on moving Pokémon |
| Climax legendary by version | HeartGold: Ho-Oh; SoulSilver: Lugia | Not specified in the official sources cited here |
Johto or Sinnoh: which region and story do you want?
Choose HeartGold or SoulSilver for Johto
These Nintendo DS games remake Pokémon Gold and Silver, returning players to Johto with updated graphics and sound and touchscreen features. Their distinctive extra is not just a new screen or control feature: the games connect to the Pokéwalker, a separate pedometer accessory.
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
|
Pokemon Brilliant Diamond - Nintendo Switch Brilliant Diamond Edition | $58.49 | Buy on Amazon |
| 2 |
|
Pokemon Shining Pearl - For Nintendo Switch | $49.85 | Buy on Amazon |
| 3 |
![Pokémon Brilliant Diamond: Standard - Nintendo Switch [Digital Code]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/41rWkUhlsaL._SL160_.jpg)
|
Pokémon Brilliant Diamond: Standard - Nintendo Switch [Digital Code] | $59.88 | Buy on Amazon |
Choose Brilliant Diamond or Shining Pearl for Sinnoh
These Nintendo Switch remakes revisit the story and setting of Pokémon Diamond and Pearl. The Pokémon Company describes the original story as faithfully reproduced, alongside modern player-friendly conveniences and close-up battle scenes. Players choose Turtwig, Chimchar, or Piplup at the start and travel through Sinnoh toward the Pokémon League.
If your main goal is to revisit one particular region or generation, that is the clearest deciding factor: the pairs are remakes of different games, not alternate editions of the same adventure.
#1 Best Overall
- Revisit the Sinnoh region from the original Pokémon Diamond Version game and set off to try and become the Champion of the Pokémon League
- The Pokémon Brilliant Diamond game brings new life to this remade classic with added features
- Explore the Grand Underground to dig up items and Pokémon Fossils, build a Secret Base, and more.
- Test your style and rhythm in a Super Contest Show
- A reimagined adventure, now for the Nintendo Switch system
Pokéwalker or Grand Underground?
What the Pokéwalker adds
HeartGold and SoulSilver can transfer one Pokémon at a time to the Pokéwalker using infrared. Walking with it can earn that Pokémon experience, turn up items, and lead to Pokémon encounters on Pokéwalker routes. Nintendo says the accessory was included with the game. It is a defining feature of the DS pair, but depends on having a working accessory.
What the Grand Underground adds
In Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl, the Grand Underground is the major additional activity highlighted by the official materials. Pokémon Hideaways have varied biomes and Pokémon; exploration also includes mining. Underground finds can be used for helpful items, evolution, and Secret Base furnishings.
These features suit different habits. The Pokéwalker links a Pokémon adventure to real-world walking with a separate device; the Grand Underground is an in-game exploration and collection activity. Pick the pair whose extra activity you are more likely to use.
Rank #2
- Journey to the Sinnoh region in Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Pokémon Shining Pearl!
- Embark on an adventure through the Sinnoh region with Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Pokémon Shining Pearl on Nintendo Switch, coming on 19th November, 2021!
- Adventures in Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Pokémon Shining Pearl will take place in the Sinnoh region. Rich in nature and with towering Mount Coronet at its heart, Sinnoh is a land of many myths passed down through the ages. You’ll visit many different locations in the Sinnoh region, while striving to become the Champion of the Pokémon League.
- The original story has been faithfully reproduced, and the sense of scale in the originals’ towns and routes has been carefully preserved. People who played Pokémon Diamond and Pokémon Pearl can revisit familiar places and relive familiar scenes once more. For those setting out through Sinnoh for the first time, plenty of new encounters and surprises await.
- These remakes include easy-to-understand, player-friendly conveniences of the modern Pokémon series, plus up-close-and-personal Pokémon battle scenes.
Hardware, connectivity, and Pokémon HOME
Nintendo DS: local or offline expectations
HeartGold and SoulSilver are Nintendo DS releases. Nintendo discontinued its Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection service on May 20, 2014, ending online features for affected DS and DSi software, including online play and matchmaking. Nintendo’s support page says the service that provided most online functionality for Nintendo DS and Nintendo DS Lite software titles was discontinued. Treat these games as offline or local-play choices under official service support, not as games with functioning official online matchmaking. Nintendo Support: Can the Nintendo DS Play Games Online?
Free tools Windows power users keep installed
One-click scans. No signup required.
Nintendo Switch: communication features and region
Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl are Nintendo Switch games. The official Japanese product lineup lists local and internet communication, as well as packaged and download editions. Those details are documented for Japan; check the relevant regional product and service information if you are playing elsewhere. Pokémon Japan: Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl product lineup
Moving Pokémon to Pokémon HOME
The official Pokémon HOME overview lists Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl among compatible Nintendo Switch titles, while warning that restrictions can apply when moving Pokémon. It does not list HeartGold or SoulSilver as directly supported Switch games. Do not assume the DS pair connects directly to HOME. Pokémon HOME: official overview
Rank #3
- Revisit the Sinnoh region from the original Pokémon Diamond Version game and set off to try and become the Champion of the Pokémon League
- The Pokémon Brilliant Diamond game brings new life to this remade classic with added features
- Explore the Grand Underground to dig up items and Pokémon Fossils, build a Secret Base, and more!
- Test your style and rhythm in a Super Contest Show
- A reimagined adventure, now for the Nintendo Switch system
Which version should you choose?
HeartGold or SoulSilver
Nintendo identifies Ho-Oh as the legendary at the climax of HeartGold and Lugia as the legendary at the climax of SoulSilver. If one matters more to you, that is a straightforward reason to select that version. Pokémon availability also differs between the two, but the official sources cited here do not establish a complete version-exclusive list; check a reliable, game-specific list if a particular Pokémon is the deciding factor. Nintendo: Pokémon HeartGold Version
Brilliant Diamond or Shining Pearl
Version-specific Pokémon may matter to collectors, but the sources cited here do not provide a complete exclusives list for this pair either. Compare the availability of the specific Pokémon you want before choosing; do not rely on an incomplete summary if collection is your priority.
The Tool Desk
Outbyte Driver Updater FREEFix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Outbyte PC Repair FREERepair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Buying and availability considerations
The official product information confirms that Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl have packaged and download editions in Japan, but it does not establish current retail stock, prices, or marketplace listings. HeartGold and SoulSilver are legacy DS games; if buying a used copy, check the seller’s reputation, the cartridge’s region and condition, and whether a Pokéwalker is included and functional. No current price or availability is established here.
How to decide
- Pick HeartGold or SoulSilver for Johto, the Pokéwalker feature, and a DS-era experience.
- Pick Brilliant Diamond or Shining Pearl for Sinnoh on Switch, the Grand Underground, and listed Pokémon HOME compatibility subject to restrictions.
- For online play, account for the discontinued official DS Wi-Fi service; BDSP’s Japanese listing specifies internet communication, with regional details to verify.
- For a particular legendary in the Johto pair, choose HeartGold for Ho-Oh or SoulSilver for Lugia. For other exclusives in either pair, verify the exact Pokémon against a game-specific list.
Neither pair is a universal upgrade over the other: they revisit different regions, run on different hardware, and offer different signature activities. The right choice is the one that matches the adventure and collection experience you want.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
