Pokemon Contests were first introduced during the third generation of games,Pokemon Ruby,Sapphire, andEmerald, but they were amped up to Super Contests during the following series of games,Pokemon Diamond, Pearl, andPlatinum. The basic idea was that Pokemon would be pitted against one another not in battle, but rather in beauty contests. Their moves were categorized into one of five groups—coolness, cuteness, beauty, cleverness, and toughness—and they were judged through two phases: the introduction round and the talent round.
In Gen 4, the enhanced Super Contests added a number of new elements including more rounds as well as some changes to the mechanics. Now, arecent trailer in Japanese for the remakesPokemon Brilliant DiamondandShining Pearlshowcased a ton of content for the games set to release later this month. While it was already known that Super Contests would be heightened for the remakes as is always the case with thePokemonfranchise, the trailer again showed specific details that might draw more fans into the side quests.
RELATED:Pokemon Gen 9 Will Likely Feature EXP Share the Same Way as BDSP
Comparing Pokemon Super Contests in Diamond and Pearl to the Remakes
Pokemon Super Contests are broken down into four rounds inDiamondandPearl. After choosing a Pokemon from the player’s party based on what categories its moves fall into, players dress up their Pokemon to fit that same category using random accessories they’ve collected throughout the game. However, this part of the contest was always a bit silly because it wasn’t always clear where or how the accessories were meant to be placed for the best scores.
Currently, it looks likePokemon Brilliant DiamondandShining Pearlmay have removed this part of the contest, or at least it’s not shown in the trailers that have released so far. Still, they look to keep the core element of the visual competition: ratings based on conditions in their correlating category, which can be increased using Poffins, aminigame from Generation 4that also gave fans a bit of a headache sometimes. Players were supposed to mix and swirl the Poffin dough in a bowl while following the directions of arrows, but because of the DS’s sometimes spotty touchscreen, it often resulted in burnt dough, meaning a lower-quality Poffin. While the main mechanics look to be similar to the original games, the enhancements of the Switch should improve them greatly.
One of the most notable and excitingchanges toBrilliant DiamondandShining Pearl’s contests, however, is the dancing phase. Like the dress-up round, it wasn’t exactly clear what the directions were supposed to be. While most would think it was meant to be in a style similar toDance Dance Revolutionwith up, down, left, and right controls, it was actually more like Simon Says.
But luckily, that will be changed in the upcoming remakes. Now,Pokemon Brilliant DiamondandShining Pearlexhibit a true rhythm gaming experience, which could prove to be the most fun part of thePokemon Super Contests. Perhaps there will be varying difficulties based on rank. Additionally, somePokemonplayers believe the dancing round may also employ the use of moves.
Finally, the acting competition is where Pokemon get to show their moves based on the five categories and are judged on their performance of them. Here, the goal is to feed off the energy of the audience by timing moves correctly. How well the audience receives it can change based on the Pokemon’s energy as well as the other Pokemon in the room and the moves they perform. It’s possible that this element remains unchanged in thePokemonremakes, but they’ll likely be at least streamlined.
Of course, Pokemon Contests and Super Contests always took a backseat to the main goal of beating every gym in the League and the Elite Four, but it’s good thatPokemonwill be drawing more attention toward Super Contests. While normally, players would choose moves based on strength and strategies for battles, moves for Pokemon contests operate completely differently. But theexciting changesBrilliant DiamondandShining Pearlare making provide more incentive to allocate Pokemon specifically for Super Contests.
Pokemon Brilliant DiamondandShiningPearlrelease on Aug 04, 2025 for the Nintendo Switch.
MORE:Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl HM Changes Sound Great
