The highly-awaited Colosseum Mode has been added to Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl.
This comes as part of the latest 1.2.0 patch update, with the feature anticipated by fans since the Sinnoh remakes’ launch last November.
Players can visit the second floor of a Pokémon Center to battle with other players locally or online in Single, Double or Multi Battles. Custom rulesets can also be used in the Colosseum, letting players choose the number of Pokémon to send into battle as well as their levels. Other options include banning “special” Pokémon and forbidding duplicate monsters or items. Union Room functionality has been upgraded, with the maximum number of players that can battle or trade either locally or online increased from two to eight. Players can also now show each other their Trainer Cards or Capsule Decorations.
The patch introduced software preventing Pokémon acquired “via unintended methods or illicit modification” from being traded or used in Link Battles.
A data mine has suggested the games now check for cloned creatures anywhere in a trainer’s save data, including their party, PC boxes and any Pokémon left at the Nursery.
This is likely in response to players duplicating Pokémon when the games first released, with 1.2.0 also implementing some bug fixes.
The Colosseum was introduced in Pokémon Gold and Silver and has appeared in the games since, while Multi Battles first appeared in the third generation.
Version 1.2.0 comes ahead of Pokémon Day on 27 February, with The Pokémon Company making announcements for various games and projects in the franchise every day this week.
The update will be welcomed by fans of the Sinnoh remakes, showing that the games are still receiving improvements despite the release of Pokémon Legends: Arceus in January.
Pokémon Legends: Arceus is set in ancient Sinnoh, known as the Hisui region, and switches up the franchise’s traditional formula by featuring large open areas. Rather than beating the traditional gym challenge to become Pokémon Champion, players are tasked with completing the first-ever Pokédex.
Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl are available now on Nintendo Switch.
Words by Julius Lawless-Master
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