Pokémon Diamond and Pearl beta
Before their release, Pokémon Diamond and Pearl went through multiple test stages, many of which included several things eventually dropped during that period. Some remnants of this data can still be found in the game's programming.
Pre-release information
Sprites
Munchlax, Weavile, and Cherrim all have had prototype sprites from various pre-release pictures and videos, but these sprites have not been found within the data. Munchlax's just seems to be a duplicate from the Munchlax sprite in Pokémon Dash. The Cherrim prototype sprite was shown in an early Japanese commercial. It is surprisingly like the final sprite, only with the left leg up instead. Pokémon.com showed prototype sprites in their run up to the release of Diamond and Pearl. These sprites of Munchlax and Weavile, as well as those of several others, can still be seen on the page in question.
There are also leftover sprites of both the rival and Team Galactic Grunts. Despite the fact that the Sugimori artworks shown in the scans were the same as the final ones, the overworld sprites are different than those found in the games. The rival's sprite features a slightly different hair style while the grunts have darker blue hair, somewhat similar in color to Saturn's hair.
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| Beta rival sprite | Beta Galactic Grunt sprites | Munchlax vs. Weavile | Weavile vs. Munchlax |
Maps
An alternate map of Spear Pillar has been found. It is similar to the regular Spear Pillar, but the entrance to Mt. Coronet is missing. Many also think that the Mystery Zone found in the Pokémon League is a possible prototype map.
By using a "walk through walls" cheat and heading north through the trees at each of the three lakefronts, one can find a small puddle.
Official pre-release screenshots have also depicted different designs of certain maps. Two are of Jubilife City and show the Pokémon Center and the Poké Mart in different spots than the final game. Another image was of Route 219, revealing an unfinished look for water, sand and rocks. The last is of Route 203 where some early Trainers can be seen.
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| The initial design of Route 219, with another look for water, sand and rocks | Beta Jubilife City map, sporting a different disposition of the elements | Beta Jubilife City at night | Early Route 203 |
Interior 3D camera
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| Pokétch Company building in Jubilife, showcasing the 3D perspective inside buildings |
Unlike in the final release, which forces a parallel perspective inside most buildings, the three-dimensional perspective view used in the overworld was initially apparently intended for use in all buildings. Several objects inside of the buildings themselves, through hacking the camera to force it into its perspective move, have been revealed to actually be fully 3D models, such as tables.
In Pokémon Platinum, buildings that are intended to be viewed in the forced perspective camera lack side walls, only having the back one, while buildings whose interior design is carried over from Diamond and Pearl have side walls fully modeled, such as inside of Pokémon Centers. This modeling of the side walls actually causes a graphical glitch, due to sprites being seen to pass through the walls on their edges, as well as in their shadows.
Pokétch
In multiple pre-release screenshots, an early design of the Pokétch was shown. This showed a smaller app changing button and more of the device on-screen. Also, the Digital Clock application was shown without a Pikachu at the bottom-left.
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| Early Pokétch design |
Postrelease research
Unused music
- A remix of the opening theme of Pokémon Ruby, Sapphire, and Emerald can be found in the coding with a label of "SEQ_TEST_TITLE". It can be heavily implied that it was included in the very early development stages as a placeholder until the Diamond and Pearl title theme was finished.
- An unused remix of the Gym Leader battle theme, that was most likely intended to be used for the Battle Tower battle against Palmer, can also be found among the internal files under the name "SEQ_BA_TOWER".
- Music played in the Mystery Zone is a remix of the Route 206 theme. There is no clear reason for this remix, particularly due to its ambiguous filename of "SEQ_DUMMY", but it has been speculated that it could be an early or unfinished version of the Route 206 theme.
- When using the tweaking glitch and given the player is present in area that the games identify as "Jubilife City", an alternative theme of the city can be heard. It is presumed that this theme was an unfinished version of the one played in the final release of the games.
Hidden items
Various inaccessible items have been discovered in the coding of Pokémon Diamond and Pearl. These items can be obtained with use of cheating devices but cannot be used. These items are:
- S.S. Ticket, which allows entry for the luxury liner S.S. Anne (a possible reference to Red and Green or FireRed and LeafGreen);
- Contest Pass, which would allow entry into Contests. However, Super Contests allow entry without a pass;
- Magma Stone, which would be a mystical item that could be used in Stark Mountain. Although it hasn't any known purpose, it is possible it would have something to do with the Heatran event;
- Red Chain, which is a creation by the lake guardians that would be used to awaken Dialga or Palkia. Cyrus himself actually uses the item in-game, and it's possible that the Team Galactic event at Spear Pillar was initially to be activated by the player;
- Rule Book, which was a book that would be used as a guide when using the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection. It's possible that this was removed since these guidelines were contained in the games' instruction book;
- Seal Bag, which held up to ten Seals, but was replaced with the Seal Case;
- Loot Sack, which was meant to hold treasures from the Underground. It was replaced with a unique menu for the Underground.
Leftover sprites
Back sprites of Shellos and Gastrodon, presumably from one of the earliest prototype stages, have been found. These forms are possibly leftovers from when Shellos and Gastrodon were planned to be in Generation III. Shellos's sprite is pink, like its West Sea variation, and seems to combine the western variation's head with the Eastern variation's body, while Gastrodon's sprite is brown and looks like its Western variation, but with more rock-like protrusions on its body. Before the release of Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver, this was also considered by some fans to be another "unofficial confirmation" of Pokémon Gold and Silver remakes, since its Pokédex data states that its colors and shapes differs from region to region. However, this proved not to be true due to these sprites' similarities to the existing forms, and the fact that there are no front sprites for either of the prototype forms. Additionally, there are no known forms of Shellos or Gastrodon that are exclusive to HeartGold and SoulSilver.
The games' data has different back sprites for Treecko, Torchic, Mudkip, Ralts, Kirlia, Gardevoir, Jirachi, Turtwig, Chimchar, Piplup, and Manaphy – both regular and shiny forms. Sprites of a ??? type Arceus are also available.
Alternate sprites for the Camper, Picnicker, Poké Kid Trainer classes, as well as a sprite for Sis and Bro class, which consists of a male Swimmer and a female Tuber, have also been discovered.
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| Treecko back | Shiny Treecko back | Male Torchic back | Shiny male Torchic back | Female Torchic back | Shiny female Torchic back | Mudkip back | Shiny Mudkip back | Second Mudkip back | Ralts back | Shiny Ralts back | Kirlia back |
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| Shiny Kirlia back | Gardevoir back | Shiny Gardevoir back | Jirachi back | Shiny Jirachi back | Turtwig back | Shiny Turtwig back | Chimchar back | Shiny Chimchar back | Piplup back | Shiny Piplup back | Shellos back |
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| Gastrodon back | Bronzor back | Manaphy back | Shiny Manaphy back | ??? type Arceus front | ??? type Arceus back | Camper | Picnicker | Poké Kid - notice the leg | Sis and Bro |
Trivia
- The font used on the text of dialogues that is seen in the beta of the Japanese versions would later be used in the Japanese versions of Pokémon Black and White.
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This game-related article is part of Project Games, a Bulbapedia project that aims to write comprehensive articles on the Pokémon games. |
