In order to catch Arceus atop the Sinnoh region’s Spear Pillar, players must first catch every Pokemon and face Arceus in another game, Pokemon Legends: Arceus. Some players are upset at this, wishing instead for Arceus to be attainable with only Legends: Arceus’ save data present on the Nintendo Switch. The fact that Arceus is so difficult to catch really adds to the lore that it is not like the other Pokemon — the harder challenge is warranted. Arceus’ addition to Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl is a nice bonus, and it allows the biggest mystery of the fourth generation Pokemon games to come full circle.

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Diamond and Pearl’s Mysterious Arceus

Pokemon Diamond and Pearl are the series’ fourth generations of games. Like the other gens, these games contain multiple mythical Pokemon, like Darkrai, Manaphy, and Shaymin. Mythical Pokemon are special, in that while they may be present in the game’s code, they are inaccessible to players until a special event or online distribution. Arceus is also a mythical Pokemon, and its event and related key item, the “azure flute,” are present in the files. Unlike the other Pokemon, Arceus’ event was never released in the original games.

Sixteen years have passed since Pokemon Diamond and Pearl released initially in Japan. Many Pokemon games have come and gone. Arceus has been given away a handful of times through other events by this point, but accessing it atop the Spear Pillar by using the azure flute has remained impossible. Arceus finally became available in its native Sinnoh region early in 2022, but not in the way many were expecting.

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Arceus is Finally Catchable in the Distant Past

During Nintendo’s annual Pokemon Day livestream in 2021, Pokemon Legends: Arceus was announced. Unlike many spin-offs in the series, Legends: Arceus is a prequel, taking place hundreds of years ago in the Sinnoh region, back when it was called Hisui. This announcement floored the fans tuning in — not only for the game’s impressive visuals by series standards, or the changes to gameplay, but the fact that Arceus may very well be obtainable in this game. After years and years of waiting, players will finally learn more of the mysterious “God of Pokemon.”

Well, catching Arceus in Legends: Arceus is not so simple of a task. Players must first venture out and catch the rest of the game’s 242 Pokemon species in order to take on, and eventually capture Arceus. The player’s overarching goal in Legends: Arceus is to create the first ever Pokedex, so Arceus itself is a more than suitable reward for doing so.

Being a prequel, Legends: Arceus is a great game for fans of the Pokemon series’ lore. It is revealed how the modern Pokedex came to be, how Spear Pillar fell into its iconic, ruined state, and the overall power Arceus holds over the Pokemon universe. Despite this, some players were still a little disappointed. Sure, the azure flute is finally played atop the Spear Pillar here, but this game takes place in the distant past of Hisui — Arceus still cannot be captured in modern day Sinnoh.

Arceus Finally Arrives in Sinnoh

The day has finally arrived, as the Pokemon Company announced that Arceus is catchable in Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl, along with the azure flute and whole original event. Fans have waited 16 years for this moment, and while it may not be in the original fourth gen games, excitement to catch Arceus is at its maximum. Somehow though, some fans are still disappointed by this news.

Obtaining the azure flute is not as simple as picking it up from an NPC, or even receiving it for having Legends: Arceus save data on the Nintendo Switch. Players must catch every Pokemon in Legends: Arceus in order to catch it in Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl. This disappointment is understandable, as some players do not care for the lore and just want to catch Arceus to complete their Pokedex. Others may not be bothered to complete the daunting task of finishing Legends: Arceus’ Pokedex. This group believes that Arceus should not be given special treatment and just be given to the player like any other mythical, which is a perfectly valid stance.

On the flip side, other players welcome the challenge. Arceus is supposed to be a challenge to capture. It is the main reward for completing Legends: Arceus, so it is just a bonus in Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl. On top of this, completing the Pokedex in Legends: Arceus is easier than ever, as there are no trade evolutions, and a complete lack of version exclusives due to the Pokedex being contained to one game.

Regardless of one’s stance on Arceus’ distribution, the fact that it is readily available at all is exciting. On another note, this now marks the first time that Arceus is officially available in its shiny form. Due to the speed of resetting the game to shiny hunt in Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl though, it won’t be a surprise if many do not have it by the time Scarlet and Violet release later this year.

Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl are available now on Nintendo Switch.

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