How to trade a Pokemon in Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl

Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl brings back a classic feature in the form of trading.

Trading Pokemon is as old as the games themselves. One of the most exciting aspects of the franchise is being able to trade creatures with your friends or even strangers to help complete your collection.

Things work a bit differently in Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl compared to other iterations of the series. You'll need to be at the Pokemon Center to access the ability to trade or meet one of the NPCs with a trade available.

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Different ways to trade in Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl

Version-exclusive Pokemon have made trading all that more prevalent in recent years. Because of online access, trading creatures across the globe is as easy as it has ever been.

In Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl, you won't have access to the Y-Comm like so many trainers are used to. Instead, you need to make your way to the nearest Pokemon Center.

A trainer accessing the Union Room in Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl. (Image via ILCA)

Go to the right and take the escalator down to the Union Room. This will take you to a new set of counters with NPCs behind them. Speak to the one in the middle and choose to enter the Global Room by saying "Yes, With a Link Code."

You will then set up a link code that you can distribute to your friends. More than one other person can join the Global Room in Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl, so you can have a trading group if you'd like.

Aside from trading with other players, you are able to trade some Pokemon with non-playable characters. Throughout the Sinnoh region, you'll find trainers that offer you an Abra, Chatot, Magikarp, and Haunter.

An NPC offering an Abra for trade. (Image via ILCA)

Each process is very simple and you should definitely use the trading feature at some point. There are certain Pokemon that can only evolve from being traded, with or without held items.

Just know that accessing these features in Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl does require a Nintendo Switch Online subscription. You'll need that to interact with your friends via trading, battling, or to simply hang out.