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Nearly two decades after "Pokémon Diamond and Pokémon Pearl" launched on the Nintendo DS, fans have uncovered a rare behind-the-scenes documentary that provides a unique look at how the Generation 4 games were developed.
The footage offers an unusual glimpse into Game Freak's Pokémon development process. It also features early Pokémon designs and concepts that were changed, abandoned, or never appeared in the final versions of the games.
Rare Pokémon 'Diamond and Pearl' Documentary Surfaces Online
The documentary, reportedly titled "Pokémon Diamond and Pearl: Behind the Scenes DVD — Make All," was created as an internal development feature at Game Freak. It was not originally intended for a wide public release.
The approximately 43-minute documentary reportedly covers the creation of the fourth-generation Pokémon games. "Pokémon Diamond and Pearl" originally launched in Japan in September 2006 before reaching North America in April 2007.
The games later received Nintendo Switch remakes in 2021 with "Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Pokémon Shining Pearl." However, the newly surfaced footage focuses specifically on the development of the original Nintendo DS titles.
A physical copy of the DVD was reportedly acquired by Pokémon fans and preserved, allowing the community to study material that had remained largely inaccessible for years.
Early Pokémon Designs Show Scrapped Generation 4 Ideas
One of the biggest attractions of the documentary is its collection of early Pokémon concepts.
The Generation 4 starter Pokémon, Chimchar, Piplup, and Turtwig, appear in earlier design stages. An old artwork reportedly shows Chimchar with a much brighter red color on its rear section.
Turtwig's earliest concept also appears to have been different from its final tortoise-inspired appearance. One early version reportedly resembled an armadillo, showing how significantly some Pokémon designs can change during development.
Polygon also reports that early color concepts for Empoleon, Piplup's final evolution, have also attracted attention. Some fans have speculated that the design may indicate an early idea for Empoleon to have a Water/Ice typing before Game Freak ultimately made it Water/Steel.
Other unused concepts reportedly include a possible water-based starter known as a "Foam Dog," a gnome-like evolution concept for Delibird, and an early version of Sandygast.
Some fans have also identified similarities between unused designs and Pokémon introduced in later generations. However, these connections remain speculative and have not been officially confirmed by Game Freak.
Pokémon Archivists Examine the Lost Footage
Pokémon archivist Lewtwo has examined the documentary and highlighted numerous early creature designs featured in the footage. Some appear to have evolved into familiar Pokémon, while others may have been discarded or potentially influenced later concepts.
According to reports surrounding the preservation effort, a copy of the DVD was discovered through a Japanese auction and purchased by a fan.
Another copy was later acquired by Pokémon collector Neos, who worked with Lewtwo and other members of the Pokémon archival community to preserve and document the footage.
The documentary is now available through fan preservation efforts, although the original footage is reportedly presented entirely in Japanese.
For more "Pokemon stuff," check our recent article about the fan-made male Salandit evolution for "Winds and Waves."
For trading card fans, read our report about the"Pokémon Storm Emeralda" set.
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