The highly anticipated Pokémon Diamond and Pearl remakes were finally revealed, but fans are split on the art

• Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl are coming in late 2021.
• Rumors about the remakes to generation four of the franchise have been swirling for months.
• The return to Sinnoh has an art style that has some fans puzzled and confused.

During Friday's Pokémon Direct stream, Nintendo and the Pokémon Company announced a remake of the classic Diamond and Pearl games. Alongside Pokémon Legends: Arceus, which will release in 2022, the 25th-anniversary stream gave fans plenty to talk about on social media.

Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl take the classic story that introduced 107 new Pokémon like Chimchar and Dialga, adding a chibi aesthetic. Developed by Gamefreak and support studio ILCA, which worked on Dragon Quest XI and Nier Automata, the two games arrive in late 2021.

First released in 2006 for the Nintendo DS, Diamond and Pearl had players explore the Sinnoh region in the fourth generation of games for the franchise. With experiences like catching Drifloon on a Friday or watching Castform change with the weather while battling your way through the Elite Four, these two titles are often seen as some of the best in the series. Fans have been waiting patiently ever since the generation three Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire remakes launched in 2014.

Fans of generation four have been sharing their excitement over social media

After Friday's live stream, #gen4 hit number three trending on Twitter in the United States with over 27,000 tweets, followed closely with #Sinnoh. #Cyndaquil, and #PokémonPresents. Opinions on the look of the series seem mixed, with some happy with this new coat of anime aesthetic, while others are disappointed that the original pixel style has been washed away like a Snorlax in a bath.

Some have also noted that the previous Nintendo Switch Pokémon game, "Let's Go, Pikachu and Eevee," had a more realistic look to its overworld and trainers.

Generation four sparks nostalgia for a lot of trainers and remaking the game properly is a massive undertaking. For those that were introduced to Pokémon through Diamond and Pearl, seeing your trainer looking closer to a Mii can be a hurdle to get over - even if it takes a heavy inspiration from the original art style.

In the original generation four games, Arceus was never able to be caught without the use of cheats or hacks in an American game. With the god Pokémon being the subject of the open-world Switch title, players are also excited about finally getting their hands on the Pokémon that literally created and shaped the game's universe.

Sinnoh remake rumors have been swirling for months

Rumors about a Diamond and Pearl remake have been circling for years, but there wasn't any concrete proof of the game until 2020. In December, series producer Junichi Masuda tweeted a photo of Psyducks plushies gathered in a block, similar to a scene that happens in Diamond and Pearl. Merchandise featuring Sinnoh's starters started to pop up over the last few months, leading up to this reveal.

Smaller rumors have circulated for the past month, like two new Nintendo Switch games popping up on GameStop.