Pokémon BDSP: How To Join Groups (& What They're For)

 Groups are one of the ways that trainers can connect with others either locally or around the world in Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl.

One of the ways that trainers can connect with other players in Pokémon Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl is through Groups. Groups are in-game gatherings that are mostly used for local online play, allowing trainers to battle, trade, and mix records with one another to share stats and Pokémon. Creating a Group is simple in Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl, and perfect for any family or friends regardless of the distance between players.

Joining or forming a Group with others is an easy way to secure the Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl exclusives through trading. Before players can set up a group, however, they need to head to the Jubilife City TV station to speak with the NPC. The NPC will then grant players access to create, delete, or leave a group, as well as join a group that belongs to other.

One of the main features of forming or joining a group in Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl is that it allows players to synchronize events with all players that they have already Mixed Records with. The events that Mixed Records synchronizes between players are Battle Tower trainers, Swarm Pokémon routes, players who appear on television, Feebas tiles in Mt. coronet, and the Great Marsh Pokémon in Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl. To Mix Records with another player, head to the Local Room of the Union Room in the Pokémon Center, choose a friend or trainer to mix records with, and send them an invite via the in-game on-screen option.

Pokémon Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl: How Mixed Records And Groups Work

Mixing records with local players requires all participants to connect to the local network only, but accessing the Global Room of the Union Room to mix records with other players from around the world requires a Nintendo Online Subscription. The major difference between joining an online Group and a local Group is that online Group members can always play with one another when connected to the internet. Local Group members will only be able to play with one another if they are on the same network, so leaving the area will prevent them from sharing in activities like exploring the Pokémon BDSP Grand Underground together.

To create a Global Group, open the options menu to connect to other players via the internet. The leader of the group will need to select and share a join code with all other participants. Once everyone enters the code, all players joining the Global Group will be able to play with one another in Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl after they head to the Grand Underground. Since the Grand Underground has several access points, make sure everyone is in the same Pokémon BDSP city before joining the Global Group.