Can You Get More Than One Mew in Brilliant Diamond? A Trainer’s Deep Dive

The burning question on every aspiring Pokémon Master’s mind: Can you get more than one Mew in Brilliant Diamond? The short, bittersweet answer is no, not legitimately without exploiting glitches or using external devices like Action Replay or save editors. The intended game design only allows for a single Mew per save file through the special Mystery Gift event tied to having save data from Pokémon: Let’s Go, Pikachu! or Pokémon: Let’s Go, Eevee! on your Nintendo Switch. This limitation aims to preserve Mew’s legendary status and rarity within the game’s ecosystem.

Unveiling the Mystery: How to Obtain the Single Mew

The official method for acquiring Mew in Brilliant Diamond hinges on a crucial prerequisite: owning save data from either Pokémon: Let’s Go, Pikachu! or Pokémon: Let’s Go, Eevee! on the same Nintendo Switch console. This is a one-time unlock that’s tied to your console’s profile, not the game cartridge itself.

Here’s the breakdown:

1. Have Let’s Go Save Data: Ensure you have save data from either Let’s Go title on your Switch. The amount of progress doesn’t matter; simply having the data is enough.

2. Unlock Mystery Gift: Progress in Brilliant Diamond until you reach Floaroma Town. Complete the event with Team Galactic at the Valley Windworks, then speak to the NPC in the flower shop to unlock the Mystery Gift function in your game menu.

3. Receive Your Mew: Open the Mystery Gift option, and you’ll be able to claim Mew. The process is straightforward and quick.

4. Enjoy Your Legendary: Mew will be added to your party or PC box, ready to be trained and used in your Pokémon journey.

Why Only One Mew? The Design Philosophy Behind Rarity

The decision to restrict Mew to a single encounter reflects a long-standing tradition in the Pokémon franchise. Legendary Pokémon, like Mew, are designed to be rare and unique encounters that add to their mystique and value. Allowing players to easily acquire multiple Mews would diminish this special status.

Nintendo and Game Freak strategically employ these restrictions to:

• Maintain Value: Preserve the perceived “worth” of Legendary Pokémon in the in-game economy and community.
• Encourage Trading: Promote interaction and trade between players, as those seeking additional Mews may need to negotiate with others.
• Control the Meta: Prevent an overabundance of powerful Pokémon from dominating competitive battles.

Bending the Rules: Unofficial Methods and Their Risks

While the official method limits you to one Mew, there are unofficial avenues that some players explore, but they come with significant caveats:

• Glitches: Historically, Pokémon games have sometimes contained glitches that can be exploited to duplicate items or Pokémon. However, these glitches are often patched out in updates, and attempting them can potentially corrupt your save data.

• Action Replay/Save Editors: Devices like Action Replay or save editors allow users to directly manipulate the game’s code and data. This can enable the creation of multiple Mews, but it’s a clear violation of the game’s terms of service and could lead to bans from online features. Additionally, altering save data carries the risk of instability and data loss.

• Trading: While you can’t directly catch multiple Mews in your game, you could potentially trade with other players who have acquired them through legitimate or illegitimate means. However, be wary of the source of any traded Mew, as it might be hacked and could introduce issues into your game.

• Hacked ROMs: Certain individuals might alter the game’s code. The Games Learning Society studies such game alterations, and you can learn more about game design at https://www.gameslearningsociety.org/.

It’s crucial to understand that using unofficial methods carries risks. Always prioritize protecting your save data and respecting the game’s intended design.

FAQs: Your Burning Mew Questions Answered

Here are 15 frequently asked questions to further clarify everything you need to know about Mew in Brilliant Diamond:

1. Does the Mew received from the Let’s Go save data have good stats?

The Mew you receive has randomly generated stats and nature, just like any other Pokémon encounter. It’s not guaranteed to have perfect IVs or a beneficial nature.

2. Can I soft reset for a better nature/IVs on the Mew?

Yes! The Mew’s stats are determined upon receiving it. So, save the game before speaking to the NPC who gives you Mew. If you’re unhappy with its nature or stats, you can soft reset (press L+R+Start+Select simultaneously) and try again.

3. What level is the Mew I receive?

The Mew received through the Mystery Gift event is at Level 1.

4. Can the Mew from the Let’s Go bonus be shiny?

No, the Mew received through this method is shiny-locked. This means it’s impossible to obtain a shiny Mew through the Let’s Go save data bonus.

5. What moves does the Mew know when I receive it?

The Mew starts with the move Pound. You’ll need to use TMs, HMs, or level-up moves to teach it new attacks.

6. If I restart my Brilliant Diamond game, can I get Mew again?

No. The Mew bonus is a one-time unlock per save file, linked to having Let’s Go save data on your console. Starting a new game will not grant you a second Mew through this method.

7. Do I need to have completed Let’s Go to get Mew?

No, you don’t need to complete the game. Simply having save data from Let’s Go, Pikachu! or Let’s Go, Eevee! is sufficient.

8. What if I borrowed Let’s Go from a friend and created save data?

As long as the Let’s Go save data is present on your Nintendo Switch console, you should be able to claim the Mew in Brilliant Diamond, even if you no longer own the Let’s Go game.

9. Is there any other way to get Mew in Brilliant Diamond besides the Let’s Go bonus?

Currently, no other official methods exist to obtain Mew in Brilliant Diamond. It’s exclusively tied to the Let’s Go save data.

10. Can I transfer a Mew from another Pokémon game into Brilliant Diamond?

Yes, you can potentially transfer a Mew from another Pokémon game using Pokémon HOME, provided that Mew was obtained legitimately in a previous game and is compatible with the Brilliant Diamond transfer system.

11. If I trade for a Mew, will it obey me even if I don’t have enough badges?

Yes. Since Mew starts at level 1, it will listen to you regardless of your badge progress.

12. Does the Let’s Go save data bonus also give me Jirachi?

No, the Let’s Go bonus only provides Mew. Jirachi is obtained through a separate Mystery Gift event tied to having save data from Pokémon Sword or Pokémon Shield.

13. Can I trade my Mew to someone who doesn’t have the Let’s Go bonus?

Yes, you can trade your Mew to any other Brilliant Diamond player, regardless of whether they have the Let’s Go save data.

14. Is it possible that Nintendo will release Mew as a distribution event later?

While anything is possible, it’s unlikely that Nintendo will release Mew through another distribution event, given that it’s already available through the Let’s Go bonus. However, you can never say never!

15. What’s the best strategy for training my Mew in Brilliant Diamond?

Since Mew can learn almost every move, the best strategy depends on your team composition and battle style. Consider teaching it a diverse moveset that covers various type matchups and provides both offensive and defensive options.