In Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Pearl, your Pokémon can take part in Super Contest Shows and eat Poffins to secure their win. This is one way of showing off your Pokémon in a way that isn't battling, and it's good fun too when you need a rest from the wilderness of the Sinnoh Region.
In this guide, we explain how to take part in and win Super Contest Shows, as well as how to use Poffins to aid your performance.
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How To Take Part in a Super Contest Show
Once you have arrived in Hearthome City and acquired your second gym badge from Gardenia, you will then be able to head to the Grand Contest Hall and take part in Super Contest Shows of Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Pearl.
You'll be given a Contest Outfit to use for the shows, and simply need to go to the pink-haired woman at the counter directly in front of you to participate. You will then have to select a Pokémon, a contest move, a category, a rank, and a Pokéball. As you enter the hall after making these decisions, you will then choose an outfit and the Super Contest Show will begin!
The categories you can choose to take part in are as follows:
- Coolness
- Beauty
- Cuteness
- Cleverness
- Toughness
The Pokémon you choose and the Poffins you feed them will help to determine which category of show you should take part in.
How To Win a Super Contest Show
Winning Super Contest Shows in Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl is not easy. You'll need to have the know-how and get in some practice before you can begin to participate at higher ranks, and that's where we've stepped in.
To win a Super Contest Show, you'll want to do the following:
Decorate Poké Balls With Stickers
From the menu, you can select 'Ball Capsules' to decorate Poké balls with the stickers you have collected. Stickers can be collected after each successful gym battle, bought from a store in Floarama Town, and are gifted to you randomly by NPC's or for participating in certain activities around the Sinnoh Region.
Stickers will have different effects shown in their name, such as Fire, Electricity, Smoke, and so forth. They also have different colours too. By decorating balls with a theme that matches both your Pokémon and the category you're participating in, will help to improve the Visual Score you get during the contest.
Perform Well in the Dance Evaluation
The Dance Evaluation is rather straight forward, in that you need to press 'A' whenever the prompt appears on your screen. As you hit notes at the correct time, your heart gauge will fill, and then that will help to fill the Hype Meter on the top of your screen. All contestants contribute to the Hype Meter, and by filling it up past a certain point, the show will be deemed a success, and you'll gain Hall Points that increase your rank.
During the evaluation, you will need to choose to press 'X' at some point to perform your Pokémon's Contest Move. You can only perform this move once, but by performing it closely in time with other contestants, you will create a Move Chain that fills up the Hype Meter further.
Feed Poffins to Your Pokémon
Poffins all have different attributes that can improve how your Pokémon will perform in certain categories. For example, Sweet Poffins will improve the cuteness of the Pokémon you feed it to. However, you need to keep in mind what flavours your Pokémon likes or dislikes. If your Pokémon likes sour foods, they're going to be more responsive to a Sour Poffin than a Sweet Poffin.
How To Make and Use Poffins
Poffins in Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl can be made at the Poffin House in Hearthome City or in Amity Square by combining berries you have collected. Each berry will help to create a different effect, so choose carefully if you already have a category in mind that you're wishing to participate in!
As mentioned above, the Poffin will have a much greater effect if it is of a flavour that the Pokémon likes. If the Pokémon does not like the flavour, they will still get a boost, but it'll be a little less than the usual boost. You can view which Poffins you have and their effects by checking out your Poffin Case, which will be under 'Key Items' in your bag.
Each Poffin flavour corresponds with a different Super Contest Show Category. They are as follows:
- Dry Poffins — Enhance Beauty
- Spicy Poffins — Enhance Coolness
- Sour Poffins — Enhance Toughness
- Bitter Poffins — Enhance Cleverness
- Sweet Poffins — Enhance Cuteness
That's all that there is to Super Contest Shows and Poffins in Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl. Good luck collecting ribbons and climbing ranks with your Pokémon! If you're looking for other things to do beyond the main storyline of the title, check out the Grand Underground, take your Pokémon for a walk in Amity Square, or look at how to evolve them!