Diamond, Pearl, and Platinum broke the mold of previous Pokémon games by not only giving the player access to fossils from previous entries, but also giving them the ability to obtain several of each fossil available. This characteristic is still valid in Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl.
Search the basement
To line up your PC with as many ancient Pokémon as you want, you'll need to dig into the Great Underground. As you walk through the various tunnels, you will see small orange dots on your minimap. Approach these, use R to narrow down the exact spot, and press A.
As seen above, the fossils are large and oddly shaped, making them easier to locate. Dig up each piece of gravel covering the fossil to successfully retrieve the long-extinct Pokemon, even if the wall collapses later. You'll hear a special jingle when the fossil is 100% uncovered, so keep your ears open.
Related: How to Trade Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl
What fossils can you find?
During the main part of the game, only one fossil can be found, although the fossil differs from game to game. Brilliant Diamond players will find Skull Fossils, containing Cranidos, while Shining Pearl players will obtain Shieldon through the Armor Fossils available to them.
In the post-game, once the player has the National Dex, they will also be able to dig up other ancient fossils. The other fossils available are:
- Old Amber for Aerodactyl
- Helix Fossil for Omanyte
- Fossil Dome for Kabuto
- Root fossil for Lileep
- Claw Fossil for Anorith
For more on Pokemon, check out How to Get Statues in Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl on Pro Game Guides.
