Over nearly 30 years, Pokémon has introduced many iconic starter Pokémon. While the original Kanto trio remains classic, many fans believe Generation IV’s starters, Turtwig, Chimchar, and especially Piplup, are among the most balanced and beloved in the series’ history.
Recently, the Pokémon community buzzed with excitement after internal development files from Pokémon Diamond & Pearl leaked, revealing a completely different evolution design for Piplup. Surprisingly, this design has received widespread praise from fans, many of whom regret that Game Freak never used it.
According to images shared by the Centro LEAKS account on X (formerly Twitter), the beta design for Piplup’s evolution has a completely different style from the current Empoleon. While Empoleon resembles an emperor clad in steel armor, this discarded version exudes the majestic and powerful presence of a penguin king, featuring a more elaborate and striking design.
As soon as the images surfaced, the Pokémon community quickly expressed their enthusiasm. Many suggested that Game Freak should use these beta designs to create Regional Variants, Mega Evolutions, or new forms in future games.
One fan commented, “They should bring this design back as a regional variant with Water/Ice or Steel/Ice typing.”
Another opinion that gained support was, “It’s a shame such beautiful designs only remain in development files. They deserve to become Mega Evolutions or new evolution forms.”
Some players see this as an opportunity for Game Freak to reconsider Empoleon’s typing. For years, Empoleon’s Water/Steel typing has sparked debate since penguins are naturally associated with icy environments.
One user shared, “I’ve always wondered why Empoleon isn’t Water/Ice. It’s a penguin after all.”
Although Empoleon remains one of Generation IV’s strongest starters with a successful design, the newly revealed sketches show that Game Freak explored very different directions before finalizing its look.