Pokémon Platinum Version (Japanese: ポケットモンスター プラチナ Pocket Monsters Platinum) is the third game to Pokémon Diamond and Pearl, and is the third Generation IV main series game. The game was first seen on May 11, 2008 when a low-resolution cell-phone picture of an upcoming issue of CoroCoro magazine was leaked around the Internet. On May 15, the magazine was officially released and the game was also officially confirmed by Nintendo. The game was released in Japan on September 13, 2008, in North America on March 22, 2009, in Australia on May 14, 2009, in Europe on May 22, 2009 and in Korea on July 2, 2009.
Like previous third versions, the region and starting area remain the same as in previously released paired versions; in Platinum, the player begins his or her journey from Twinleaf Town across all of Sinnoh.
Aesthetic changes
* Lucas, Dawn, and Barry have different outfits designed for colder weather, as the entire Sinnoh region has changed in temperature.
* The template for the level, HP, and name of Pokémon in battle is a dark gray instead of white, and its shape has changed.
* The Pokétch has been redesigned. Players can now move up and down between apps instead of having to go through all of them to return to a previous one.
* Some of the moves have been redesigned and have a different animation, such as Razor Leaf and Spacial Rend.
* When Pokémon are sent out from their Poké Balls, their back sprites now animate much like their front sprites have since Emerald (i.e., multiple frames of animation in addition to the various distortions and filters already used). Front sprites for Generation IV Pokémon and other Pokémon in the Sinnoh Pokédex have also changed. Certain Pokémon not in the Sinnoh Pokédex, like Meowth, also received a change in sprites.
* When battling certain Trainers such as Gym Leaders, Frontier Brains and Barry, the Trainers' sprites are now animated to move in the same manner as Pokémon.
* Some trainers now use seals when sending out some of their Pokémon.
* The Eterna, Hearthome, and Veilstone Gyms have all had complete redesigns in the interior.
* Closeups of Gym Leaders, just before a battle, have been changed from enlarged sprites to higher-quality drawings and the terms VS; the Frontier Brains also have this feature. The Elite Four have this as well, but the animation includes the player on the left side of the "VS." and the Elite Four member on the right side.
* The rooms where the player battle the Elite Four have been redesigned. Aaron now has logs and foliage in his room. Bertha now has rocks in her room. Flint now contains lava pits in his room. Lucian's room has only had minor changes to now include four large lights or glowing orbs on the floor. Cynthia's room has changed its color scheme and the lift leading up to the Hall of Fame is now partially contained. The Pokémon Center at the Elite Four has also been redesigned.
* When entering new areas, the location "labels" on the top-left corner have been redesigned, much like they were between Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire and Pokémon Emerald.
* All gyms now only have Pokémon of their type specialty.
* Pikachu and Pachirisu are now featured when entering Wi-Fi.
* The Pal Pad has been given a new design.
* The game director at Hotel Grand Lake now has an overhead sprite of his own. The Diploma also was redesigned.
* When the player starts the battle with the Giratina in the Distortion World, instead of displaying "A wild GIRATINA appeared!", it displays "The Distortion World's GIRATINA appeared!". It is referred to as "the wild GIRATINA" in other instances, such as attacking, however.
* The trees on West Sinnoh have sharper angles and a point at the top, compared to rounded branches and a rounded top in Diamond and Pearl, and are also slightly darker. The trees in East Sinnoh are also slightly darker, but it is now a completely different hue than the trees in East Sinnoh, and are more rounded than in Diamond and Pearl, while the Battle Zone has completely new trees altogether.
* The battle menu was redesigned.
Storyline changes
* The player meets Professor Rowan and the opposite gender character earlier, and obtains his or her starter Pokémon on Route 201.
* The first battle is against the player's rival, who, as always, has chosen the starter Pokémon which has a type advantage against the player's.
* The player and the rival now encounter Cyrus at Lake Verity at the start of the game. The player can also meet Cyrus at different venues such as the Eterna City statue.
* Both Dialga and Palkia appear on Spear Pillar. Giratina, the mascot of Platinum, then phases into the world in front of Cyrus.
* A new area known as the Distortion World is playable. It has floor-like sections floating at ninety-degree angles from each other, creating an effect similar to the art of M. C. Escher. It doesn't follow the Laws of Physics, making things like surfing down a waterfall going up possible. The camera angle switches between perspective and isometric views to suit the angle of the player. It also has moving platforms with jumpable gaps between them. Giratina, when here, will be in its Origin Forme and is also the only wild Pokémon located here.
* Two new characters to the main storyline were added. One is Charon, a professor and Commander of Team Galactic, and the other is a police officer spying on Team Galactic, using the codename "Looker".
* A tag battle between the player and his or her rival against Flint and Volkner takes place at the entrance to the Battle Frontier when the player first arrives there.
* Team Galactic's plans to re-create the world have changed slightly. The layouts of their HQs, such as the one in Eterna, have been changed. Team Galactic now utilizes more resources in order to reach their goal, as well as explaining why, in-game, such as the power from the Valley Windworks, as well as planting a bomb on the Great Marsh for attention in order to allow more people to realize what they're trying to do.
* Some of the Gym Leaders have been reordered: Fantina is now the third Gym Leader, Maylene is the fourth and Crasher Wake is the fifth. The appearance of players' gym badge case stays the same though.
* Dawn/Lucas no longer gives the player the Dowsing Machine or the Vs. Seeker near the Route 206 junction; instead he/she meets the player at the entrance to Mt. Coronet.
* Team Galactic appears in Stark Mountain under the command of Charon, who seeks to use the destructive power of the volcano to extort money from the people of Sinnoh. The player, with help from Buck, must defeat them. During this event, Mars and Jupiter quit Team Galactic because Charon does not share the same ideals as ex-boss Cyrus. Ultimately, Charon and his two accompanying grunts are apprehended by Looker and two policemen.
* After the aforementioned event, the player is able to challenge all the Gym Leaders of Sinnoh to rematches in the Battleground. The player's tag battle partners from throughout the game (Cheryl, Buck, Marley, Mira, and Riley) are also able to be challenged in this place. Each of the 13 characters has a team of five Pokémon, whose levels are between 61 and 66.
* The Elite Four increase their Pokémon's levels after the player has completed the Stark Mountain event. Their levels are now between 65 and 78.
* When one finishes the Stark Mountain quest, instead of the rival appearing at the Fight Area on weekends, he now appears at the Survival Area in front of the Battleground. During the first battle, the levels of the Pokémon in his party range from 59-65, second battle 69-75, and third and beyond 79-85. On his last battle, he was the trainer with the highest-leveled Pokémon in all main series games, until Red's team in Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver.
* When first visiting the Resort Area, the player receives a villa. Inside on a table is a catalog that lists items that can be purchased to furnish the house in the same manner as decorating a secret base. The player will be visited by NPCs such as the Sinnoh Gym Leaders, the player's mom, Professor Rowan, and the rival.
Obtainable Pokémon
* 59 more Pokémon have been added to the Sinnoh Pokédex to give it a grand total of 210 entries, with all non-legendary Pokémon introduced in Generation IV now included, along with their pre-evolved forms and several other Pokémon. The added Pokémon, such as Rotom and Giratina, are now available prior to the Elite Four challenge.
* Giratina can appear both as Altered Forme and Origin Forme in Platinum. It will appear in Origin Forme while in the Distortion World, and in Altered Forme while out of it. A Griseous Orb is required to transform it to its Origin Forme outside of the Distortion World.
o The ability of Origin Forme is Levitate and its base stats mirror those of Altered Forme in that the offensive stats have been switched with their respective defensive stats.
* Shaymin's new Forme is called Sky Forme and takes on a canine appearance. Its ability is Serene Grace and the forme is focused on Speed and Special Attack. It is able to learn new moves like Quick Attack, Air Slash and Leaf Storm.
o Shaymin is able to change between its two forms via the use of the Gracidea. This item doesn't work at night or if Shaymin is frozen.
* Rotom has new forms as well. Each of the five forms is a Rotom that has possessed an electrical appliance. Despite having visual characteristics of other types, the five forms share the original Rotom's Electric and Ghost types, whereas their base stats are far higher. They also share the original Rotom's ability: Levitate. These Pokémon are not normally available and are therefore banned from official tournaments. The item to unlock these Pokémon in the game, the Secret Key, is an event-only item.
* Regirock, Regice and Registeel can be caught at level 30 with the help of an event Regigigas that has been distributed in Nintendo events.
* Regigigas is now found at level 1, making it the lowest-level non-glitch wild Pokémon in a game, along with Magikarp. It's also the lowest-level non-glitch legendary in a game.
* The legendary birds can be found as roaming Pokémon after the National Pokédex is obtained. They roam Sinnoh much like Mesprit and Cresselia do. The player has to talk to Professor Oak in Eterna City to trigger their appearance. They are all at level 60.
* Dialga and Palkia appear on Spear Pillar one at a time after the player has spoken with Cynthia's grandmother in Celestic Town, and obtained the Adamant and Lustrous Orbs in Mt. Coronet.
* Cynthia now gives the player a Pokémon egg containing Togepi after the player has defeated Team Galactic at the Galactic Eterna Building, replacing the Happiny Egg previously obtainable in Hearthome City.
* Bebe now gives the player an Eevee before the player receives the National Pokédex; Eevee can now be obtained from the first time the player arrives in Hearthome City. It is at level 20.
* A man in Veilstone City gives the player a level 25 Porygon as a gift.
* Manaphy, while still uncatchable in-game, is now required to obtain the National Pokédex. It can be added to the Sinnoh Pokédex from finding its picture in a book in the Pokémon Mansion.
Map changes
* Much like the third version of the last generation, a new Battle Frontier takes the place of the Battle Park. It has the Battle Tower, Battle Factory, Battle Castle, Battle Arcade and Battle Hall as venues.
* Twinleaf Town and nearby routes now have snow patches.
* Jubilife City has been refurbished with new pathways and some buildings have animated roof lights.
* The Global Trade Station in Jubilife City has been redesigned and now includes a bigger global terminal. It has been renamed as the Global Terminal.
* Oreburgh Mine now has twin coal transporters starting from the entrance and ending at the entrance to the last section of the mine and are now moving.
* An arch now represents the entrances to Floaroma Town.
* The trees in Eterna Forest, as well as Fullmoon Island and Newmoon Island, cast shadows that cover the ground.
* Eterna City has been refurbished with new foliage and pathways. Also the Galactic Eterna Building has had a complete redesign, inside and out. It now contains a secret room where Rotom can switch between its forms.
* Cycling Road has been redesigned and now has tunnel-like shelters in the middle of the Cycle Route, as well as lights along the sides of it.
* Hearthome City has been refurbished with new pathways.
* Amity Square has been completely remodeled. It now includes a small pond, more paths and more upper levels. The old buildings that previously inhabited Amity Square now contain Warp Panels which transport the player to the other old buildings within Amity Square.
* Lost Tower has had its color scheme changed and now has fog on three of its five floors, which can be cleared by HM05 (Defog).
* Solaceon Town's houses have been remodeled and the Pokémon Daycare now has a trough filled with water and tent-like shelters.
* Veilstone City has been refurbished with new pathways. The Galactic Veilstone Building has been redesigned, inside and out. The Veilstone Department Store now has a basement, in which contest items can be sold and bought. Berries and Lava Cookies can be bought as well.
* The Hotel Grand Lake has been refurbished with new pathways.
* Pastoria City's houses have been remodeled and now also includes a board with a Croagunk on it which is located in front of the Great Marsh. On occasions, if the player stands behind the Croagunk Wall with the player's head sticking out of it, a wild Croagunk will come, but it will just cry and walk into the Great Marsh building.
* The Great Marsh has had its color scheme changed and has also had foliage changed and added.
* Celestic Town's houses have been remodeled.
* Canalave City has been refurbished with new pathways and its houses and library have also been remodeled.
* The player now needs to use HM08 (Rock Climb) to reach Lake Acuity.
* The area of water to the south of Snowpoint City where the player can get a boat to the Battle Zone now contains a small amount of icebergs. These can also be seen in the ocean when the boat is crossing to the Battle Zone. The boat has also been redesigned, most likely due to the icebergs in the sea.
* The back area of Spear Pillar has been slightly redesigned to allow more room for the Dragon Trio when they appear.
* Sunyshore City has been refurbished with new pathways and its houses have been remodeled.
* The entrance and exit of Victory Road have become wider, having a Poké Ball at the center of the arch.
* The Battle Zone is now warmer, and palm trees can be found there.
* Stark Mountain now has more features evocative of a volcano, such as crags and pits of lava.
* The Pokémon Mansion is surrounded by golden railings.
Missing Pokémon
These Pokémon are unavailable in Platinum. To be obtained they must be traded from the other games of Generation IV or imported from a game from Generation III.
