Pokémon Platinum

is a role-playing video game in the Pokémon video game series. It is an upgraded version of the games Pokémon Diamond and Pearl. It is the fourth main Pokémon title to be an upgrade over the original versions, just as Pokémon Yellow is to Pokémon Red and Blue; Pokémon Crystal to Gold and Silver; and Pokémon Emerald to Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire. The game was released on September 13, 2008 in Japan. It sold one million copies within two days of its release in Japan, becoming the fastest selling game for the Nintendo DS. In America it was released on March 22, 2009.

 Differences from Diamond and Pearl 
 The game features Giratina as the main Pokémon. It introduces its , seen in the film Pokémon: Giratina & the Sky Warrior. Its old form is known as   . 
 The story involves a disturbance that occurs atop Mount Corona, which creates a portal to Giratina's homeworld, the . In the Distortion World, neither space nor time exists, and the laws of physics are defied, giving the player the ability to walk on walls, ceilings, and go backwards through waterfalls; the consequences of which have been the decrease of temperature in the Sinnoh region. The playable characters now wear different outfits, to withstand the new climate of the region.
 Shaymin, which was officially revealed and released in the aforementioned movie, is given a new form known as   or Sky Forme, which also adds the Flying type to the Pokémon. When Shaymin is traded to the Diamond or Pearl versions, it will change back to its . In the game it can revert to Sky Forme with the use of the "Gracidea," a flower item introduced in the game.
 To promote the film, a Regigigas was also given away. When traded from the previous versions to Platinum, this triggers an event that makes Regirock, Regice, and Registeel catchable in Platinum.
 Prior to the game's release, five silhouettes of unknown Pokémon were displayed on the game's official website. These Pokémon were later identified as different forms of Rotom. An item called the "Secret Key" was distributed via Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection, beginning on September 28 of the year of release.
 The Battle Frontier, which first appeared in Pokémon Emerald, returns in Platinum, featuring new buildings such as the Battle Castle, Battle Arcade, and Battle Hall; though it retains the Battle Tower and Battle Factory. The game also adds the Wi-Fi Plaza, an arcade area where players could play minigames with people from around the world, until Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection shut down on May 20, 2014.

 Veilstone City 
Veilstone City is a city located in northeastern Sinnoh. Its name comes from the fact that the street is carved out of stone. Its connecting routes are Route 214 to the south and Route 215 to Solace Town. Its architecture includes the Veilstone Department Store, the Veilstone Game Corner, and Galactic Veilstone Building. Veilstone City is the third largest city in Sinnoh, with 54 residents. The Gym Leader is Maylene, and she is fought in the Veilstone Gym.

 In the anime 
Veilstone City first appeared in the episode "Lost Leader Strategy!" Ash and friends arrive in the city where they meet Maylene and her Lucario. Ash encounters Reggie and battles him, and Ash wins.

In the episode "Crossing the Battle Line!", Dawn decides to challenge Maylene in the Gym, but she loses to the Gym Leader's Lucario.

In "A Triple Fighting Chance!", Ash decides to challenge Maylene to a Gym battle. In the end, Ash and his Buizel manage to defeat Maylene's Lucario and win the Cobble Badge.

 Places of interest 
 Veilstone Game Corner 
It is located in the south and has a total of sixteen slot machines. Once the player has obtained coins from the machine, they can visit the prize exchange next door to exchange them.

In the European version of Pokémon Platinum, gambling references were removed. Because of this, the player cannot play any of the slot machines; they can only collect the coins.

 Veilstone City Gym 
This is the city's training ground. To battle the Gym Leader Maylene, the player must move the walls blocking the path to Maylene. There are some Black Belt trainers, and if the player does not avoid them, they have to battle them. After the battle with Maylene, she gives the player the Cobble Badge and TM 60 Drain Punch. Furthermore, if one of the player's Pokémon knows the move Fly, it can use it outside of battle.

 Old Chateau 
This mysterious mansion, which is uninhabited, is located in Eterna Forest, before reaching Eterna City.

Different events occur in the Old Chateau. At the top, when the player enters the second room from the right, they can see a little girl coming out of the next room (the first on the right) from that room; the player can repeatedly enter and exit the room to make her appear. At the top, in the same room where the player can see the girl, there is a painting with visible eyes. If the player approaches the painting, the eyes disappear, and when the player goes into a different room, the eyes follow them, depending on their position. Downstairs in the restaurant, if the player repeats the same process of entering and exiting, their character occasionally walks forward upon entering the door, and the player can see an old man on the other side of the table, floating away to the left. These characters move in unique ways. They do not walk, but they move faster, which is intended to create a floating effect.

Also, in one of the rooms, the player can find a notebook by examining a pile of books. It has a mysterious incomplete message, "Som...hing so pecu...r shou... make off ...ith the mot..." (Something so peculiar should make off with the motor.) It is almost certainly a reference to the Pokémon Rotom, which is a reverse motor, or one of its alternate forms. Rotom actually appears inside of a television on the second floor after the player has obtained the National Pokédex, and the player can choose to battle and possibly capture it.

 Wi-Fi events 
 Secret Key: To unlock Rotom's special forms, in Eterna City.
 Member Card: The player can access Newmoon Island, where Darkrai is.
 Oak's Letter: To reach Flower Paradise where Shaymin lives.
 Azure Flute: To find the stairs in the Spear Pillar that lead to the Hall of Origin where the Pokémon Arceus resides. This item was never given out officially, so it went unused.

 Reception 
 Critical reception 
Pokémon Platinum has received generally positive reception. It holds a score of 83/100 and 83.14% on Metacritic and GameRankings, respectively. It is ranked #56 highest-rated Nintendo DS game, and #1,542 highest-rated game on Game Rankings. The Anglo-Celt called it a solid and fun game for those who have played Diamond & Pearl. McKinley Noble of GamePro called it a great game, calling other "third iterations" of the mainline Pokémon games "lightweight" in comparison. Famitsu also praised Pokémon Platinum. One reviewer commented that players are "getting a lot for their money", while another commented that those who have played Diamond & Pearl will not find it to be "more of the same." Another reviewer praised not only the features, but also the improved gameplay. A fourth reviewer found fault with it being "Diamond and Pearl at its core", and that as a result, "filling out your Pokédex from zero is rough."  Chris Scullion of Official Nintendo Magazine called it the "ultimate Pokémon game", though he noted that this was because it is an enhanced version of Diamond and Pearl. Nintendo Power called it "everything a Pokemon  experience should be, and more."

 References 

 External links 

 Official Pokémon Platinum site(in English). 
 Official Pokémon Platinum site in Japan(in Japanese). 
 Official game site on Yahoo! Japan (in Japanese).
 Official Pokémon Platinum site in Latin America 
 Official Pokémon Platinum site in Europe 
 Official Pokémon Platinum site in Spain 

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