Pokemon Platinum Version

 DS
User Score
8.9

Generally favorable reviews- based on 1050 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 914 out of 1050
  2. Mixed: 94 out of 1050
  3. Negative: 42 out of 1050
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  1. ND-Bringer
    Jun 18, 2023
    8
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Pokemon Platinum is the definitive way to experience the Sinnoh Region. Diamond and Pearl may have introduced a lot of incredible mechanics to the series, but its core problems held it back from entering Pokemon game hall of fame. But here in the deluxe version, the majority of those issues have been fixed and the gameplay is sharper than ever before. More Pokemon are available in the wild including fire types such as Houndour and Magmar. Exchange Evolution items can now be obtained in the main game, adding even more freedom to team building.

    A move tutor system is now available. By trading shards found with the dowsing machine and from underground, you can make the adventure way more comfortable with elemental punching attacks at your disposal. Some of the best Sinnoh Pokemon are now obtainable earlier in the game. In the previous version, Gible the land dragon, could only be obtained by moving boulders in the hidden Wayward Cave. Which was impossible without the Hidden Move Strength, unlocked later in the game. But now the boulders have been removed from the entrance, making the fan favorite baby dragon available much earlier in the game.

    If you've played Diamond and Pearl or even the remakes for that matter, trust me when I say you're missing out on the ultimate Sinnoh experience. The gym leader challenges are way better, with each leader having their ace Pokemon carry a Sitrus Berry to add to the challenge.

    And guess what? Fantina can be fought as the third gym leader now. It's good to see her committed to her job in this universe. Also Candice and Volkner now use Pokemon that match their theme now. I don't know why you couldn't just add more ice and electric Pokemon to the Sinnoh Pokedex before releasing Diamond and Pearl, but we can just blame Arceus on that mistake. The Elite Four teams are way better now too. So I guess all is well...though we should probably tell Aaron his Drapion isn't a bug type.

    This is how I will revisit my childhood for years to come unfortunately. Do to the remakes lack of polish, I can only hope this game will become available on virtual console in the near future. It's not just an enjoyable journey mind you. The post game boasts a challenging Battle Frontier, a final showdown with the remnants of Team Galactic, and even a facility that lets you have rematches with all of the gym leaders and rivals in the survival area. It's about everything you would want in a great Pokemon adventure. Go check it out if you have the chance.    … Expand
  2. sathvik_
    Aug 1, 2023
    8
    This is my fav pokemon game of all time.
    Idk what they did, its a same freaking nintendo DS, but to me at least it is visually BETTER than any other pokemon game ive played
  3. AShinyG1ratina
    Jun 21, 2022
    8
    The reason for my name so ofc I love this game to death. Going back to it it isn't as perfect as I remember it to be though.
  4. Eyean
    Aug 5, 2023
    8
    Platinum fixes every mistake the original versions had, and add even more content on-top of that. The changes to the engine, story, and post-game especially go along way to fully realize the potential this generation of games had.
  5. litnlowkey
    Sep 8, 2023
    8
    The fifth entry in the most popular franchise in the world, Pokémon Platinum is arguably the best of the main game series. It takes everything its predecessors did before it and perfectly executes on every aspect of its design. The story is likely the best Game Freak has to offer and the writing of the story perfects what its sibling games Diamond and Pearl did have going for them.

    If    The fifth entry in the most popular franchise in the world, Pokémon Platinum is arguably the best of the main game series. It takes everything its predecessors did before it and perfectly executes on every aspect of its design. The story is likely the best Game Freak has to offer and the writing of the story perfects what its sibling games Diamond and Pearl did have going for them.

    If playing in the Sinnoh region for the first time, Platinum is the best way to experience it. The world and its lore is strong and engaging, with a sense of mystery to the story surrounding it. The way the player is introduced to some of the deeper elements of the story is masterfully done, and hasn’t really been replicated in a Pokémon experience since. Everything from the ominous set up of the box legendary, to the side stories, is crafted with the utmost care and creativity. The battles feel weighty and intense, with challenging fights against your rivals, to the most difficult Champion in the series to date. The soundtrack is a highlight of the DS Era. Pokémon Platinum is also home to some of the best battle music in Pokémon.

    The fourth generation of Pokémon saw the introduction of some fan favourites like Garchomp, Lucario, and Luxray to name a few. This generation also happens to include the most well designed set of starters of all of the entries in the series. In fact it generally has some of the best designs of the series period, as many different Pokémon from this generation are infamous amongst the fanbase. Looking at the legendary offerings alone shows the strength of Game Freaks design choices.

    The game, being a third entry to the fourth generation games, capitalizes on this fact by correcting most of the issues the original releases of Diamond and Pearl were plagued by. It furthered this momentum by altering the story and providing an excellent build up and climax. Pokémon Platinum stands out amongst the series as an extremely well polished and carefully crafted experience worthy to be named one of the best of Game Freaks offerings.    … Expand
  6. intrepidis
    Nov 26, 2011
    7
    A good solid role playing game, but it's the exactly the same formula as all previous Pokémon games. The battle scenes work okay, but they're just the same as on the old monochrome GameBoy, only in colour and with better sound. It's lazy of Nintendo to keep this the same. Also the dialog goes on and on sometimes, repeating the same thing over and over, or just prattling onA good solid role playing game, but it's the exactly the same formula as all previous Pokémon games. The battle scenes work okay, but they're just the same as on the old monochrome GameBoy, only in colour and with better sound. It's lazy of Nintendo to keep this the same. Also the dialog goes on and on sometimes, repeating the same thing over and over, or just prattling on about unimportant boring stuff like "Be careful in the long grass" for the fifth time! Good points are that it has a many many Pokémon to catch and can be very engrossing.… Expand
  7. sebastianali
    Jul 17, 2021
    7
    One of my favorite Pokemon gens, but still wasnt at the same level as Gen 3. The graphics looks somewhat worse since it uses a lot of basic 3d elements, and the pacing and level curve of battles is even worse than Gen 2, but some of the redesigns were great, the music and story were fantastic and the gameplay, while not groundbreaking it was addictive enough, with variety of places andOne of my favorite Pokemon gens, but still wasnt at the same level as Gen 3. The graphics looks somewhat worse since it uses a lot of basic 3d elements, and the pacing and level curve of battles is even worse than Gen 2, but some of the redesigns were great, the music and story were fantastic and the gameplay, while not groundbreaking it was addictive enough, with variety of places and Pokemon to find.… Expand
  8. fanmadeendings
    Feb 15, 2022
    7
    Contentwise it is incredible, but the main campaign has sluggish pacing, the battle system is slow and the third version thing is iffy.
  9. Squaredash
    Jul 19, 2023
    7
    A very by-the-book pokemon game, but solid nonetheless. Good pokemon designs, decent leveling curve, passable story, a champion that’s way easier than everyone says she is, and a decently non-linear region that comes at the cost of the sheer number of HMs you need, requiring you to sacrifice a third of your team’s movepool just to navigate the region
  10. GDsReviews
    Jun 2, 2022
    7
    Platinum is a major improvement over Diamond and Pearl, fixing many of their flaws, and making them obsolete overnight. However, some flaws still remain, and Heart Gold/Soul Silver shows where the real passion was put in Gen 4 Pokemon games.
  11. FireBroFilms
    Aug 15, 2022
    7
    ‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎
  12. BenRethus
    Dec 25, 2009
    6
    A good game, I must say, but if you all ready have diamond or pearl, and you're not a pokemon nut, there is really no point in getting it. I must say though, if your a newbie, this game is exellent, but I reckon they should of made it as a downloadable exspantion pack for diamond and pearl on DSi ware.
  13. KendylKlownfish
    Apr 18, 2011
    6
    Reviewing Platinum, Diamond, and Pearl overall, they're simply unimpressive and formulaic, recycling far too familiar material from the previous games. Pros: Polished graphics and visuals; new Pokemon and features; Nintendo WFC make battling and trading funner than ever. Cons: Formulaic; generic; too many recycled elements from its predecessors make this trio feel far from original.
  14. jeff_reviews
    Jul 23, 2013
    6
    "Pokemon Platinum Version" is a bit of a disappointment, similar to "Pokemon Emerald", as it has few to little game changes and a similar plot from the original games. Despite this, the Pokemon world is still enjoyable to venture through and it is still wonderful to play.
  15. SupaChigga
    Nov 19, 2013
    6
    Single Player/Multi Player (1/2)

    (If the single player is better than the multiplayer, review this section as if it had no multplayer) (If the multiplayer is better than the multiplayer, review this section as if it had no single player) Gameplay (1/2) Visuals/Story (1/2) (If the visuals are better than the story, review this section as if it had no story) (If the story is    Single Player/Multi Player (1/2)

    (If the single player is better than the multiplayer, review this section as if it had no multplayer) (If the multiplayer is better than the multiplayer, review this section as if it had no single player)

    Gameplay (1/2)

    Visuals/Story (1/2)

    (If the visuals are better than the story, review this section as if it had no story) (If the story is better than the visuals, review this section as if the visuals didn’t matter)

    Accessibility/Longevity (2/2)

    (Review this section only on Accessibility if the game has no longevity) (Review this section only on longevity if the game isn’t accessible)

    Pricing (1/2)

    Wildcard (0)

    This is a guideline for how to properly review games. Many reviewers like to get a “feel” for a game, and arbitrarily give a game a score that they believe it deserves. This results in wildly different scores between different reviewers, and vastly different scores between similar games. This guideline addresses these problems and scores games fairly and consistently. This guideline also gives scores that are usually similar to the metacritic score.

    The review score is based out of 10 points. There are no “half” or 0.5 increments. It is impossible to have a score above 10 or below 0. The review score will change as the game gets new dlc, drops in price, or if more secrets are found through the game increasing its appeal.

    The scoring is split into 6 sections. The first five sections can add a possible 2 points to the final score. The first 5 sections are Single Player/Multi Player, Gameplay, Visuals/Story, Accessibility/Longevity, and Pricing.

    Notice that 3 of these sections have two parts. These particular sections will be scored based on the stronger part of the game of the two. For example, if a game has a lousy single player campaign, but an excellent multiplayer component, that section will be based solely on the multiplayer as if the single player did not exist. This allows games to be based on their own merits, as many unnecessary features are shoehorned into video games by publishers to reach a “feature quota”. Games that excel in both areas of a section don’t receive should be noted in the written review, but cannot increase the score past 2 in that section. However, it can be taken into account in the final section

    The final section can add 1, add 0, or subtract 1 to the final score. This final section is the “wildcard” section. This section is for how the reviewer “feels” about the game, but limits this only to this section, rather than the entire 10 point review. This section can include any positive or negative point that was not covered in the previous 5 sections.    … Expand
  16. VividReviews
    Mar 18, 2012
    5
    Disappointing. The only reason why this game received such generous scores is because of its never changing formula. The storyline is still the same as Diamond and Pearl, however, with an extra 'chapter.' It gets boring that you don't bother paying attention. Sound is good, but not magnificent. The graphics only shines during one section of the game and really adds new innovation to theDisappointing. The only reason why this game received such generous scores is because of its never changing formula. The storyline is still the same as Diamond and Pearl, however, with an extra 'chapter.' It gets boring that you don't bother paying attention. Sound is good, but not magnificent. The graphics only shines during one section of the game and really adds new innovation to the Pokemon series. Lastly, gameplay has not changed one bit. Use the control pad to move and hold B to run. Press a few buttons or tap the screen to order your Pokemon around simply becomes boring after 10 Pokemon games, with the same gameplay. Pokemon Platinum may well worth your time if you decided not to pick up Diamond or Pearl, however, it is surely a waste of time and money if you did.… Expand
  17. goblinthunder
    May 17, 2013
    5
    this is my least favorite pokemon game. Now, before you kill me, I would like to explain. It is not as much the games fault then the sinnoh pokemon designs. they all seem VERY uninspired. Most of them are pokemon from other regions, and when they are not, they are very bland. my favorite example is buizel (Yipee! ANOTHER seal pokemon!). Also, this game has a crap TON of roamingthis is my least favorite pokemon game. Now, before you kill me, I would like to explain. It is not as much the games fault then the sinnoh pokemon designs. they all seem VERY uninspired. Most of them are pokemon from other regions, and when they are not, they are very bland. my favorite example is buizel (Yipee! ANOTHER seal pokemon!). Also, this game has a crap TON of roaming legendaries, which is a pain in the butt to catch. And don't think I am putting on nostalgia glasses for this one: this is the first Poekmon game I played, and i first played it at age seven. I loved it then, but recognized it was worse than pokemon leaf green, which i palyed aftrewards. I have recently replayed it, and I realized it was the worst one. Please note that this is still a decent game but only because pokemon is freakin' awesome!… Expand
  18. Kick454
    May 17, 2018
    5
    Barely better than Pokemon Diamond/Pearl in my opinion. It definitely does fix some of the problems I had with the original two Gen 4 games, but it also kept some of the others.

    Pros: + Story Speed: It's not as slow, thank goodness! + Variety: Still pretty great, with even more... I think. Mix: = Soundtrack: Meh... some are good, like Cynthia's fight theme. = Gameplay: I    Barely better than Pokemon Diamond/Pearl in my opinion. It definitely does fix some of the problems I had with the original two Gen 4 games, but it also kept some of the others.

    Pros:
    + Story Speed: It's not as slow, thank goodness!
    + Variety: Still pretty great, with even more... I think.

    Mix:
    = Soundtrack: Meh... some are good, like Cynthia's fight theme.
    = Gameplay: I explained it enough, EVERY POKEMON GAME HAS THE SAME GAMEPLAY EXCEPT FOR LIKE ONE OR TWO MINOR IMPROVEMENTS/UNNECESSARY ADDITIONS!
    = Difficulty: It's Pokemon, I shouldn't expect good difficulty.

    Overall, Pokemon Platinum is a mediocre game that warrants a 5/10 from me.    … Expand
  19. evelio28
    Aug 8, 2020
    5
    Lo mismo que Black and White. Solo que con Historia inferior y mas Lenta (Y Edgy)
  20. LordJazbin
    Apr 19, 2021
    5
    The story is one of the silliest of this franchise, the ambientation is bland and boring and it completely feels like a GBA game. Fixes some problems the original versions had, but it's still slow.

    The best part are Pokémon designs and some concepts.
  21. JonahImhere
    Nov 28, 2018
    4
    I'm a veteran player who played all games with no exception, but this came with a price: when taking my fanboyism behind, this game is BAD. It's not even due its problems but mostly due it's complete lack of change when compared to diamond pearl. Even the low speed of everything wasn't fixed, almost nothing new to do anywhere, and the pokedex, while slightly changed, is still really badI'm a veteran player who played all games with no exception, but this came with a price: when taking my fanboyism behind, this game is BAD. It's not even due its problems but mostly due it's complete lack of change when compared to diamond pearl. Even the low speed of everything wasn't fixed, almost nothing new to do anywhere, and the pokedex, while slightly changed, is still really bad and with few options. Bored me to death. Tried to give it a second chance really: BORED me to death.
    Games like USUM and B2 did a vastly superior job at having a third version that's actually fresh and worthy of playing, so I say if you don't know the series: play them instead.    … Expand
  22. ZangBang
    Oct 24, 2022
    4
    44/100
    Pokémon Platinum adds a modest amount of new content to the experience of Diamond and Pearl. An expanded final act for the story, more spotlight given to certain characters, a couple of new areas to explore and new additional facilities to visit after completing the main campaign, where players can test their skills in engaging challenging battles, fighting with handicaps or    44/100
    Pokémon Platinum adds a modest amount of new content to the experience of Diamond and Pearl. An expanded final act for the story, more spotlight given to certain characters, a couple of new areas to explore and new additional facilities to visit after completing the main campaign, where players can test their skills in engaging challenging battles, fighting with handicaps or special variations. All of this makes Platinum the definitive Sinnoh experience for sure, but none of the additions are incredible enough to make a meaningful difference and none of the major issues of DP are resolved.    … Expand
  23. CaptainCharisma
    Nov 18, 2022
    1
    Game is super boring, Pokemon wasn't very good after gen 3. Play ruby sapphire instead.
  24. Vonyee
    Oct 13, 2021
    0
    I hate this game too slow and it's a pokemon game pokemon games just suck really like wow I hate pokemon
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Awards & Rankings

14
#14 Best DS Game of 2009
2
#2 Most Discussed DS Game of 2009
8
#8 Most Shared DS Game of 2009

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
83

Generally favorable reviews - based on 46 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 42 out of 46
  2. Mixed: 4 out of 46
  3. Negative: 0 out of 46
  1. IGN
    88
    Even though it's not a huge advancement over Diamond and Pearl, it does have a larger list of features. The single player adventure has a bit more to explore, and more importantly the online component is fleshed out a bit more compared to the 2007 releases.
    Read full review
  2. Game Informer
    85
    If you haven't played Diamond/Pearl and are looking for a good RPG, Platinum is absolutely the way to go. [Apr 2009, p.90]
    Read full review
  3. Hardcore Gamer
    90
    Sure Pokémon Platinum may not exactly seem like the manliest game, but with a sound battle system, a lengthy main quest, and a variety of multiplayer options, it may just be the best hand held RPG available right now.
    Read full review
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