Nintendo  Pokemon™ Platinum (DS)

I will admit that as the mom of three boys I do not begin to understand the Pokemon phenomena. But what I can tell you is that all three of my boys absolutely adore this game as well as every other Pokemon game. They know all the names, what type they are and just about everything about every pokemon in the games.

Pokémon Platinum is the newest in the core series of Pokémon games. Pokémon Platinum features a new story full of adventure, never before seen forms of powerful Pokémon: including the legendary Giratina's Origin Form. There is a new Distortion World, which is a mysterious new world that suddenly appears in the Sinnoh region.

Pokémon Platinum Version comes with new locations to explore and new characters to encounter, adding to the overall excitement of this already filled world. The game's enhanced storyline introduces you to Charon, a new Commander of Team Galactic, and an undercover detective nicknamed "Looker" who is investigating Team Galactic.

The new Distortion World, is a place where the normal rules of time and space do not apply, allowing you to walk sideways or even upside-down. The Battle Frontier, contains five new Battle Facilities in which you can encounter thrilling new challenges. You can also enjoy the new features in the Global Terminal, such as posting battle videos using the new "Vs. Recorder." Connect with friends from around the world in the amusement park-style fun of the new Wi-Fi Plaza, where you can play games, take part in parades and even watch fireworks.

Besides all the new changes, the raw appeal of catching Pokémon, training them, and battling with them is ever present in Pokémon Platinum version. Ultimately I give Pokémon Platinum version a heartfelt recommendation because it is fun, will provide hours and hours of game-play, and is accessible, yet challenging.

My son loves this game.

My son loves this game

Two things are certain in the world of Pokemon: 1. Somehow these adorable creatures trigger an undeniable urge to collect 'em all, and 2. Every new generation of games ultimately spawns a special edition with additional features.

Usually these new editions rely on cheesy gimmicks, but Pokemon Platinum's gameplay is much more refined than that of its predecessors, Diamond and Pearl. The focus is still on classic, addictive battling, but Platinum also incorporates several new areas and an impressive array of subtle changes, making it the best of the bunch despite heavily recycled content.

Platinum maintains the franchise's traditional elements, including a cozy (if banal and predictable) backstory with some slight adjustments. You select your character's gender, receive your first Pokemon from the local Professor Rowan, and embark on your own adventure--exploring the land of Sinnoh's vivid countryside and meddling in the affairs of the laughable Team Galactic. Two new characters extend the returning plot, providing interesting details about the new areas and Pokemon forms, but they add little overall.

The majority of the gameplay follows the series' tried-and-true formula for a pleasantly nostalgic journey. You travel with a team of six Pokemon and engage other trainers and wild Pokemon in simple, turn-based battles. Each creature has four moves based on elemental types, such as fire and water, and the goal is to capitalize on your opponent's elemental weakness. These ability types form the basis of a rock-paper-scissors mechanic that encourages you to catch a variety of Pokemon to tackle any opponent, providing the foundation of the game's highly addictive nature. Capturing Pokemon adds them to your collection and expands your Pokedex's Pokemon data, which now boasts almost 60 new creatures, though you're still spending most of your time battling the same old Pokemon.

Facing off against the game's huge selection of Pokemon masters is now even more challenging and fun. Pokemon gyms have been redesigned to incorporate interesting minipuzzles, and gym leaders, important trainers, and even the Elite Four have all had their Pokemon lineups adjusted to reflect the expanded Pokedex. You're now able to retackle gym leaders and the Elite Four, and both groups feature more-advanced Pokemon for your rematches, which keeps you on your toes and offers a more lasting challenge. New, special trainers appear in Pokemon centers for entertaining combat practice, and their fights can also be repeated.

The Battle Frontier, in which you'll tackle your most difficult foes for rare prizes, is the game's most impressive and addictive feature. It's been tweaked since its Pokemon Emerald debut to house five battle facilities, such as the popular Battle Tower, and plenty of new restrictions to test your mettle, including back-to-back battles and sharp limits that curtail your Pokemon usage. The Wi-Fi Club, which enables you to battle registered friends via the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection, now uses a clearer visual interface and lets you and a friend go through the Battle Frontier together, pairing up against trainers from all over the world--another of the game's most enjoyable elements. If you ever grow weary of Wi-Fi battles or the Battle Frontier, you can visit the new Distortion World, wherein you have to traverse floating platforms and endure deliberately confusing camera perspectives en route to an exciting battle with the famed Giratina's new origin form.

Trading, the other half of Pokemon, is just as fun and addictive as catching your own creatures. The Global Trade Station, renamed the Global Terminal, has been slightly expanded to better facilitate trades over the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection, which enables you to trade without meeting other players. A neat new e-mail feature exclusive to Platinum will contact your Wii account when a Pokemon that you've listed for trade has been accepted, saving you time that you'd ordinarily spend rechecking your listings on the DS. The terminal has also received a new Battle Videos feature with which you can take advantage of the new VS Recorder and submit videos of you battling against friends or in the Battle Frontier. You can upload videos for ranking and share them with friends, which is great for those times when you wished a friend could have witnessed your astounding victory or hilarious defeat.

It's unsurprising that the game looks much the same as its immediate predecessors, though there have been some slight graphical improvements. Pokemon animations have been somewhat refined and perform flashy moves shortened for brevity; however, the text speed is still too slow even on the fastest setting, which can make battles tedious regardless of whether or not you turn off attack animations. Colorful environments feature several redesigned areas, and you can now clearly see footprints and bike tracks as you scurry along pretty seaside beaches. Unfortunately, battle screens are still rather barren and Pokemon cries feel very outdated.

Though most of Platinum's content is recycled from the Diamond and Pearl games, the Battle Frontier and numerous tweaks applied to even the smallest of elements manage to make it feel fresh. Pokemon Platinum's rich gameplay and extensive replayability create a highly satisfying adventure that's well worth taking for newcomers and Pokemon addicts alike.

This game is the usual fare for pokemon standards, nothing more and nothing less.  THe premise is the same as in Diamond, and PEarl.  You can choose the gender of your protagonist and you go around capturing monsters called pokemon.  During your travels, you must battle with your pokemon and collect badges to progress through the game.  Overall, the game is solid, but very repetitive compared to other pokemon games.

This game is absolutely wonderful. It expands on the Pokemon mythos in general and is an excellent example of how they could make the third installments of each generation. The additional online features are great and the changes to the storyline from Diamond and Pearl is also fixes some delays in programming during battles.

It should also be easy to jump into if you're not already a fan of the series. Everything gets fully explained while playing and it's easy to figure out how to train and win battles. If you're ordering for a child, make sure they have solid reading skills first though. The game is very text heavy.

Overall, I highly recommend it for anyone looking for a turn-based game with fun characters.

it was the best pokemon game i have ever played all old legendary pokemon and new ones and new worlds.you should buy it 100%.and its cheap. only $34.99. buy it from any other store like futureshop or bestbuy it will cost $39.99.

a buetiful game of coordination with a spectrum of not VIBGYOR but all the colors so for gods sake you have to buy it.