Pokemon Platinum Version Game Review - Nintendo DS

OUR RATING:

8.4

GREAT

TANGIBLES:

Gameplay:		9
Visuals:		8
Audio:		7
Value:		7
Quality:		10

Why you should buy it: You've never played a Pokemon game before, or you're an extreme Pokemaniac. The new dungeon is still fun though.

Why you should rent it: You really are iffy about RPG's, or you just don't want to spend the $34.

UNIQUE RATING:

8.4

SUGGESTION:

Buy It

Pokemon Platinum Version

Written by: Danreb Victorio | Tags: Pokemon Platinum Version, Nintendo DS

March 31,2009 - Though it’s considered by many to be a simple fad that started taking root ten years ago, Pokemon is still amongst the highest selling games for Nintendo. Pokemon Diamond and Pearl, which were released two years ago, only trail the original Pokemon Red and Blue versions in sales, and it won’t be long before they finally surpass the originals. Every edition in the main Pokemon games have sort of a Director’s Cut. There’s Yellow for Red and Blue; Crystal for Gold and Silver; Emerald for Ruby and Sapphire, and now Platinum for Diamond and Pearl. Diamond and Pearl were already great experiences on the DS, and Platinum is a game that makes the experience even better, but is it worth the extra $34?

Like Diamond and Pearl, and just about every version of Pokemon there is to play on Nintendo’s handhelds, Platinum is all about becoming the best Pokemon Trainer you can be. To “beat” the game, all you have to do is collect all eight gym badges from around the Sinnoh region and defeat the Elite Four to become Pokemon Champion. But aside from that, what makes Pokemon so great is the amount of other stuff there is to do, which includes but isn’t limited to catching all the Pokemon (400+), winning all the Ribbons in various Pokemon contests, or becoming an artistic fiend by managing your underground home.

If you’re a Pokemaniac, you already know all these things. If this is your first Pokemon game and you want more details, you can check out our review of Pokemon Diamond and Pearl. When it comes to these Director’s Cut third versions of Pokemon games, all that really matters is what was really added to the game. Yellow had Pikachu following Ash around, Crystal had a better Unown sidequest, Emerald had a better Rayquaza sidequest, and Platinum not only has a better Giratina sidequest, but there are quite a few changes to take note about.

Players of Diamond and Pearl should remember that every Pokemon Gym had a certain 3D layout that separated each other from the rest. This is the same with Platinum—except now, they’ve been completely re-done and are even better than before. Aside from the interior of the gyms, the rest of the visuals are dynamically the same, except for a few small changes like some new shadow and lighting detail here and there, making the game more vibrant.

Though it would’ve been better to keep it a secret, Nintendo pushed the fact there’s a new dungeon called the Distortion World. Unfortunately for players who buy the game just to try that place out, it isn’t available until the very end of the game, after becoming Pokemon Champion. The Distortion World is a pretty challenging yet interesting dungeon that forces you to play the game sideways, upside-down, and in all sorts of uncompromising positions. This part of the game is fully in 3D and definitely should give players a good idea of where the game is headed in the near future.

But if there's one thing that has made great strides, it's the game's wi-fi capabilities. Diamond and Pearl were the first Pokemon games to allow trainers to trade their Pokemon not only wirelessly with their friends, but overseas via the internet. Along with that robust feature comes two new ones--Wi-Fi Plaza and the Vs. Recorder. The Wi-Fi Plaza is a Platinum-exclusive area that players can access at the bottom level of each Pokemon Center. When connecting to the Wi-Fi Plaza, players are transported to a Pokemon-themed amusement park where they can take part in some fun minigames with up to three others. Like a lot of the other wi-fi-enabled games on the DS, there are tons of people waiting to play, so if you ever want to take a break from the main quest, you can chill at the Wi-Fi Plaza.

The Vs. Recorder is another new feature that allows players to record a video of their most dramatic Pokemon battles. It's a bit of an unneeded feature, but it can be quite useful when trying to study all other players for competitive play--rather than having to record yourself with an actual camera.

Other than that, the changes made to the game are mostly cosmetic and don’t drastically change gameplay. Because Game Freak and Nintendo both intend to force you to trade between Platinum and the Diamond and Pearl versions, some Pokemon you’d normally find in the wild are excluded. The process of obtaining all the Pokemon is a lengthy one, but it is still rewarding in the end.

While Platinum or its predecessors on the DS don’t really do anything to challenge the DS in terms of its visual capabilities, it’s really tough to imagine the game with extremely high quality visuals anyway. The game is extremely accessible because of its ease of use, and that’s what makes the game so successful. But either way you look at it, the game does look good, and there are some enhancements to make the game have more of a wild feel, and while the changes are minimal—there’s really no other way fans would want them.

If there’s one complaint about Pokemon Platinum, it’s with the sound. The games have been around for more than ten years now, and Pokemon fans all over the world know that when Pokemon talk, they say their own name. Platinum still doesn’t acknowledge that fact, and all the sounds the Pokemon make are still digital blocks. Aside from that, the music has remained its calm self, and there really isn’t much to complain about with that.

Pokemon Platinum is really the ultimate Pokemon experience, but if you’re someone who’s burnt out from all the hours dedicated to Pokemon Diamond and Pearl, Platinum probably won’t be worth its price tag. But if you’re new to the series or have any slight interest at all, you won’t be disappointed. Pokemon Platinum is a great experience that anybody with a remote interest in RPG’s should try out. Just don’t blame us if you become horribly addicted… again.

The Sinnoh region in Pokemon Diamond, Pearl, and Platinum is based on the Japanese island, Hokkaidō.