Pokémon Platinum

About This Game

Gameplay

See also: Gameplay of Pokémon and Pokémon Diamond and Pearl § Gameplay Pokémon Platinum is a role-playing video game with adventure elements. Its basic mechanics are the same as those found in Pokémon Diamond and Pearl, with the exception of a few bugs and glitches. For example, the void glitch was patched out because many people lost their save files. As with all Pokémon games for handheld consoles up to that point, the gameplay is in third-person overhead perspective, and consists of three basic screens: a field map, in which the player navigates the main character; a battle screen; and the menu, in which the player configures their party, items, or gameplay settings. Players begin the game with one Pokémon and can capture more using Poké Balls. The player can also use his or her Pokémon to battle other Pokémon. When the player encounters a wild Pokémon or is challenged by a trainer to a battle, the screen switches to a turn-based battle screen where the Pokémon battle. During a battle, the player may use a move, use an item, switch the active Pokémon, or flee. Fleeing is not an option during battles against trainers.

History

When trying to determine what content to change from Diamond and Pearl, game designer Takeshi Kawachimaru felt that the designers should focus on changing only the most important things to make sure that it was not too different from the original games. Game director Junichi Masuda commented that since they designed the original two games as the "ultimate" Pokémon titles, they had to make Platinum even stronger than them. Giratina's design change was one of the first things revealed about Platinum in February 2008. In designing the new form, they paid attention to the details; the designer redrew Giratina several times, attempting to make it look different from its form in Diamond and Pearl. They finalized its design as an "antimatter Pokémon".