Pokémon Platinum

Background:
Following Diamond and Pearl's release in 2006 in Japan, Pokémon Platinum will be released in late September 2008, a 'third' counterpart to the two original Generation IV games. Though it was speculated that a Gold and Silver remake was possibly going to be released during this timeframe instead, it seems such an idea has taken a knock back. It's theorised the remakes will appear later in the Generation's life, as opposed to following Generation III's pattern of Ruby/Sapphire, Red and Green's Remakes and then Emerald, the counterpart to the original two games.

New Features:
Platinum will feature a new slant on Diamond and Pearl's story, with Dialga and Palkia both present as well as Giratina playing a central role. There will also be a few new characters, like one new member of Team Galactic and a member of an international Police force hunting Team Galactic. The Battle frontier will return and replace the Fight area and there are numerous WiFi additions.

  • A new Wi-Fi area where up to 20 people can meet online and will support new online features as well as the ability to make Poffin online with friends.
  • A new Swalot machine for making Poffin has you throwing berries into its mouth to mix and create Poffin - which can be done with friends on and offline.
  • Other online mini-games involving Pokemon incuding Wobuffet and Mime Jr.
  • A new and improved GTS, which is larger and has new functions, including the option to send E-Mails and to receive an E-mail update to your actual E-Mail address inbox when a trade is completed.
  • A Battle Recorder item, that allows you to record battles and share them with friends on the GTS.
  • The Battle Frontier returning and taking the place of the Fight Area (though the Battle Tower will remain as part of the Frontier). It's unknown if Scott will return.
  • Volkner resigning his role as Sunnyshore Gym Leader
  • An Origin Forme for Giratina as well as a Sky Forme for Shaymin, both of which will have new abilities, attacks and presumably different stats. It will be possible to change these Formes at will using Key Items you can pick up through playing the game.
  • Team Galactic's buildings have been upgraded since Diamond and Pearl, to go along with the fact their plot has taken a step up.
  • Obtaining the 11th movie promotional Regigigas and transferring it to Platinum will allow you to access Regirock, Regice and Registeel chambers in the game to battle and capture them. It's unknown if this can only be accessed using the promotional Regigigas exclusively.
  • Platinum will feature new sprites for (presumably) all 493 Pokemon, as well as improved animation (though with still only two sprites per Pokémon to use as frames).
  • All Pokemon will have animated backsprites too, in the same vein as their normal sprites.
  • The Pokétch has been redesigned and seems to have new features.
  • A 'Torn World' area of the game, similar to the Reverse World featured in the 11th movie and seems to play the same role in relation to Giratina and its Origin Forme.
  • There will be 5 'New Pokemon' available in the game. These are likely new Formes of an existing Pokemon - Rotom being the most speculated to be their originator.
  • These Pokemon will require items to make them available, which will be distributed physically, as well as through WiFi between 28th Sepetember and 4th November this year.

Developed by: GameFreak
JP Release: 13th September 2008
US Release: TBA
EU Release: TBA