Pokemon Platinum- Gen 4 Review for the Nintendo DS
I kind of dreaded going back to this gen as it was the gen I stopped playing the Pokemon main games and only played the spin offs until I started reviewing the Pokemon series. I'm unsure why I stopped other than I was bored with the repetitive nature of the same story over and over. It just wouldn't fit right with me to skip this gen so other than going back to Pearl, which is what I played those years ago I decided to borrow Platinum from my best friend(I wasn't going to pay 100 or more for a copy of this).
The Plot
You and your best friend Barry(by default) see a news report on a Red Gyarados in a faraway lake(sound familiar?), so you go to check out your local lake to see if you can find a rare pokemon. You both come across Professor Rowan and your rival(Lucas or Dawn) who have dropped a briefcase and are now attacked by starly. Using the Pokemon you find inside(starter pokemon Turtwig, Chimchar, or Piplup) you and Barry save the day and are allowed to keep the pokemon. You are then sent on a quest to collect the badges and fill up the Pokedex.
Gameplay
The gameplay is the same for the DS releases dpad to move, X for the menu, A to select etc. The top screen outside of a battle will show your character traveling and the bottom screen is often used for whatever app. you are using from time, to friendship checker. In battle, the top screen will show you and the pokemon you're fighting, the bottom will allow you to select moves, use items or switch out pokemon. The more battles you win the more your pokemon level up, evolve and make it, so you can beat the leaders, and the elite four.
New features are the underground where you can dig for fossils, play minigames and make secret bases(like in Gen 3). The day and night cycles are back, but with 5 stages so collecting all the pokemon just got harder. After completing the story, there are daily Pokémon swarms, daily mansion Pokémon and daily leader battles. You can also use the touch screen to make Pokemon treats called poffins to increase happiness.
Review
Not as good as Omega Ruby (but this is 3DS vs DS) but it was worth completing the story. I did also do some extras like daily pokemon swarms and daily leader battles. I doubt I will try to do EVERYTHING the game offers but this was a good game in the series and if you're like me and have to play the games in order you won't regret it.