Platinum 1 ups Pearl

Pokémon Platinum, soon to be released on the Nintendo DS, is an enhanced remake of 2007's Pokémon Diamond, and Pokémon Pearl.

Platinum focuses on a strange disturbance on Mount Coronet in the Shinnoh Region which opens up a portal to the Distortion World, and causes the temperatures there to drop dramatically.

Pokémon has become a global phenomenon ever since the original games were released for the Nintendo Game Boy in 1996.

Since then, millions of gamers have caught Poké fever. The concept of traveling across an expansive world, collecting numerous creatures, and engaging in fun turn-based battles along the way is still just as addictive as it was over a decade ago.

It should come as no surprise that the latest installment, Pokémon Platinum, plays identically to previous games in the series.

Graphically, Platinum looks better than its blueprints Diamond and Pearl. Sharp colors, new sprites, and different animation really brings the game to life.

Platinum features several additions that were not present in its predecessors.

Platinum offers new characters to interact with, and new types of Pokémon to catch.

The most exciting addition is the dungeon, located in Distortion World. Here, players will find one of the most creative dungeons in any role playing game, complete with floating platforms, odd angles, and disappearing and reappearing items.

Other nifty additions can be found after completing the game also.

After defeating the Elite Four, the player can unlock the Battle Frontier, a large facility where numerous Pokémon challenges and tournaments can be found.

Another new feature that is able to be unlocked post-game is the Battle Recorder, which allows the player to record battles fought at the Battle Frontier, and save them for later viewing.

Platinum also includes a few Wi-Fi enhancements where players can use the Wi-Fi Club mode to play various mini-games with other players.

Pokémon fans that already have Diamond, and Pearl will find enough new material (i.e. side quests and contests) to warrant purchasing Platinum.

As always, the traditional Pokémon elements are a delight for most gamers.

Pokémon Platinum will be released in North America on Mar. 22.

Gotta catch 'em all!