Diamond and Pearl are two versions of the same game; Platinum is its enhanced edition, released two years later. What changes when you move from one to another? Here are all the differences, from exclusive Pokémon to Platinum’s new features.
Between Diamond and Pearl, the adventure is identical: only a few wild Pokémon and the cover legendary change. Platinum, on the other hand, changes the story, the map, the Pokédex and the postgame.
All three versions can trade and battle with each other, as well as with HeartGold and SoulSilver.
💎Diamond vs. Pearl
- The legendary: Dialga, master of time, in Diamond; Palkia, master of space, in Pearl.
- The exclusives: a dozen wild Pokémon per version (Larvitar and Scyther in Diamond, Bagon and Pinsir in Pearl…). See Version exclusives.
- The Underground spheres: Prism Spheres are more common in Diamond, Pale Spheres in Pearl.
✨What Platinum adds or changes
| Area | In Platinum |
|---|---|
| The story | Giratina at the heart of the plot, the Distortion World, a more present Cyrus, Charon and Looker |
| The regional Pokédex | 210 Pokémon instead of 151, with more Fire Pokémon and almost all the new evolutions |
| The Gyms | Fantina becomes the third Gym Leader; all the Gym Leaders’ teams are revised |
| The legendaries | Dialga and Palkia in the same game, Giratina right from the story, the Regis, the birds of Kanto |
| The postgame | The Battle Frontier and its five facilities, the Battle Café, the Villa in the Resort Area, Elite Four rematches |
| The forms | Giratina Origin Forme, Shaymin Sky Forme, the Rotom forms |
| The comfort | Faster battles, menus and movement, Move Tutors |
| The Great Marsh | Reworked, with new Pokémon from the first visit |
🤔Which version to choose?
- For a single playthrough: Platinum, more complete, faster and richer.
- To complete the Pokédex: Platinum, plus Diamond or Pearl for their exclusives and their roaming legendaries (Latias or Latios).
- For nostalgia: Diamond or Pearl, the original 2007 version in Europe.
- To play on Switch: the remake Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl, faithful to Diamond and Pearl.
Our full opinion is in our review.
