Pokémon Platinum Version is a 2008 role-playing video game developed by Game Freak and published by The Pokémon Company and Nintendo for the Nintendo DS handheld game console. It is the third version after Pokémon Diamond and Pearl and is part of the fourth generation of the Pokémon video game series. It was released in Japan on 13 September 2008 and later in North America Australia and Europe in 2009. In Platinum players control either Lucas or Dawn and start with one of three Pokémon given to them from Professor Rowan. The mascot Pokémon is Giratina who plays a central role in the game's plot. While it only had one form in Diamond and Pearl it is given a new alternate form (called "Origin Forme") alongside a new area called the Distortion World which features altered physics from the normal land of Sinnoh where the game takes place. The gameplay stays true to traditional Pokémon game mechanics. Players explore a large area which ranges from mountains to bodies of water grasslands populated areas and snowy expanses. Similar to previous titles players have their Pokémon fight turn-based battles against other Pokémon.