5. Generation IV (Diamond/Pearl/Platinum)
The Best Pokemon Generations
Pokemon Diamond and Pearl were the first games to appear on the Nintendo DS, and as such, featured a wide array of extra features that weren’t possible before. The form factor of the DS allowed for some quality of life improvements thanks to the touch screen. The Poketch appears on the touch screen and has a number of different handy applications. Some of the more useful ones include the itemfinder, the happiness checker and the marking map.
Diamond and Pearl were the first games to include online functionality. The GTS, which allows you to make specific trade requests, was an incredibly convenient addition that made filling your Pokedex a much more reasonable task.
Pokemon Platinum refines the experience by speeding up the battles. The new inclusion of the Distortion World makes the encounter atop Spear Pillar more exciting, bringing a much more tragic end to the villain, Cyrus. Platinum also introduced the staple character Looker, who goes on to become a recurring character in the series, and a very important character to the overall lore.
