How to Get Master Balls in Pokemon Platinum

Released in 2009, Pokemon Platinum is an enhanced version of both Pokemon Diamond and Pokemon Pearl. Among the game's most coveted items is the "master ball," which has a 100 percent success rate for capturing any Pokemon encountered in the game, including legendaries and those most prone to fleeing. Given their usefulness the items are extremely scarce, usually limited to only one or two per player unless used via a cheat add-on such as Action Replay or Game Shark. There remain a few ways to obtain a master ball without cheating.

Things You'll Need

• Nintendo DS
• Copy of Pokemon Platinum
• Copies of Pokemon Diamond, Pearl, Ruby, Sapphire, Emerald, Fire Red or Leaf Green (optional)

Instructions

Defeat Cyrus

1. Go to Veilstone City after visiting Lake Acuity.

2. Go the Team Galactic Headquarters. Speak to the Team Galactic Grunt location outside of the headquarters. He instructs you meet him at the Team Galactic warehouse.

3. Speak to the Grunt at the warehouse. He gives you a key to enter Team Galactic headquarters.

4. Enter the headquarters and make your way through until you fight Cyrus. Your prize for defeating him will be a master ball.

Daily Lottery

1. Visit the front desk of the television station in Jubilife.

2. Save your game.

3. Play the lottery. If you manage to match all five numbers your prize will be a master ball. Keep resetting the game and playing the lottery until you win and receive the item.

4. Save your game again once you win the master ball.

5. Replay the lottery the next day using the same method of saving before and resetting if you don't win.

Trade

1. Trade a Pokemon with someone from their own Diamond, Pearl or Platinum game. Make sure the Pokemon traded is holding a master ball. The item can then be added to your collection.

2. Gain access to Pal Park. This can be done by obtaining National Dex and defeating the Champion of the Pokemon League.

3. Transfer any Pokemon holding a master ball from Pokemon Ruby, Sapphire, Emerald, Fire Red or Leaf Green to your Pokemon Platinum character.

Released Pokemon

1. Release any Pokemon over level 50 and save your game.

2. Fly to Sunyshore. This method only works if you fly there.

3. Surf in the water above Sunyshore. The first Pokemon you battle should be the one you released. Catch it again and it will be holding a master ball.

4. Release another over-50 Pokemon and repeat the process.

Tips & Warnings

• The first three methods are guaranteed to work. The fourth, releasing monsters, is not guaranteed as it has worked for some players but not for others.

References

• Blurtit: How to Get Master Balls On Pokemon Platinum Without Cheats
• Cheats Guru: How to get more than master ball
• Game FAQs: Need master balls?