How To Get Up-Grades in Pokémon Platinum

Up-Grade Locations
#	Location	Repeatable?
1	Team Galactic Eterna Building — In the northeastern corner of the room in which Rad Rickshaw and Commander Jupiter are fighting	No
2	Route 224 — Inside a Poké Ball in a patch of tall grass near Victory Road after obtaining the National Pokédex	No
3	Eterna City — Received from Professor Oak in the southwestern-most house after obtaining the National Pokédex	No

The earliest and simplest way to get an Up-Grade is to pick it up from the top floor of the Team Galactic Eterna building. This method is available once you’ve won the Forest Badge from Leader Gardenia and can use the Cut outside of battle.

You won’t have access to the other two methods until after you’ve been entered into the Hall of Fame and received the National Pokédex from Professor Rowan.

All Up-Grade Locations

Location 1: Team Galactic Eterna Building (Step-by-Step)

After defeating Leader Gardenia in Eterna City Gym and receiving the Forest Badge, you’ll be able to use Cut outside of battle.

This means you will finally have access to the Team Galactic Eterna building on the northern edge of town. And that’s where you’ll find your first Up-Grade.

Tip: If you haven’t been through the building before, you’ll probably want to stock up on items and heal at the Pokémon Center, as there are a few Grunt battles to get through.

Once you’re ready, head to the Team Galactic Eterna building to the north of the PokéCenter.

Heading to the northern end of Eterna City from the Pokémon Center.

Use Cut on one of the three trees barring your path, then enter the front door.

Removing the blockade in front of the Team Galactic Eterna Building.

This building is a bit like a maze.

On each floor is a pair of ascending staircases, but only one staircase on each floor will lead to the correct path; the others will lead to dead ends and/or battles with Team Galactic Grunts.

It’s easy to figure out which staircases are the correct ones though, since Team Galactic has very helpfully placed posters near each of them.

To start making your way up the building, enter the front door and climb the right-hand staircase on the ground floor.

Ascending the right-hand staircase.

On the next floor, the left-hand staircase is the correct one.

Choosing the left-hand staircase on the second floor.

On the third floor, head down the long hallway towards the right.

Traveling down the hallway on floor three.

Then take the left-hand staircase up to the fourth and final floor.

Taking the left-hand staircase to the top floor.

The top floor is more high-tech and futuristic-looking than the others.

But just turn the corner and make your way down the hall.

Turning the corner on the top floor.

At the end of the hallway you will see Rad Rickshaw arguing with Commander Jupiter, who is surrounded by stolen Pokémon.

Head for the Poké Ball item in the northeast corner of the room and grab it to add the game’s first Up-Grade to your bag.

Heading for the Up-Grade in the corner of Jupiter’s room.

Claiming Platinum’s first Up-Grade.

Location 2: Route 224 (Step-by-Step)

The next Up-Grade is found on Route 224, which won’t be available until after you’ve entered the Pokémon League Hall of Fame and received the National Pokédex. So this is only an option in the post-game, and you’ll need to bring along Pokémon with the following HMs:

Surf
Waterfall
Rock Climb
And if this is your first time traveling to this area then you will also need Strength

It’s also a long journey with lots of strong wild Pokémon, so you might want to make sure you’re stocked up on Full Restores, Escape Ropes, and Max Repels.

When you’re fully prepared, Fly to the Pokémon League. Then use Surf at the water to the south and ride down the waterfall.

Riding down the waterfall at the Pokémon League.

Step ashore, head south, and turn eastward to enter Victory Road.

Entering Victory Road.

Once you’re inside, head south down the wide corridor at the entrance.

Moving south down the corridor.

Cross the bridge to the south and use Rock Climb to descend the rocky wall.

Using Rock Climb to descend the hill.

Then head to the west a bit, and then turn north to pass under the bridge.

Passing under the bridge to the northwest.

Make a left turn at the Veteran trainer and head up the stairs behind him.

Then cross over the bridge here and keep moving eastward.

Looping around up the stairs to cross the bridge.

Pass under the next bridge to the east, then head through the newly-accessible entrance to the next cave chamber.

Tip: If you arrive here without having the National Pokédex, this cave entrance will be obstructed.

Passing through the new entryway to the east.

In this new area, climb down the staircase and head northeast.

Heading northeast in the new room.

Descend the staircase and head through the next doorway.

Entering the next chamber.

If this is your first time passing through this section of Victory Road, Marley will accompany you at this point and you will be unable to use Surf. In this case, you will need to take the longer route to the north.

Otherwise, use Surf on the water to the east.

Using Surf on the eastern lake.

Surf northward and disembark at the square-shaped patch of land to the east.

Surfing toward the terrain in the northeast.

Then climb down the staircase and head southward.

Heading downstairs and turning south.

Circle around the rectangular lake and head north, passing the two Ace Trainers.

Skirting the rectangular lake.

Wind your way through the stone maze here.

The path from this direction is linear, so it’s impossible to get lost.

Moving through the linear path between the stones.

After the stone maze, head eastward all the way to the right-hand side of this area.

Then climb down the stairs to the north and Surf across the next lake.

Surfing northward across the next lake.

Step ashore on the other side, head north, and Surf across yet another small lake.

Cutting across another lake to the north.

Step back on land and head up the stairs to the north, then take the exit to your right.

Taking the exit to the northeast.

In this next area just head up the long staircase.

Climbing the stairs.

Then leave Victory Road through the exit at the top.

Leaving Victory Road to the east.

Outside on Route 224, turn northward and descend the staircase.

Turning north on Route 224.

Continue northward past the Ace Trainer and go down a small set of stairs.

If you check to your left after descending the stairs, you will see a Poké Ball item half-hidden in the tall grass.

Approaching the Up-Grade near Victory Road’s side entrance.

Pick up this Poké Ball to obtain an Up-Grade.

Acquiring the Up-Grade on Route 224.

Location 3: Eterna City (After Obtaining the National Dex)

Getting the third Up-grade will take you back full circle to Eterna City.

After you’ve defeated the Pokémon League and received the National Pokédex, Kanto’s Professor Oak will visit Sinnoh, opting to stay in one of Eterna City’s houses.

And you’ll get your third Up-Grade from Prof Oak, so that’s who we’re looking for.

To find him, Fly to Eterna City and head south from the Pokémon Center, moving along the main street.

Heading south from Eterna City’s Pokémon Center.

Pass the Poké Mart as you continue toward the southern edge of town.

Continuing southward.

Your destination is the grayish-blue house in the southwestern corner of town, across the street from Eterna Gym.

Entering the southwestern house in Eterna City.

If you’ve beaten the game at least once and met the prerequisites mentioned above, you will find Professor Oak lounging around inside the house.

Finding Professor Oak in Eterna City.

Professor Oak is aware of your history of heroism and avid Pokémon collecting, and he will spark up a lively conversation with you if you speak to him.

This leads to him mentioning a fascinating item a friend sent him from his home region of Kanto.

Speaking with Professor Oak.

Oak will decide to reward you for all you’ve done by giving you this rare item: the final Up-Grade.

Obtaining the third and final Up-Grade from Professor Oak in Eterna City.

Up-Grade Details and Uses

The in-game description of the Up-Grade.

The Up-Grade is a held item that only serves one purpose: allowing Porygon to evolve into Porygon2 via trade.

Here’s how to use it:

First give the Up-Grade to your Porygon to hold.

Letting Porygon hold the Up-Grade.

Summary of Porygon with the Up-Grade in its held item slot.

Then simply trade it to another player—hopefully someone you trust to trade it back afterwards—and Porygon will evolve into Porygon2 once it’s been traded over.

The newly evolved Porygon2.

Keep in mind that this process will consume the Up-Grade permanently.

Is Porygon2 Worth It?

Genrally speaking, Porygon2 is a massive improvement to what was originally a neat (but mostly useless) novelty Pokémon.

With Porygon2’s smoothed-out exterior comes a capable Normal-type with solid stats across the board, especially in Special Attack, Special Defense, and Defense.

Porygon2 also has interesting Ability options: Trace and Download. Although the usefulness of these Abilities is debatable.

Trace will transform into the Ability of a random foe—a completely chaotic effect with little strategy to adhere to.
Download will raise either Porygon2’s Attack or Special Attack stat by one stage, depending on the foe’s lowest defense stat: if the foe’s Defense is lower, Download will raise Porygon2’s Special Attack. And if its Special Defense is lower, Download will raise Porygon2’s Attack.

From here, Porygon2 can actually be further evolved into Porygon-Z if traded while holding the Dubious Disc.

Porygon-Z is more fragile than Porygon2, but it has an even higher base Special Attack stat than Alakazam.

BACK TO THE MAIN GAME Pokémon Platinum Full Strategy Guide

Guide Navigation

Pokémon Platinum
- How To Get Up-Grades in Pokémon Platinum

Chris Haygood

270 articles

Chris is an American freelance writer and lifelong gamer. RPGs have been his genre of choice ever since he got Pokémon Blue in 1867, but if he finds a good rhythm game, he will prioritize playing it over both eating and breathing.

View Writer's Posts →