I bought Black and White when they were first released but I don't want to erase all my work in post-games to play them again. I was so excited to see Amazon had new copies for sale so I could have another cartridge to do play throughs on. The game I received, however, was NOT a North American copy (see photos). Nothing in the product listing or product photos indicated this. Nintendo also likes to region lock things, so I was worried I'd have to return the game. I did a quick Google search and found that what I was sent- a Malaysian, Singapore, UAB, Saudi Arabia game, would work just fine with my North American New 3DS XL. (And yes, it's in English.) Popped the game in, and it loaded up and I'm ready to revisit Unova! If you get a game that looks like mine, don't worry- you can still play! My console is the latest software, all the updates, no hacking, and it has no issues with this cartridge. And the game WAS brand new and sealed. Super relived and now super happy :) Also- I already knew this- but do be aware that online services shut down for Black/White/Black 2/White 2 in 2014. You cannot use the GTS or Dream World in the game anymore but you can trade with other Black/White games as long as the other player is in the room with you.
I skipped over several Pokémon games over the years. I was a Generation 2 guy playing Pokémon Gold in the days where 250 whopping Pokémon to collect. But when I purchased a 3DS in 2011 I decided it was time to get back into Pokémon. I purchased the Gold remake first and then played it intently. A few years later I pre-ordered and played Pokémon Y to completion. I had Pokémon from HeartGold I wanted to transfer but the new transfer system would not work with that game. So I set forth to purchase a copy of White and White 2. First of all, Pokémon White treats its audience like intelligent participants in a world that is unfriendly and wild. This is clearly an E +10 game and is in no way a hardcore title... but it presents a complex question to it's audience... Is fighting Pokémon, collecting Pokémon, and trading Pokémon ethical? And like any good question there is no straight answer. Even the best player of Pokémon has a Pokémon in their PC storage that they have not used in a very long time. Is that Pokémon lonely? Are they hungry? Are they claustrophobic? None of this is truly answered. But beyond that, this game plays smoothly as an individual title with small rewards if you play the associated Pokémon Black title. Unfortunately for collectors, you cannot trade Pokémon between White and it's older peers Pokémon Diamond, Pearl, Platinum, HeartGold, SoulSilver. There is an annoying minigame to transfer these Pokémon six at a time from one cart to another, but it requires patience. It irked me that I could not simply trade between them. Speaking of trading, Pokémon White 2 has full trading capability to the best of my knowledge. The Pokémon in this title are some of the best I have seen. I am still favoring the Gen 1-2 style but the Gen 5 Pokémon really set the environment well. From lumbering stone ghost golems to brilliant blustering eagles, this set of Pokémon is worthy to collect. As a whole, I would recommend this title to anyone from ten years old to thirty five. It asks good questions about the game played and sets a standard for Pokémon games in the future. While not perfect, it really seems to be the definitive DS incarnation of Pokémon so far. And White 2 improves upon the shortcomings of White with more activities, seasonal changes, competitions, mini-games, and good ol' fashioned Pokémon battles. If you are planning to get Pokémon White's PokeBank then I would certainly suggest getting this game to round out your collection.
Now just had coming back from playing Black/White 2 I decided to play Black/White 1 to see what exactly was going on the story. I also went back to play it to see the differences between Old Unova and New Unova. WARNING, THIS REVIEW MAY HAVE SPOILERS. Story: It's much better than Black/White 2 as it feels more engrossing. Also, Team Plasma seems to be in bigger force here (more influential too). The story as a whole is more enjoyable than I first though. Also, this game sets some of the ground-work for some characters that appear in B2/W2 (which you probably would only see if you've already played B2/W2). Overall, I feel this story actually was the better story of the series. All the other generations' stories just seemed to be more about beating the elite 4 more so than making the Team group (i.e. Team Rocket, Team Magma/Aqua, Team Galactic for example) to be a bigger threat. Also, have several rivals in this game one being, obviously, badass compared to the other 2. Gameplay: it's a little step down from Black/White 2 (obviously), but overall it feel very familiar. It also seems that alot of the battles are very easy now (compared to Black and White 2). Though the core mechanics are still there, and the changes added since B/W are present. It seems that the battle interface (Pokemon name, HP Gauge, and EXP bar) are slightly different but this isn't really any kind of issue. Probably the biggest difference here between B/W and B2/W2 is the fact that you are having to use mainly Unova region pokemon. This really isn't a problem, and it forces you to make due with the resources you have. On a positive note, however, you can trade pokemon from Black/White to Black 2/White 2. So if you want to keep your rare pokemon but want to restart the game you can trade them to a buddy or twink them yourself (assuming you have 2 Nintendo DS/3DS devices. Replayability: it's not as high given that it doesn't have features that are mentioned in Black and White 2. Though there are things to do at the end (such as finding the Team Plasma "Sages" you ran into during the course of the game). If you have a buddy you can use him/her to get people to move from Black City (in Pokemon Black Version) to move into White forest. This would increase the amount of pokemon you can get from different regions. The problem is you don't know anyone without the opposite version, you're stuck with what you get from the beginning (with no way to expand it) which is determined at random. Overall, this game is very good. I enjoyed playthrough the Unova region and second time. As a matter of fact, I am restarting my Black 2 version just so I can see the changes again and get the references that were made to Black/White 1. If you were like me having bought Black/White 2, I would suggest getting this game only if you're interested in the changes/story of the Unova region (or if you felt the story from Black2/White2 was a bit disappointing).
Quick Personal Statement I was in elementary school when the "pokemon craze" hit the US and everyone brought games and cards to school. I still have funny memories of getting my cards or gameboy confiscated because I was battling friends or trading during school. (It was much harder to be sneaky when you had to use a cable to connect your systems.) That being said, I only have fond and happy memories of Pokemon. However, as I started getting older, my interest in the series kept declining, but I still bought each new game. Honestly, I was a bit disappointed with Heart Gold / Soul Silver and still have not beaten it yet. I didn't have very high hopes for this game, however, I can tell you this game surpassed anything that I could have hoped for and is by far one of the best Pokemon games that I have ever played. My interest in the series has been reinvigorated. The core battle mechanics remain the same tested and true old formula, but the presentation has improved leaps and bounds! The graphics and environments are some of the best that I have seen on the DS. There are full 3D environments that look astonishingly good. Furthermore, Black and White will have seasonal cycles, as well as night/day cycles. Another added feature is triple battles where each trainer sends out 3 pokemon. I have only had a few hours to play the game, so I cannot speak for the plot as a whole or the post-story activities, but my brief experience with the game has been nothing but pure nostalgic fun. Anyways, I'll leave the detailed reviewing of the game itself to someone else. I'll move on to what I really want to talk about: the differences between Black version and White version. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Differences -- Pokemon - White Version vs Pokemon - Black Version ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Normally, it really doesn't matter which Pokemon version you get, because both are essentially the same thing, except for minor pokemon differences. However, surprisingly, for the first time in a Pokemon game, there are actually significant differences between the games. This time, there are unique regions to each game and the visual theme of each game is quite different. ~~~ Visual Theme ~~~ So, what do I mean by the visual theme? Well, Pokemon Black has more urbanized, industrial locations, whereas Pokemon White shows a more natural world. This can be seen throughout the game. You will see small differences such as a gardening patch in Mistralton city in Pokemon White compared to a building in the same spot in Pokemon Black. Most of the cities give off a natural atmosphere in White. In White, the cities have more grass, plants, and trees, and in Black the cities have more concrete, asphalt, and buildings. The cities in Black are more developed, and in some cases slightly futuristic-looking. Opelucid (Souryuu) City is the most notable; the city look almost entirely different between the two versions. ~~~~ White City / Black Forest ~~~~ Pokemon Black has Black City and white has the White Forest. These are the version exclusive regions I mentioned earlier. They fit the visual themes set forth by each game: Black City is a heavily urbanized area with several trainers to battle with Pokemon from lvl 40 to the mid 60s. There are also many item shops with items that can you help you in game. White City, on the other hand, is a natural forest with low leveled, unevolved Pokemon that you can catch. Black City will definitely help you more in terms of raising your own Pokemon's levels and getting supplies for future battles. However, White City will cater more to people who plan to collect Pokemon and try to complete their pokedex. ~~~~~ Special Battles - Triple and Rotational ~~~~ In both Pokemon White and Black, there are 5 special battles. Pokemon White has 4 Triple Battles and 1 Rotational Battle. Pokemon Black has 4 Rotational Battles and 1 Triple Battle. In both of these special battles, both trainers send out 3 pokemon. These special battles are a bit hard to explain without visuals. The mechanics the battles will be better explained in a simple way during game. Triple Battle: It is a 3 on 3 battle, however, the order you place your pokemon matters. The pokemon in the middle is can attack the enemy's middle, left, or right pokemon, but your pokemon on the left can only attack the enemy's pokemon on the left and the middle. Similarly, your pokemon on the right can only attack the enemy's pokemon on the right and the middle. So, your pokemon on the left cannot attack the opponent's pokemon on the right, and your pokemon on the right cannot attack the opponent's pokemon to the left. To further complicate things, attacks that damage all pokemon such as explosion or earthquake cause more damage when done by the pokemon in the middle, but also inflicts more damage to the pokemon in the middle. ** When I say left or right, I am saying it from the perspective of behind your trainer. Rotational Battle: Like the triple battle, both trainers send out three pokemon. However, this time, the pokemon are not fighting against each other all at the same time. Even though all three are sent out, the battle appears like a 1 vs 1 match. Each trainer sends one pokemon forward to battle as one would in a normal battle. But here's the twist: at the start of your turn, you can rotate between any of the three to send forward. You can think of this as basically a pokemon switch without wasting a turn. This adds to the battle strategy when considering types. For example, if your opponent has a grass type forward and you have a water type forward, you would rotate your water type to put a fire type in front. Hopefully, my explanations made sense. If not, don't worry, they are far less complicated when the game explains it to you. If you like the Rotational Battles better, then you might want to gt Pokemon Black since it has 4 of those and only 1 Triple Battle. Maybe rotational battles aren't your thing and you want to do Triple Battles. Then, you should consider Pokemon White. ~~~~ Trainer Differences ~~~~ There are sometimes minute differences in the pokemon line up of different trainers. I don't really feel that this is significant to talk about. However, one somewhat large change is the gym leader in the 8th gym. Pokemon Black features a stern old man, whereas Pokemon White shows a young girl. These gym leaders have the same pokemon, the only thing different is their appearances/avatar. ~~~~~~~~Legendaries~~~~~~~ Pokemon Black has the white Legendary Pokemon, Reshiram, which is a Dragon/Fire type. Pokemon White has the black Legendary Pokemon, Zekrom, which is a Dragon/Electric Type. Strategic Note: The sum of the base stats for both legendaries is 680, however, the spread is slightly different. Both have base 100 hp and 90 speed. Reshiram has 120 attack, 100 defense, 150 special attack, 120 special defense. Zekrom has 150 attack, 120 defense, 120 special attack, 100 special defense. This means that Reshiram is better suited to deal and take special attacks, while Zekrom is more suited to deal and take physical attacks. In my honest opinion, I think the Dragon/Electric legendary will be far more useful for competitive battling. One of the best electric type pokemon is Zapdos. However, Zapdos is stunted by its flying type, leaving it vulnerable to devastating attacks such as a 50% health loss from Stealth Rock. This new legendary should easily be able to replace that spot. Plus, the versatility of a dragon type may put it ahead of other notable electric types such as Electivire. ~~~~~~~~Version Exclusives~~~~~~~~~~~ And of course, like all previous pokemon games. Each version has a few pokemon exclusive to only that version. I wouldn't stress out at the loss these pokemon though. You can get all of them through online trades later, if you really want to complete your pokedex and catch 'em all. Check the bottom of the review for a list. ~~~~ Conclusion ~~~~ Pokemon Black/White is definitely one of the best pokemon games to come out. I definitely recommend it to anyone of any age. Don't waste time deciding whether or not to get the game: get it. Now, the only decision you have is whether to get Black or White. I decided to go with Pokemon White. White version just appealed more to me and seemed more "open". Black version looked cluttered, in my opinion. Also, I feel that the Black Legendary (found in white version) would be more useful in battle. Try checking out a few screenshots online to help you decide which visual style you like better, then get whichever version you like better! Pokemon - Black Version - urbanized theme - Black City (battle trainers and buy items) - Dragon/Fire Legendary - minor trainer differences (Old guy as 8th gym leader) - more Rotational Battles Pokemon - White Version - natural theme - White City (catch low level pokemon) - Dragon Electric Legendary - minor trainer differences (young girl as 8th gym leader) - more Triple Battles List of version exclusives: Pokémon Black #13. Weedle #14. Kakuna #15. Beedrill #198. Murkrow #228. Houndour #229. Houndoom #285. Shroomish #286. Breloom #311. Plusle #313. Volbeat #430. Honchkrow #546. Mommen #547. Whimsicott #574. Gothita #575. Gothorita #576. Gothitelle #629. Vullaby #630. Mandibuzz #641. Tornadus (legendary flying) #643. Reshiram (legendary dragon/fire) Pokémon White #10. Caterpie #11. Metapod #12. Butterfree #46. Paras #47. Parasect #200. Misdreavus #261. Poochyena #262. Mightyena #312. Minun #314. Illumise #429. Mismagius #548. Petilil #549. Lilligant #577. Solosis #578. Duosion #579. Reuniclus #627. Rufflet #628. Braviary #642. Thundurus (legendary electric/flying) #644. Zekrom (legendary dragon/electric) + Several Unevolved Pokemon you can catch in the White Forest: - Pidgey - Nidoran - Abra - Machop - Bellsprout - Gastly - Rhyhorn - Porygon - Togepi - Hoppip - Magby - Wurmple - Seedot - Ralts - Slakoths - Aron - Trapinch - Shinux - Happiny - Surskit Update: I just beat the game. It was a fun RPG and I think I am going to now start prepping for competitive battling. I think what drew me into this game the most was that all the characters are brand new until you beat the elite 4. The base plot style is still the same: beat 8 gyms, collect pokemon, navigate through a few caves, solve some little puzzles, defeat enemies from an evil group in a big building, defeat that evil group at their hideout again, fight rivals, elite 4, etc. This style has become standard for Pokemon and the sales data shows it works remarkably well. This game brought back the feeling of the original red / blue as you had to guess what type each Pokemon was, learn new movesets, get legitimately surprised during evolutions, etc. This game really brought back the mysteriousness of Pokemon and their mystic allure that originally piqued your curiosity a decade ago when you first played. Since the game had all new Pokemon, the game inherently took more steps to lead you in and actually is far more beginner friendly than other games. Looking toward the future: (purely speculation and personal opinion) This little section isn't really part of the review; it's just a place for me to dump my stream-of-consciousness about how I feel about the inevitable sequel. With 649 Pokemon, I'm not sure if Nintendo will decide to make a whole new fresh set of Pokemon in their next game as they did in this one (then again, people on forums said that were doubtful of a follow up to 2nd gen ages ago when we hit 251). I think Nintendo may just add a few (around 100) new Pokemon and include many of the current 649 in the next game. Now that we have a 3DS, it's only a matter of time before Nintendo starts dropping hints and teasers for the next 3D Pokemon RPG. Even though I love Pokemon games, the thing that keeps me coming back for more isn't the story, but rather the battle mechanics and strategy involved. In my opinion, it seems like each new Pokemon game just applies the same plot template and changes a few things. It's clear from the sales data that these games are raking in money and are hugely successful, but I actually would like to see some variation in the next game. The general plot idea seems a bit overused and trite now after being adapted for 5 generations of Pokemon games. I actually really enjoyed the gamecube Pokemon RPGs Colosseum and XD. Maybe Pokemon could incorporate more RPG elements in terms of exploration and interacting with the world, perhaps a Collosseum-like RPG game modeling styles of other Nintendo RPG series like Zelda. Actually, now that I think about it, I realize that I don't know what exactly I would change; I just want to see something a little new. A new Pokemon game with the same plot line will sell millions, so I don't think GameFreak and Nintendo will gamble on something new when they found something that sells. Well, that's just my opinion; I'm sure many people would disagree with me. Regardless of plot, the battle mechanics have me hooked and I will definitely be buying the next Pokemon game. If you have some time to spare, drop a comment about what you want to changed/added/removed in the next game.
I've been with the Pokemon game series since Red version, and though the TV show and card game and all have fallen through, I continue to purchase and play the handheld games. For newcomers, this is one of the best handheld series out there - the gameplay hasn't changed overall very much, but small tweaks have been made with every new game so it's almost a perfect game now in those terms. I was reluctant to buy this game because I thought I was growing out of them. I decided to try it and am glad I did. The major addition to note is the improved graphics - 3D (or almost 3D) areas allow you to (for example) circle around a spiral staircase or travel on a bridge with a camera angle from above. The battle sequences have more movement now so it seems more real than ever before. Different grasses, changing seasons, and triple battles are also great additions to the game. The game itself is really fun because you have some odd 150 new pokemon and don't interact with any old ones (any of the past generations) until much later in the game. Gameplay is again similar but with lots of new twists. This game is easier than Diamond/Pearl, which makes it more approachable overall. I haven't finished the game yet, I found the length of the game to be quite long so far so you will never feel like you paid too much $$$ for it. I thought I'd eventually be disappointed by a new handheld pokemon game but they keep coming out and continue to entertain. HIGHLY RECOMMEND
I am 24 years old and was in fourth grade when Red and Blue came out in America. I remember many happy hours spent with my GBC. After Gold and Silver, I was "too cool" to play and took a twelve year hiatus. White & Black version brought me back. Aside from being wowed about the gameplay on a DSi (! backlit screens!) the game is engaging, sufficiently challenging, and even though it's the same old formula that Nintendo's been using for over a decade it still feels "new." The game has lots of post Elite 4 activities too, which I like, as I'm not into competitive battling or EV training. In my opinion, the storyline of this game is a little more interesting than in previous ones - same old "struggle against evil people who want to misuse Pokemon" but White & Black version give it an interesting twist. The only irritating thing is that because I only play a few hours a week it took me a while to get to the White Forest, and I don't have any grass or wild pokemon in it because the timer ran out. This is a great game to pick up for old and new fans alike. I'm in graduate school and it's the perfect distraction for relaxing in the small amounts of spare time that I have. On a final note, it's nice to like Pokemon as an adult. What used to seem like an unaffordable bajillion dollars to ten year old me is now just the equivalent of a trip to the supermarket. Score one for growing up!
This game is clearly the best pokemon game to date. The new pokemon look awsome and the graphics and animation are to. The triple battle feature makes battleing more fun. Tm's are used unlimitly rather use only once. Its even more difficult though to keep leveling up in one area now because the experince you recieve for diffeating pokemon decreases as you level up rather staying the same like in other pokemon games. Same goes for battling the same trainer. So unfortunately battleing the Elite Four to get to level 100 would take even longer unless the trainers pokemon get there level higher. The different side is if you defeat a pokemon stronger than yours you receive more experience than you would have in othe pokemon games. Here is a great example for if your trying to get a lower level pokemon to level up: Say you have level 7 Pidove and your facing a level 70 Pansage, you switch your pidove out for your level 75 Zekrom to defeat it, in the past pokemon game you would normally receive a split of equal experince points, but in this game your pidove would recieve a lot more than your Zekrom because the level is alot lower than the pokemon that was defeated plus your pokemon, so you Pidove probably would recieve around 1,300 experience points versus your Zekrom only recieving 400. Same goes if you would have your Pidove holding an Experince Share. So this game makes it easier to level up a weaker pokemon in a stronger battle region than it did it was in other pokemon games. So you want to experience an awsome pokemon game than this is your game of choice.
The Black/White games are more immersive than their earlier counterparts, with a couple in-game best friends you share your journey with instead of the more conventional rival. Gym battles are made harder because, unlike in most (if not all) of the previous games, you can't just level your Pokemon into beatsticks and wipe out the competition; the system was adjusted so that, if you want to maintain control of your Pokemon, you have to keep them under the level set by the level of badge you have. While this was always an element of the first four gens, Black/White uses this to make it a challenge. (Ex: The first gym badge gives you control of Pokemon up to level 20; the second gym's trainer has a Pokemon at level twenty-one.) The graphics are a lot prettier in this game, too, with occasional changes in perspective to add to the immersion. Instead of walking between tiny buildings whose inside proportions go "House of Leaves" on you upon stepping inside, the buildings are actually pretty big. (There are still dimensional quirks, but compared to the earlier games, it's a huuuuuge step up.) I haven't been playing long enough to really explore the differences made by changes in season, but that's a new feature as well. Each month, the in-game season changes. (It's currently April; in the game, it's now winter.) From what I understand, this affects which Pokemon appear and, in some cases, HOW some Pokemon appear. TL;DR: I'm enjoying the hell out of this. Way more than I expected I would. I absolutely recommend buying this game.
(This review also appears for the Pokemon Black version which I wrote first.) Amazon had the best deal around for Pokemon Black, White, and the Special Edition Guide book. I have been playing Pokemon since the days of the GBA when I got the games for my sons. They grew out of them; I never did. lol When I heard that these titles where coming out; finally with new Pokemon not just a rehashing of the old titles, I was thrilled. Game Freaks has done an excellent job of coming up with an engaging story that is nothing like any of the games before it. They have also developed a host of new battle modes which keep basic play easy enough that brand new or younger players will still have fun and seasoned veterans will also be challenged. There are new ways to connect with other players around the world; can't wait for the Dream World to go active. I love the Pokemon games and so far these two have been the best. There will be enough room to store all Pokemon which means I have a few more to catch in previous games....now if we could just get Nintendo and Game Freaks to release the really rare ones again like Deoxys....in my Pokemon dreams. :)
This is definitely the best pokemon game I have ever played, and quite possibly the best video game I've ever had the pleasure of playing. Admittedly, at first I was weary. That ice cream cone pokemon was...disappointing. I initially hated the new pokemon designs, and still hate a few, but have since gotten used to them. By mid-game, the new designs actually felt like pokemon. The game graphics are PHENOMENAL. They story MAGNIFICENT. This is the first game in the series where the characters actually have personality. And not just your rivals, each gym leader has his or her own quirks as well. This is also the first time I found myself empathizing with the "evil" team (Team Plasma). Their concerns were valid and their intentions understandable. There are some minor quirks with the game, such as the shabby pokemon storage machine, but the positive aspects of the game more than make up for any minor issues. (May I just say that the addition of N is what would make this game a 100/100 rather than 98/100 in my book? :3 )
Tara Gordon
Not a NA game but works on NA New 3DS XL
I bought Black and White when they were first released but I don't want to erase all my work in post-games to play them again. I was so excited to see Amazon had new copies for sale so I could have another cartridge to do play throughs on. The game I received, however, was NOT a North American copy (see photos). Nothing in the product listing or product photos indicated this. Nintendo also likes to region lock things, so I was worried I'd have to return the game. I did a quick Google search and found that what I was sent- a Malaysian, Singapore, UAB, Saudi Arabia game, would work just fine with my North American New 3DS XL. (And yes, it's in English.) Popped the game in, and it loaded up and I'm ready to revisit Unova! If you get a game that looks like mine, don't worry- you can still play! My console is the latest software, all the updates, no hacking, and it has no issues with this cartridge. And the game WAS brand new and sealed. Super relived and now super happy :) Also- I already knew this- but do be aware that online services shut down for Black/White/Black 2/White 2 in 2014. You cannot use the GTS or Dream World in the game anymore but you can trade with other Black/White games as long as the other player is in the room with you.
Gina Passarella
Certain to Set Standards
I skipped over several Pokémon games over the years. I was a Generation 2 guy playing Pokémon Gold in the days where 250 whopping Pokémon to collect. But when I purchased a 3DS in 2011 I decided it was time to get back into Pokémon. I purchased the Gold remake first and then played it intently. A few years later I pre-ordered and played Pokémon Y to completion. I had Pokémon from HeartGold I wanted to transfer but the new transfer system would not work with that game. So I set forth to purchase a copy of White and White 2. First of all, Pokémon White treats its audience like intelligent participants in a world that is unfriendly and wild. This is clearly an E +10 game and is in no way a hardcore title... but it presents a complex question to it's audience... Is fighting Pokémon, collecting Pokémon, and trading Pokémon ethical? And like any good question there is no straight answer. Even the best player of Pokémon has a Pokémon in their PC storage that they have not used in a very long time. Is that Pokémon lonely? Are they hungry? Are they claustrophobic? None of this is truly answered. But beyond that, this game plays smoothly as an individual title with small rewards if you play the associated Pokémon Black title. Unfortunately for collectors, you cannot trade Pokémon between White and it's older peers Pokémon Diamond, Pearl, Platinum, HeartGold, SoulSilver. There is an annoying minigame to transfer these Pokémon six at a time from one cart to another, but it requires patience. It irked me that I could not simply trade between them. Speaking of trading, Pokémon White 2 has full trading capability to the best of my knowledge. The Pokémon in this title are some of the best I have seen. I am still favoring the Gen 1-2 style but the Gen 5 Pokémon really set the environment well. From lumbering stone ghost golems to brilliant blustering eagles, this set of Pokémon is worthy to collect. As a whole, I would recommend this title to anyone from ten years old to thirty five. It asks good questions about the game played and sets a standard for Pokémon games in the future. While not perfect, it really seems to be the definitive DS incarnation of Pokémon so far. And White 2 improves upon the shortcomings of White with more activities, seasonal changes, competitions, mini-games, and good ol' fashioned Pokémon battles. If you are planning to get Pokémon White's PokeBank then I would certainly suggest getting this game to round out your collection.
Mahalia Waitere
Great Entry in the series.
Now just had coming back from playing Black/White 2 I decided to play Black/White 1 to see what exactly was going on the story. I also went back to play it to see the differences between Old Unova and New Unova. WARNING, THIS REVIEW MAY HAVE SPOILERS. Story: It's much better than Black/White 2 as it feels more engrossing. Also, Team Plasma seems to be in bigger force here (more influential too). The story as a whole is more enjoyable than I first though. Also, this game sets some of the ground-work for some characters that appear in B2/W2 (which you probably would only see if you've already played B2/W2). Overall, I feel this story actually was the better story of the series. All the other generations' stories just seemed to be more about beating the elite 4 more so than making the Team group (i.e. Team Rocket, Team Magma/Aqua, Team Galactic for example) to be a bigger threat. Also, have several rivals in this game one being, obviously, badass compared to the other 2. Gameplay: it's a little step down from Black/White 2 (obviously), but overall it feel very familiar. It also seems that alot of the battles are very easy now (compared to Black and White 2). Though the core mechanics are still there, and the changes added since B/W are present. It seems that the battle interface (Pokemon name, HP Gauge, and EXP bar) are slightly different but this isn't really any kind of issue. Probably the biggest difference here between B/W and B2/W2 is the fact that you are having to use mainly Unova region pokemon. This really isn't a problem, and it forces you to make due with the resources you have. On a positive note, however, you can trade pokemon from Black/White to Black 2/White 2. So if you want to keep your rare pokemon but want to restart the game you can trade them to a buddy or twink them yourself (assuming you have 2 Nintendo DS/3DS devices. Replayability: it's not as high given that it doesn't have features that are mentioned in Black and White 2. Though there are things to do at the end (such as finding the Team Plasma "Sages" you ran into during the course of the game). If you have a buddy you can use him/her to get people to move from Black City (in Pokemon Black Version) to move into White forest. This would increase the amount of pokemon you can get from different regions. The problem is you don't know anyone without the opposite version, you're stuck with what you get from the beginning (with no way to expand it) which is determined at random. Overall, this game is very good. I enjoyed playthrough the Unova region and second time. As a matter of fact, I am restarting my Black 2 version just so I can see the changes again and get the references that were made to Black/White 1. If you were like me having bought Black/White 2, I would suggest getting this game only if you're interested in the changes/story of the Unova region (or if you felt the story from Black2/White2 was a bit disappointing).
Peggy Hurst
White vs Black - Differences --- Best Pokemon Game since 1st Gen!
Quick Personal Statement I was in elementary school when the "pokemon craze" hit the US and everyone brought games and cards to school. I still have funny memories of getting my cards or gameboy confiscated because I was battling friends or trading during school. (It was much harder to be sneaky when you had to use a cable to connect your systems.) That being said, I only have fond and happy memories of Pokemon. However, as I started getting older, my interest in the series kept declining, but I still bought each new game. Honestly, I was a bit disappointed with Heart Gold / Soul Silver and still have not beaten it yet. I didn't have very high hopes for this game, however, I can tell you this game surpassed anything that I could have hoped for and is by far one of the best Pokemon games that I have ever played. My interest in the series has been reinvigorated. The core battle mechanics remain the same tested and true old formula, but the presentation has improved leaps and bounds! The graphics and environments are some of the best that I have seen on the DS. There are full 3D environments that look astonishingly good. Furthermore, Black and White will have seasonal cycles, as well as night/day cycles. Another added feature is triple battles where each trainer sends out 3 pokemon. I have only had a few hours to play the game, so I cannot speak for the plot as a whole or the post-story activities, but my brief experience with the game has been nothing but pure nostalgic fun. Anyways, I'll leave the detailed reviewing of the game itself to someone else. I'll move on to what I really want to talk about: the differences between Black version and White version. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Differences -- Pokemon - White Version vs Pokemon - Black Version ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Normally, it really doesn't matter which Pokemon version you get, because both are essentially the same thing, except for minor pokemon differences. However, surprisingly, for the first time in a Pokemon game, there are actually significant differences between the games. This time, there are unique regions to each game and the visual theme of each game is quite different. ~~~ Visual Theme ~~~ So, what do I mean by the visual theme? Well, Pokemon Black has more urbanized, industrial locations, whereas Pokemon White shows a more natural world. This can be seen throughout the game. You will see small differences such as a gardening patch in Mistralton city in Pokemon White compared to a building in the same spot in Pokemon Black. Most of the cities give off a natural atmosphere in White. In White, the cities have more grass, plants, and trees, and in Black the cities have more concrete, asphalt, and buildings. The cities in Black are more developed, and in some cases slightly futuristic-looking. Opelucid (Souryuu) City is the most notable; the city look almost entirely different between the two versions. ~~~~ White City / Black Forest ~~~~ Pokemon Black has Black City and white has the White Forest. These are the version exclusive regions I mentioned earlier. They fit the visual themes set forth by each game: Black City is a heavily urbanized area with several trainers to battle with Pokemon from lvl 40 to the mid 60s. There are also many item shops with items that can you help you in game. White City, on the other hand, is a natural forest with low leveled, unevolved Pokemon that you can catch. Black City will definitely help you more in terms of raising your own Pokemon's levels and getting supplies for future battles. However, White City will cater more to people who plan to collect Pokemon and try to complete their pokedex. ~~~~~ Special Battles - Triple and Rotational ~~~~ In both Pokemon White and Black, there are 5 special battles. Pokemon White has 4 Triple Battles and 1 Rotational Battle. Pokemon Black has 4 Rotational Battles and 1 Triple Battle. In both of these special battles, both trainers send out 3 pokemon. These special battles are a bit hard to explain without visuals. The mechanics the battles will be better explained in a simple way during game. Triple Battle: It is a 3 on 3 battle, however, the order you place your pokemon matters. The pokemon in the middle is can attack the enemy's middle, left, or right pokemon, but your pokemon on the left can only attack the enemy's pokemon on the left and the middle. Similarly, your pokemon on the right can only attack the enemy's pokemon on the right and the middle. So, your pokemon on the left cannot attack the opponent's pokemon on the right, and your pokemon on the right cannot attack the opponent's pokemon to the left. To further complicate things, attacks that damage all pokemon such as explosion or earthquake cause more damage when done by the pokemon in the middle, but also inflicts more damage to the pokemon in the middle. ** When I say left or right, I am saying it from the perspective of behind your trainer. Rotational Battle: Like the triple battle, both trainers send out three pokemon. However, this time, the pokemon are not fighting against each other all at the same time. Even though all three are sent out, the battle appears like a 1 vs 1 match. Each trainer sends one pokemon forward to battle as one would in a normal battle. But here's the twist: at the start of your turn, you can rotate between any of the three to send forward. You can think of this as basically a pokemon switch without wasting a turn. This adds to the battle strategy when considering types. For example, if your opponent has a grass type forward and you have a water type forward, you would rotate your water type to put a fire type in front. Hopefully, my explanations made sense. If not, don't worry, they are far less complicated when the game explains it to you. If you like the Rotational Battles better, then you might want to gt Pokemon Black since it has 4 of those and only 1 Triple Battle. Maybe rotational battles aren't your thing and you want to do Triple Battles. Then, you should consider Pokemon White. ~~~~ Trainer Differences ~~~~ There are sometimes minute differences in the pokemon line up of different trainers. I don't really feel that this is significant to talk about. However, one somewhat large change is the gym leader in the 8th gym. Pokemon Black features a stern old man, whereas Pokemon White shows a young girl. These gym leaders have the same pokemon, the only thing different is their appearances/avatar. ~~~~~~~~Legendaries~~~~~~~ Pokemon Black has the white Legendary Pokemon, Reshiram, which is a Dragon/Fire type. Pokemon White has the black Legendary Pokemon, Zekrom, which is a Dragon/Electric Type. Strategic Note: The sum of the base stats for both legendaries is 680, however, the spread is slightly different. Both have base 100 hp and 90 speed. Reshiram has 120 attack, 100 defense, 150 special attack, 120 special defense. Zekrom has 150 attack, 120 defense, 120 special attack, 100 special defense. This means that Reshiram is better suited to deal and take special attacks, while Zekrom is more suited to deal and take physical attacks. In my honest opinion, I think the Dragon/Electric legendary will be far more useful for competitive battling. One of the best electric type pokemon is Zapdos. However, Zapdos is stunted by its flying type, leaving it vulnerable to devastating attacks such as a 50% health loss from Stealth Rock. This new legendary should easily be able to replace that spot. Plus, the versatility of a dragon type may put it ahead of other notable electric types such as Electivire. ~~~~~~~~Version Exclusives~~~~~~~~~~~ And of course, like all previous pokemon games. Each version has a few pokemon exclusive to only that version. I wouldn't stress out at the loss these pokemon though. You can get all of them through online trades later, if you really want to complete your pokedex and catch 'em all. Check the bottom of the review for a list. ~~~~ Conclusion ~~~~ Pokemon Black/White is definitely one of the best pokemon games to come out. I definitely recommend it to anyone of any age. Don't waste time deciding whether or not to get the game: get it. Now, the only decision you have is whether to get Black or White. I decided to go with Pokemon White. White version just appealed more to me and seemed more "open". Black version looked cluttered, in my opinion. Also, I feel that the Black Legendary (found in white version) would be more useful in battle. Try checking out a few screenshots online to help you decide which visual style you like better, then get whichever version you like better! Pokemon - Black Version - urbanized theme - Black City (battle trainers and buy items) - Dragon/Fire Legendary - minor trainer differences (Old guy as 8th gym leader) - more Rotational Battles Pokemon - White Version - natural theme - White City (catch low level pokemon) - Dragon Electric Legendary - minor trainer differences (young girl as 8th gym leader) - more Triple Battles List of version exclusives: Pokémon Black #13. Weedle #14. Kakuna #15. Beedrill #198. Murkrow #228. Houndour #229. Houndoom #285. Shroomish #286. Breloom #311. Plusle #313. Volbeat #430. Honchkrow #546. Mommen #547. Whimsicott #574. Gothita #575. Gothorita #576. Gothitelle #629. Vullaby #630. Mandibuzz #641. Tornadus (legendary flying) #643. Reshiram (legendary dragon/fire) Pokémon White #10. Caterpie #11. Metapod #12. Butterfree #46. Paras #47. Parasect #200. Misdreavus #261. Poochyena #262. Mightyena #312. Minun #314. Illumise #429. Mismagius #548. Petilil #549. Lilligant #577. Solosis #578. Duosion #579. Reuniclus #627. Rufflet #628. Braviary #642. Thundurus (legendary electric/flying) #644. Zekrom (legendary dragon/electric) + Several Unevolved Pokemon you can catch in the White Forest: - Pidgey - Nidoran - Abra - Machop - Bellsprout - Gastly - Rhyhorn - Porygon - Togepi - Hoppip - Magby - Wurmple - Seedot - Ralts - Slakoths - Aron - Trapinch - Shinux - Happiny - Surskit Update: I just beat the game. It was a fun RPG and I think I am going to now start prepping for competitive battling. I think what drew me into this game the most was that all the characters are brand new until you beat the elite 4. The base plot style is still the same: beat 8 gyms, collect pokemon, navigate through a few caves, solve some little puzzles, defeat enemies from an evil group in a big building, defeat that evil group at their hideout again, fight rivals, elite 4, etc. This style has become standard for Pokemon and the sales data shows it works remarkably well. This game brought back the feeling of the original red / blue as you had to guess what type each Pokemon was, learn new movesets, get legitimately surprised during evolutions, etc. This game really brought back the mysteriousness of Pokemon and their mystic allure that originally piqued your curiosity a decade ago when you first played. Since the game had all new Pokemon, the game inherently took more steps to lead you in and actually is far more beginner friendly than other games. Looking toward the future: (purely speculation and personal opinion) This little section isn't really part of the review; it's just a place for me to dump my stream-of-consciousness about how I feel about the inevitable sequel. With 649 Pokemon, I'm not sure if Nintendo will decide to make a whole new fresh set of Pokemon in their next game as they did in this one (then again, people on forums said that were doubtful of a follow up to 2nd gen ages ago when we hit 251). I think Nintendo may just add a few (around 100) new Pokemon and include many of the current 649 in the next game. Now that we have a 3DS, it's only a matter of time before Nintendo starts dropping hints and teasers for the next 3D Pokemon RPG. Even though I love Pokemon games, the thing that keeps me coming back for more isn't the story, but rather the battle mechanics and strategy involved. In my opinion, it seems like each new Pokemon game just applies the same plot template and changes a few things. It's clear from the sales data that these games are raking in money and are hugely successful, but I actually would like to see some variation in the next game. The general plot idea seems a bit overused and trite now after being adapted for 5 generations of Pokemon games. I actually really enjoyed the gamecube Pokemon RPGs Colosseum and XD. Maybe Pokemon could incorporate more RPG elements in terms of exploration and interacting with the world, perhaps a Collosseum-like RPG game modeling styles of other Nintendo RPG series like Zelda. Actually, now that I think about it, I realize that I don't know what exactly I would change; I just want to see something a little new. A new Pokemon game with the same plot line will sell millions, so I don't think GameFreak and Nintendo will gamble on something new when they found something that sells. Well, that's just my opinion; I'm sure many people would disagree with me. Regardless of plot, the battle mechanics have me hooked and I will definitely be buying the next Pokemon game. If you have some time to spare, drop a comment about what you want to changed/added/removed in the next game.
Mil Lhet
Enter a Whole New World
I've been with the Pokemon game series since Red version, and though the TV show and card game and all have fallen through, I continue to purchase and play the handheld games. For newcomers, this is one of the best handheld series out there - the gameplay hasn't changed overall very much, but small tweaks have been made with every new game so it's almost a perfect game now in those terms. I was reluctant to buy this game because I thought I was growing out of them. I decided to try it and am glad I did. The major addition to note is the improved graphics - 3D (or almost 3D) areas allow you to (for example) circle around a spiral staircase or travel on a bridge with a camera angle from above. The battle sequences have more movement now so it seems more real than ever before. Different grasses, changing seasons, and triple battles are also great additions to the game. The game itself is really fun because you have some odd 150 new pokemon and don't interact with any old ones (any of the past generations) until much later in the game. Gameplay is again similar but with lots of new twists. This game is easier than Diamond/Pearl, which makes it more approachable overall. I haven't finished the game yet, I found the length of the game to be quite long so far so you will never feel like you paid too much $$$ for it. I thought I'd eventually be disappointed by a new handheld pokemon game but they keep coming out and continue to entertain. HIGHLY RECOMMEND
Claudia Ivette Moreno
Pokemon White inspired me to come back to the Pokemon franchise.
I am 24 years old and was in fourth grade when Red and Blue came out in America. I remember many happy hours spent with my GBC. After Gold and Silver, I was "too cool" to play and took a twelve year hiatus. White & Black version brought me back. Aside from being wowed about the gameplay on a DSi (! backlit screens!) the game is engaging, sufficiently challenging, and even though it's the same old formula that Nintendo's been using for over a decade it still feels "new." The game has lots of post Elite 4 activities too, which I like, as I'm not into competitive battling or EV training. In my opinion, the storyline of this game is a little more interesting than in previous ones - same old "struggle against evil people who want to misuse Pokemon" but White & Black version give it an interesting twist. The only irritating thing is that because I only play a few hours a week it took me a while to get to the White Forest, and I don't have any grass or wild pokemon in it because the timer ran out. This is a great game to pick up for old and new fans alike. I'm in graduate school and it's the perfect distraction for relaxing in the small amounts of spare time that I have. On a final note, it's nice to like Pokemon as an adult. What used to seem like an unaffordable bajillion dollars to ten year old me is now just the equivalent of a trip to the supermarket. Score one for growing up!
Merouane Mimou Maskri
Best pokemon game to date.
This game is clearly the best pokemon game to date. The new pokemon look awsome and the graphics and animation are to. The triple battle feature makes battleing more fun. Tm's are used unlimitly rather use only once. Its even more difficult though to keep leveling up in one area now because the experince you recieve for diffeating pokemon decreases as you level up rather staying the same like in other pokemon games. Same goes for battling the same trainer. So unfortunately battleing the Elite Four to get to level 100 would take even longer unless the trainers pokemon get there level higher. The different side is if you defeat a pokemon stronger than yours you receive more experience than you would have in othe pokemon games. Here is a great example for if your trying to get a lower level pokemon to level up: Say you have level 7 Pidove and your facing a level 70 Pansage, you switch your pidove out for your level 75 Zekrom to defeat it, in the past pokemon game you would normally receive a split of equal experince points, but in this game your pidove would recieve a lot more than your Zekrom because the level is alot lower than the pokemon that was defeated plus your pokemon, so you Pidove probably would recieve around 1,300 experience points versus your Zekrom only recieving 400. Same goes if you would have your Pidove holding an Experince Share. So this game makes it easier to level up a weaker pokemon in a stronger battle region than it did it was in other pokemon games. So you want to experience an awsome pokemon game than this is your game of choice.
Romel Ore
Best installment in a long time
The Black/White games are more immersive than their earlier counterparts, with a couple in-game best friends you share your journey with instead of the more conventional rival. Gym battles are made harder because, unlike in most (if not all) of the previous games, you can't just level your Pokemon into beatsticks and wipe out the competition; the system was adjusted so that, if you want to maintain control of your Pokemon, you have to keep them under the level set by the level of badge you have. While this was always an element of the first four gens, Black/White uses this to make it a challenge. (Ex: The first gym badge gives you control of Pokemon up to level 20; the second gym's trainer has a Pokemon at level twenty-one.) The graphics are a lot prettier in this game, too, with occasional changes in perspective to add to the immersion. Instead of walking between tiny buildings whose inside proportions go "House of Leaves" on you upon stepping inside, the buildings are actually pretty big. (There are still dimensional quirks, but compared to the earlier games, it's a huuuuuge step up.) I haven't been playing long enough to really explore the differences made by changes in season, but that's a new feature as well. Each month, the in-game season changes. (It's currently April; in the game, it's now winter.) From what I understand, this affects which Pokemon appear and, in some cases, HOW some Pokemon appear. TL;DR: I'm enjoying the hell out of this. Way more than I expected I would. I absolutely recommend buying this game.
Kalpesh D Jain
I will catch them all!!!!
(This review also appears for the Pokemon Black version which I wrote first.) Amazon had the best deal around for Pokemon Black, White, and the Special Edition Guide book. I have been playing Pokemon since the days of the GBA when I got the games for my sons. They grew out of them; I never did. lol When I heard that these titles where coming out; finally with new Pokemon not just a rehashing of the old titles, I was thrilled. Game Freaks has done an excellent job of coming up with an engaging story that is nothing like any of the games before it. They have also developed a host of new battle modes which keep basic play easy enough that brand new or younger players will still have fun and seasoned veterans will also be challenged. There are new ways to connect with other players around the world; can't wait for the Dream World to go active. I love the Pokemon games and so far these two have been the best. There will be enough room to store all Pokemon which means I have a few more to catch in previous games....now if we could just get Nintendo and Game Freaks to release the really rare ones again like Deoxys....in my Pokemon dreams. :)
Richie Embry
Absolutely phenomenal
This is definitely the best pokemon game I have ever played, and quite possibly the best video game I've ever had the pleasure of playing. Admittedly, at first I was weary. That ice cream cone pokemon was...disappointing. I initially hated the new pokemon designs, and still hate a few, but have since gotten used to them. By mid-game, the new designs actually felt like pokemon. The game graphics are PHENOMENAL. They story MAGNIFICENT. This is the first game in the series where the characters actually have personality. And not just your rivals, each gym leader has his or her own quirks as well. This is also the first time I found myself empathizing with the "evil" team (Team Plasma). Their concerns were valid and their intentions understandable. There are some minor quirks with the game, such as the shabby pokemon storage machine, but the positive aspects of the game more than make up for any minor issues. (May I just say that the addition of N is what would make this game a 100/100 rather than 98/100 in my book? :3 )