Pokémon Black and White Versions
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This article is incomplete. Please feel free to edit this article to add missing information and complete it. |
| Pokémon Black Version ポケットモンスター ブラック | |
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| File:Pokemon Black Boxart JP.png Pokémon Black Version's Japanese boxart, featuring Reshiram. | |
| Pokémon White Version ポケットモンスター ホワイト | |
| File:Pokemon White Boxart JP.png Pokémon White Version's Japanese boxart, featuring Zekrom. | |
Basic info
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| Platform: | Nintendo DS |
| Category: | RPG |
| Players: | 1-4 players simultaneous |
| Connectivity: | Wi-Fi |
| Developer: | Game Freak |
| Publisher: | Nintendo The Pokémon Company |
| Part of: | Generation V main series |
Ratings
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| CERO: | A |
| ESRB: | N/A |
| ACB: | N/A |
| OFLC: | N/A |
| PEGI: | N/A |
| GRAC: | N/A |
| GSRR: | N/A |
Release dates
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| Japan: | September 18, 2010 |
| North America: | Spring 2011 |
| Australia: | N/A |
| Europe: | Spring 2011 |
| South Korea: | N/A |
| Hong Kong: | N/A |
| Taiwan: | N/A |
Websites
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| Japanese: | Official Subsite |
| English: | Official Subsite |
Pokémon Black Version (Japanese: ポケットモンスター ブラック Pocket Monsters Black) and Pokémon White Version (Japanese: ポケットモンスター ホワイト Pocket Monsters White) are the primary paired versions of Generation V. They are, like Generation IV's games, on the Nintendo DS.
Black and White follow the trends set up by previous games in the series. Two player characters (one male and one female) travel a new region, Isshu, on their Pokémon journeys. This region is inhabited by various Pokémon, almost all of which have not appeared prior to Black and White. The first of the new Pokémon to feature in these games, Zorua and Zoroark, were revealed on February 10, 2010 in CoroCoro magazine, and the starter Pokémon were revealed in May.
The games' names were revealed on the official Japanese Pokémon website on April 9, and scans from the subsequent issue of the magazine were leaked on April 10. These scans revealed some of the graphical enhancements that will be featured in these games. There is a higher level of 3D graphics than in previous games, as shown in some shots of the overworld. Initial sprites can be seen for Zorua, Zoroark, and the player characters.
In addition to the improved graphics, a number of aesthetic changes have been made from previous generations, including an altered battle scene containing fully animated Pokémon battle sprites as well as a dynamic camera that changes focus to highlight specific parts of the battle. Also, when talking to people, speech balloons for dialog will appear over people's heads, rather than as simply a dialog box.
Black and White are compatible with all five Generation IV games through use of the PokéShifter—unlike Pal Park, however, items cannot be held by Pokémon being sent over. Pokémon can be sent from Generation III games, as well, by transfer through Generation IV. The games also have the capacity to connect to the Internet.
Plot
The game starts in Kanoko Town in the player's room with Cheren, a childhood friend. Professor Araragi has left a gift box for the two and Bel, another one of the player's friends, who arrives a little later. The box contains three Pokémon that the player can choose from. After the selection, Bel will request a battle. When the battle is over, the room becomes cluttered due to the battle. Cheren heals both the player's and Bel's Pokémon, and begins a battle with the player as well. If the player loses to Cheren, he will gloat about his victory. The three then go downstairs, and Cheren and Bel will leave the house while the player's mother will the Pokémon.
The player visits Bel's house, where she and her father are having an argument about her going on a Pokémon journey. Bel storms out of the house, and the player follows her to Professor Araragi's lab, where Cheren has been waiting. In the lab, Professor Araragi will give the player a chance to nickname the selected starter Pokémon, and give each of the three a Pokédex. Upon leaving the lab, they will be greeted by the player's mother, who will hand everyone a Town Map.
From then on, the player will set off on adventures through the Isshu region. Along the way, the player will battle eight Gym Leaders, while trying to complete the Pokédex. After managing to obtain all eight badges, the player will head to the Pokémon League to battle the Elite Four and the Champion.
However, the adventure did not go as expected as the evil Team Plasma will be encountered along the way to the Pokémon League. The player will encounter N, the leader of the evil organization. One of the Seven Sages, Geechisu, have a different goal than their leader. The player must thwart the plans of those two and save the Isshu region from being destroyed.
However, unlike previous games, the player will not be battling the Champion of the Isshu region when he first defeated the Elite Four; instead, N is battled. After defeating him, he promises not to separate the world into becoming black and white.
After the battle against N, however, the game is not over, as there are further activities to be done.
Features
Black and White returns features present in previous generations, such as day, time, abilities and the split between Physical and Special moves. Certain ones, however, such as Pokémon following their Trainers and the Battle Frontier, have been left out.
C-Gear
- Main article: C-Gear
The C-Gear allows players to use certain multiplayer functions while anywhere in the game world. These functions vary with the type of communication used: wireless, Wi-Fi and infrared. The C-Gear is similar to the Pokétch in that it fills the bottom screen, but its applications are much different.
On the C-Gear, as well as in battle, the current time is displayed in 12-hour format, however, at the hours of 12:00 AM and PM, the hour displays as 0, rather than 12, as a 24-hour clock, such as that on the DS and in the Generation IV games, would display midnight.
Pokémon Global Link
- Main article: Pokémon Global Link
Pokémon Dream World
- Main article: Pokémon Dream World
The Pokémon Dream World is a special feature of Black and White which is operated via an Internet website, Pokémon-GL.com. The Dream World allows players to send a Pokémon to the Internet to obtain items and meet other Pokémon, making the website in a way such that it is a Generation V analog to the Pokéwalker.
Many Pokémon that are found here are not found in the Isshu region, and would otherwise have to be migrated from a Generation IV game to be used. All of the Pokémon available here are given Dream World-exclusive abilities that their species cannot have by normal means.
High Link
- Main article: High Link
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This section is incomplete. Please feel free to edit this section to add missing information and complete it. |
Pokémon Musical
- Main article: Pokémon Musical
Pokémon Contests, which have been present since Generation III, are replaced by Pokémon Musicals. Similar to Contests, however, players may dress up their Pokémon when participating.
Seasons
- Main article: Seasons
Much like Generation II introduced as system of time, Generation V features changes in seasons. Seasons change every month. With it comes aesthetic changes in the region, as well as some changes with the Pokémon found in the wild. Additionally, Shikijika and its evolution Mebukijika change forms every season.
Sprite animations
While already featured in previous games, Pokémon sprites in Black and White remain animated throughout the battle. Additionally, full back sprites are now present in the games. Some, but not all, Pokémon use animated versions of their Generation IV sprites. All Trainers, on the other hand, with the exception of Bel, Cheren and N, return to sprites with no animations.
Triple Battles
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This section is incomplete. Please feel free to edit this section to add missing information and complete it. |
Rotation Battles
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This section is incomplete. Please feel free to edit this section to add missing information and complete it. |
New Gyms
Pokémon Black and White brings back the traditional eight Gyms, but with it a total of eleven Gym Leaders. They are Dent, Pod and Corn (Grass, Fire and Water, respectively), Aloe (Normal), Arti (Bug), Kamitsure (Electric), Yacon (Ground), Fuuro (Flying), Hachiku (Ice), Shaga and Iris (Dragon). Dent, Pod or Corn are battled if the player has chosen the Water-type, Grass-type or Fire-type starter Pokémon, respectively. Shaga is battled in Pokémon Black while Iris is battled in Pokémon White.
Elite Four
Unlike previous games, the Elite Four can be battled in any order. After battling all four, a path to the Champion is unlocked. The Elite Four members are Shikimi (Ghost), Giima (Dark), Caitlin (Psychic) and Renbu (Fighting). However, the player is not able to defeat the Champion before defeating Team Plasma. Later, after defeating them in a rematch, the player will face Champion Adeku, who uses a variety of types. It should be noted that Caitlin is the same person present in the Battle Castle who was alongside her butler Darach in Generation IV.
New Pokémon
Black and White bring a total of 156 new Pokémon, bringing the overall total to 649 from the 493 present in Generation IV. While some new Pokémon may have similarities to previously introduced Pokémon, none of the new Pokémon are related to any of the 493.
The first Pokémon to be revealed are Zorua and Zoroark, who were both featured in the thirteenth Pokémon movie. Unlike previous generations, no other new Pokémon were featured in the anime prior to the games' release.
Version-exclusive Pokémon
In addition to the list below, a large number of Pokémon can be caught in the White-exclusive White Forest.
Compatibility
Black and White are able to connect with all fourth generation main series games. Pokémon from Diamond, Pearl, Platinum, HeartGold, and SoulSilver are able to be traded forward to these games using the PokéShifter. Like the transfer available in Pal Park, Pokémon sent to Black and White cannot be returned to their original games. Some event Pokémon released in Generation IV have the ability to unlock more events in Generation V: specific Raikou, Entei, Suicune and Celebi, transferrable via an exclusive method called the Transfer Machine, unlock Zorua and Zoroark. Likewise, the Lock Capsule transferred from Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver yields TM95 (Bark Out), but this event has yet to take place.
Black and White also have the ability to connect to the Internet, accessing the Pokémon Dream World; Pokémon acquired in this manner are obtained in the High Link forest. Although the game cartridges contain infrared technology similar to that used in HeartGold and SoulSilver, Black and White are unable to connect with the Pokéwalker.
Reception
Gaming magazine Famitsu has given Pokémon Black and White Versions perfect scores. The reviewers were highly impressed with the fresh approach that the game has taken, from the graphics to the new features to the diversity of the Pokémon. The reviewers were also impressed by the Wi-Fi and PC features.
Only 14 other games have received a perfect score of 40/40, the first of which was The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, and the most recent being Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker.
Trivia
- Pokémon Black and White each have a mascot of the color of their counterpart version.
- Game Freak spent about one and a half years developing the story and characters.[1]
- Also, some of the New Pokémon appearing in both games were designed by James Turner of Nintendo of America instead of Ken Sugimori. This is to tie up with the American feel of Black and White.
- Two figures were given away with pre-orders in Japan. People could receive a Reshiram sound drop by pre-ordering Pokémon Black and a Zekrom sound drop by pre-ordering Pokémon White.
- Pokémon Black and White are the first Pokémon games to have different exterior designs for every gym.
- They are also the first games where the Gyms have logos.
- Black and White do not have some aspects that were considered conventional in the past generations, some of which include:
- Three fishing rods (Old, Good and Super), now reduced to just the Super Rod.
- The presence of a Department Store on a route rather than in a city.
- The lack of a Game Corner and Coin Case, presumed to have stemmed from the dispute of gambling within the games.
In other languages
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References
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This game-related article is part of Project Games, a Bulbapedia project that aims to write comprehensive articles on the Pokémon games. |
