Gameplay Today - Because You're Always Gaming

Pokémon is a series that has, as far as video games go, stood the test of time. Back in 1995 they were a huge hit, almost two decades later and the franchise is still going strong. Becoming the fastest titles to sell 5 million copies was no easy task but Black & White did it within months of their release. Pokémon has always been a favorite among portable gamers and B&W are almost as great as the originals. Game Freak has, once again, made a phenomenal game that will be adored by young and old gamers alike.

In previous games, you only had one rival but this game pits you against two in the race to be Pokémon Master. You, along with your best friends Cheren and Bianca, are all attempting to complete a PokéDex for Professor Juniper and defeat the Elite Four as well. The good thing about this is that it makes it much easier to see all forms of the starter partners for your PokéDex, wherein the older generation you had to find a friend that used the starter that neither you, nor your rival, chose for you to trade with.

Throughout your journey, you encounter the evil syndicate known as Team Plasma. Their goal is to take over the world (of course) and make all trainers release their Pokémon. They are led by seven sages whom you encounter numerous times throughout your adventure. While not being as memorable as Team Rocket, they are still a major step up from Team Magma/Aqua and Team Galactic.

As soon as you boot up the game, or see any screen shots, you will notice that they have transformed it from its flat design into a 3D world. Now you can truly get a feel for the massive skyscrapers or the spacious landscapes. On top of that, they have introduced all four seasons to the game. In the summer, it is very sunny and plants flourish, in the winter, there is snow and the trees have lost their leaves.

Each new generation of Pokémon adds at least 100 more to the list, but this time they went a little overboard. Adding an astound 156 new creatures, they have put more fresh Pokémon in this game than in any other title. While many of the latest monsters are interesting and creative, there are still some that make you wonder why they were even made. I mean, seriously? A garbage bag Pokémon?

Not only does Black and White add more Pokémon than any previous generation, but they completely redesign the battle system. While double battles, introduced in Generation III, were a fun twist, this time it is taken a step further with triple battles and rotation battles. Triple battles, naturally, involve three Pokémon as opposed to one or two. Rotation battles take the triple battles even farther by allowing you three Pokémon out at a time but only lets one of them attack. The only real difference from a normal battle that I found here is that you can see your opponent’s Pokémon instead of wondering what they are.

New to these games is the C-Gear, an in-game gadget that allows you to access special Wi-Fi, Wireless, and IR (Infrared) features. The IR allows you to trade and battle via IR regardless of if you are at a Pokémon Center or not and also has a few minor things as well. The Wireless allows you to visit other players’ worlds, granted you are close enough to them, and even have video chats if you have a DSi. Using the Wi-Fi you can access GameSync that allows you to send your companions to the “Dream World” which can reward you with Pokémon with special abilities or special items.

The coolest thing I have found so far is that even after defeating the Elite Four the story still has much more in store than in Diamond & Pearl. You unlock 3 new towns and many new areas to explore after the credits roll, including the version specific White Forest and Black City. In these new areas, Pokémon from past generations frolic. Catching anything from a Vulpix (First Gen) to a Milotic (Fourth Gen) and everything in between is now possible.

Pokémon Black & White offer a brand new experience to both veterans and newcomers to the series. The attempt at completely redesigning many aspects of the game while keeping the same feel was done masterfully. The story was very compelling and made me stay up late many nights because I just couldn’t put the game down. This was a Day One buy for me and I have not regretted it in the least. I give these titles my praise and guarantee they will not disappoint anyone who purchases them.