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Product Description
Amazon.com
Pokémon Black Version is a handheld Role-Playing game (RPG) for play on the Nintendo DS / DSi. Released as a companion game to the DS / DSi title Pokémon White Version, in it players enjoy classic challenging RPG-Adventure Pokémon gameplay as they catch wild Pokémon and utilize them in face-offs against other Trainers to see who is the best. Additional features include: access to the Legendary Pokémon, Reshiram; the player's choice of one of three starter Pokémon; an all-new and diverse game region, Unova; improved graphics; multiple new battle modes; the ability to wirelessly trade Pokémon; multiplayer options and more.
Experience an all-new Pokémon adventure as a girl or boy Trainer.
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Explore the new Unova region filled with a mix of landscapes, features and Pokémon.
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An All-New World Filled with All-New Pokémon
Pokémon Black Version features the same handheld RPG and Adventure gameplay that has consistently thrilled Nintendo DS players, both young and more experienced, but it also introduces players to the all-new Unova region. Brought to life with improved graphics, Unova is a mix of urban and natural landscapes in which players are just as likely to encounter skyscrapers and bridges, as they are to walk alongside mountains and seascapes. It is of course also filled with a potent blend of all-new Pokémon, including the Legendary Vast White Pokémon Reshiram and the Deep Black Pokémon Zekrom. Stepping into the role of either a male or female Trainer, players further have their choice of their first Pokémon, who will serve as the first of many Pokémon companions in their travels through Unova, as they attempt to capture every wild Pokémon variety available and test their skills against other Trainers in turn-based battles.
Experience Legendary Pokémon
Both of the Legendary Pokémon Reshiram and Zekrom appear in Pokémon Black Version and Pokémon White Version, but each can only be caught in their respective versions. The Legendary Pokémon Reshiram appears on the cover of Pokémon Black Version and the Legendary Pokémon Zekrom is seen on the cover of Pokémon White Version. See their types, abilities and profiles below.
 Reshiram View larger. |  Zekrom View larger. | |
Appearance: | Pokémon Black Version | Pokémon White Version |
Type: | Dragon/Fire | Dragon/Electric |
Category: | Vast White Pokémon | Deep Black Pokémon |
Ability: | Turboblaze | Teravolt |
Profile: | Reshiram can engulf its surroundings in flames. | Zekrom can disappear inside thunderclouds and fly across the skies. |
New Battle Modes Add a New Level of Strategy
In addition to a wealth of new Pokémon for players to catch, train and battle with, Pokémon Black Version also supplies players with entirely new ways to fight with its new Battle Modes: Triple Battles and Rotation Battles. Stay tuned for more information on these two new game modes as more information is released on Pokémon Black Version.
Your Choice of Starter Pokémon
Pokémon Black Version starts you off on your new Pokémon adventure with a trusty Pokémon companion. Choose the Pokémon you like the most - it will be with you through thick and thin as you explore the Unova region. The three starter Pokémon all have different types. Your knowledge of the strengths and weaknesses of these types will be put to the test early and often.
 Snivy View larger. |  Tepig View larger. |  Oshawatt View larger. | |
Type: | Grass | Fire | Water |
Category: | Grass Snake Pokémon | Fire Pig Pokémon | Sea Otter Pokémon |
Ability: | Overgrow | Blaze | Torrent |
Profile: | Snivy is a Grass-type Pokémon, which means it has an advantage in battles against Water-type and Ground-type Pokémon. | As a Fire-type Pokémon, Tepig is strong in battles against Grass-type and Ice-type Pokémon. | Oshawatt is a Water-type Pokémon, so it is super effective against Fire-type Pokémon in battle. |
Key Game Features
- An all-new world filled with all new Pokémon to catch, train and battle with
- Collect all the Pokémon available in the Pokémon Black Version, then wirelessly trade with Pokémon White Version owners to complete the combined games' Pokédexes
- Experience both Legendary Pokémon: Reshiram and Zekrom - with Reshiram available for capture in Pokémon Black Version
- Exciting new battle modes including: Triple Battles and Rotation Battles
- Players choose from one of three initially available Pokémon to start the game, with that Pokémon from then on available to the player all the time
- Play as either a girl or boy Pokémon Trainer
- Stay tuned for more exciting plot twists, gameplay features and game modes to be released as game launch approaches
Product Description
A new world filled with never-before-seen Pokemon!
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
393 of 400 people found the following review helpful
By Kevin
Fun:
5.0 out of 5 stars
I originally wrote this review for Pokemon White, but I copied it here for you Pokemon Black fans :)
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 has seasonal cycles, as well as night/day cycles. Another added feature are special battles, where both trainers send 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, while the cities are more developed, and in some cases slightly futuristic-looking in Black. In White, the cities have more grass, plants, and trees, and in Black the cities have more concrete, asphalt, and buildings. Opelucid (Souryuu) City is the most notable; the city look almost entirely different between the two versions.
~~~~ White City / Black Forest ~~~~
These are the version exclusive regions I mentioned earlier. Pokemon Black has Black City and white has the White Forest. These regions fit the visual themes set forth by the 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 Forest will cater more to people who plan to collect Pokemon and try to complete their pokedex.
~~~~~ Special Battles ~~~~
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 (Dragon/Fire type).
Pokemon White has the black Legendary Pokemon, Zekrom (Dragon/Electric Type).
Strategic Note: The sum of the base stats for both legendaries is 680, however, the spread is slightly different. In terms of base stats, 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 opinion, I think Zekrom will be far more useful for competitive battling. One of the best electric 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.
By the way, more people are buying white than black. So if you get black, you may be popular for trades :)
~~~~ 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 White. White version just appealed more to me and seemed more "open". Black version looked cluttered, in my opinion. Also, I feel that Zekrom would be more useful in battle. Try checking out 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. Read more ›
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 has seasonal cycles, as well as night/day cycles. Another added feature are special battles, where both trainers send 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, while the cities are more developed, and in some cases slightly futuristic-looking in Black. In White, the cities have more grass, plants, and trees, and in Black the cities have more concrete, asphalt, and buildings. Opelucid (Souryuu) City is the most notable; the city look almost entirely different between the two versions.
~~~~ White City / Black Forest ~~~~
These are the version exclusive regions I mentioned earlier. Pokemon Black has Black City and white has the White Forest. These regions fit the visual themes set forth by the 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 Forest will cater more to people who plan to collect Pokemon and try to complete their pokedex.
~~~~~ Special Battles ~~~~
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 (Dragon/Fire type).
Pokemon White has the black Legendary Pokemon, Zekrom (Dragon/Electric Type).
Strategic Note: The sum of the base stats for both legendaries is 680, however, the spread is slightly different. In terms of base stats, 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 opinion, I think Zekrom will be far more useful for competitive battling. One of the best electric 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.
By the way, more people are buying white than black. So if you get black, you may be popular for trades :)
~~~~ 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 White. White version just appealed more to me and seemed more "open". Black version looked cluttered, in my opinion. Also, I feel that Zekrom would be more useful in battle. Try checking out 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. Read more ›
36 of 38 people found the following review helpful
By CisforCorgi
Fun:
5.0 out of 5 stars
This game is a worthy successor to the original blue/red games. It has re-inspired my love of the series. Gamefreak and Nintendo in general has a fantastic way of knowing how to follow the same, popular, reliable formula with its games but innovate so that everything old seems new again.
Let me get down to the bare bones. This installment is far superior to both diamond/pearl and the remakes of gold/silver. There are a couple of things they did wrong, but mostly they did everything right. A veteran can pick this game up and enjoy the subtleties of the franchise (tournament battling, IVs, EVs.) while new players to the genre can pick it up and dive right in.
The good:
-Huge graphical upgrades. The backgrounds and colors are so crisp and everything flows really well. There are some parts of the game where you can stop your character and just enjoy the scenery. We've come a loooong way from Kanto's pixely environments.
-Pokemon battle sprites are FINALLY animated. Probably not as well as they could be, but finally you can see your pokemon moving around on the field.
-Musical upgrades. This comes with the territory, but the music is great. Some of the dungeons have really eerie music that takes me back to my original days playing Zelda. I like it. It feels like the music is less of an afterthought in this game.
-You can use TMs repeatedly now. So you don't have to worry about buying earthquake 6 different times.
-HUGE story upgrades. Seriously. Your character is actually a part of the story now instead of that kid challenging all the gyms who accidentally gets involved with legendary pokemon.
-Increased wifi functionality.
-Seasons! As a huge sims/animal crossing buff, I'm very pleased that they added ambiance more prevalently into this game.
-There is a dream world where you can interact with your pokemon online through a website. I haven't messed with this yet, though. But it sounds pretty cool.
-The characters are older so I feel like less of a dork playing a game that is seemingly meant for kids. It's nice to see the series aging a bit.
-Most of the new pokemon are awesome. I <3 my snivy/serperior. I appreciate that there's a decent snake pokemon now.
-This game is way more challenging, at least in my opinion. They increased the AI on your enemies. Random trainers will now use items and smarter move combinations.
-Cinematics. FINALLY.
-They got rid of the tedious and incredibly luck based pokemon contests and replaced them with the musicals. The musicals are more based on what props you put on your pokemon, and even if you don't "win" you will still gain fans and get free props.
The main keys are the graphical, story, and functionality upgrades. This game is superior. People had high expectations for this game, and it has met them. However, there are a couple of bad points, though they are minor:
-SOme of the new pokemon are like...what were they even thinking? I realize they can't all be as cool as charizard, but there is a pokemon that is literally a bag of garbage. I'm serious. Go look it up.
-The game is way more challenging. This one can go either way, honestly. :D
-They took a step backward from HG/SS and made it so that your pokemon don't follow you anymore. I don't understand why something that was so obviously a huge fan favorite would be removed from the series. It should have become a staple or the series, not a one time thing.
-The C gear where all the wifi functionality is is...a bit confusing. At least to me. I'd rather have a screen down there where I can see all of my pokemon's statuses rather than the C gear the whole time. An option to switch the screens would have been nice.
-Certain upgrades are superfluous and the time spent on them could have been put elsewhere, like improving the battle graphics. I don't particularly want to use my pokemon game to 4 way chat with my friends. Maybe this is a cool feature for other people, but I'm playing my video games to play games. If I want to skype, I'll get on skype or use my droid.
-The pokemon musicals really could have been more fleshed out, TBH.
-The main enemy team in this game, team plasma, seems more ridiculous than intimidating. Giovanni was cool when he was running team Rocket. Team plasma is just like...I want to beat them up and steal their lunch money. Stop telling me to release my pokemon when you're using pokemon in pokeballs against me. HUGE hypocrites don't make for intimidating villains. They make for ANNOYING villains.
All of these flaws are incredibly minor and mostly my opinion, though. Overall the game is worth the money if you're into the genre. If the idea of a game like pokemon has never appealed to you, this one probably won't change your mind. If you're looking to try the series out, this would be the title to get to test the waters. For veterans it's pretty much a must have game.
Let me get down to the bare bones. This installment is far superior to both diamond/pearl and the remakes of gold/silver. There are a couple of things they did wrong, but mostly they did everything right. A veteran can pick this game up and enjoy the subtleties of the franchise (tournament battling, IVs, EVs.) while new players to the genre can pick it up and dive right in.
The good:
-Huge graphical upgrades. The backgrounds and colors are so crisp and everything flows really well. There are some parts of the game where you can stop your character and just enjoy the scenery. We've come a loooong way from Kanto's pixely environments.
-Pokemon battle sprites are FINALLY animated. Probably not as well as they could be, but finally you can see your pokemon moving around on the field.
-Musical upgrades. This comes with the territory, but the music is great. Some of the dungeons have really eerie music that takes me back to my original days playing Zelda. I like it. It feels like the music is less of an afterthought in this game.
-You can use TMs repeatedly now. So you don't have to worry about buying earthquake 6 different times.
-HUGE story upgrades. Seriously. Your character is actually a part of the story now instead of that kid challenging all the gyms who accidentally gets involved with legendary pokemon.
-Increased wifi functionality.
-Seasons! As a huge sims/animal crossing buff, I'm very pleased that they added ambiance more prevalently into this game.
-There is a dream world where you can interact with your pokemon online through a website. I haven't messed with this yet, though. But it sounds pretty cool.
-The characters are older so I feel like less of a dork playing a game that is seemingly meant for kids. It's nice to see the series aging a bit.
-Most of the new pokemon are awesome. I <3 my snivy/serperior. I appreciate that there's a decent snake pokemon now.
-This game is way more challenging, at least in my opinion. They increased the AI on your enemies. Random trainers will now use items and smarter move combinations.
-Cinematics. FINALLY.
-They got rid of the tedious and incredibly luck based pokemon contests and replaced them with the musicals. The musicals are more based on what props you put on your pokemon, and even if you don't "win" you will still gain fans and get free props.
The main keys are the graphical, story, and functionality upgrades. This game is superior. People had high expectations for this game, and it has met them. However, there are a couple of bad points, though they are minor:
-SOme of the new pokemon are like...what were they even thinking? I realize they can't all be as cool as charizard, but there is a pokemon that is literally a bag of garbage. I'm serious. Go look it up.
-The game is way more challenging. This one can go either way, honestly. :D
-They took a step backward from HG/SS and made it so that your pokemon don't follow you anymore. I don't understand why something that was so obviously a huge fan favorite would be removed from the series. It should have become a staple or the series, not a one time thing.
-The C gear where all the wifi functionality is is...a bit confusing. At least to me. I'd rather have a screen down there where I can see all of my pokemon's statuses rather than the C gear the whole time. An option to switch the screens would have been nice.
-Certain upgrades are superfluous and the time spent on them could have been put elsewhere, like improving the battle graphics. I don't particularly want to use my pokemon game to 4 way chat with my friends. Maybe this is a cool feature for other people, but I'm playing my video games to play games. If I want to skype, I'll get on skype or use my droid.
-The pokemon musicals really could have been more fleshed out, TBH.
-The main enemy team in this game, team plasma, seems more ridiculous than intimidating. Giovanni was cool when he was running team Rocket. Team plasma is just like...I want to beat them up and steal their lunch money. Stop telling me to release my pokemon when you're using pokemon in pokeballs against me. HUGE hypocrites don't make for intimidating villains. They make for ANNOYING villains.
All of these flaws are incredibly minor and mostly my opinion, though. Overall the game is worth the money if you're into the genre. If the idea of a game like pokemon has never appealed to you, this one probably won't change your mind. If you're looking to try the series out, this would be the title to get to test the waters. For veterans it's pretty much a must have game.
43 of 47 people found the following review helpful
By T. Sewell
Fun:
5.0 out of 5 stars
I originally pre-ordered this through Amazon, but once I realized Gamestop and Walmart were having midnight releases I quickly canceled my order so I could play this game the day it came out. (Can we say anxious?) So far I'm impressed with this new edition to the series. Even though pokemon has been around for ages with the same dry, yet addicting formula...Pokemon Black seems to have brought a freshness to the game that I'm enjoying.
You start the game in Autumn (did I mention this game has seasons?) My character seems to be a little older which is nice and I love the fact that I wont be fighting a zubat or geodude anytime soon. The new pokemon are interesting. In fact I really like the story in this one. NOOO its nothing epic but its not your run of the mill Team Rocket/Galaxy either. MINOR SPOILER: Team Plasma believes that pokemon should be liberated from the "slavery" of trainers/pokeballs and be free to do whatever they want...END SPOILER. I think the graphics are what makes this game so refreshing. Its nice to see that gamefreak has finally turned it up a notch in that department. I dare say some parts of the game (i.e. towns and bridges) are beautifully done. I'm only about 5 hrs into the game so I've got a ways to go but this game is definetly a must buy! Fans of the series who have gotten burned out with the same old, same old should consider buying Pokemon Black or White because the game has a way of getting you sucked into the drama of 'gotta catch them all' once again, but this time you'll actually want to. It's fun, it's updated, there's surprises....and who doesn't want to catch Victini?
Updated/Revamped graphics, a new region with 150+ new pokemon, and a somewhat different plot has had this 27 year old glued to her DSi for hours knowing good and well I need to get dinner on the table...
You start the game in Autumn (did I mention this game has seasons?) My character seems to be a little older which is nice and I love the fact that I wont be fighting a zubat or geodude anytime soon. The new pokemon are interesting. In fact I really like the story in this one. NOOO its nothing epic but its not your run of the mill Team Rocket/Galaxy either. MINOR SPOILER: Team Plasma believes that pokemon should be liberated from the "slavery" of trainers/pokeballs and be free to do whatever they want...END SPOILER. I think the graphics are what makes this game so refreshing. Its nice to see that gamefreak has finally turned it up a notch in that department. I dare say some parts of the game (i.e. towns and bridges) are beautifully done. I'm only about 5 hrs into the game so I've got a ways to go but this game is definetly a must buy! Fans of the series who have gotten burned out with the same old, same old should consider buying Pokemon Black or White because the game has a way of getting you sucked into the drama of 'gotta catch them all' once again, but this time you'll actually want to. It's fun, it's updated, there's surprises....and who doesn't want to catch Victini?
Updated/Revamped graphics, a new region with 150+ new pokemon, and a somewhat different plot has had this 27 year old glued to her DSi for hours knowing good and well I need to get dinner on the table...
Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great Game
This is a really fun game. I love all the Pokemon games because they all have their differences that make playing new ones even more exciting.
Published 6 days ago by CatLove
5.0 out of 5 stars
my granddaughter wanted this
my granddaughter will love this when I give it to her, she was wanting this for a long time. She has played it on another persons DS
Published 7 days ago by mountain girl
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great For New Fans
I've been playing Pokemon for a long time, but it's clear if you're familiar with the series that this game is a great place for a new fan to start. Read more
Published 14 days ago by Cassandra
4.0 out of 5 stars
DECENTLY DECENT
This game is great. Great generation of a great series— although, because of varying content, I wish I had purchased white version. Read more
Published 23 days ago by Jessy Smith
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great game.
Overall it has met my expectations. I have completed the main story. Beat the elite 4. Just got to clear the rest of the game now, and catch them all!
Oh... Read more
Oh... Read more
Published 1 month ago by Jeremy Bishop
5.0 out of 5 stars
Playing all the old games this one makes me feel right back at home!
This game has all the great aspects of a pokemon game. I have no complaint about it. I used to think that gold and silver were the best, but gen 5 may just be my new favorite with... Read more
Published 1 month ago by Mike
5.0 out of 5 stars
one of the best pokémon games
when i first bought the game when it came out i hated the new pokémon, but as i got farther i started to love everything about the game. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Cynthia Schenone
5.0 out of 5 stars
a great new pokemon game
again being a huge fan of pokemon this game is great same classic pokemon game concept with new pokemon, places, and things to do.
Published 2 months ago by Steven Arnold
4.0 out of 5 stars
Another remake.
If you like the series, not a bad one to pick up. There are some definite plot twists in this one, though why they made a "Pokemon Black 2" is confusing to me. Read more
Published 2 months ago by Gamer4Life
5.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent
Previous save game still in tact, my friends with B/W B2/W2 etc loved browsing the boxes and selecting from the previous owner's catches.
Published 2 months ago by Carrie
