Pokémon Black and White
Gameplay & Features :
Pokémon Black and White retain the gameplay used by most Pokémon games, with the player's goal to catch all the Pokémon, beat the gym leaders and the elite four, and becoming the Pokémon champion. Although the gameplay is generally the same, with few new features that have been added and few others being changed or completely removed like how the Pokémon follow their trainers which was featured in the fourth generation games. The features are as follow :
- Triple Battles : A new battle style added in Pokémon Black and White. Three Pokémon are used at once in battle but with rather restrictive rules. The Pokémon in far sides cannot attack each other and can only attack those in front of them and the Pokémon in middle. The Pokémon in middle, on the other hand, can attack everyone. Moves that target wide areas and Flying-Type moves break the rules, as they can hit even the farthest target. The player can shift their Pokémon or even change their locations, which takes a whole turn, for both actions.
- Rotation Battles : Another battle type feature, which is similar to the Triple Battles but the Pokémon formation is different. Here, all the Pokémon are placed in a circular way.
- Seasons and Weathers : The games implemented a new Seasons System, with the region changing in season on a monthly basis. The Seasons System is rather important as it highly affects the gameplay. In fact, the decorations and graphics of the region change each season, while some Pokémon and areas are only accessible in certain reasons. Along with the seasons, the game still features the weather system, which still affects the game, similarly to the previous generations.
- C-Gear : It's an upgraded version of Pokétch. It's mainly used to link the player to internet, with quite interesting options, as the ability to trade Pokémon with other players, talk to them, battle them or even travel through Unova with them after using the Entralink.
- Pokémon Dream World : This features allows the player to get some rare Pokémon which aren't present in the games, from the internet, along with various items. This feature is no longer available, since the 14th of January 2014.
- New TM system and moves : A new TM system was implemented, with the TMs now having an infinite use possibility. 95 new TMs were also added, showcasing unique moves with varied animations.
- Scenario triggered music : Unlike how the previous generations used mostly the same music themes for battles, Pokémon Black and White feature new music theme that will get triggered during certain events. For exemple, if the player meets a legendary Pokémon, it will trigger its own unique music. Some other soundtracks would depend on the battle situation. If the player's Pokémon HP is very low, a warning sound might be heard, and if the player is facing a Gym Leader and their last Pokémon is left, a specific music will play too.
Pokémon :
The games add 156 new Pokémon to the Pokémon world, while featuring a variety of others from the previous generations. Few of the Pokémon are exclusive to either of the versions, with Pokémon White having extra exclusives found in the White Forest which is an area featured in Pokémon White only. The games also showcases new Swarm Pokémon that can only be captured after reading their swarm announcement on tickets and heading to their locations. Like all previous games there are new legendaries and few in game tradable Pokémon.
Pokémon exclusive to Pokémon Black |
Weedle |
Kakuna |
Beedrill |
Murkrow |
Houndour |
Houndoom |
Shroomish |
Breloom |
Plusie |
Honchkrow |
Gothita |
Gothorita |
Gothitelle |
Vullaby |
Mandibuzz (Incarnate Forme) |
Tornadus |
Reshiram |
|
Pokémon exclusive to Pokémon White |
Caterpie |
Metapod |
Butterfree |
Paras |
Parasect |
MISDREAVUS |
Poochyena |
Mightyena |
Minun |
Mismagius |
Solosis |
Duosis |
Reuniclus |
Rufflet |
Braviary |
Thundurus (Incarnate Forme) |
Zekrom |
|
Pokémon found in the White Forest |
Pidgey |
Nidoran (female) |
Nidoran (male) |
Oddish |
Abra |
Machop |
Bellsprout |
Magnemite |
Gastly |
Rhyhorn |
Porygon |
Togepi |
Mareep |
Hoppip |
Wooper |
Elekid |
Magby |
Wurmple |
Lotad |
Seedot |
Ralts |
Surskit |
Slakoth |
Whismur |
Azurill |
Aron |
Trapinch |
Corphish |
Bagon |
Starly |
Shinx |
Budew |
Happiny |
|
Swarm Pokémon and their locations |
Pokémon |
Location |
Plusie |
Route 6 (Pokémon Black) |
Minun |
Route 6 (Pokémo white) |
Tyrogue |
Route 10 |
Mankey |
Route 15 |
Exeggcute |
Route 18 |
Farfetch'd |
Route 1 |
Croagunk |
Route 8 |
Pineco |
Route 16 |
Yanma |
Route 14 |
Houndour |
Route 9 (Pokémon Black) |
Poochyen |
Route 9 (Pokémon White) |
Wynaut |
Route 2 |
Smeargle |
Route 5 |
Shuppet |
Route 13 |
Shroomish |
Route 11 (Pokémon Black) |
Paras |
Route 11 (Pokémon White) |
Doduo |
Route 12 |
Sentret |
Route 7 |
Hippopotas |
Route 4 |
Volbea |
Route 3 (Pokémon Black) |
Illumise |
Route 3 (Pokémon White) |
Legendary Pokémon and their locations |
Pokémon |
Location |
Reshiram |
Dragonspiral Tower |
Zekrom |
Dragonspiral Tower |
Landorus |
Abundant Shrine |
Tornadus |
Roaming the whole region |
Thundurus |
Roaming the whole region |
Kyurem |
Giant Chasm |
Victini |
Liberty Island |
Cobalion |
Mistralton Cave |
Virizion |
Pinwheel Forest |
Terrakion |
Victory Road |
Tradable Pokémon |
Pokémon received with trade |
Pokémon traded for it |
Games |
Area of trade |
Munchlax |
Cicinno |
Both |
Undella Town |
Rotom |
Ditto |
Both |
Route 15 |
Petilil |
Cotonnee |
Black |
Nacrene City |
Cotonee |
Petilil |
White |
Nacrene City |
Manipete |
Boldore |
Both |
Route 7 |
Basculin (with red eyes and stripes) |
Minccino |
Black |
Driftveil CIty |
Basculin (with blue eyes and stripes) |
Minccino |
White |
Driftveil City |
Region / Setting :
Pokémon Black and White take place in a new region called Unova. This region is way from the Kanto, Johto, Hoenn and Sinnoh, and is drastically different from them too. Unova is composed of rural areas, factory towns and urban areas that look much like New York City, with their tall buildings and modern city style. Similarly to the other regions, Unova has its own myths and tales. Legends say, that Unova was a place of never ending conflicts and wars. One day two twin brothers, known as the twin heroes showed up and ended the conflict with a overwhelmingly powerful dragon. Yet, the two brothers too, didn't see eye to eye much, one of them believed ideals are most important, thus being called the Hero of Ideals, and the other thought Truth is much more important and thus he too, was labeled the Hero of Truth. The dragon couldn't understand the conflict and didn't know which brother it would side with. It ended up splitting into two different dragons, which are Reshiram that sided with the Hero of Truth and Zekrom that sided with the Hero of Ideals. Ironically the brothers re-entered the region into conflicts and devastated it, as their mighty dragons fought endlessly.
Team Plasma :
It's the evil organization of Unova, that unlike, the previous ones, doesn't seek to rule to world. In fact, Team Plasma has a rather unique goal, of liberating the Pokémon from their trainers, as they believe Pokémon and humans are equal and Pokémon shouldn't kept enslaved in Poké balls. To free the Pokémon, Team Plasma members would pursue trainers to let go their Pokémon or even go as far as stealing them from their trainers. Ghestis, Team Plasma's boss and mastermind, doesn't follow any noble cause though. He is using the organization's ideals, to rule Unova by becoming the only one left possessing Pokémon. Team Plasma got inevitably defeated but was revived later on by Ghestis' foster son, N. Unlike his father, N does truly care about the Pokémon and wishes to create a separate world for them, far from humanity's grasp.
Compatibility with other titles :
Pokémon Black and Pokémon White both have variable connectivity options, as they can be linked to their sequels Pokémon Black 2 and White 2, along with the fourth generation games including Pokémon Diamond, Pearl, Platinum, HeartGold and SoulSilver. The games can also connect to the internet and thus Pokémon Dream World, which helps acquiring many Pokémon from the Entree Forest. Linking the games to their sequels allows the transfer of Pokémon to and from them, while linking them to the fourth generation games changes the transfer into a one way one, as the Pokémon can only be transferred from the fourth to the fifth generation and not the other way around.