Pokemon Black Version (Nintendo DS, 2011)

I first played pokemon on my gameboy back when Pokemon Yellow Version came out. Since then I have played Pokemon Diamond Version and looked into various other versions of the game. Pokemon Black is the latest edition with more of what you've come to expect from the series with some new additions.


The characters, surroundings, and graphics as a whole are improved (especially if played on a newer DS, but look acceptable on an older model as well). No longer are the pokemon just static images during battles, they are now animated and react to certain battle situations (such as closing their eyes when put to sleep).


The story is typical fare for the series, as your character (boy or girl) goes throughout the land collecting the new pokemon of the game and battling against the efforts of Team Plasma, a group out to liberate all pokemon by stealing them from their trainers. No real surprises here, though I'm only about ten hours into the game (a portion of which has been spent leveling as always). I have noticed the gym leaders play a more important role in assisting you in the story rather than simply standing around inside their respective gyms awaiting your challenge.


If you haven't played a Pokemon game in a long time and want to or if you've played every one of them up to this point, you'll definitely want to get onboard with this game. There's a lot here for new players and more of what you enjoy for fans of the series. I personally care little about Pokemon lore, TV show, card games, and nor can I name all however many Pokemon this new game brings the total to, but as an RPG it provides a solid bit of exploration, discovery, level grinding, and battle customization that I can enjoy the game without any outside knowledge.

I got the game today, (the day it was actually release) and from what I can see, it is very well done. It is the pretty much the same idea as the other Pokemon games in the series, there is just a new region with new Pokemon and you are on a new adventure.

What i really like about the game is that there is only 150 or so Pokemon in the game and it gives you that feel from when you first played the original Blue and Red, only a few Pokemon where you have to learn them all over. you can get the rest after you beat the game so don't worry, The other...300 or so are in there, you just need to beat the game first. The Pokemon cries are much better than in previous versions. Plus the story is quite well done, Graphics are still about the same as Soul silver and Heart gold but still great.

There is not that much I didn't like, I guess just the fact that you could not trade over any of the 1st-4th generation Pokemon until you beat the game but really, that is not that bad. Another thing that kind of was annoying was your "best friends" that you get introduced to at the start, kind of weird that you have to be introduced though you are life time friends in the game. but other than that, it is great.

Over all, this game is perfect and a lot of fun for any fan out there. I highly recommend this game to anyone as it will be a perfect expansion to your game collection.

I was a young kid when Pokemon first came out. I remember watching the very first Pokemon movie in theaters, and getting the original Pokemon Red and Blue games for the Nintendo Gameboy. For all those Pokemon fans that played those original games, you should totally love the Pokemon Black and White games. They are basically revamped versions of the originals, with better overall graphics, more options, new stories and enemies, all with the same gameplay goals. Stop the bad guys from ruining the Pokemon world, collect gym badges and Pokemon along the way to being the best Pokemon trainer, and ultimately getting to the final battle arena to prove you're the best trainer. They also have the newest set of Pokemon (the generation 5 pokedex/pokemon) so if you're just getting back into these games now, it will feel like a whole new game just like when you played the originals. New story, new Pokemon, new adventures, same great gameplay style. A perfect Pokemon game both for newcomers to the series or for returning fans.

Well, I can't really give this an excellent rating as I was rather... disappointed from some of the pokemon. Really? A trashbag? Obviously they're running out of ideas... I'm sure the fanbase would have better ones than a trasbag and such. Also, most of them are based on real animals now... very distinctly.

However! The game itself is fun (if you can ignore some disappointing pokemon) and the new graphics... they're fun! It's nothing like horribly special that wow you the whole way through.. but it's fun and interesting and keeps attention - at least mine!

I'm not done with the story yet, but it's an amusing get away from the real world and the humanitarian part of the plot is slightly... odd and out of place... but it's nice - different than 'take over the world!'

So, yes, I recommend it... if you don't mind some fighting trashbags.

this is a great game for pokemon fans and kids, but is rated everyone. awesome strategy game, not just catch them, train them to be friendly. also, catch them all. those new region set of pokemon are tough and challenging. every pokemon is relate to our world. they are working on it and the drawing to figure the right look for the pokemon. the more pokemon the more fun.
This game has a great story line about N. That is most of the main story of the whole adventure. N is mostly clueless and weird. after you finish it that story you will receive national pokedex. pretty awesome right? is just the last steps are catching the pokemon before this region that was hard and end the story by beating the whole five people in elite four with big strong pokemon.
it will be quite complete for this game, if you play white version as well.