Pokémon Black and White Is Quite a Catch

As the newest additions to what is arguably the most successful video game franchise in history, Pokémon Black and White have taken the internationally popular series to new heights. Developed once again by Game Freak and Creatures Inc., the new games have made a gigantic leap in presentation from the previous generation. With an entirely new series of Pocket Monsters, these games have proven to be the best yet.

Black and White introduce both a new region and a new Pokédex for the player to fill. One-hundred fifty new Pokémon exist in the newly designed Unova region, which incorporates a wholly “3D” environment as opposed to the plain overhead view to which Pokémon fans have grown accustomed. The new isometric view is not exclusive to the scenery, however; an all new battle scene lets the player engage in exciting battles with dynamic attack animations. While the principles of battling have remained the same, “triple” and “rotation” battles have been added, providing variety and a new attack strategy to the mix.

The series, as always, features three new starting Pokémon from which the user selects before embarking on his or her Pokémon adventure. The first, a grass type, is Snivy. Snivy resembles a green bipedal lizard and retains its reptilian appearance throughout its entire evolution. The fire-type Tepig is a red and black boar that occasionally emits smoke from its snout. The final starter is Oshawott, a water-type otter that resembles a sea-lion in its final evolution.

Pokémon Black and White present 153 brand new Pokémon to the world, all of which are as innovative as we’ve come to expect from the series. The version mascots are the legendaries Reshiram and Zekrom, whose respective colors reflect the opposite version in which they appear.

Game Freak and Nintendo have undoubtedly delivered in both innovation and execution with Pokémon: Black and White. The games not only provide a great experience for Pokémon fans but may point to further developments in the future. Gotta catch ’em all!