Pokemon Black Version for DS Reviews, Ratings, Credits, and More at Metacritic

Pokemon Black Version DS

Publisher: Nintendo
Release Date: Mar 6, 2011

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Metascore

87 out of 100

Generally favorable reviews - based on 63 Critics What's this?

User Score

7.8 out of 10

Generally favorable reviews- based on 107 Ratings

Your Score

10 out of 10

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Summary: Pokémon Black Version and Pokémon White Version feature new Pokémon that players can catch, train and battle as they progress through the game, and some Pokémon can only be caught in one version of the game. For example, the Legendary Pokémon Reshiram can only be caught in Pokémon Black Version, while the Legendary Pokémon Zekrom can only be caught in Pokémon White Version. Additionally, the two games feature different areas for the first time in the series, with the game world of Pokémon Black Version featuring a unique metropolitan area called Black City, and a lush, green area named White Forest only found in Pokémon White Version. Pokémon Black Version and Pokémon White Version also mark the first time in a Pokémon video game that the seasons will change in the game world. Certain Pokémon appear more frequently during different seasons, and players can only access some areas during a specific season.… Expand

Developer: Game Freak
Genre(s): Role-Playing
Cheats: On GameFAQs
Rating: E
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Critic Reviews

Score distribution:

Positive: 62 out of 63
Mixed: 1 out of 63
Negative: 0 out of 63

Eurogamer Sweden
Mar 16, 2011

100

The fact that Game Freak dared to remove all the old pokémons from the main story line and replace them with 156 new ones is only one of the reasons for the series feeling fresher than ever. Pokémon Black and White is the most entertaining game yet, and is a must-buy for all Nintendo DS owners.

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The Escapist
Mar 5, 2011

100

With slick and fast-paced battles, a more adult take on the traditional Pokémon concepts and an entirely new roster of characters, Pokémon Black & White is as close to a "reboot" as the franchise has ever seen, but it doesn't reinvent what doesn't need reinventing.

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RPGamer
Mar 16, 2011

70

In the end, the real question is whether Pokémon Black offers enough spark to justify buying another Pokémon game. True believers have purchased it already, and the vocal haters will continue their hating despite this review's best efforts. For everyone who's left, the answer is a solid maybe.

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User Reviews

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Score distribution:

Positive: 32 out of 40
Mixed: 5 out of 40
Negative: 3 out of 40

realgamefan

10

The best Pokemon yet! I put about 20 hours in Black/White so far and until the sixth generation, Pokemon fans have great games in Black/White. Everything is pretty great for new Pokemon trainers as well as longtime Pokemon fans. Addictive as ever. And as an adult, I recommend these games to everyone!… Expand

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4 of 5 users said yes
RuneScapian

6

Honestly, Pokemon games are starting to get worse and worse. Nintendo seems to be running out of ideas for new Pokemon (a sarcophagus, seriously). Generation IV of Pokemon pretty much ruined it all. It's more fun to actually go to another person's house and play the older Pokemon games in person.… Expand

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0 of 0 users said yes
Sprogger

0

All I can say is thank God I borrowed this from a friend who was trying to sell his. The new pokemon look terrible and the types they're given make no sense. The poked for the region has less than the first pokemon game had (151 for those who don't know) and has at least a dozen of them are gotten through one time WiFi events. Other ones you need to trade for specific other pokemon or be holding an item, or level up at a certain time of day to evolve. 0/10 for their planning there. The same problem I had with all their most recent 3d pokemon games is still here, but even uglier. The sprites get really ugly when far away or close up, but this game has the problem on steroids! It's in the battles, and whenever you walk around. And to add to the graphics part, the 3d models cover up a ton of the screen and make it really hard to get anything. -6/10 for the absolute mess they made there. The gameplay isn't even pokemon anymore except for the battles (which they made extremely slow moving) the map is nothing like the map in ANY of the games before it, the backpack is less clean than a dormroom, and the ui buttons are really small compared to the absolutely GOGANTIC amount of filler they put in for everything else. Again, a 0/10 for having to rummage through that mess. Overall, I'm ashamed that Nintendo pumped out this garbage and I wouldn't recommend this to someone I hate. It's ugly, its frustrating, and it lacks the good old pokemon feel Nintendo abandoned after generation 3.… Expand

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0 of 0 users said yes