Pokemon Black Version

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.

This new Black & White pair of Pokémon games take the necessary and welcome step further in evolving the series. The gameplay's more dynamic thanks to the combat in threes, 3D integration is perfect, new animations for the little animals are welcomed. Communications and trading are easier than ever thanks to new online features. And since the dialogs are better written, and often funny... No doubt remains, Black & White are able to paint new, revived colors on the famous licence!

Not much else can be said about Black and White that is any different from what I made clear in the first paragraph; these are the two best Pokemon games yet, and by extension, two of the very best Nintendo DS games ever released.

Fifteen years has gone by and Pokemon has evolved much like many of its Pokemon counterparts, into the best Pokemon version to date. With a whole new region to explore and 150 new Pokemon to discover between the two versions and the ability to play with any other trainer in the whole world, this will be hard to beat in the future. This is by far the best Pokemon ever released.

Pokémon Black/White is my favorite Pokémon game. That's my opinion. It's also the most robust, fully featured, polished Pokémon game on a technical level. That's an objective fact. Put those opinons and facts together, and you can only come up with one conclusion -- if you like Pokémon, you should go buy Pokémon Black/White. Like, right now.

A beautiful refinement of a great series. Game Freak has surpassed itself - the best Pokemon ever. [Mar 2011, p.87]

The new battle system and the big new Poké-world feel great. There are a lot of new Pokémon to collect and train. You've got to get used to some of them. Poké-Fans shouldn't miss the new Black and White editions.

Learning from the past without ever taking his eyes off the present, this is the pinnacle of the series to date and proof that sometimes you don't need a revolution to give new life to a franchise.

The mere fact that this game has the power to rekindle those early feelings of PokéBliss in even the most seasoned-Pokémaniacs is a testament to its freshness and originality.

Pokémon Black and White is the pokémon experience you've been waiting for since Gold and Silver. Astonishing.

Pokemon Black/White is, without doubt, the best Pokemon ever.

Game Freak did it again. Pokemon Black Version is a masterpiece, delivering all the superb gameplay elements that fans of the series learned to love over the years. The only drawback is the dated technology it uses, something that will surely be addressed in the future versions for the 3DS.

Actually a Pokémon game with some news. The online modes have been polished, there's new pokémons, quick, better animated battles and better graphics.

One of the best generations of Pokemon titles to date, Black & White take almost all of the best elements from the series and then carefully craft it into something truly wonderful; recreating that same sense of adventure from the very first titles.

Almost a franchise reboot, Pokémon Black & White is your ultimate Pokémon experience. Overall better than previous generations by any means, this new installment manages to inspire on veteran players a sense of wonder and awe gone missing years ago. The new adventure flows better and is much more intriguing and challenging but of course you are not going to change your mind if you hate Pikachu and friends.

After playing Black and White only think about one thing: there's no turning back. From now on this is the way forward, but with even greater conviction.

If you're into Pokémon, you likely already have the game. If you're not, then this game won't convert you. However, if you've been away from the series for a while, this might be the game to make a return to the series.

Pokémon Black is what a sequel should be. While the underlying formula of the game remains enticing and addictive, the improvements to both the gameplay and the multiplayer components make this a strong entry in the series.

Better graphics, more quests, more gadgets, more enemies and... more Pokémons! Black and White are, simply, the best Pokémon games of all time and two of the best RPGs available on Nintendo DS.

Pokémon: Black Edition is one of the best Pokémon games ever. The mix of good old gameplay and new fresh features is really cool and in my point of view this game is the best looking game on the NDS I have ever seen.

Pokémon Black & White are again the strongest additions to the series to date. Game Freak has succeeded once again in creating an even better Pokémon title than all previous iterations and has created another true Pokémon reboot.

Nintendo proves once again why Pokemon is not a franchise just for kids. While not the most innovative sequel, Game Freak keeps adding new layers of depth to their formula, once again delivering something truly special to the fans.

Game Freak has worked its socks off to ensure that Pokémon Black / White not only live up to the standards set by past entries in the mainline series, but have included a wealth of extra content to entice newcomers to the world of Pocket Monsters.

With more than 600 Pokémon to catch, you won't be putting this game down any time soon.

Black and White are certainly up there with the best of the series: unlike HeartGold and SoulSilver they don't have nostalgia as their main attraction, but they come closest to recreating the sense of discovery felt when embarking on that first journey with Pokémon.

It may not break the Pokemon mold, but Black/White offers enough new content coupled with the series' classic, deep battle mechanics to make it endlessly playable. If you could only play one game for the rest of your life, this would be a wise choice.

If you have never played Pokemon, get off your ass and get Pokemon Black/White. Aside from a weaker lineup of monsters (largely an aesthetic complaint), this is the best Pokemon has to offer on every level, renewing my waning interest in monster battling. It proves that the Pokemon series is still rock solid after a decade and a half.

A great leap for the Pokémon series, but which comes when Nintendo DS is about to be "retired". A very complete and balanced Pokémon game, with more than 700 creatures to catch.

Quotation forthcoming.

It is, however, a considerable improvement on the existing template, to the point where it's hard to see how the series can avoid a fairly notable change in approach. This could – and perhaps should – be the swansong to the Pokémon formula we're accustomed to, but if it is then it'll go out at the very peak of its existence: teetering on the edge of feeling too familiar, sustaining an incredible feat of balance, but nonetheless still standing tall at the very top of its game.

Of course there's a lot that's the same. Of course there is. But with a great many small and well-placed innovations, a vivacious, inventive new cast and the biggest cosmetic makeover the series has ever seen, Pokémon Black and White makes it all feel new again. It reminds you what there was to love about Pokémon in the first place – and perhaps we all needed reminding.

If you're looking for a nourishing gaming experience sprinkled with the addictive sea-salt of Pokémania, then these games are for you.

The Pokemon series's latest pair of adventures is as addictive as ever. [March 2011, p.82]

For all its added features and refinements, Black and White still rigidly follows the tried and tested formula. The leaps and bounds folks like me have been hankering after will have to wait until the inevitable 3DS version. Until then, however, rest assured in the knowledge that Black and White are damn fine games; the best the series has to offer.

Pokemon Black/White isn't bad by any means, but it isn't anything you haven't seen before either. It's just prettier and more intelligent than its predecessors.

Strip away the unmanageable bulk and Pokémon is a truly great RPG. Add it back on later and it remains a flashy, if conventional, entry in the franchise.

Pokemon Black and White do a great job building upon already solid features and taking them to the next level. [March 2011, p.95]

If you enjoy deep RPGs and you're looking for a great time-killer--or just ask a lot from your video game purchases--you can't go wrong with Pokemon Black and White.

Retaining the classic role-playing and battle systems, Pokemon Black and White is treat for players old and new, with an engaging and lengthy adventure and countless new Pokemon to catch.

If you're looking for the very best Pokémon game yet, you'll find it in Black or White. The changes they've made tweak the formula in good ways and the all-new world in which the all-new Pokémon live in is worth exploring...If, however, you're hoping for a significant revamp that addresses the myriad of fiddly quirks the series has collected over its 15 years or simply brings the title inline with other modern RPGs, you'll be (yet again) disappointed.

Without a doubt, the raft of online features elevates Black and White to the height of pre-3DS Pokémon greatness. This is the biggest game in the series, and brings a wealth of tertiary additions that fans have been asking for.

It's highly likely that if you spent any energy at all anticipating Pokémon Black and White, you're going to be ridiculously pleased with whichever version you choose. For Pokévirgins who are curious as to what it's all about, this is a fine place to start.

It sure wouldn't hurt to shake things up a bit.

Overall Pokemon Black/White is still a great RPG that offers up the same addictive gameplay you've come to love, but don't expect anything new to entice you to catch 'em all again.

Few gaming series can steal as many hours from me, no questions asked, quite like Pokémon. I'm currently clocked at 28:37, which was enough to beat the Elite Four but not enough to lose interest. Is this the strongest entry to date? Probably not, nor is it the innovative leap that some gamers expected but you can cogitate all you like; there's a consistently enjoyable adventure to be found here, and that's all that matters.

It's not perfect and can still feel a bit over-familiar to veterans, but it's still a well-constructed and extremely addictive entry which is well worth checking out.

Game Freak wanted to reel people back in with Pokémon Black, and they have made an outstanding new addition to the series.

Developer Game Freak shows with Pokémon Black & White that they can appeal to the veteran as well as the starting Pokémon trainer. Although the game is way too easy for the veteran Pokémon trainer, it does offer completely new and beautifully crafted environments, with an overload of new Pokémon, techniques, strategies and the triple battles are a valuable addition to the game. But because they're still too basic, Black & White aren't better than Diamond & Pearl.

Pokemon Black/White does a terrific job of blending the old, tried-and-true gameplay systems of yesteryear with updated graphics, a mature story, and new features that bring Pokemon into 2011.

Pokemon Black and White doesn't mess too much with the tried and tested formula, providing an experience we know and love.

Some great new innovations for the franchise, Pokémon Black is a must-have for the serious monster collector.

If you are brand new to the Pokémon series, you are going to find Pokémon Black to be an incredibly involving RPG and darn entertaining if you enjoy the genre. It's definitely worth checking out and will probably keep you entertained up until the launch of the 3DS later this month.

It's a smaller world than HeartGold and SoulSilver's Kanto and Johto, but it's a new world that should be explored by any Pokemon fan, young or old.

The improvements do now leave the actual battles in conspicuous need of a visual overhaul (something for the imminent 3DS to tackle, perhaps) but at least fans will have plenty to occupy their time until that happens.

Pokémon is a series that never reinvents the wheel, but instead continues to polish the basic design until it sparkles.

Ultimately, though, these are the new trappings of an old, old game -- one you may have already played three or four times before.

While die-hards might still prefer the more expert-friendly features of HeartGold and SoulSilver, the fresh approach and fiercely impressive visuals, draped over a tried and true frame of addictive, highly nuanced battle and customisation, make Pokémon Black/White the defacto catch-all solution to monster collecting on the venerable DS.

It's not a real overhaul for the series, but it is the best version so far - and so by extension one of the best portable video games ever made.

Where next for Pokemon? Black and White don't suggest any answers, but they do remind us why we'd care in the first place. [Mar 2011, p.103]

Pokemon series had begun to be somehow tired, lacking serious innovations. To change the Pokemon names and renew their styles is not the way refresh the formula.

What it lacks in originality, Pokemon Black more than makes up for with a vast world to explore and an absorbing battle system that's heaps of fun.