25 Days of Pokémon: Top 5 Endgame Events

Capping off my month’s worth of ‘top five’ lists focusing on the Pokémon series, this list covers five of my very favorite moments or chain of events from late in their respective games. Some are only accessible after completing the main game, while others are incorporated as part of the plot late in the core experience. Honorable mentions go to the Unova Battle Subway and the Delta Episode from the recently released Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire. This has been a fun and very different approach to my ’25 Days of Christmas’ special, and I’d certainly consider doing something similar in future years with some of my other favorite video game franchises, like Metal Gear, Metroid, or even some more Legend of Zelda (even though it is one of the most frequently represented series on this blog).

#5) Revisiting the Kanto gyms in Gold and Silver / Heart Gold and Soul Silver – The generation II titles and their DS remakes will always hold a special place for me, as the first proper Pokémon games that I played on the Gameboy Color, as well as the games that got me back into Pokémon just a few short years ago. While the Elite Four and battle against Lance was a properly climactic conclusion to the Johto storyline, discovering how much more lay beyond the borders in Kanto blew my mind as a kid. In reality, this retread of the Kanto region is a trimmed down, fast-paced romp compared to both its original Red/Blue incarnation, as well as the entirety of the Gold/Silver storyline, but it was still tons of fun to go up against the likes of Brock, Lt. Surge, Erica, Misty, and all the other classic gym leaders.

#4) The Distortion World in Platinum – As Cyrus sees his plan to summon the legendary Giratina revealed, the game transports you both to an alien realm, one that appropriately reflects Giratina’s representation of anti-matter. Waterfalls flow from one impossible floating cliff to another, stalks of unnatural plants appear and disappear, and the game requires you to adopt a mindset more common to a series like The Legend of Zelda to solve a few puzzles in order to progress to the final showdown with Giratina. This drastic jolt from intense end-of-the-world scenario to mystical realm of impossibility was one of the moments in Platinum that really made me appreciate the game’s bold and stranger direction than most of its predecessors, even if this approach had not panned out quite as effectively in earlier legs of my adventures through the Sinnoh region.

#3) The Pokémon World Tournament in Black 2 and White 2 – This tournament effectively served as a love letter to Pokémon fans. It allowed players to hone their skills and perfect their strategies while taking on gym leaders and league champions from all the previous regions in a bracket tournament, and even offered up the more highly-specialized tournaments demanding players only use Pokémon that fit a specific typing. Of the plethora of post-game offerings in the generation V sequels, the Pokémon World Tournament was the most intense, the most robust, and constantly offered plenty of opportunities for fun and learning with each successive battle.

#2) The League Champion Battle against Iris in Black 2 and White 2 – While Black and White’s league champion battle was interrupted due to the arrival of Team Plasma, the sequel games do it up properly as one of the most fitting endgame challenges, but also one of the most enjoyable battles in any Pokémon game to date. Iris is so bubbly and excited to see what you’ve made of yourself as a trainer after the remnants of Team Plasma disbanded, and it’s both a breath of fresh air following the darker implications of the main story, and a perfect endpoint for that same journey. This battle against Iris and her team of Pokémon had me on the edge of my seat for all of the right reasons.

#1) The Elite Four in Black and White – This team technically also accounts for the Elite Four present in Black 2 and White 2, but my first time challenging them was truly something special. The Elite Four have always served as the endgame gauntlet-style challenge in the Pokémon titles, forcing players to bring their very best team members and strategies, and carefully planning each move as they attempt to forge a path toward the league champion. And yet, some of these have proved too easy a feat, as was the case in X and Y as well as the recent Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire. Others still have had such a sudden leap in the scaling of the opponents Pokémon, as was the case in Platinum. The Elite Four of the Unova region present Pokémon that are at a level that is simply perfect for that endgame climax, offering up a high degree of challenge, but one that is certainly possible to overcome, given proper planning and flexibility in the heat of battle. The typings of the Pokémon in the possession of each member of the Elite Four still stands as my favorite combination, with Dark, Ghost, Psychic and Fighting taking the stage in wonderfully-rendered arenas that provide each of the four characters with their own unique arenas that reflect their personalities and provide players a brief look into who they are as individuals. Grimsley’s candleit lounge, Shauntal’s gloomy study, Marshall’s chain-link-surrounded fighting ring, and Caitlin’s lavish bedroom – Black and White breaks from the tradition of trekking down a single linear hallway, allowing you to tackle these in whichever order

25 Days of Pokémon - Top 5 Pokémon Games

For this year’s twenty-five days of Christmas special, I’ll be focusing on the Pokémon series, albeit in a different manner than in years past. Instead of making one giant list of my favorite Pokémon or what have you, I’ve opted to make five separate ‘top five’ lists, each highlighting a different aspect of the series. Each will be posted roughly a week apart from one another, between now and December 24th. Today marks the second list, which details my five very favorite titles in the Pokémon series.

#5) Platinum – Generation IV is heralded as many as one of the weaker offerings of the main series of Pokémon games, due to its lack of new Pokémon, few of which are generally considered worthwhile team members, while others are obtainable only through a convoluted process. Still, I certainly found Team Galactic’s intent to tamper with time and space to serve their own needs entertaining, trumped only by Cyrus’ detached and selfish vision for the world. Platinum offers a completed package, with a bit of extra content not included in the original release of Diamond and Pearl, and between its Distortion World puzzle segment and expansive gyms, is still a fun Pokémon title, even if its reliance on event-distributed items and battery-sapping online components means it does not live up to the quality of some of its brethren.

#4) X and Y – The sixth generation games offered up plenty of new and different features that made the connection between player and Pokémon more immersive. These titles also fell victim to considerably easier playthroughs, thanks to the new experience share system that distributed exp. to all team members, even when wild Pokémon were caught. Even if large portions of routes were bypassed here and there, it was not uncommon to find the endgame Elite Four and Champion battles to be a cakewalk. Mega Evolutions proved a tad underwhelming, save for their use in the competitive scene, though the new Pokémon native to the Kalos region offered wonderful typings and movesets, by and large. X and Y did a great deal to advance the Pokémon formula players had become so familiar with, while being perhaps lighter on post-game content than what series veterans were accustomed to.

#3) Black 2 and White 2 – Two years after Ghetsis’ defeat, Team Plasma is back at it in the Unova region, and the influx of Pokémon from other regions during wild encounters makes for a vastly different play experience, despite running on the same setup as its Black and White predecessors. While it would have been easy for Black 2 and White 2 to simply ride on the coattails of the previous monochromatic titles, the team behind these two sequels decided to up the ante, offering brand new areas to explore, even greater ease of access to newcomers and veterans alike with regards to acquiring TMs and training Pokémon for specialized roles, and did away with the need for HMs in the main storyline almost entirely. There’s a lot to do and see in B2 and W2, from NPC trades, to post-game quests, to the test-your-might tournament that allowed trainers to challenge gym leaders and champions from all five major regions of the Pokémon world.

#2) Heart Gold and Soul Silver – The games that properly reintroduced me to Pokémon, these remakes of the generation II titles carry all the sense of fun and adventure in the Johto region over to a significantly easier-to-navigate menu and faster-paced battles. What Red and Blue laid out in ground work, Gold and Silver nigh on perfected for their heyday, and HG and SS do a masterful job of paying tribute to the Gameboy classics, making routes more distinctly identifiable, updating the soundtrack and splashing plenty of color on the screen, and implementing the generation IV online and wireless trade and battle components in a manner even more so seamless than Diamond, Pearl, or Platinum did beforehand. Few regions will ever stand up to the intelligent layout of Johto, or the solid offering of Pokémon encountered therein, and there’s no more enjoyable way to embark on this journey again than through these DS remakes.

#1) Black and White – One of the few Pokémon games to actually present a decently compelling set of ideals for its villainous team to rally behind, the ‘free-Pokémon-from-their-masters’ cries of Team Plasma put you, the player, in a role that will be continuously questioned over the course of this bold new set of Pokémon titles. Generation V effectively barred players from using any non-Unova Pokémon until the postgame content, forcing creative team building strategies not unlike the days of Red and Blue on the Gameboy, but with overall better-balanced Pokémon to choose from, and highly creative and practical typing and moveset combinations to boot. What I found in Black and White was the most engrossing plot of the series, coupled with the most intelligent, creative, and strategic gameplay of any of the generations, bar none. Black 2 and White 2 did exceptionally well at building off of Black and White’s duality of getting back to the basics while simultaneously breaking into bold new territory, but at the end of the day, Black and White did it first, and did it best.

Top 5 Legendary Pokémon

As I mentioned in my journal postings for Pokémon Soul Silver, that was the first core title in the franchise that I had played since the original release of Generation II on the Gameboy Color. Since then, my obsession with the Pokémon games has only grown. I’ve made it my goal to play at least one game from every generation, and Platinum is the next one I intend to tackle as a sort of bridge until the release of X and Y (I’m still not certain as to whether I want to pick up X or Y at this point). Among my most memorable moments in the games have been the intense battles with legendary Pokémon, as well as subsequent attempts to catch them. In order to prevent this list from becoming lopsided toward one generation or another, I will be selecting a single legendary Pokémon from each of the current five generations of games, labeling it as my favorite of Generation I, II, III, IV, and V repectively.

Generation I (Red, Blue, and Yellow) – Mewtwo: There were only a few legendaries available in the first Pokémon games, due primarily to the limited roster of 151 slots. While Zapdos, Articuno, and Moltres were all cool in their own right, Mewtwo was my favorite of the bunch. I’ve always had a soft spot for Psychic type Pokémon, but my appreciation for Mewtwo was not immediate upon my first seeing him in any of the games. Rather, it developed over several years as I witnessed his origin in the first Pokémon movie, as well as the side games that the whole concept of Mewtwo being among the smartest and most capable of Pokémon eventually culminated in me genuinely liking it – not just as a potential team member within the games, but as a character within the anime. He may not be my favorite legendary of all time, but there is something unique about Mewtwo’s presentation that practically sets him in his own category, distinct from all other legendary Pokémon.

Generation II (Gold, Silver, and Crystal) – Raikou: My love for Raikou originates from his being the underdog (no pun intended) of Johto’s legendary trio. As a kid, everyone I knew was a fan of either Entei or Suicune – Entei because it was a beastly looking fire-type, and Suicune because it was an elegant looking water-type as well as the version mascot for Crystal. Hardly anyone I knew cared much to bother tracking down Raikou, but he was the one I sought out first and foremost. I really enjoy using Raikou in battle, as his defense is significantly better than most electric types like Magneton or Ampharos. At the same time, Raikou does not feel terribly overpowered – rather, his effectiveness in battle seems to fall somewhere between other legendaries and the rest of the Pokémon of the Johto region.

Generation III (Ruby, Sapphire, and Emerald) – Deoxys: My reaction toward the Generation III legendaries was a bit mixed from the outset, admittedly. I found the Regi trio to be decently interesting from a conceptual standpoint, but the routine of three legendary Pokémon who were very aesthetically similar had largely worn off its charm by the time Ruby and Sapphire came around. Groudon, Kyogre, and Rayquaza weren’t bad by any means, but to this day I have never considered any of them particularly outstanding. Deoxys, on the other hand, was a fresh new idea – a single Pokémon that had four different forms. Granted, you couldn’t have Deoxys changing between Normal, Attack, Defense, and Speed on the fly, but that was more or less the point – it granted players some freedom in planning their strategies while also holding them accountable for setting Deoxys to one of the four aforementioned states.

Generation IV (Diamond, Pearl, and Platinum) – Giratina: Ghost Pokémon have become something of my specialty over the past year or so, and I really wish Game Freak would add another Ghost-type to the current pool of legendaries. That said, Giratina is possibly the single most intimidating legendary Pokémon based on looks alone, and has a very curious dual-typing: Ghost and Dragon. Holding dominion over antimatter, Giratina is certainly a force to be reckoned with.

Generation V (Black, White, Black 2, and White 2) – Genesect: This one was a really close call with Zekrom, who I used for the majority of the White version post-game. However, Genesect was one of my core team members during my playthrough of Black 2. A dual Bug and Steel type, Genesect has a little extra defense and a highly adaptable moveset. Each time I play a Pokémon game, I try to have at least one jack-of-all-trades member on my team, and (alongside Lucario) Genesect performed that role masterfully in Black 2.

DS review: Pokémon Black 2 and White 2

Two years after Team Plasma was defeated and N disappeared, a new trainer sets out on his/her journey across the Unova region. Much has changed during the two year gap, as many Pokémon not native to Unova can now be found in the wild. While many of the same areas are still part of the overworld map, each includes new buildings and areas to explore, from the sewers below Castelia City to the Pokémon World Tournament in Driftveil City. A few new towns have sprung up, and are host to a couple of new gyms. At its core, Pokémon Black 2 and White 2 remain largely the same as their predecessors, but throw a few new elements into the mix that make for an experience that is overall smoother and more streamlined.

Bianca, rival and friend of the protagonist in Black/White, is now an assistant to Professor Juniper, and provides you with your starter Pokémon - Oshawott, Tepig, or Snivy. From there, the game makes the tutorial process largely optional for those already familiar with the generation five games. You can explore the immediate area around your hometown, catch a few Pokémon from past generations to round out your team, and then proceed to take on Cheren in the first gym. While the first couple of hours do run through preparatory measures, it's less that the game is hand-holding and more that it is covering all the bases for new content that has been added to these direct sequel titles.

With regards to the additional Pokémon, Game Freak and Nintendo have carefully chosen Pokémon that will further enhance the challenge while simultaneously maintaining balance. Because many of the Pokémon from generations four and prior are single-element types, battles take on a whole new dynamic from what was programmed into Black/White. The teams used by the different gym leaders are comprised primarily of generation five types, but each has at least one Pokémon from a previous generation. The gyms are more interesting, thanks to new layouts, and progressively gain more and more challengers that you must take on prior to facing the respective gym leaders. Though the challenge factor is still somewhat dependent on your choice of starter Pokémon and other team members, the gym leaders serve up better fights than in Black/White.

The Elite Four remains entirely unchanged, which is just as well, considering they are arguably one of the best incarnations of the series' signature final boss gauntlet run. The league champion battle is challenging, but is also plain fun, a welcome departure from overly tense encounters like the battle against Lance in Heart Gold/Soul Silver. Team Plasma still relies on relatively weak Pokémon to carry out their plans, but they have a greater variety at their disposal, making encounters with grunts marginally more interesting. Double battles, triple battles, and rotation battles are far more frequent than in the previous entries, and are not version-specific. A few areas require use of HMs like surf and strength, though these are only at a few key junctures and do little to interrupt the process of traveling from one locale to the next.

While Team Plasma makes a few brief encounters early on, their true plans for Unova are not revealed until after the midway point of the game. Though the protagonist does not come face to face with N until very late in the game, his presence is felt throughout as the people of Unova recall the day that Team Plasma called upon the legendary dragon Pokémon (Reshiram or Zekrom, depending on which version you are playing) as well as the hero that foiled Ghetsis' plans (the protagonist from Black/White). Though your new rival and childhood friend was never present in Black/White, his life was impacted by Team Plasma two years prior when they stole his younger sister’s Purrloin. While Black 2/White 2 break some traditional storytelling methods found in many direct sequels by putting you in control of a brand new character, the games feel very much the part of true sequels to Black/White.

There is plenty to do outside of the main game. While the light and fluffy entertainment found through dressing up your Pokémon and watching them perform in a musical has been retained and even further developed into a similar time-waster of filming movies, fans of the Battle Subway will be glad to know that too is accessible in Nimbasa City. Expanding further upon this idea is the Pokémon World Tournament, where trainers can compete in a bracket tournament against fellow trainers, gym leaders, and league champions from every region from the five generations of handheld Pokémon games. With only three Pokémon allowed at a time, planning a strategy is key, though completing the various tournaments unlocks new methods of approaching challengers – for example, a tournament against only the water-type gym leaders or only ghost-type gym leaders.

The legendary Pokémon Cobalion, Virizon, and Terrakion will challenge you directly over the course of the main game, while Zekrom/Reshiram and Kyurem are reserved for later on. Past the main game, you can also catch a shiny Haxorus and be rewarded with a shiny Dratini or Gible, depending on which version you are playing. Legendaries from the Hoenn and Sinnoh regions also make appearances, and both the reworked Black City and White Forest add to the adventure for completionists.

Nintendo and Game Freak have stuck to a strong plan with Black 2 and White 2 – if it isn’t broken, don’t try to fix it. That said, there is plenty of new content to merit full-blown sequels for the generation five games, and streamlining the process of catching Pokémon and progressing the story nixes any real need for grinding. Nearly all of the Pokémon from Black/White had practical uses, and the inclusion of Pokémon from past generations makes strategizing all the more interesting.

My rating: 8.75 (out of 10)

Pokémon Black 2 journal - entry five

I cruised through the revamped Victory Road by using a few repels. I found that I didn’t really care to fight a bunch of Gurdurrs during my ascent. As for the actual battles against the members of the Elite Four, they went much more smoothly this time around. There was certainly still a degree of challenge to them, and I hold firm to my belief that the generation five Elite Four is the best rendition of the series’ “final boss gauntlet run”. But I was much more prepared with my team of Serperior, Genesect, Lucario, Zoroark, Glaceon, and Espeon. Whereas Caitlin proved the most difficult to best in White version, with a team that included bug and dark types she was the easiest to beat this time around.

As for the League Champion battle, it was rather interesting. While still intense and challenging, it was also one of the most enjoyable final battles I’ve experienced in a while. The whole fight has an atmosphere of “just plain fun” about it, and after putting an end to the sinister plot that Team Plasma had brewed up, it presents a welcome shift back to the happy overtone the series is known for. But as fun as the endgame was, I still have a fair amount of ground to cover in the post-game. I expect my review for Black version 2/White version 2 to be posted in early November.

Pokémon Black 2 journal - entry four

I’ve arrived at Victory Road, and it is the last thing that stands between me and the conclusion of the main game. It’s been a long road from the brief tutorials and first gym battle in Aspertia City, but it’s certainly been worth it. I was worried that Black 2 would be easier than White version, but the gym battles proved more balanced as a whole – due in part, I think, to the inclusion of Pokémon from past generations. The layout of each gym was cool and - between those and the cutscenes - showed just how much the DS cartridges can handle nearly eight years after the system’s initial release.

Choosing Serperior as my starter paid off in the end, with the water and ground-type gyms being significantly easier than in either White version or Soul Silver version. In fact, my whole team is a large break away from what I am used to – bug, steel, grass, and fighting are types that I previously only fought against, and the only dark type I ever got much use out of was my Umbreon in Soul Silver. But knowing what the Elite Four has in store for me, I can say that I feel much better prepared this time around than I did while playing White version. I have caught all three of the legendary horse Pokémon, though it was more because the story directed me toward catching them and less because I have any actual intention of using them for this first Elite Four encounter.

The story played out very well, and the final few hours fighting Team Plasma were challenging and intense, even with all the healing items on hand. I appreciated the fact that there was honestly no real need to grind throughout the entire game, though I did set aside a couple of hours to boost my Eevee’s happiness and evolve into an Espeon. While Black 2 has not been a wild departure from what I experienced in White version, the few tweaks that have been made here and there are welcome and benefit the game in small ways. Nintendo has adhered to the simple principle of not trying to fix what isn’t broken, though the new and expanded areas feel just as much a part of the Unova region as everything retained from the first two games.

I don’t expect my review to be up before the end of the month, but it should be posted sometime in early November. There’s a lot left to explore in the post-game, and I want to take the time to thoroughly experience that. Also, I would be a liar if I said I wasn’t interested in tracking down some of the legendary Pokémon carried over from previous generations (as well as a certain Shiny Haxorus).

Pokémon Black 2 journal - entry three

Way back when I started my journal for Pokémon Soul Silver, I stated my intent to raise each and every one of the Eevee evolutions. While I started with Umbreon, I quickly built up a solid line of Eevees, one of which would be evolved into Vaporeon in Soul Silver, and the rest which would be evolved through their respective processes in White version. Thanks to the convenience of being allowed to use the instantaneous infrared trading between White and Black 2, I have moved my Glaceon over to Black 2 and added him to my party. While I won’t deny that Vanillish/Vanilluxe served me well as an ice-type in White version, I would like to better familiarize myself with new Pokémon instead of relying on the same faces as last time around. The same goes for the Eevee I caught in the wild in Black 2, who will be evolved into Espeon relatively soon. I have not actually had an Espeon since the first time I played through the original GBC release of Gold version. My secondary choice was going to be Solosis/Duosion/Reuniclus, but considering those are exclusive to White 2, I don’t much care to go out of my way to track down someone who already owns one and is looking to trade. Besides, if I’m raising all these Eevees, I might as well get some use out of them, right?

I still caught a few of my mainstays from White version in Black 2 just in case I find my party needs a major change. Zebstrika, Litwick, and Elgyem are all waiting in my PC Box, though I really don’t anticipate using them. In fact, I find it rather strange (though not entirely unwelcome) the fact that I have gotten so far without using a fire type Pokémon. I put Growlithe back in the PC after the first few gym battles, and I’ve found that it actually isn’t terribly difficult to make it the rest of the way without a fire type, though it certainly helps that the game has presented me with so many "free" Pokémon (Zorua/Zoroark, Lucario, the downloadable Genesect).

I feel that the gyms have held a much better balance this time around. The first couple were relatively easy to overcome, and none of them have proven exceptionally difficult. But the progression of difficulty has been relatively consistent with each gym presenting a greater number of challengers before the main event with the actual gym leader and smarter tactics from the gym leaders overall. The fact that the game introduces some new areas to Unova is cool. Though I haven’t heard much of Team Plasma in a while, there are rumors floating around Unova of their activities, and I find it hard to believe they won’t make another appearance soon.

Pokémon Black 2 journal - entry two

Even though the different wild Pokémon I’ve run into at this point has been relatively limited to a small pool, the types I’ve been able to gather have made for a very well-rounded team. I’ve had a few team members evolve, and added a couple of new Pokémon to my rotation. I am still testing the waters with Zorua and getting a feel for the way he handles. Meanwhile, I swapped out Venipede for Genesect. When I purchased White version, Victini was available for download, though I hardly used him because I wanted my initial playthrough to be exactly as Nintendo intended it to be. With Genesect, however, I am keeping him a few levels lower than the rest of my party to maintain a decent balance. His dual bug and steel types are rather interesting, and his attacks (while severely limited by PP) cover a solid range.

The challenge presented by the gym battles is better in Black 2 than in White, in my opinion. Elesa’s team is still frustrating as ever, what with their constant spamming of Volt Switch. But Clay’s gym proved one of the largest yet, and the challengers therein had a nice variety of Pokémon (even if they were all ground types). The World Tournament seems like a really cool idea – almost like a variation of Pokémon Stadium for this handheld game. My first experience with it was quite positive, though I think I will find it even more enjoyable once I have access to battles with gym leaders from regions outside Unova.

While the story is still gradually unfolding, it has struck me with a few unexpected twists. While my rival’s motives for tracking down Team Plasma were predictable, the behavior of Team Plasma itself has struck me as very intriguing. I think it’s pretty cool that so many people in Unova mention both the protagonist from Black/White and N. Their presence is felt, even though I haven’t actually seen either one of them in-game yet, and in that regard Black 2 feels like a real sequel to the previous adventure in the Unova region.

Pokémon Black 2 journal - entry one

At present, I am a little over four hours into Pokémon Black version 2. The controls and menu setup are largely unchanged, though there are a few new features that are convenient, like the habitat readout on the Pokédex, which informs you of all the Pokémon that can be encountered in landmark areas in Unova. Nintendo and Game Freak have done a great job in streamlining the experience so far. Instead of spending a lot of time on tutorials, you are given an option to skip past most of these if you are familiar with the previous Black or White versions. Also, you are given Pokéballs before you even leave your hometown, and the first gym leader battle (against Cheren from Black/White) serves more as a benchmark than a full-fledged battle - Cheren only uses two Pokémon, but it is a good idea to grind just a little bit before facing him, which will in turn aid a natural experience progression in the areas that follow (and on to the second gym). That isn't to say that Black 2 is slow-going right out the door - in fact, the introductory events move much more quickly than with its predecessor.

The opening credits suggest that N will play an important role in Black 2/White 2, and already the people of Unova have made mention of his actions from two years ago. Team Plasma made a brief debut, and I will be interested to see what has become of them since their defeat in the first two games (odds are they haven't wised up to using more powerful Pokémon than Patrats and Woobats, but whatever). The first two gyms were relatively quick, with the latter's rock-concert venue being something strikingly different from past gyms, and honestly pretty darn cool. The fact that these gyms were host to Normal types and Poison types respectively hopefully indicates a more natural progression in the game's difficulty (the gym battles being among the few complaints I had about Black/White versions).

Fire types have traditionally been my go-to starters, and using Oshawott in White version proved a different (though not wildly so) experience. This time around I chose Snivy as my starter in the hopes that it provides me with a slightly higher degree of challenge than with past Pokémon games. Honestly, I've hardly ever used any Grass types before - though Bug and Poison types are not completely foreign to me, I anticipate using a Grass type will take some getting used to.

As for the rest of my party, I've been capitalizing on the fact that there are so many Pokémon from previous generations now available for use in Unova. As I mentioned in some of my previous postings, I have never played any of the core games from Generation III or IV (i.e. - Ruby, Sapphire, Emerald, Diamond, Pearl, Platinum), it is nice to have access to Pokémon like Riolu and Azurill so early on. For the most part, the Pokémon currently in my party are single element types, which makes for a substantially different experience than I had anticipated when compared to all the dual types I had in my party throughout most of White version. To be honest, it's kind of like a throwback to my experience with Soul Silver. I am going to try my hardest to avoid overlap from my party members in White version - I may train another Chandelure, and I do intend to catch Zekrom by the endgame, but I want the rest of my part to be different than the last time around.

Pokémon Black and White 2 Discovery Trailer

This recently-released trailer for Pokémon Black and White 2 highlights some of the new additions and story elements. It would appear that players will not only be able to face off against the gym leaders from the first Black and White games, but can also challenge gym those from previous generations, like Misty. Also, it seems that we have not heard the last of either Team Plasma or N, as the Plasma grunts have a new wardrobe and N is shown confronting Ghetsis. Only two months left until this hits shelves stateside!

Release date for Pokémon Black Version 2 and White Version 2

Pokémon Black Version 2 and White Version 2 now have an official North American release date - October 7th, 2012. Below is the first English trailer for the sequel games. It basically shows off the same footage that the early Japanese trailers did, and it isn't very long. But frankly, I'm just happy that we finally know when these two games are coming out, because I loved playing through White version.

Pokémon Black and White 2 gameplay trailer

A Japanese gameplay trailer for Pokémon Black version 2 and White version 2 has been released. It isn't the best quality, but for the moment it is what we have access to. In keeping with the recent details regarding new areas and new gym battles, this trailer provides a glimpse at both. I'm hoping that Nintendo keeps releasing information at the rate they have been for these sequel games. If things keep on the upward slope between now and autumn, this may be a day-of-release purchase for me.

Pokémon Black and White 2 details emerge

Some news regarding Pokémon Black version 2 and White version 2 has finally surfaced. The game will still take place in the Unova region, but is set two years after the events of Black and White. Players will once again be able to choose from either a male or female trainer, who is a separate character from the lead protagonist of Black/White. New areas will be visited, as well as new gym battles. There will also be a new rival character, though no word on if they will have any ties to Team Plasma. Finally, there will be 300 Pokémon that can be registered in the Unova Pokédex, which basically implies that Black version 2 and White version 2 will be debuting 150 new Pokémon, assuming all the Pokémon from Black and White return. As stated when the sequels were first announced, Pokémon Black version 2 and White version 2 will see a stateside release this Fall.

Pokémon Black and White sequels announced

It's official - Pokémon Black and White versions will have not one, but two follow up games. Instead of the traditional single sequel that combines the Pokémon and locations available in Black and White versions (which many fans dubbed 'Grey version'), the DS will see two direct sequels in the form of Pokémon Black version 2 and White version 2. It seems the mascots for the games will be the two powered-up forms of Kyurem, with Zekrom-derivative Lightning abilities and Reshiram-derivative Fire abilities respectively. Not much else is known at this point, but I would personally like to see some new locations in Unova, whether they choose to expand the existing world or set the game in an entire area of Unova previously unexplored. I will be very interested to see if the game will allow players to carry over Pokémon from Black and White versions from the outset, or if (as with most merged sequels) the game will ask you to choose a new starter.