10 Details Pokémon Black & White Added That Totally Changed the Series (2024)

Though Pokémon Black & White lack modern amenities like fully 3D Pokémon models, the Fairy-type, and regional forms, they introduce many elements that help them stand out as Pokémon games. Some elements are exclusive to the fifth generation, some were only implemented in some games before being dropped, and some are mainstays that have recurred in each new Pokémon game since. Upon release, Pokémon Black & White was praised for its advancement in the franchise's gameplay formula. Famitsu gave them a perfect 40/40 score — the 15th game to receive this distinction.

Notably, they were also the first to implement a banned list of words deemed too offensive in an E-rated game, though it led to issues like Cofa*grigus being unable to be traded. This filter was eventually updated once word got out. They're also the first pair of Pokémon games to be given true sequels — Pokémon Black 2 & White 2, which take place two years later. With a unique game feature called "Memory Link", players can access new content using their original Pokémon Black or Pokémon White as a foundation.

10 Pokémon Musicals Are the Fifth Generation’s Contests

Now With Fewer Moves and More Props

Like the contests and Pokéathlon from previous Pokémon games, musicals offer players an alternative to battles. Contestants dress their Pokémon in up to eight props — one on each arm, one on each ear, one on its head, one on its face, one on its body, and one on its waist. Some species lack certain attributes and can't use all eight slots — Klink has no arms, for example.

Players choose one of four categories of shows — Cool, Cute, Elegant, and Quirky. Each category has a target audience, which makes up at least 80 of the show's 200 audience members. Though each prop appeals to one of the four categories, additional props of the same category offer a diminishing return. Once the Pokémon are fully dressed, they are set to perform. Players can use each held prop once during the music, so the timing is impeccable to earn the greatest applause.

9 The C-Gear Makes the Most of the DSi’s Capabilities

Players Can Chat With Their Handheld's Camera

Players get the Xtransceiver shortly after beginning the game, and various characters will communicate with them through it throughout the plot. With the C-Gear's wireless feature, up to four players can communicate with each other. With a Nintendo DSi, DSi XL, 3DS, or 3DS XL, players also have the option to show their faces with their built-in camera. While the C-Gear is enabled, it tracks a list of players encountered with the handheld's wireless capabilities.

The C-Gear also has an infrared function that allows players to exchange data with each other much faster. By doing this, players can trade, battle, exchange Friend Codes, and do Feeling Checks. Unlike Union Room battles, neither player can set the rules nor preview their opponent's team. The C-Gear can also be customized with different skins, icons, and colors.

8 More Emphasis on the Game’s Story Than Previous Entries

Team Plasma Is a Refreshing Take on Villainous Organizations

Earlier Pokémon games have a bare-bones plot that justifies why players consistently explore a region to catch every Pokémon, earn Gym Badges, and clash with a villainous organization. Pokémon Black & White is the first to truly question the morality of capturing sentient creatures and forcing them to fight one another. Team Plasma openly points out the ethical implications of Pokémon battling, though most of its members behave hypocritically throughout the game.

Team Plasma's King, N, is a refreshing foil to the usual rival character. Though he truly believes in Team Plasma's goal that Pokémon shouldn't be bound to humans, he's nothing but kind and polite to those around him. He also practices what Team Plasma preaches, by using only Pokémon found in the area he's in and releasing them when he leaves. Lastly, he successfully catches the legendary Dragon-type Pokémon associated with the opposite version of the player.

Certain Hidden Abilities Are the Optimal Choice

While Hidden Abilities can be directly applied to any Pokémon with an Ability Patch since , players were originally limited to acquiring a Pokémon with its Hidden Ability through the Entree Forest. Players can send Pokémon to the Entree Forest by befriending it on the Pokémon Dream World website and sending it to the Entralink. Once in the Entree Forest, players are given a Dream Ball to catch that Pokémon, though any Poke Ball will work without fail.

Any Pokémon caught this way will always have its Hidden Ability if it has one. Players also receive five of any one damage-reducing berry when visiting the Dream World for the first time. On Jan. 14, 2014, the Dream World was permanently shut down, rendering it impossible to catch Pokémon this way now.

6 GTS Negotiations Made Trading Online Easier

Pokémon HOME Inherited Some of These Features

While players could trade with anyone in the world using the Global Trade Station since Pokémon Diamond & Pearl, a new format called GTS Negotiations was introduced in Pokémon Black & White. It allows players to trade Pokémon the same way they could with players registered on their Pal Pad, thus avoiding the usual restrictions — only Pokémon previously seen, no Event Pokémon, and no eggs.

With GTS Negotiations, players can specify certain parameters for their partners to meet, though these are not mandatory. This was one way for a Pokémon White owner to acquire Vullaby and Mandibuzz, as neither can be seen anywhere in that game. Each time a player successfully traded with another through GTS Negotiations, their partner would appear as a Trade Pal on the Pokémon Global Link if they both had accounts.

5 Triple and Rotation Battles Involve Three Pokémon at Once

Positioning Is the Key to Victory

During Triple and Rotation Battles, players use three Pokémon at once from a team of up to six. Triple Battles are similar to Double Battles in that all three Pokémon on each side participate at once, though placement is extremely important now. Typically, any Pokémon on the leftmost side of the field can't target one on the rightmost side, and vice versa. A Pokémon in the center may both attack and be attacked by any other.

Rotation Battles differ in that only one Pokémon out of the three participants can attack at a time. Players may freely rotate between their three chosen Pokémon without using up their move. Doing so has a priority of +6 — it occurs before any move, even Fake Out or Helping Hand. Rotating a Pokémon doesn't reset status conditions or Ability counters.

4 Seasons Change Every Month at Three Cycles per Year

Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter — The Cycle Repeats

Only fifth-generation Pokémon games utilize the season game mechanic, which applies different effects on the landscape based on the season. Each season lasts only one month, then cycles to the next, under the following sequence: Spring → Summer → Autumn → Winter. Spring occurs in January, May, and September. Summer occurs in February, June, and October. Autumn occurs in March, July, and November. Winter occurs in April, August, and December.

Depending on the season, the background music changes slightly, and wild Pokémon encounter rates change. In particular, Deerling and Sawsbuck are encountered in unique forms. Morning, day, and night can be shorter or longer in specific seasons, and certain areas can only be accessed by piled snow during Winter. Some in-game events can only take place during certain seasons — for example, Casteliacones are not sold during Winter.

3 Battles Are More Animated With Improved Aesthetics

They Turn the Low Health Sound Into an Art Form

The fifth generation was the last to utilize sprites before Pokémon X & Y brought the series to full 3D, but the transition from the fourth generation was memorable. All Pokémon sprites remain animated throughout a battle and complete back sprites are implemented. All non-volatile status conditions now visibly change a Pokémon's sprite — Sleep causes slower movement and any eyes to close, Poison causes a purple glow, Paralysis causes slower movement and a yellow glow, Burn causes a red glow, and Frozen stops all movement and causes a blue glow.

Another noteworthy change is how the 'low health' sound is implemented. Earlier main Pokémon games played the same two notes endlessly, which many players found irritating. The fifth generation remixes this sound effect into catchy music. The music also changes into a triumphant track during a Gym Leader battle, when they're down to their last Pokémon.

2 Quality-of-Life Features Streamline the Gameplay

Infinite TM Use, No Weather Messages, and Many More

Many quality-of-life improvements that carried over to future games began in Pokémon Black & White. All Technical Machines (TM) have infinite uses, while only one Hidden Machine (HM), Cut, is necessary to complete the game. There are only six HMs, and they no longer require Gym Badges to use. All Poke Marts share the same building with Pokémon Centers, so players can heal and shop more conveniently.

Weather conditions no longer take up time displaying a message with each turn during battle, unless it subsides. Speech balloons will appear during dialogue, which makes it easier to tell which character is speaking during events with multiple characters speaking. In the international versions, Pokémon names, items, and locations are no longer displayed in all capital letters, though any Pokémon transferred from an earlier generation keeps its all-caps name unless it evolves.

1 All New Pokémon Before the Post-Game

New and Returning Players Start With a Clean Slate

For the only time in the franchise's history (not counting Pokémon Red & Blue), players only have access to the 156 new Pokémon until they complete the main story. This was done to put both new and old players on the same level. While certain Pokémon may have similarities to older ones — Timburr is similar to Machop, for example — none are directly connected to them. This forces players to get out of their comfort zones and find new favorites.

Pokémon Black 2 & White 2 didn't repeat this trend, despite taking place in an expanded Unova. The three starters — Snivy, Tepig, and Oshawott — represent the usual 'Grass, Fire, Water' trend seen in most main Pokémon games. No matter which starter the player chooses, Bianca will pick the one weak against the chosen one, while Cheren will pick the one strong against them.

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  Pokémon Black

  Pokémon games are decidedly cliché and formulaic when it comes to narrative. When Pokémon Black introduced gamers to the fifth generation of Pokémon, nobody could have predicted the captivating story it would tell. For the first time the villains were more than afterthoughts. They directly impacted the storytelling. What’s more is Black introduced heavy themes of ethics and morality. These were far from traditional additions to the Pokémon franchise. This appealed to the grown up audience while not overcomplicating things for kids who would no doubt get their hands on the game. As with every new generation, the gameplay formula remained the same. However minor changes were brought forth in order to enhance the experience. One of those changes is the introduction of seasons. Certain Pokémon were only available in the spring while others were exclusive to winter.

  Although the graphics did not improve drastically from the previous generation, the season-based environments were a nice visual touch.

  Black also introduced triple battles and rotation battles. Both of these new entries felt forced and lacked a smooth integration toward the battle system. It’s no surprise that this was the last time we would see both of those battle styles. Whereas the introduction of double battles in generation three became a standard feature, Game Freak knew that they failed with triple and rotation battles. Interestingly enough the Unova region was the first to be based on a geographic location outside of Japan. New York City served as inspiration for game developer Junichi Masuda. Unfortunately, the Unova region did not display the most appealing Pokémon. In terms of aesthetics, the fifth generation introduced a weak lineup of Pokémon. Ultimately, Black follows the trend of being a fantastic addition to the franchise without ever introducing drastic new elements. Game Freak’s strategy is simple, refine what works and do not change what isn’t broken.

  RPG

  Franchise

  Pokemon

  Platform(s)

  Nintendo DS

  Released

  March 6, 2011

  Developer(s)

  Game Freak

  Publisher(s)

  Nintendo

  ESRB

  E for Everyone: Comic Mischief, Mild Cartoon Violence

• 

  Pokemon White

  RPG

  Franchise

  Pokemon

  Platform(s)

  Nintendo DS

  Released

  March 6, 2011

  Developer(s)

  Game Freak

  Publisher(s)

  Nintendo

  ESRB

  E for Everyone: Comic Mischief, Mild Cartoon Violence