Nintendo Releases Pokémon Black and White

By Margarita Nahapetyan

Japan Nintendo has recently revealed the next, 5th generation of Pokémon series for Nintendo DS, called "Pokémon Black and White".

Pokémon Black and White are two creature-catching games that will be designed for both the web connected DSi and the portable DS. The company's official website states that the new game will be full of advanced features and innovations. The only thing that is known at this moment about any new characters is a black fox Pokémon, called Zorua, along with its monster evolution Zoroark. These creatures are also the focus of the next upcoming movie, titled Phantom Champion Zoroark.

According to Nintendo, each Pokémon creature has special powers, such as hypnosis or shock. At the same time, each of them also have some weak points. The winner builds up strength and moves on in order to fight with another creature. The game is what is referred to as a collect-athon. At this point there are 495 Pokémon characters altogether but this number is going to raise up to more than 500 unique and individual Pokémon creatures that can be collected through out all the games. Pokémon are recycled in each game or are evolved into new forms.

Another aspect of Pokémon games that never makes them boring is a number of special events. Nintendo has created it the way that some Pokémon creatures are very rare and a player can unlock them only through special events that occur in retail stores or now through the Wi Fi network on special event days. Very often a player must find special items before he/she will have an opportunity to unlock these events. This goes back to the early days of the game when the secret Pokémon, called Mew could only be unlocked by going to a special Nintendo sponsored event.

It looks like Nintendo is going for simple colors in their creations this time around after their 2006's Pokémon Diamond and Pokémon Pearl release. In March 2010, the company launched Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver for the DS in the United States, but both these versions were just high-gloss remakes of 1999 Game Boy games Pokémon Gold and Silver. Therefore, fans of Nintendo DS do not consider HeartGold and SoulSilver genuine contributions in the Pokémon series.

Pokémon Black and White is due to be released in Japan this year. The US and European versions of the game are scheduled for the release in 2011.