This week marks the 10 year anniversary of Pokémon Black and White on the Nintendo DS (aka the fifth generation of Pokémon games). Both titles were originally released on 18th September 2010 in Japan - with the western launch following in March 2011.
These entries were some of the top-selling games on the DS, shifting more than 15 million units worldwide. The only Pokémon games to outperform this on the DS were the generation four installments, Diamond and Pearl (17.67 units).
The fifth-gen introduced trainers to the region of Unova and tasked them with putting a stop to the criminal gang, Team Plasma. Throughout this adventure, there were a total of 156 new Pokémon to collect. It also improved the graphics, introduced two new battle styles (rotational and triple), and added some extras like seasons and animated pocket monster sprites.
Would you like to return to the Unova region? How do you rate these entries alongside the rest of the series? Tell us below.
[source twitter.com]
Comments 57
Pokémon Black e White is by far the best Pokémon game, with the best story and music of the franchise.
I would love a remake, but I want my Sinnoh remakes first.
Probably the best in the series. Hated them when they released but love them the most now.
Was my least favourite Pokémon game on the DS...but I appreciate that they tried to do something new.
I don't see them taking those kinds of risks again, so I definitely appreciate it more these days.
Black and White aka the games that got shunned by the fanbase upon release all while having the best music and story in the franchise with lots of side and post game content. But all of that didn't matter because they couldn't catch their favourite Pokemon, all the new Pokemon designs were bad and GameFreak somehow forced them to use Garbodor in their party.
And then people complain about the lack of quality past the DS era. Kind of funny really.
I know genesect is supposed to be a pun and sound like "g-insect" but I always instinctively say it like generation; as gen-eh-sect. Sounds cooler.
Never played it but it's on my must-play list. Still need to finish gen 4.
It may just be because they were my first Pokémon games, but I will always love Black and Black 2. They were so incredible and a hell of a way to kick off 7 year old me’s love of Pokémon. I should do another run of Black and B2, thankfully I’ve got a hacked N2DS so I don’t have to overwrite my old saves.
@Giancarlothomaz best? This is your own opinion
And they still are the best main pokemon games.
Man, it's weird thinking a Pokemon game came out in September and March.
I have both Pokemon Black 2 and White 2. 😁
Black/ White 2 were the best games in the Pokemon series, for me. I loved Heartgold and Soulsilver, but every game that followed the unlikely Black and White Sequels just didn t come up to scratch. BW were excellent and I hope that a return to those days can happen for the series
Yeah. May be 10 years old for Japan, but we didn't get to play these games until March of the next year.
Black & White 1 are some of my favorite Pokemon games, and by extension some of the best games in the awesome Nintendo DS library. Happy anniversary!
hmmmm... pokemon?
Some of my favorite games, ranked #2 overall on my Pokemon generation list (behind Gen 2 thanks to HG/SS, though Gen 4 also comes close) and #1 in the story department. Pokemon Black/White (and the sequels) showed that Pokemon games could have a decent story woven into the series formula set all the way back in Kanto. Some of my favorite characters in the series were introduced here as well.
While I certainly love the GB/GBC Pokemon games, IMO the main series DS games (Gens 4 and 5) were the franchise's high point.
I really liked those entries.
They hold up well even today!
Love these games, one of the best entries in the series.
I will never forgive the people who were bashing on this game. If Pokemon kept going in this direction, we would have had our own BOTW.
Incredibly beautiful, risk taking and lovingly crafted games. I'm so glad I was there for the competitive scene too during these games. Sure, the weather teams might have gotten old during the gen, but I still think it was a very very fun format. Especially compared to SwSh.
Another point of interest is the amount of new mechanics and tricks they added to Pokemon. TMs were finally unlimited to use, something I wish they did way earlier; and the battle animations were short quick and pretty cool compared to gen 4.
If they kept going in this direction and if people weren't complaining about the ice cream pokemon, I'm 100% sure we wouldn't be where we are right now with Pokemon.
This was the first generation I didn't like immediately, but after playing them, and the sequels, they became one of my favorites. I really wish I still had my copies. I have always wanted to go back and play through all the DS Pokemon games.
Black/White are my favorite Pokemon games altogether. The fact that only new Pokemon appeared before post-game was very refreshing.
Sadly, TPC has gone a completely different direction and now wants us to use Gen I Pokemon all of the time. =(
I have both White 1 and 2, never touched them YET!! Massive backlog for being so late to the Pokemon party and loving it intensely.
Started with UltraSun (500+ hours)
Platinum was 2nd (did not love it but 200 hours before moving on)
Fire Red on gba currently, and love it.
Next up I think will be X. I am so looking forward to it, but maybe I will do White 1 first then move on to X or Alpha Saphire as a break before doing White 2 afterwards..
hmm...
Also have Emerald for GBA, Moon, HeartGold AND SoulSilver, Sword, an Let's Go on deck!!!
A lifetime of non stop Pokemon shufflin' I love it as adult!!
It's a shame this gen wasn't as well received as it deserved. Haven't played BW but B2W2 are still the best Pokemon games of the last ten years.
@JokerCK just compare with previous and next Pokémon games, GEN 5 still have the best story and music of the franchise,GEN 5 was a breath of fresh air to the franchise, but the Genwonner refused to acept GEN 5 is the pinnacle of the franchise, since after GEN 5, the next generation really went downhill.
It was black/white that brought me back to the franchise. Never left since. Good games.
@MajinSoul
See also every game since Gen 1. 😅
Sword and shield were the only games I thought were not as good as the others. Sun and Moon actually changed things up, for better or for worse, and people criticize black and white and x and y way too much.
I remember getting myself White and my son Black so we could play together. I got to the second gym and said yep same old Pokemon just with different Pokemon. As much as people rag on Call of Duty being the same game year after year the same can be said about Pokemon. Played one you have played them all.
It's funny how everyone hated this game back when it was released and now it's considered one of the best. The same thing is happening with Alola right now, and will happen with SwSh in due time.
I loved black and white when it came out, as a 1st gener I thought this was the shake up the formula needed after being burned out on the franchise. Now black and white 2 just bored me to death and I cannot understand why. Never finished the sequels
I liked the games back then a lot, my only issues was lack of old Pokémon (but Black 2 and White 2 solved that and made the games EVEN better)
I even remember entering that one house where Cynthia was casually waiting for a fight, totally unprepared for that I failed
But it is so funny to see how many people love these games now... but how many hated it back then, and that latter is probably the issue why X & Y went a route I wish Pokémon never went (however X & Y just started to go that route, in my opinion Sun and Moon went fully downwards on so many regards, they are aside from 1 game at the bottom of my "good Pokémon games" list, I hate Sun and Moon and their lazy "Ultra" versions)
Happy birthday Pokémon Black & White!
My second favourite games after hg/ss
bring a pokemon collection to the switch. oh wait that wont happen as no one will buy a new pokemon with mia pokemon
My favorite of the bunch. If we ever get a remake, I really hope they don't ruin it.
This game deserves a remake. Many were too young to play this game when it came out.
The last time GF dared to do something different and quality wise it payed off. One of, or maybe the best Pokémon game.
It never did quite live up to Gen 4 but I absolutely loved Gen 5. The sequels were fantastic too!
These got me back into Pokémon after loving gen 1, and playing a bit of gen 3. I haven’t missed a beat since. Black/white remain not favorite!
10 years? No way, they only just--
checks notes
...NANI?!
im not this was the worst gen out of all 8 IMO had some great pokemon like volcorona but the story was terrible music was ok
@Minish-Cap lol i was 27 when it came out...
Black and White started the drop in quality of the series. Shorter generations, cut features, and worse gameplay.
The story is terrible. Not sure why so many give it a pass. Putting the emphasis on a bad story and characters is not preferable to a minimalist story that at least isn't intrusive.
These games were obviously intended to be a reboot. But the premise of that always confused me because Heart Gold and Soul Silver were hugely successful and very well received. Usually reboots occur when a franchise seemingly needs one due to a poorly received release...
Loved these ten years ago. Imported a Japanese copy of Pokémon Black, it’s still one of my favorite Nintendo games in my collection.
This is both the generation that I was first introduced to Pokemon and my favorite generation. I really wan a remake on Switch that adds some of the modern features.
Heck yeah! My favorite Pokémon games! Always loves the “all Pokémon new” approach!
@MajinSoul Black and White were definitely the Wind Waker of the Pokemon community... hated upon release, but now beloved. It just goes to show that at times the fans/consumers can be wrong as hell, and all that is needed is time for something "bad" to be appreciated as great!
My best Zekrom is 10 years old now!? wow
@AlienX Pretty sure it IS gen-eh-sect, like genesis and insect.
https://youtu.be/M5N9WY62TyQ?t=94
The last generation where GameFreak actually tried and cared.
These games saved Pokemon for me. I loved Gen 1-3 but when Diamond, Pearl, and Platinum came out, I didn't care for the games, at all. I can't explain why, they just never clicked with me. I thought maybe I had simply outgrown Pokemon. Then I took a chance on Black and White and fell in love with the franchise all over again.
Hands down, the best story out of all the gens.
People complained that they couldn't use their favorite old Pokémon during their playthroughs of Black & White despite being available post-game via transfer and crapped on it... now Sword & Shield don't let you have half the Pokémon period, and YOU get crapped on for calling it out when it's an actual problem this time.
Only irony could be so horrible and hilarious at the same time.
one of the best Generations . . . imo this was the last of the greats before there was a steep decline in quality with X + Y onward.
Black 2 + White 2 are my favorite sequels/ third versions.
Timely place to say about my charity shop result today.....
Ultra moon, alpha sapphire, X and soul silver (no pokéwalker or big box unfortunately) but all for £28!!!!
I'd say gens 1, 2 and were great and started something amazing, gen 3 really improved on that, gens 4 and 5 were the perfect ones, and gen 6, although not as good as the previous ones, was the last enjoyable one before the games got really boring and lost the adventurous spirit
If were gonna remake gen 5 can we get black and white 2 remade or them put into one giant remake
Wasn't really a fan of Black and White, although B2/W2 were great. I don't personally feel a need to play in this region again (as a standalone). I find it a little ironic that people like to hate so much on Sword/Shield when B/W were basically half finished games. (The difference being one game created a sequel the other brought in DLC - pretty much the same thing though)
Having said all this, B/W 2 were the only remakes (if you want to call them that) that I thought were truly great, didn't care for HG/SS as an example (although the originals are perhaps my favourites out of all mainline pokemon games to date). US/UM almost killed mainline pokemon for me, and I can't honestly say that I have any interest in any more remakes or sequels.
Having said all that, I'd love to have more mainline games where you can travel between several regions, and, if they decided to go down that route, I believe they could make the best pokemon games so far.
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