IGN calls it “Amazing,” and Joystiq.com says that the game’s Unova region is “the best-looking setting of the Pokémon series so far,” but what is all the fuss about for Pokémon Black and White?
On March 6, 2011, Pokémon trainers across the United States got their hands on the franchise’s latest installment, Black and White Versions. Nintendolife.com reports that 1.08 million copies were sold in the United States on the game’s anticipated release day.
Given a 9.0 out of 10 by Nintendo Power magazine, Pokémon Black Version and Pokémon White Version have been a hit here at Jesuit as well as across the country. Walking through the halls, I have seen many students play the games during free periods or after school. When I questioned Junior Harrison Ainsworth about the game, he told me that “the games are great for veteran trainers who cannot get enough of the games, but it is not quite so welcoming to new trainers.” As a Pokémon fanatic myself, I agree that while I could spend hours on end playing the game, new trainers may have trouble adapting to such a game that jumps right into the story. The game gave the franchise a much needed graphic overhaul and over 150 new creatures to collect. Additionally, the original 493 creatures will not be catchable until the completion of the main storyline, challenging trainers to learn new strategies while playing the game. The Unova region, the setting of these games, is comprised of towering skyscrapers, beautiful bridges, untamed forests and deserts, and small towns that contrast the gleaming towers of the game’s Castelia city area. Whether you know what I am talking about or not, I recommend the game if you are a fan of role playing games or Pokémon itself. It provides a wonderful challenge to relearn how to battle with all new Pokémon as well as to attempt to catch them all. I rate Pokémon black and White as a 9.5 out of 10.
While the games have had their impact across the world, one may wonder what impact Jesuit has felt with the release of the games. The words of sophomore Tony Duong describe the impact of the newest installments of the Pokémon franchise: “As the summer draws nearer, the life of the average Jesuit student can get pretty hectic. So what does he do to maintain his mental sanity and not become an angsty teenager? He would kick back, possibly with a couple of his friends, and enter a social event by battling Pokémon.” Additionally, sophomore Nick Valenti stated that “Pokémon players are going through a Renaissance right now. Some of us are mocked, but there’s no shame in discovering something new and fun.”
