game freak
Latest
Pokemon Black and White have already gone platinum in Japan
Describing the sales success of Pokémon titles has become a tricky enterprise, as the franchise has encompassed just about every precious metal in the Periodic Table. We hope you don't find this next statement too confusing: According to data from Media Create, Pokémon Black and White have gone Platin ... er, platinum in Japan, as pre-order sales for the two titles have already reached 1.08 million units. These pre-orders have only been available since July 31, which The Pokémon Company claims is a new speed record for sales on the DS platform. The Company expects pre-order sales to reach 1.5 million before the game launches September 18. It would be all the more impressive if they could hit 10 million pre-orders, at which point they'd go Diamond. Or, even more ambitiously, they could aim for 20 million in pre-sales, bringing the games up to the rarely achieved SoulSilver status.
Pokemon Black and White battle footage sways our opinion
"Sorry for the inconvenience, Mr. Ketchum, but we're going to have to run a breathalyzer on your team. We've gotten reports that since Pokémon Black and White came out, they've been swaying back and forth, a clear sign of Pokéintoxication. Check out the video below to see what we're talking about."
Pokemon Black and White's colorful world map revealed
If you consider yourself a budding Pokécartographer, you should turn your eyes to the official site for Pokémon Black and White, which was recently updated to reveal the layout of Isshu, the region where the title's all-catching will take place. The interactive map, which can be viewed by visiting the site's splash page and clicking the link below the Pokémon White logo, shows a few screenshots of Isshu's varied locales, and gives a few hints as to how your quest will unfold. Of course, much of the map is still uncharted by these little tips, so we've yet to see a few of the series' staple environments. You know, like the huge town with the humble casino and gigantic, unnavigable department store? The disturbingly out-of-place mausoleum tower? The final road you have to spend hours grinding on in order to beat the Elite Four? That place on that same road where you quit playing the game forever?
Pokemon Black and White to feature new Pokemon only (until you beat it)
At long last, Game Freak has discovered exactly why you've been so hesitant to jump on the last few generations of Pokémon titles: It's all those old Pokémon, of course. It's hard to feel like you're on a level playing field when you don't recognize a few of the 'mons introduced in Pearl or Ruby or Silver -- but, according to a blog post from Game Freak's Junichi Masuda, that won't be a problem in Pokémon Black and White. Going by Andriasang's translation of the blog, players of the upcoming generation of Pokémon titles will only encounter all-new monsters until they clear the game. The developer hopes this will make the game a fresh experience for veterans and newcomers alike -- though Masuda admits that coming up with new monsters has been completely challenging. Well, yeah, we'd assume anything after number 300 would be tough to come up with. Here, we'll try: Stonedog! He's a dog! But he's made of stone.
The Birds and the Beedrills puts a mature spin on the Pokerap
There's no real way to ease into this, so: A rapper by the pseudonym White Licorice has painstakingly crafted a track titled "The Birds and the Beedrills." Its innuendo-filled lyrics contain references to all 151 Pokémon from the series' first generation. It is, in no small measure, a masterpiece.
Pokemon Black and White to feature video chat, 'pass by' mode
Scans of a promotional pamphlet for Pokémon Black and White, acquired by Serebii.net, have revealed a few new features for game and firsts for the franchise. One such feature, which is becoming increasingly popular in Japanese handheld RPGs, is a "pass by" mode. When Pokémon Black and White players with dormant DSs come into proximity with each other, their handhelds will connect, providing both players with heretofore unannounced bonuses. Another, slightly more ambitious feature, is a video chat function that players unlock while playing through the game's campaign. After gaining access to the "Live Caster" tool, two players using a DSi or 3DS can participate in a video chat over Wi-Fi. The tool also lets four players perform video chat conferences over local wireless connections. We suggest reading that last sentence again, turning off your computer and going to sit in a dark room for a while until you can fully contemplate its ridiculousness.
Pokemon Black and White releasing in Japan September 18
Though we poor North Americans will have to wait until next Spring for Pokémon Black and White, Japanese gamers will get their hands on the monochromatic RPG on September 18. Check out the release date's reveal, as well some new gameplay footage, in the Japanese trailer below.
Pokemon Black and White coming to America spring 2011
Why wait for E3 to announce your biggest game of next year, right? First, Sony goes and reveals Killzone 3, and now Nintendo has revealed North American release plans for Pokémon Black and White for DS. The next generation of Pokémon will be released in spring 2011. There are few known details about this new Pokémon game, other than the existence of a new city environment, the designs for the new starter Pokémon, and the fact that the Black and White versions are supposed to represent a "rebirth" for the franchise. Today, along with the North American release window announcement, Nintendo revealed that the box art for Pokémon Black will feature the legendary Pokémon Reshiram and White will feature Zekrom; as seen above (via Pokemon.com). So, you can start planning your purchase based on your preference between two freaky winged things. %Gallery-93857%
Pokemon Black and White starters revealed in full color
It's never too soon to start picking out your prospective team of Pokémon for the next iteration of the franchise -- even if it's still quite a ways away from being released. Of course, the most important decision on this subject is which of the three starter 'mons you'll choose. Thanks to an image published in latest issue of CoroCoro (via The Escapist), you can now choose between the (formerly silhouetted) Pokémon Black and White starters based on which one you think it the cutest -- which is really the most important metric, isn't it? The three Pokémon pictured above reportedly have the Japanese monikers Tsutaja, Pokabu and Mijumaru (from left to right), though they'll probably be subject to change for the English-language versions of the game. CoroCoro also revealed the somewhat older-looking trainers featured in the game, which we've posted after the jump. We're not sure what their story is, but they need haircuts in a bad, bad way. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in!]
Pokemon Black & White starter Pokemon teased ... with black-on-white silhouettes
"Who's that Pokemon?" (And who are those two other Pokemon?) Fansite Pokebeach shared this image of the silhouettes of Pokémon Black and White's three starter Pokémon, as revealed on the Pokémon Sunday TV show. We now have solid information about the upcoming DS sequel: all three of the new creatures have tails, and two of them have ears. That's information, right? We would say that we can safely assume that these three silhouettes represent Grass, Fire and Water-type Pokémon, as those have been the starters for every Pokémon game except Yellow (which started you off with Pikachu). However, we're desperately clinging to the idea that, since the new game has been described as "innovative," that not every aspect will be completely identical to previous games. We'll just hang on to that notion for as long as we can. [Via Siliconera]
First direct-feed screens of Pokemon Black and White
Here's your first (clear) look at the new Pokémon Black and White for DS. While at first blush, these four screens look pretty much like Pokemon, they hint at some interesting changes for the engine. For example, the characters are different sizes in the different screens, suggesting that the camera zooms in and out. That city area looks a lot more ... polygonal, in general, as well. Still, we're hoping there's a lot more innovation involved in the actual gameplay, because spruced-up graphics are far from the "rebirth" promised with this game's initial announcement. The battle sequence shows in-game sprites for the Zorua and Zoroark, the two evolutions of the single new Pokemon announced so far. Pokémon Black and White will be released this fall in Japan. %Gallery-90865%
First Pokemon Black & White images revealed (in color)
While we were all hoping that the recently announced Pokémon Black and White would have an appropriate film noir aesthetic and monochromatic color palette, a few vividly colorful glimpses of the game have appeared in CoroCoro magazine (via Serebii.net). While it certainly looks a heck of a lot like previous DS-based iterations of the franchise, a few of the screens seem to change up the series' isometric camera angle. Will some creative camerawork and new pocket-sized monsters be enough to keep the franchise fresh? Only time will tell. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in!]
Snap Judgment: Pokemon HeartGold and SoulSilver
I can't remember a single game release I ever anticipated more in my life than Pokémon Gold and Silver. By the time the game hit U.S. store shelves in 2000, I'd been rendered a shivering addict to versions Blue and Red for nearly two years. The promise of new pocket-sized monsters and new areas to explore thrilled me to the central of my very being -- and thankfully, the franchise's massive second generation did not disappoint. I'm a decade older now, and while I've retained most of my love for the franchise since my middle school career, I worried that the recently released remakes, HeartGold and SoulSilver, wouldn't have the same intoxicating properties as their source materials. Now that I've spent about eight hours in the game, I feel confident in reporting that these remakes possess the same gripping magic as the originals -- partially due to the infusion of new elements introduced in later generations of the series, and, surprisingly, due to the bundled Pokéwalker peripheral. %Gallery-65398%
Pokemon HeartGold and SoulSilver, Pokewalker caught on video
If you're hoping to learn more about the device which you'll soon be hiding within your deepest, darkest pocket, filling you with terror that, while withdrawing your keys, you'll accidentally expose the accessory, bringing your reticent Pokémaniacal tendencies to light, forcing you to ... wait, what were we talking about again? Oh, yes, the Pokéwalker accessory which comes with HeartGold and SoulSilver was recently demoed in a video released at the Nintendo Media Summit, and posted above. Looks like it has some neat functionality beyond just step-counting. Oh, the games themselves also received their own trailer, which is posted after the jump. We've seen most of the footage shown there before -- though the music is new, and totally triumphant.
Catch Jirachi at your local GameStop on February 27
Is your elite Pokémon fighting force lacking a certain adorability factor? Starting this coming Saturday, February 27, GameStop will have the perfect remedy to your problem -- the retailer will offer a free download of the legendary Psychic/Steel-type Jirachi for anyone who treks to the store with a copy of Pokémon Pearl, Diamond or Platinum in tow. The promotion will run until March 13 -- the day before HeartGold and SoulSilver hit store shelves. As an added bonus, trainers who have Jirachi in their collection will have access to a special training route on HeartGold and SoulSilver's bundled accessory, the Pokéwalker. That might just be enough to give us the courage required to suffer the judgmental looks of our local GameStop's customers and employees.
Let's all analyze this new Pokemon's silhouette
We apologize for any and all spelling or grammatical errors this post may contain. We're not at our usual razor-sharp level of literary acuity this morning, due to the fact that we stayed up all night to analyze the image you see above. According to Siliconera, that silhouetted figure up there is the first new fifth-generation Pokémon, and we need to know what it is. We'll find out during the February 21 episode of Pokémon Sunday -- but we both know that we can't be expected to wait that long. So, let's just start riffing. It looks bipedal, right? That could indicate that it's a fighting-type -- then again, look at its plumage. Kinda looks like the trappings of a fire-type, doesn't it? Then again, it could just as easily be a new evolution of Lucario! Or -- wait, you know what it actually resembles? Our shame.
English Pokemon Heart Gold/Soul Silver gets exclusive mini-game
We've always thought the regular inclusion of slot machines in the kid-friendly world of Pokémon to be bit strange, and apparently we weren't the only ones. According to Official Nintendo Magazine, the English-language versions of Heart Gold and Soul Silver have had their gambling devices replaced by a new mini-game which, according to the magazine, is surprisingly fun. In the new game, players must flip over panels in a five-by-five grid. Some panels hide multipliers for the player's coins. Some, however, hide Voltorbs, which end the round and cause the player to lose all coins accumulated to that point. You can guess where each Voltorb is hidden using numerical clues at the end of each row and column -- it other words, its Picross meets Minesweeper. Meets Pokémon. Yes, please.
We're not going to freak out about a new Pokemon game
Unfortunately, it's become commonplace among my coworkers to mention me in any posts relating to Pokémon. Let me make one thing clear: I don't have an unhealthy obsession with the franchise. I just think it's an incredibly deep and compelling series of turn-based RPGs, and while there may have been a time in my youth when I watched the anime or bought the merchandise, I'd like to think I've grown older and wiser since the late 90s. I only wish my coworkers would treat me as such. Now, let me just check my news feed real quick, and I'll ... I'll ... Holy CRAP! You guys, they announced a new Pokémon DS game -- not like a crappy offshoot like Trozei or Snap, but a totally new generation -- can you BELIEVE IT? Well Snap was okay, but anyways. Nintendo's announcement said there'd be new Pokémon and that "everything is planned to be born anew," and while I don't know what that means, I think my heart stopped a little when I read it! AHH!! It's coming this year. 2010! I knew when this year started that it was going to be the BEST YEAR EVER. [Via IGN]
Amazon listing for Pokemon remakes includes March 14 release date, Pokewalker accessory
Though Japan has been enjoying the adorable bounties of Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver for months now, us poor westerners still don't know when to expect the games on our store shelves, or whether they'll include the Pokéwalker accessory which allows you to take one of your encapsulated soldiers out for a discreet night on the town. Fortunately, if the games' Amazon listings are on the money, both these Unown pieces of info have been divulged: According to the listings, they're coming March 14, along with the Poke Ball-shaped peripheral. The latter information actually comes from the games' supposed box art, which we've posted above. We've contacted Nintendo to find out if the Amazon listing is authentic. If it's not, we're going to give them the most guilt-inspiring sad puppy face anyone's ever seen. It will be absolutely brutal.
Pokemon Heart Gold and Soul Silver hitting Japan Sept. 12
Yes, the once-vague "fall" launch window for the pedometer-infused pokéremakes, Pokémon Heart Gold and Soul Silver, has evolved into a much more specific Japanese release date of September 12. The game will be catchable if you've got 4,980 yen ($50) to spare, which seems an exorbitant price, but is actually the standard cost of Pokémon titles in Japan, thanks to that completely unwarranted Adorability Tax.North America hasn't gotten a release date or price for the remakes -- probably because Nintendo has yet to formally announce the games in the States -- but we'll let you know when it finally does. You'll know which post contains this announcement, because it'll be written in bold all-caps to reflect our uncontrollable excitement.
