Pokemon-Black-and-White
Latest
Nintendo painted red in first-half fiscal year results
We'll be the first to admit it's nigh impossible to grasp the nuances of just what in the world is going on with the global economy, but things are clearly up you-know-whose creek without a paddle when Nintendo reports a ... loss?! Sure, earnings were seriously down for Nintendo during the same six-month period last year (April–September), but even then, as other companies suffered tremendous hits, Nintendo enjoyed ¥69.5 billion in profit (which was roughly $766 million by the rate of exchange a year ago). The problem is that the yen has appreciated wildly against the dollar since that time -- what was $766 million a year ago, would be more like $850 million today. In and of itself, that kind of appreciation might look spectacular, except 81.4 percent of Nintendo's sales have been overseas during the current fiscal year. When the yen is this strong, earnings on Japanese exports (sold with importers' currencies) are dashed on their way back to Japan (where they are converted back to yen). According to Nintendo's first-half report (April–Sept. 2010), "foreign currencies generated exchange losses totaling 62.1 billion yen," and, in turn, the company suffered net losses of ¥2 billion (about $24.6 million) for the period. Keep in mind, this loss comes after selling 4.07 million copies of Pokémon Black and White since September 18 (in Japan alone); 5.1 million units of Super Mario Galaxy 2; and a million-plus Wii Party games. Worldwide, DS software sales totaled 54.84 million units, while Wii games accounted for 65.21 million units sold in the first-half of the fiscal year. As for hardware, the various DS models combined to move 6.69 million units (including 2.26 million DSi and 3.21 million DSi XLs), as Wii racked up another 4.97 million units sold during the period. And did you hear? The new red Wii and DSi XL are going to be released next month to celebrate ... uh, the 25th anniversary of Super Mario Bros., of course!
Amazon offering wonderful Pikachu DSi charge stand this December
This Pikachu DSi charge stand looks absolutely delighted to be sending electricity to a DSi. We feel the same way about bringing you the news that you'll be able to buy one of these for yourself in December. An Amazon listing shows that the charger, which was released in Japan this September, will be available in America through the online retailer on December 23. It's designed to work with both the DSi and DSi XL, and will sell on Amazon for $40. Sure, that sounds like a lot, but does your current DSi charger make you smile?
Pokemon Black and White get limited edition DSis in Japan
If you've got a bizarre hang-up about playing video games on consoles that don't have Pokémon branded upon their hulls, you'll be pleased to learn that you'll soon be able to add the DSi to your list of allowed devices. On November 20, Japanese store shelves will be stocked with limited edition Pokémon Black and White DSis, each of which come with a copy of the appropriately hued monster-catching title. Each handheld prominently features Black and White's main Legendaries, Reshiram and Zekrom -- a premium for which shoppers will have to pay 19,800 yen (a tad more than the DSi's standard 15,000 yen price point). Is it worth the extra cash? We're not sure, but as far as special edition Pokémon-branded handhelds go, this one's kind of ... classy? Yeah, classy.
Gotta build 'em all: Pokemon in LEGO form
Why spend hours scouring grassy areas in search of Pokemon when you could simply build your own out of LEGOs? That's what Filip Johannes Felberg did. Nothing says "I'm awesome" like a LEGO-ified Geodude -- unless, like, that's printed on your T-Shirt or something.
Pokemon Black and White sell over 2.6 million in Japanese launch
We find comfort in the known constants of our universe. You know, things like the laws of thermodynamics, or the fact that every time a new Pokémon game hits store shelves in Japan, people go absolutely bananas for it. Today, we have a figure for just how bananas these pocket-sized monster enthusiasts went: Within the first two days of their launch, Pokémon Black and White racked up over 2.6 million units sold. As a point of contrast, Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver only pulled in 1.4 million units during their first two days on store shelves last year. We guess Japanese gamers value the grayscale dichotomy of Black and White over the flash and elegance of Gold and Silver. Or maybe, just maybe, all those new pokémon had something to do with it.
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.
Meet Victini, Pokemon Black and White's #000 Pokemon
This is Victini, a very special Pokemon introduced for Pokemon Black and White. So special, in fact, that it occupies number 000 in the Pokedex. It's a "phantom Legendary" Pokemon. Isn't it adorable? Doesn't it make you want to go to Japan in September, buy a copy of the game, and download it from a DS station or game retailer? Coincidentally, that's precisely how you acquire a Victini of your very own. You'll probably be able to get one in the North American game after its spring 2011 launch, probably through a Toys R Us event or something like that, but do you really want to take that chance? Victini's just a plane ticket (and a couple of months) away.
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]
Pokemon Black & White media evolves into video on Pokemon Sunday
Within the span of nine days, we've seen Pokémon Black & White go from being announced to being featured in magazines to, now, appearing in video form on the madness-fueled weekly Japanese show Pokémon Sunday. A Siliconera reader with a penchant for insanityvision (like television, but, ya know, insane) spotted the footage, which has the show's hosts (and Lucario) gasping and commenting on a brief gameplay clip. Since our resident Pokéxpert Griffin McElroy is out this weekend, we're unable to confirm whether the footage matches the levels of excitement displayed by the show's hosts, but we have to imagine that, somewhere, he just got stood up and cheered without knowing why. See it for yourself after the break. [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!]
Pokemon Black and White announced for DS
The fifth-generation Pokémon game has been announced! At least, the titles for the next generation have been announced -- Pokémon Black and White are the next pair of Pokémon games, to be released this fall on DS in Japan. Nintendo's going for relatively simple colors after things like "HeartGold" and "Pearl." And ... that's pretty much all we know. Of course, given the way the series works, we can all kind of guess exactly how this will play. Or maybe not: a note on the Pokemon home page promises that "every aspect will be reborn innovatively," according to our translation. The first new creature from this generation has already been revealed as a sort of teaser: Zoroark, the Monster Fox Pokémon. The teaser site indicates that we'll know more April 15. [Thanks, Eric!]
