User Score
7.9

Generally favorable reviews- based on 873 Ratings

User score distribution:
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  1. Sep 8, 2023
    10
    Treasure!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
  2. Sep 7, 2023
    8
    I first played it in 2023 so 12 years after release date. Does it hold well today? Should it be played?
    I've played it on physical console and I've had lots of fun. I've tried it previously on emulators but such approach doesn't ignite a spark of joy.
    In terms of story-telling, lore and world-building this game should get straight 10 - but after reaching some point of the game near the
    I first played it in 2023 so 12 years after release date. Does it hold well today? Should it be played?
    I've played it on physical console and I've had lots of fun. I've tried it previously on emulators but such approach doesn't ignite a spark of joy.
    In terms of story-telling, lore and world-building this game should get straight 10 - but after reaching some point of the game near the end the grind becomes unbearably dull and legend hunting isn't as good as in previous (and later) installments in series.
    Even though I've spent about 150h on this game it doesn't have factor that would make me repeat whole adventure any time in the future.
    Expand
  3. Aug 23, 2023
    6
    I was writing a review but got hit with a 403 forbidden and my review got removed. I'm just gonna leave it at this. tl;dr - Pokemon Black and White, as GAMES, are kinda mid. the climax was epic. the story was flawed and really boring much of the way through. the gameplay is super dull and barren for a pokemon game, almost as much so as the gen 1 games. this was disappointing for a game 5I was writing a review but got hit with a 403 forbidden and my review got removed. I'm just gonna leave it at this. tl;dr - Pokemon Black and White, as GAMES, are kinda mid. the climax was epic. the story was flawed and really boring much of the way through. the gameplay is super dull and barren for a pokemon game, almost as much so as the gen 1 games. this was disappointing for a game 5 generations in. Even games like XY people find are barebones have so much more to them in the gameplay aspect than Black and White. BW added detrimental features like the critical health theme, holding hostage the quality of each fight, the postgame was overrated, as it was simply 3 cities you explored with little incentive and not much reward. The Battle Subway is heavily lackluster in comparison to gens 3-4 battle facilities and gens 6-7 battle facilities, despite being the only battle facility in this game. Expand
  4. Aug 1, 2023
    6
    Good but im not too fond of the "only gen 4 pokemons in this game" thing, its a bit lack luster
  5. Jul 19, 2023
    9
    After getting lambasted for making pokemon players try new things (ie not use charizard), I’m very glad that the playerbase has turned around on these games, because I truly believe that gen 5 is the best the series has to offer. They did an excellent job with the new pokemon- you’d always find a few new things in every route, making you feel like there’s always more to discover, and theAfter getting lambasted for making pokemon players try new things (ie not use charizard), I’m very glad that the playerbase has turned around on these games, because I truly believe that gen 5 is the best the series has to offer. They did an excellent job with the new pokemon- you’d always find a few new things in every route, making you feel like there’s always more to discover, and the pokemon themselves are some of the most well-designed in the series, even if some of them don’t evolve until very late. The story is excellent (a first for the series), and as formulaic as it may be, I believe these games truly mastered the formula. Expand
  6. Jul 17, 2023
    10
    The pinnacle of 2D Pokemon Games, and most likely the best of all mainline pokemon games. Rich story, lore, good map design, banger music 11/10
  7. Jul 11, 2023
    8
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. The best way to relive the enjoyment of classic Pokemon games, by exploring a region that contains nothing but Unova Pokemon. With entertaining pseudo third dimensional graphic design, intimidating and interesting villains, and well balanced grinding mechanics, definitely one of the greatest games in the franchise. Expand
  8. Jun 26, 2023
    10
    Now this is a pokemon game right here. One of the very best ever made. So many new polemon. Great story. The sprite art is top tier. A game I'll always go back to for a new play through.
  9. Jun 2, 2023
    10
    Il migliori giochi pokemon, quando ci mettevano ancora il cuore e le competenze tecniche
  10. May 21, 2023
    7
    Très sympa. C'est un Pokémon classique mais un Pokémon est toujours sympa et amusant au point que je pourrais presque mettre le même commentaire à tous les Pokémons.
  11. May 18, 2023
    4
    This an BORING GAME! B2W2 is so much better. The progeinsoions is so slow. The fire starter suck, the anime suck, this sucks. Pokemon black is not a good game, probaly one of the worst. 4/10, and B2W2 is a 10/10
  12. May 18, 2023
    8
    A fantastic game that was given a hard time due to people's refusal to accept change. With a brand-new cast of 156 Pokémon to catch, the largest amount introduced before or after, many people grew hostile to many of the monsters due to not being allowed to use any old favorites in the main story, which is a shame as Pokémon Black and White have the strongest story out of the entire seriesA fantastic game that was given a hard time due to people's refusal to accept change. With a brand-new cast of 156 Pokémon to catch, the largest amount introduced before or after, many people grew hostile to many of the monsters due to not being allowed to use any old favorites in the main story, which is a shame as Pokémon Black and White have the strongest story out of the entire series with the best engine to date both in and outside of battle. A region brimming with life and diversity of location and people alike, Pokémon Black and White are fantastic games that are deserving of being the series' penultimate sendoff for the Nintendo DS. Expand
  13. May 13, 2023
    0
    Lo peor en toda la saga, pokémon feos, una historia pretenciosa y mal escrita, y es la región de las barreras y los bloqueos absurdos, no hay lugar a donde ir sin que el juego no sepa justificar adonde puedes ir y adonde no, ademas que es fácil en todos sus lideres de gimnasio, no existe reto alguno.
  14. May 8, 2023
    8
    This is my first pokemon game and I say I had a pretty ok experience. It's fun to discover new pokemon, new evolution etc. The gyms are creative and the soundtrack is good. But it doesn't have the deepest gameplay of all time it's mainly to chill and have fun with your siblings and friends.
  15. May 4, 2023
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. My personal favorite of the franchise. The beginning of the game it's fast passed, the story it's great for the basic standard of Pokémon, hell even the game surprices you with the evil team invading the Pokémon league and N defeating Alder becoming "champion" technically. The ending it's beautiful, the post game it's basically defeat the Pokémon league again and the soundtrack it's outstanding. The visuals are just great, the game just knew how to get the 100% of the Nintendo DS. It also has bad things like the designs of 80% of the Unova's Pokémon it´s terrible to say the least. Expand
  16. Apr 15, 2023
    10
    Pokémon sucks in 2023.This game,it's instead the best of the main line. N is the best character of the series and even Komor and Belle are perfect rivals.
  17. Apr 14, 2023
    9
    Best history, best antagonists, and my favorite Pokemon as legendary of the game.
  18. Mar 15, 2023
    9
    Without a doubt the best game in the Pokemon series. The decision to limit the Pokedex to only new Pokemon definitely helps freshen the experience. The characters are all interesting and the game has the best story in the series. The only downsides that come up are the sometimes questionable level curve and the occasionally lacking Pokemon designs.
  19. Mar 6, 2023
    9
    I would give this game a 10 but the sequel honestly is a bit better. Still an amazing game though!
  20. Feb 6, 2023
    9
    Just started playing this last week and I have to say I am impressed. This is still shocking how such a good looking game as this is working on a DS but the gameplay is what seals it all together. Its truly the final Pokemon game thats not brain dead easy like the new ones which is something I miss from the older games. Would recommend if you can afford it considering it is one of if notJust started playing this last week and I have to say I am impressed. This is still shocking how such a good looking game as this is working on a DS but the gameplay is what seals it all together. Its truly the final Pokemon game thats not brain dead easy like the new ones which is something I miss from the older games. Would recommend if you can afford it considering it is one of if not the best game in the series. Expand
  21. Feb 5, 2023
    5
    UPDATE
    Pokémon Black introduces us to the Unova region, a bustling melting pot of diverse cities, settlements, folklore and ideas. That is the stage of the player's adventure as playfully vibrant, resounding musical pieces accentuate the lively nature of the region and permeate the journey with an endearingly exuberant feel. A journey characterized by a surprising amount of interesting
    UPDATE
    Pokémon Black introduces us to the Unova region, a bustling melting pot of diverse cities, settlements, folklore and ideas. That is the stage of the player's adventure as playfully vibrant, resounding musical pieces accentuate the lively nature of the region and permeate the journey with an endearingly exuberant feel. A journey characterized by a surprising amount of interesting character arcs, in a much more story-driven experience tackling unusually mature topics for the series like one's purpose in life, the clash of different ideologies, abuse and propaganda. Regrettably, all of this is done in a pretty simplistic way to avoid straying too far from the intended target audience, but it's nonetheless the most engaging plot and cast of characters in the series yet. Gameplay on the other hand doesn't do much to innovate the series' core formula, which can often be quite monotonous and repetitive especially by today's standards, but at least a pleasant level of challenge keeps the player on edge against the strongest adversaries, and the layered level design provides some rich, engaging exploration. Pokémon Contests do not make a return to leave room for Musicals, which are a dramatically worse side-activity with less depth, content and player agency.
    Expand
  22. Feb 1, 2023
    10
    The BEST game from the franchise that was ever released. The designs and the story were so cool, and the fact that none of the old Pokemon are there before the post game is very, very clever to make an old game feel fresh. Recommended to everyone who wants to play some DS games.
  23. Dec 16, 2022
    5
    Black = 5/10
    ...............................................................
  24. Nov 30, 2022
    4
    Was not a fan and made me kinda drop pokemon entirely for a while. Nothing memorable.
  25. Nov 13, 2022
    10
    I just finished beating Pokémon Scarlet (believe it or not), and I, naturally, started to wonder "Is this really Pokémon at its best?","Should this be the direction for all of the future games?,"Do I want it to be?". I just want to say, that Pokémon Black
  26. Nov 7, 2022
    9
    La generación pokémon con la dificultad más alta de toda la saga y una banda sonora de locos. Lástima que, al compartir plataforma con la anterior, no innovó tanto, y aún con esas, sacaron una segunda parte de ellas. Sería utópico pedir otra generación que rete tanto al jugador como lo hizo está. Son otros tiempos...
  27. Aug 15, 2022
    8
    ‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎
  28. Jun 30, 2022
    9
    Damn, what a game.
    This was my second pokemon game, but the first non ranger i have ever played. Can't really explain why but training my pokemon and the realization i felt when ending the game are feelings i will never forget. The story is not that memorable and the graphics just nowhere close to what you can get in a semi-decent game nowadays but i will never forget the experience. A
    Damn, what a game.
    This was my second pokemon game, but the first non ranger i have ever played. Can't really explain why but training my pokemon and the realization i felt when ending the game are feelings i will never forget. The story is not that memorable and the graphics just nowhere close to what you can get in a semi-decent game nowadays but i will never forget the experience. A must play for all the pokemon fans.
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  29. Jun 21, 2022
    8
    Easily the best story Game Freak has ever written, with the most compelling characters in the franchise.
  30. Jun 12, 2022
    10
    Pokemon Black is peak Pokemon. Something I never expected a Pokemon game to accomplish (especially by modern standards) is tell a compelling, deep and lovely story from start to finish. Characters such as Cheren, and Bianca are great rivals throughout the adventure, going on self actualizing arcs of their own to figure out what they want to be in this world. The show stealer in characters,Pokemon Black is peak Pokemon. Something I never expected a Pokemon game to accomplish (especially by modern standards) is tell a compelling, deep and lovely story from start to finish. Characters such as Cheren, and Bianca are great rivals throughout the adventure, going on self actualizing arcs of their own to figure out what they want to be in this world. The show stealer in characters, however, has to be N. A trainer without a heart fostered by Ghetsis, who admittedly I was a little disappointed by his overall goal not to separate people from Pokemon, a motive that a lot of people can easily get behind, but was instead to take over Unova. Unova itself is a great take on the ‘UNited states OV America’ taking you on very different biomes, Castelia City being the obvious stand out, not to mention it’s soundtrack. In fact, the soundtrack as a whole is outstanding, my favorite theme being the amazing ending, with the bittersweet ‘farewell.’ Another particular stand out is the low-health theme, whenever your pokemon are on low health. Be prepared to listen to it a lot during the Elite 4. My favorite part about the game was probably the Elite 4, in how clawing your way through them you face Team Plasma’s hostile takeover of the Pokemon League and have to face the culminating battle of N, and then finally Ghetsis as your final challenge. Difficulty in this game rocked me, I blacked out multiple times, especially on the Elite 4 and champion. Unova’s selection of Pokemon is staggering compared to other titles, this being because you can only catch new Pokemon until the post game. Personally, I like the roster introduced in Gen 5 so I was very happy with my team that I took to the end. Zebstrika you were the GOAT. It’s hard to give this game anything but a 10, Pokemon in itself is so charming, especially during this era, and Black is undoubtedly the peak of the series. (yes there is a little bit of nostalgia talking) Expand
  31. May 27, 2022
    3
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Pokemon Black and White are games full of spectacular extremes. The soundtrack apart from the grating Low HP Music is great, the world is diverse with day, night, and seasons, has an evil team that comes extremely close to its goal and disrupts the Pokemon League like no team before or since, and then has the worst Pokemon of any generation and grinds to a halt after beating it.

    These games have no older generation Pokemon available to you until you beat the game, and that makes the game an exceptional and often frustrating challenge. This generation of Pokemon is so terrible I passionately refer to it as the “Rotgut Generation.” The final boss isn’t even the champion, it is the evil team leader’s head in Ghetsis. Ghetsis’ theme has since become both the stuff of legends and the butt of jokes with the chants sounding like “Dennis” in his imposing battle theme. You can only face the real champion after beating the game, but the game grinds to a complete halt by then.
    Expand
  32. May 12, 2022
    9
    Pokemon Black is a Good Pokemon and My First Pokemon.I dont Know why is it so Much hate on the Game.
  33. Apr 7, 2022
    8
    Probably the best of mainline games which don't have third versions. A far more responsive battle speed (my god, the Generation 4 battle pace were horrible), probably some of the best graphic style for DS and sprite work bar a few give so much life to the creatures and the environment. The new Pokemon roster is also quite diverse enough to not make different playthrough monotonous. StoryProbably the best of mainline games which don't have third versions. A far more responsive battle speed (my god, the Generation 4 battle pace were horrible), probably some of the best graphic style for DS and sprite work bar a few give so much life to the creatures and the environment. The new Pokemon roster is also quite diverse enough to not make different playthrough monotonous. Story is a bit more thought provoking and better than previous iterations. The map progression leads it to being a linear game, but due to various features like Dream World, Entralink and others (Musicals, they aren't that much liked or used by people), it feels decent enough room to explore. The main story beat ends in a bang. Post-game areas (Black City and White Forest) and the Looker quest were nice but the main draw is Battle Subway. Fantastic facility. While it is a solid entry in the franchise, the extra facilities and features brought by its sequels (B2W2) makes for the best Unova adventure then these. I do recommend playing through BW once through the post-game since our progress can be synced for rewards on the sequels. Expand
  34. Feb 15, 2022
    8
    Really good main game, people will say it is linear, but that's just the layout of the map. The routes offer a satisfying amount of exploration, unlike Swsh, for example. It's only lacking in meaningful post game content.
  35. Feb 2, 2022
    10
    Being a large Pokemon fan, Pokemon Black and White version are still one of THE best Pokemon games to ever come out, and that is still true over a decade later.

    The story is perhaps one of the better ones, with a theme of 'questioning' and 'opposites', and it was a great take on something that wasn't really done before, and it was a game where you could actually understand where the
    Being a large Pokemon fan, Pokemon Black and White version are still one of THE best Pokemon games to ever come out, and that is still true over a decade later.

    The story is perhaps one of the better ones, with a theme of 'questioning' and 'opposites', and it was a great take on something that wasn't really done before, and it was a game where you could actually understand where the villains were coming from with their ideals.

    The characters are very memorable, the music is memorable, and of course, the game mechanics - Triple, Rotation battles - is memorable, and sometimes dearly loved within the Pokemon community.

    In 2022, the time of this review, this game is still highly in the recommended list for 'Best Pokemon Experience'
    Expand
  36. Feb 2, 2022
    8
    I really liked playing this game as a kid but now everyone praises it so much it feels over rated and i feel like if i give it anything more then a 9 ill be one of those joining it in the over hype
  37. Jan 30, 2022
    1
    garbage. i regret purchasing it, even unworthy of being pirated. to this day the bottom of the barrel of the entire franchise
  38. Jan 13, 2022
    7
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Pokemon black&White é um excelente jogo em história , tem uma equipe vilã é um vilão bom, e também tem um envolvimento melhor dos lideres de ginasio na história, podia ter mais conteudo em gameplay, mais ele é excelente em exploração , o que me encomonda muito é que as batalhas são fáceis demais, mais trás sistemas novos como de estações do ano, e de batalha tripla é batalha rotatória. Expand
  39. Dec 29, 2021
    10
    Best legendary's and It as a great ending and Its Evil team in this game Is the most Actual Evil people. If your a Pokemon fan and haven't played this game U need to now.
  40. Dec 11, 2021
    10
    Una pena que este juego no haya sentado precedente, obra maestra de nintendo, alejada de la formula clasica pero muy acertado
  41. Dec 2, 2021
    8
    Pokemon Black and White is sprite-based pokemon at it's best. The world is even more animated than ever and captured in a beautiful art direction and color palettes. Brilliant character designs and consists of many new pokemons, one of the Nintendo DS's highest quality game.
  42. Nov 24, 2021
    10
    A really beautiful Game! A good soundtrack and a really good Dising! Please Nintendo give us a Remake for the switch, because thats the best Pokemon i ever Played.
  43. Nov 11, 2021
    8
    Good!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
  44. Oct 29, 2021
    10
    This is my favorite Pokémon game I have played in my entire life, the best thing of this game is the world, it just feels alive and the gym leaders are not only challenges, but they have their own goals and motivations, it's a very special game.
  45. Oct 20, 2021
    9
    ....................................................................................................................................................................................................blank
  46. Aug 22, 2021
    10
    Amazing. Honestly my personal favorite Pokemon game. Many people say that some of the pokemon they added are really ugly but I don't think that they are really bad. Plus there are also lots of amazing pokemon they added. Also the music is amazing.
  47. Aug 2, 2021
    9
    Best soundtrack in a Pokémon game with one of the best stories. I love the fact that you can only use unovan Pokémon as well. It's great to see the game that was so hated by the fandom at the time of its release become so popular and loved.
  48. Jul 27, 2021
    10
    Still the best pokemon game ever. No old pokemons in main story and the fact that they spend 1 year just to write plot is great opportunity to show quallity of game. Wish there was more games like BW1
    Best pokemons
    Best story
    Godlike music
  49. Jul 17, 2021
    5
    Great graphics, one of the best plot of the franchise, amazing soundtrack and a great amount of replay value, whats wrong then?
    Im not a big fan of the new exp system, the grinding is excessive, lack of innovation, some of the Pokemon designs are horrible, the level curve of battles are a bit excessive sometimes and the pacing is still very slow, so it gets boring.
  50. Jul 4, 2021
    10
    Admito que la valoración es un poco exagerada para lo que es el juego, pero, sabiendo como son los juegos de pokemon que no tienen apenas un apartado muy centrado en la historia y que la jugabilidad es practicamente la misma (cazar bichos, entrenarlos, conseguir las medallas, vencer al equipo malvado y ganar la liga), este juego se merece algo mas que un simple 8 porque, la historia deAdmito que la valoración es un poco exagerada para lo que es el juego, pero, sabiendo como son los juegos de pokemon que no tienen apenas un apartado muy centrado en la historia y que la jugabilidad es practicamente la misma (cazar bichos, entrenarlos, conseguir las medallas, vencer al equipo malvado y ganar la liga), este juego se merece algo mas que un simple 8 porque, la historia de este juego es de lo mejor que ha tenido pokemon desde su salida, una historia de 10 a la cual se le ve algo de madurez, planteandote dudas sobre nuestros ideales, que hacemos con los pokemon, ¿los tenemos en contra de su voluntad o no? ¿Su libertad sería la solución? ¿En realidad somos los malos?... luego te das cuenta de que es una manipulación dirigida por el equipo malo para que todas las personas se unan a esa ''falsa'' ideologia y poder tener todos los pokemon del mundo ellos... hay mucha mas historia escondida en este juego de 10 que no voy a nombrar aqui para quienes no se lo han jugado puedan ir ahora a disfrutar de el y porque es lo suficientemente larga de explicar como para aburriros.. la musica como siempre de 10, se añaden 150 pokemon mas a la pokedex y es la unica region (junto con la 1ra) que no tiene otro pokemon que no sea de esta región, añadiendole mas originalidad al juego, nada mas que añadir hay muchas cosas de este juego que estan bien y ninguna que esté mal, se merece en mi opinión el 10 tiene todo lo bueno que tiene que tener un juego de pokemon y ademas lo mejora profundizando en algo que no habian hecho nunca.. crear una buena historia que acompañe el juego. Expand
  51. May 29, 2021
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. mi juego de pokemon favorito es HERMOSO gráficamente los sprites son increíbles mas de 500 sprites animados desde cero me encanta pero los graficos NO son lo mejor no no no lo mejor del juego es la historia omg el desarrollo del personaje de N es increíble y el protagonista es probablemente el mejor ya que N y el prota no tienen que imponer sus ideales sino que simplemente presentan sus puntos de vida es hermoso N tiene un desarrollo super humano siendo el mejor personaje de pokemon junto a silver ghechis esta un poco desperdiciado pero igual es uno de los mejores lideres de equipo villano de la historia de pokemon los lideres de gimnasio al fin tienen protagonismo y no simplemente sprites quietos y los dos rivales son de lo mejor y tambien tienen un muy buen desarrollo aunque si te soy sincero el campeón no es taaan bueno como debería pero igual es un muy buen campeón aparte de la historia la dificultad es la tercera mejor hecha solo por detrás de la cuarta generación y b2w2 siendo una muy buena dificultad ya terminando es un juegazo Expand
  52. May 26, 2021
    9
    Best Pokemon game to date. Incredible story with incredible characters. Animation and music are outstanding. Gamefreak outdid themselves on this one. Oshawott is the best starter ever no cap.
    9/10 Great.
  53. Apr 19, 2021
    6
    Story is bad, but not as bad as before, Pokémon designs are horrible, more inspired by Kanto than ever and most of them evolve at high levels so you won't be able to see their final form in the maingame this time around, maingame is short and difficulty is a joke... But... The game is pretty fun to play and it improved a lot all of the flaws Diamond and Pearl or Platinum had. It reallyStory is bad, but not as bad as before, Pokémon designs are horrible, more inspired by Kanto than ever and most of them evolve at high levels so you won't be able to see their final form in the maingame this time around, maingame is short and difficulty is a joke... But... The game is pretty fun to play and it improved a lot all of the flaws Diamond and Pearl or Platinum had. It really feels like a DS game, not like those. Also the music is as always very good. Expand
  54. Apr 15, 2021
    10
    Un muy buen juego con unos diseños de Pokémon excelentes (Aunque hay gente que dice que son malos, para mi son muy buenos), una historia memorable, un estilo grafico que me fascina, una de las mejores bandas sonoras de Pokémon, un muy buen postgame con una parte de la región ENTERA nueva para explorar...
    Se podría decir que lo único en lo que flaquea es que el avance es un poco lineal,
    Un muy buen juego con unos diseños de Pokémon excelentes (Aunque hay gente que dice que son malos, para mi son muy buenos), una historia memorable, un estilo grafico que me fascina, una de las mejores bandas sonoras de Pokémon, un muy buen postgame con una parte de la región ENTERA nueva para explorar...
    Se podría decir que lo único en lo que flaquea es que el avance es un poco lineal, pero aun asi un juegazo que definitivamente deberías jugar.
    Expand
  55. Feb 13, 2021
    6
    This is the last Pokemon game that I played so far. I didn’t go beyond generation V and I have stopped right there. This game is still solid, however I found those new Pokémons a bit distasteful and weird (as if someone was running out of ideas). I am a Pokémon fan of the first four generations; maybe I grew up from Pokémon, but Pokémon Black didn’t impress me that much, although theThis is the last Pokemon game that I played so far. I didn’t go beyond generation V and I have stopped right there. This game is still solid, however I found those new Pokémons a bit distasteful and weird (as if someone was running out of ideas). I am a Pokémon fan of the first four generations; maybe I grew up from Pokémon, but Pokémon Black didn’t impress me that much, although the region was fun to explore... when I heard that the following games would contain Megaevolutions, that ruined Pokémon world for me forever, unfortunately Expand
  56. Nov 29, 2020
    10
    This game is in my opinion the best Pokemon game by far! It tells an really interesting story of three friends finding out what they want to do with their live which i really enjoyed! But i wouldn't like the game as much if it wouldn't be for the characters. There are very cool written chars like N, Adler, Cheren, Bianca and so on. It also has the (imo) best Soundtrack of the series, iThis game is in my opinion the best Pokemon game by far! It tells an really interesting story of three friends finding out what they want to do with their live which i really enjoyed! But i wouldn't like the game as much if it wouldn't be for the characters. There are very cool written chars like N, Adler, Cheren, Bianca and so on. It also has the (imo) best Soundtrack of the series, i could just listen to it every day, without getting tired of it! That's why i like this game so much! Expand
  57. Nov 19, 2020
    3
    not great game. I did not have much fun playing it. lots of room for improvement
  58. Nov 8, 2020
    10
    I like the songs they are very good I also like Pokémon wooper is a good Pokémon
  59. Jul 29, 2020
    9
    Simplemente de los mejores juegos de pokemon , desde su historia hasta su soundtrack todo va de la mano para esta gran obra
  60. Jul 23, 2020
    10
    El mejor juego de pokémon hasta la fecha, puesto que presenta una narrativa interesante que te hace pensar y un villano más que interesante, a mi gusto personal el diseño de los pokémon si decae un poco respecto a las otras generaciones, pero sigue siendo muy bueno. En lo que es historia y banda sonora este juego es realmente asombroso.
  61. Jul 21, 2020
    9
    Pokémon Negro y Blanco me parecen de los juegos más arriesgados de la saga, al quitar en un principio los pokémon de otras regiones y contarnos una historia más atrevida. La banda sonora es espectacular y las rutas son fantasticas, dando diferentes caminos y siendo generalmente más largas y por ende más retadoras, la dificultad está a un buen nivel y los personajes son de sobre saliente,Pokémon Negro y Blanco me parecen de los juegos más arriesgados de la saga, al quitar en un principio los pokémon de otras regiones y contarnos una historia más atrevida. La banda sonora es espectacular y las rutas son fantasticas, dando diferentes caminos y siendo generalmente más largas y por ende más retadoras, la dificultad está a un buen nivel y los personajes son de sobre saliente, muy diferente a lo que la saga nos tenía acostumbrados. El único fallo que le pondría es el diseño de algúnos pokémon, es de esperar que no todos gusten, ya que entre 156 nuevos pokémon (Un numero a destacar) algunos serán y otros no de tu agrado, aunque algúnos se sienten que están fuertemente inspirados en los que se nos presentaron en la primera generación. Expand
  62. Jul 4, 2020
    9
    Not perfect, as the ethical questions come across as fake deep and there are some forgettable characters... But still, these are probably the pokémon games that feel the most epic. You also get lots of moments that work by resulting to become memorable fight moments plus building some kind of relation ship with both characters and tour pokemon team.
  63. Jun 24, 2020
    10
    The best Pokemon Game ever sorry not sorry. It's the totally truth, even more with the bad games that we're recieving actually
  64. Jun 22, 2020
    8
    Junto ao Pokémon Pearl, um baita jogo de Pokémon, muito legal e bacana kkkkk
  65. Jun 21, 2020
    10
    El mejor juego se nota el cariño y el trabajo que le dieron a este juego lamentablemente no valorado en su momento fue el ultimo gran juego de pokemon desde de aqui todo se iria a la basura
  66. May 17, 2020
    9
    I haven’t ever beaten this game and I recently started playing it for the first time. From what I’ve seen so far this game is amazing and I can’t wait to see what it has in store for me!
  67. Apr 20, 2020
    10
    This game was absolutely perfect. Amazing story, amazing music and new amazing pokémon. This game was very challenging, unlike recent pokémon games.
  68. Feb 25, 2020
    9
    (This review is in Brazilian Portuguese)
    Essa de longe a geração mais injustiçada da franquia. A história é uma das melhores da franquia e um reflexo das ações da organização PETA. A jogabilidade fluir melhor do que os jogos da quarta geração.
  69. Feb 13, 2020
    10
    Best generation of Pokemon without a doubt. Not only has the best story out of all the games but also it reached its top with pokemon sprites (that I prefer over 3D models). I feel like it is one of the most underrated Pokemon games, having one of the most distinctive and visible split opinions out of all the games. Some will say that the designs are awful and uncreative but in my opinion,Best generation of Pokemon without a doubt. Not only has the best story out of all the games but also it reached its top with pokemon sprites (that I prefer over 3D models). I feel like it is one of the most underrated Pokemon games, having one of the most distinctive and visible split opinions out of all the games. Some will say that the designs are awful and uncreative but in my opinion, these games contain some of the best Pokemon designs, being Chandelure, Victini, Volcarona, Bisharp, Reuniclus and so much more, ones of my favorites. Another counterargument I hear a lot is that it's just a gen 1 rip-off, but even though it is true for some cases, the possibility to experience a similar gameplay experience with a 151-Pokemon Pokedex with only new Pokemon it's worth it. Of course, there's a lot of crap, but what do you expect from them, the had to make 151 new Pokemon, 151! That's not even close to the number of Pokemon we are getting these days! My point is that they ran out of ideas, of course, but is it too difficult to appreciate the effort they put to create these games and some of the good designs? Is it too difficult? According to most people and the rating, apparently yes. I'm just leaving this around here, and if you found this and made it through this whole comment, congratulations! You're probably either entitled and disagreeing or you were searching for a comment like this and you're nodding with your head, which seems improbable, but who knows. Either way, I'm reposting this on White Version too, hoping for a person with a similar opinion to find this. And please, if you haven't played this masterpiece yet, just give it a try, you'll definitely enjoy it. Expand
  70. Jan 22, 2020
    9
    A strange title that didn't please the fan but the improvement in graphic, mechanic and storytelling were personally amazing to me.
  71. Jan 19, 2020
    10
    Es junto con su secuela lo mejor que pokemon ha dado en la saga principal, completo y muy trabajado, desgraciadamente el juego no fue recibido como se merecía, el juego que la saga necesitaba, pero que el fandom no merecía por no saber apreciarlo, una lástima...
  72. Jan 2, 2020
    3
    Everyone says that this games have the best story in the franchise but they DON'T. Story is silly as hell, Ghetsis is dumb just revealing his "master plan" to everyone every time he appears, Team Plasma is just a bad filler full of stupid dialogues doing incoherent stuff all the way. It's just really DUMB and childish.

    The game only tells you something interesting at the beginning and
    Everyone says that this games have the best story in the franchise but they DON'T. Story is silly as hell, Ghetsis is dumb just revealing his "master plan" to everyone every time he appears, Team Plasma is just a bad filler full of stupid dialogues doing incoherent stuff all the way. It's just really DUMB and childish.

    The game only tells you something interesting at the beginning and at the very end, because the rest is just the same dull characters repeating their favourites words to remember you what to do. Disgusting. The plot make no sense at all since the moment they say you are the chosen one because: yes.

    And let's not forget the bad Pokédex type balance, the MOST linear region of them all, the ugly and Kanto inspired Pokémon designs you must use (thanks GF for improve designs in the new generations), the pretentious the plot is always trying hard to be, the region being bland and similar to Kanto, the short main game...

    This game can be one of the worst games in the franchise with XY.
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  73. Dec 31, 2019
    8
    Overall a very solid Pokemon game. I like the "soft-reset" idea, with 150 new Pokemon and none of the old ones available until post-game. Some may see that as a downside but I like to see what's new when it comes to Pokemon games. The story is probably the best in the series to date, and it all comes to a head when you reach the Pokemon League. I'd rather not spoil it for those who somehowOverall a very solid Pokemon game. I like the "soft-reset" idea, with 150 new Pokemon and none of the old ones available until post-game. Some may see that as a downside but I like to see what's new when it comes to Pokemon games. The story is probably the best in the series to date, and it all comes to a head when you reach the Pokemon League. I'd rather not spoil it for those who somehow haven't played it by now, but the climax is amazing. There's quite a few interesting dungeons and secrets scattered about the region, even places you might initially miss on your first playthrough. There's a lot to explore here, and I love it. The post-game is basically just checking out a previously unavailable portion of the region. The sprite work is phenomenal, and really helps the Pokemon feel alive.
    Overall, this is one of the best in the series.
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  74. Nov 21, 2019
    8
    How can you not love these games? This is what pokemon should've been from the start. A nice basic storyline that questions morality of not just villains but yourself for basically enslaving living creatures. The soundtrack of this **** is the best to date of the entire series. If Platinum wasn't so amazing I'd definitely choose these as the single best games in the series.
  75. Nov 20, 2019
    3
    Hand holding started here. Difficulty in this game sucks, being the final boss the only "hard" battle, and it's in fact easy. Pokémon got boring with this generation. Unova map is linear as hell.

    For me this is one of the worst Pokémon games. This game doesn't have the essence of Pokémon, even the interface is boring and dull.
  76. Nov 16, 2019
    10
    to this day, this is still my favorite pokemon game. i don't think gamefreak will ever make a pokemon game better than black and white.
  77. Nov 16, 2019
    9
    The second best Pokemon series game for me. Some things were cleared, but many many completely new additions were added and the plot was the best for the Pokemon mainline game. Difficulty and post-game were excellent too!
  78. Nov 14, 2019
    10
    Easily the best of Pokemon, with beautiful sprite art, a compelling cast of characters, and 150 new Pokemon to discover in the world of Unova.
  79. Nov 8, 2019
    10
    It has made my childhood happier; because of it, 10. I could never complete the Unova Pokédex, though. Landorus and Thundurus are the ones that are missing. It makes me feel incomplete :(
  80. Sep 4, 2019
    4
    This was originally written in White version:

    Don't get me wrong, it was a good game, maybe a 4 is little note... But I expected so much from this game. Someone told me this was the BEST Pokémon game to date and I decided i had to played it... So i did it and... Well... It's FAR from the best. And i'm not talking about the ugly Pokémon designs or whatever... People that love this
    This was originally written in White version:

    Don't get me wrong, it was a good game, maybe a 4 is little note... But I expected so much from this game. Someone told me this was the BEST Pokémon game to date and I decided i had to played it... So i did it and... Well... It's FAR from the best. And i'm not talking about the ugly Pokémon designs or whatever...

    People that love this game, always talk about an 'amazing' plot, but it's not. It's just another Pokémon game like the previous generations but now with a green hair male talking and bothering you so much through the adventure to repeat almost the same things he said to you before. And you don't care at all, because he's not your friend, he's just a stranger, why the hell is he talking to you so much?

    The bad guy Ghetsis is... SO BAD. Maybe not the worst villain (Hello XY) but it's just a stupid that don't know how to hide a plan. He spends 90% of the game revealing you and the rest of the people that he's bad and wants to destroy the world. What the hell?

    People tend to romanticize this plot with 'the ideals', 'not everything is Black and White'... And yeah the idea is good, but it just doesn't work. You can't sell 'not everything is black or white' and then create a villain that is purely black and without reasons to be. Ghetsis it's bad because yes, because he born that way.

    N was a good innovation in 2011, he was the first character to take away some prominence from the player, and that's great. Because although he has boring and redundant speeches, he's charismatic and memorable. But let's be realistic, we are in 2019, 'Sword & Shield' is near and 'Sun & Moon' has a much more catchy and interesting story, with little plot twists, great treated relations and well developed characters. For me the best game to date is Sun & Moon, at least talking about the story, and we'll se what happens with SWSH.

    But for me, this game is good, has some problems with flaws in the Pokédex, linear map and things like that, but has great music, interesting topics, a great champion, good postgame and well... It's a Pokémon, it's a good game. The thing is that it's NOT the best, and if you're looking for the best one. For me you better play 'Sun & Moon' (not the USUM version please).

    Hope this don't offend anyone, is great if you loved this game!
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  81. Sep 3, 2019
    8
    Pokémon es una saga que nunca a sido reconocida por su nivel narrativo, o es malo o de paso inexistente. Pero en este juego todo cambia y hace un trabajo muy bueno en ello.

    Este juego habla sobre el debate de si esta bien o no tener pokémon y hacerlos luchar, y es la primera vez en la saga que se trata un tema de una manera un tanto profunda y si, se que pokémon está principalmente
    Pokémon es una saga que nunca a sido reconocida por su nivel narrativo, o es malo o de paso inexistente. Pero en este juego todo cambia y hace un trabajo muy bueno en ello.

    Este juego habla sobre el debate de si esta bien o no tener pokémon y hacerlos luchar, y es la primera vez en la saga que se trata un tema de una manera un tanto profunda y si, se que pokémon está principalmente orientado para niños, pero el desarrollo de la trama en este juego es bastante bueno, no sólo por parte del personaje N, sino también de el equipo contrario que empieza a ganar protagonismo por más de la mitad del juego, me parece sinceramente el pokémon mejor hecho.

    Mecánicamente es otro pokémon con toques mejorados que solo se notarán si te gusta el competitivo, así que no hablaré mucho de eso ya que todos conocemos ya esta saga y como funciona
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  82. Jun 26, 2019
    8
    Story: 9, Gameplay: 8, Graphics: 8.5. The new graphics, new pokemons and new mechanics and especially the story in this game are great, a great start for Generation 5
  83. May 22, 2019
    7
    Story is a main focus for this game. Pokemon had been adding more and more story to their games up to the release of Pokemon Black Version and this game delivered one of the best stories yet. It challenges many things that you think about the Pokemon world and treats you more like a true hero than a kid playing a video game. Almost all of the new content to this game is memorable andStory is a main focus for this game. Pokemon had been adding more and more story to their games up to the release of Pokemon Black Version and this game delivered one of the best stories yet. It challenges many things that you think about the Pokemon world and treats you more like a true hero than a kid playing a video game. Almost all of the new content to this game is memorable and fantastic, especially the season changing feature, where the seasons in game will change every few weeks. Pokemon Black Version also had the cleanest graphics and art out of all of the 2D Pokemon games to compliment its variety of music, moods, and events.

    The reason this game falls a bit short is mostly its ambitiousness not quite paying off. The quick connection feature is something you rarely use, that Game Freak seems to have put a lot of time into. It seems like they wanted to expand into an online oriented game before moving the series to 3DS, when they should have waited for their next main series game instead. The "triple battles" was something I was so excited for when the game first came out, but I'm not sure I ever even used it.

    Most of what Game Freak did for this game, was a massive leap for the series, but they tried to do too much, too fast. The game is definitely an exciting and engaging one, but too many features were a let down.
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  84. May 21, 2019
    6
    I always never liked that the Pokemon from previous generations weren't in this game.
  85. May 3, 2019
    8
    Music: 4.5/5
    Game Play: 4/5
    Graphics: 4/5
    Story: 4.5/5
    Time-Value: 5/5
    Overall: 4.0/5
  86. Dec 2, 2018
    8
    While the whole only new pokemon could and should be better implemented, and it removed the undreground, following pokemon and contests, it did a good job with the story, which is now a staple in the series but not something they risked meddling with before, and also had interesting looking routes and the urban theme was a creative take to go with (I personally find it better than White'sWhile the whole only new pokemon could and should be better implemented, and it removed the undreground, following pokemon and contests, it did a good job with the story, which is now a staple in the series but not something they risked meddling with before, and also had interesting looking routes and the urban theme was a creative take to go with (I personally find it better than White's rural one since all pokemon games are already nature-bound in their layouts) Expand
  87. Nov 23, 2018
    9
    One of the best stories in a Pokémon game EVER, Pokémon Black and White are the games Pokemon fans have been asking for a long time but weren't able to appreciate. The story is great, the music is superb, having 150 new Pokémon until you access the post-game made me super excited to play this game when it came out and I couldn't tell enough good things about it.

    On the downside, I feel
    One of the best stories in a Pokémon game EVER, Pokémon Black and White are the games Pokemon fans have been asking for a long time but weren't able to appreciate. The story is great, the music is superb, having 150 new Pokémon until you access the post-game made me super excited to play this game when it came out and I couldn't tell enough good things about it.

    On the downside, I feel these games marked the sort of downfall of the legendary Pokémon. 13 legendary Pokémon is simply too much and apart from the cover ones and maybe one or two more, the rest didn't add much in terms of story and therefore I feel like they're useless.
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  88. Nov 16, 2018
    10
    This game will always hold a place in my heart. The is probably the most ambitious entry into the franchise yet, due to implementing a completely new Pokedex with all new Pokemon to enjoy! The music is amazing, maybe bias is talk but the must is probably the best in the series, alongside Black 2 and White 2.
    Do get this game.
  89. Nov 2, 2018
    7
    With many new ideas Pokemon Black is definitely a good game however many of its new Pokemon are quite forgettable and the experience overall just isn't as memorable as its predecessors
  90. Oct 20, 2018
    9
    Huge dose from nostalgia right here. I have soo many memories with Pokemon Black and White. Game Freak made a huge step in the franchise by putting only new Pokemon. A very nice story. Many improvements from the 4th generation. Definitely my favorite Pokemon game.

    9.5/10
  91. Oct 7, 2018
    8
    With a truly captivating story and a plethora of things to do, this game is undoubtedly one of the strongest in the franchise. While the graphics are rather hit or miss, this game is still spectacular.
    Rating - 85%
  92. Jul 6, 2018
    9
    Los diseños de los pokémon son los peores de todas las generaciones, no se puede utilizar pokémon de las anteriores regiones, pero recompensan muy bien con los paisajes, lo gráficos, la música brutal y una excelente historia, que para mi es la mejor de toda la saga.
  93. May 24, 2018
    10
    Pokemon Black Version is a great Pokemon game with my favorite pokemon: Tepig. It has a great story, great gym leaders, and 156 new and amazing pokemon to catch! But it isn't the best.
  94. Apr 27, 2018
    10
    Para sua época, foi muito interessante. Boa região com boa variedade apesar da falta de pokemons antigos até a liga. A história é cativante e as cidades e rotas muito criativas e com a variedade causada pelas quatro estações adicionada.
  95. Mar 23, 2018
    5
    La generación que volvió la saga repetitiva y se vendió como "innovadora". Para mi, lo único bueno que saqué de esta generación fue la historia, que se transformó en mi favorita, pero ahora ha llegado "Sol y Luna" eclipsándola por completo. Creo que "Blanco y Negro" necesitan un buen remake que dé vida a posiblemente la región más sosa de la saga junto a Kanto.

    No fue un mal juego, pero
    La generación que volvió la saga repetitiva y se vendió como "innovadora". Para mi, lo único bueno que saqué de esta generación fue la historia, que se transformó en mi favorita, pero ahora ha llegado "Sol y Luna" eclipsándola por completo. Creo que "Blanco y Negro" necesitan un buen remake que dé vida a posiblemente la región más sosa de la saga junto a Kanto.

    No fue un mal juego, pero fue más de lo mismo. Poca innovación, poco arriesgar, poco más que la primera historia memorable de la franquicia.

    Los diseños la transforman en la generación que más añadió, pero que menos funciona. Los Pokémon iniciales son seguramente los menos "bonitos" de la saga. Aún así, creo que ciertos Pokémon cuentan con un diseño arriesgado pero acertado, el problema principal de los diseños es que el 80% intentan copiar los diseños de la primera generación.

    De hecho, estos son los juegos que más se basan sin duda en "Rojo y Azul" fue un intento fallido de "Reboot" para la saga.

    La dificultad es nula, sin llegar al extremo de facilidad que tocaron "X e Y", pero convirtiéndose en uno de los juegos más fáciles de toda la saga.

    No es el peor juego de la saga, pero seguramente, de los menos interesantes. Si lo juegas, que sea para enterarte de la historia.
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  96. Mar 22, 2018
    7
    I've been playing those games these days, and i find them really good, story its the second best for me (The best now its Sun and Moon) and routes and great. The bad thing a can found its the designs of the Pokémon, some are really great, but, for example, starters... Just bad. The region is one of the most lineal, but it has interesting places. Difficulty doesn't exists here at least inI've been playing those games these days, and i find them really good, story its the second best for me (The best now its Sun and Moon) and routes and great. The bad thing a can found its the designs of the Pokémon, some are really great, but, for example, starters... Just bad. The region is one of the most lineal, but it has interesting places. Difficulty doesn't exists here at least in the main story, a bit at postgame, which is great.

    I really love the soundtrack and Ghechis is a great villain. Games are good, if you want a great pixel Pokémon game, this is a good one.
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  97. Jan 13, 2018
    9
    Black was a less memorable pokemon game but a solid one nonetheless. After loving Pearl (which is still my favorite pokemon game), this game wasn't as impressive but I still enjoyed it.
  98. Jan 1, 2018
    6
    Pokemon Black and White offers great music, a strong story, awesome pixel visuals, and the biggest new roster of Pokemon ever seen. However, its crippled by major balancing issues, as multiple challenge spikes will frustrate you to no end. I found myself going at a steady pace, but still getting stuck on every single gym I came across, I really hope I'm not just bad
  99. Dec 11, 2017
    10
    Pokemon Black/White (and their sequel) are such perfect core series games on the DS, and I don't care what others say about them otherwise. In fact, they're so great, they're just begging Game Freak to remake them in the future!

Awards & Rankings

2
1
#1 Most Discussed DS Game of 2011
2
#2 Most Shared DS Game of 2011
Metascore
87

Generally favorable reviews - based on 63 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 62 out of 63
  2. Negative: 0 out of 63
  1. 92
    Learning from the past without ever taking his eyes off the present, this is the pinnacle of the series to date and proof that sometimes you don't need a revolution to give new life to a franchise.
  2. Apr 30, 2011
    90
    Game Freak did it again. Pokemon Black Version is a masterpiece, delivering all the superb gameplay elements that fans of the series learned to love over the years. The only drawback is the dated technology it uses, something that will surely be addressed in the future versions for the 3DS.
  3. Apr 18, 2011
    90
    Actually a Pokémon game with some news. The online modes have been polished, there's new pokémons, quick, better animated battles and better graphics.