Common Sense Media Review
By Christopher Healy
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Intriguing story has slew of online features.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 8+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Play
Videos and Photos
Pokemon Black Version/White Version
Parent and Kid Reviews
Based on 8 parent reviews
Based on 38 kid reviews
Kids say the game features an amazing story, delightful characters, and enjoyable gameplay that blends fun and strategy, making it accessible for both younger and older players. Additionally, it introduces deeper themes of morality and friendship, which resonate well beyond the typical Pokémon formula, though some feel it can be challenging for younger kids.
- amazing story
- fun gameplay
- deeper themes
- accessible for all
- strategy required
Summarized with AI
Summarized with AI
What's It About?
The plot to POKEMON BLACK VERSION (and POKEMON WHITE VERSION) is more morally ambiguous than most (in a thought-provoking way). This time, there's a group called Team Plasma that wants to liberate the Pokemon creatures from what they call human oppression. You play on the side of the Pokemon trainers, who believe in building loving relationships between humans and Pokemon creatures. But rather than simply state their case, Team Plasma starts using dirty tactics to "win" people's Pokemon away from them. In addition to the long story mode, kids can play online battles, chat with registered friends, and trade Pokemon with online friends.
Is It Any Good?
Pokemon Black Version/White Version is possibly the deepest, most feature-filled Pokemon game to date. In addition to its intriguing storyline, it also introduces changing seasons (with different monsters that appear in each), three-way battles, and a slew of modes for online or wireless multiplayer action. There are over 150 never-before-seen Pokemon in the game, and those new species are the only ones you'll encounter until you've finished the main story – making Black/White much more appealing to veterans of the Pokemon franchise. But you can also download your Pokemon from previous games into Black or White. And newcomers can easily slide into the game with nice clear tutorials that are neatly inserted into the story. This newest Pokemon is not just a retread, but a nice build upon the series.
Online interaction: While kids don't need to play this game online, there is a heavy online component offered. Players can battle against online friends, or, for the first time, random players from around the world. If they have a DSi with a camera, they can engage in video chat as well, though only with registered friends. Still, Common Sense Media recommends caution for any game involving live chat. Kids can connect wirelessly to trade Pokemon, and they can also enter an online Dreamworld to play special mini-games and meet (and copy the save files of) other players' Pokemon.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the issues brought up in the game's storyline. Even if you agree with the animal-liberation goal of Team Plasma, do you agree with their tactics? In what ways can a person support a good cause in a bad way? What do you think would be better ways for Team Plasma to go about its mission?
Parents can also use this game as a entry point for talking about online safety. Who should and should not qualify as a person you would register as an online "friend?" What are the possible problems with live chat, especially video chat? How can kids safeguard themselves against these problems?
Game Details
- Platforms : Nintendo DS , Nintendo DSi
- Pricing structure :
- Available online? : Available online
- Publisher : Nintendo
- Release date : March 6, 2011
- Genre : Adventure
- ESRB rating :
- Last updated : October 9, 2025
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