Pokémon Black and Pokémon White Version are role-playing video games developed by Game Freak, published by The Pokémon Company and Nintendo for the Nintendo DS. They were released in Japan on September 18, 2010, February 6, 2011 in North America, February 4th 2011 in Australia and March 4th 2011 in Europe.
The games take place within the Unova region, located far away from the previous Pokémon regions in a diagonal axis. The games feature a new Pokémon League called the Pokémon League Champion. It is known that there are 156 Pokémon in total so far, with 51 of them being brand new, and 101 of them being fan-favorite Pokémon which were previously unobtainable within the Unova region. Pokémon Black and Pokémon White are able to connect with the Pokémon Dream Radar, which transfers Pokémon found in it into the player’s game. Also unlike Pokémon games for Nintendo DS, Pokémon Black/White Version have non-linear gameplay as new areas become accessible or certain obstacles can be bypassed after acquiring an ability or a specific badge.
Pokémon Black and Pokémon White follow the trends set by previous Pokémon role-playing games, such as those for Nintendo DS, as an RPG where catching Pokémon is a core element of the gameplay. Pokémon battles play a major role in the game. All Pokémon have a health bar that shows how much damage they have taken. When a Pokémon’s HP is reduced to zero, it faints and cannot be used until it is revived. Pokémon may also be afflicted with status conditions which will negatively affect their performance in battle. Pokémon affected by status conditions cannot regain health naturally; Pokémon can only recover from the affliction while they are in the Pokémon Center or when a Pokémon is holding a specific item (such as an Aspear Berry) and uses its effect (such as Pokémon-heal or Pokémon-cure). Pokémon cannot enter a battle if they are already afflicted with a status condition.
