With the release of Pokémon Black and White, many people are becoming interested in the series that have never played the games before, or have only played Pokémon Red and Blue 15 years ago. A lot has changed since those came out, but a lot has also remained true to form. This guide is intended to provide a basic introduction or refresher to the Pokémon games, and the lore and world in which they involve.
The World
The world of Pokémon is similar to our own. It’s filled with various landscapes, continents, oceans, and nations. Cities are organized into regions, and various regions harbor various organizations and culture, as well as native species of Pokémon. The games focus on a very specific area of the world, however. The regions of Kanto and Johto are on the mainland and border one another, with the island of Hoenn off to the southwest. North of Kanto and Johto is Sinnoh, another island region. Lastly, Unova is far on the other side of the ocean from these neighboring regions.
Due to the close proximity of Kanto, Johto, Hoenn, and Sinnoh, the cultures and species of pokémon are all very similar. Pokémon found in Kanto, for example, can also be found in Sinnoh or Hoenn. Unova, however, is very different in both culture and native pokémon. Due to this, Unova is considered an exotic land, and pokémon brought from the other regions are considered very rare.
Each region is the main focus of each of the Pokémon games. Kanto is the setting of Pokémon Red and Blue and Yellow. Pokémon Gold, Silver, and Crystal take place in Johto. Ruby, Saphire and Emerald are set in Hoenn. Sinnoh is the setting in Pokémon Diamond, Pearl, and Platinum. And finally Unova is the setting for Pokémon Black and White.
Pokémon
The pokémon themselves are creatures that can be found anywhere in the world. From grassy plains, dark caves, high on top of mountains, and even deep in the ocean. They range from as small as a mouse to as tall as a building. Pokémon mirror a lot of animals from our world, but can also be very different.
Each pokémon is classified by type. A lot of pokémon have two types of classification, but most have only one. There are no pokémon with more than two. These type classifications correspond to the element or material the pokémon most closely resembles or is made of. There are, in total, 17 types:
Normal, Fire, Water, Grass, Electric, Ice, Fighting, Poison, Ground, Flying, Psychic, Bug, Rock, Ghost, Dragon, Dark, and Steel.
Each of these types has both strengths and weaknesses concerning the other types. A lot of times this is compared to Rock, Paper, Scissors. For example, Grass is weak to Fire types, and fire is weak to water. Water itself is weak against grass. This simple concept can get very complicated with various type combinations. It is very exciting to see how unique all of these pokémon can be when interacting with other types.
In addition to type, pokémon are also classified by level. This works much like any RPG, were as levels increase, so do the stats of the pokémon. Pokémon also learn new moves and abilities when they level up, and some pokémon even evolve into new, more powerful forms at a certain level.
Pokémon can also evolve in other ways. Being traded to another trainer, for example, can cause a pokémon to evolve. There are also items you can give a pokémon to make it evolve into a new form. Some even evolve depending on how friendly the pokémon and the trainer have become. While looking similar and usually having the same type, these evolved pokémon are actually considered new species when classified and catalogued.
People and pokémon interact in many ways in the world of Pokémon. Pokémon can be tools, friends, pets, and even weapons. The people in Pokémon rarely use violence against one another, and rather choose to settle their differences with pokémon battles. When pokémon battle each other, they take turns using their moves until one pokémon feints. When a trainer is out of usable pokémon in his or her party, the battle is over. A single person can carry no more than six pokémon with him or her at a time.
To capture and control pokémon, people use a device known as a pokéball. These small red and white balls can be used to store and transport pokémon easily. When a wild pokémon is encountered, a pokémon trainer can battle with it. When the pokémon is weakened, the trainer can then throw a pokéball at it. If weak enough, the pokémon will be captured inside, and become loyal to the trainer. Pokéballs come in many varieties with various capture rates. For example, Dusk Balls increase the odds of capture at night, while Quick Balls increase the capture when thrown immediately at the start of an encounter. While the technology to capture pokémon previously captured by another trainer exists, it is rare and highly illegal to use such means, and cannot be used by the player in the games.
The bond between people and pokémon is often very strong. Pokémon who battle and travel with a trainer come to trust and befriend them quickly. In the world of Pokémon, a strong emphasis is made on this bond. People and pokémon are often shown to be best of friends.
Organizations
In every region of the world of Pokémon, there are several organizations which are in charge of various things. There are international business chains such as Pokémon Centers, hospitals that will heal and revive your pokémon after battles, as well as Pokémarts that sell various potions and pokéballs to trainers. There are also criminal organizations in each region. These organizations all have their own agenda, and operate outside the law. Their methods almost always involve stealing other people’s pokémon. In addition are international organizations such as the international police and the Pokémon League.
The Pokémon League is divided in branches by region, but all operate under a single rule set and standards. Designed to test the best trainers of the region, The Pokémon League is a tournament for the best of the best. Trainers must battle four trainers who specialize in a single pokémon type. These trainers are known as the Elite Four, experts in their region of their particular pokémon type. Finally, a champion is decided in each region. This champion is the one who can defeat the Elite Four in combat, followed by defeating the previous champion. This trainer is considered the best trainer in the region.
The Pokédex
The Pokédex was invented by Professor Oak from Pallet Town in Kanto. This device lets the user reference any kind of pokémon to find a vast amount of data. The device also is designed to catalog and gather data on new kinds of pokémon as they are encountered or discovered.
Professor Oak started cataloging pokémon from the Kanto region by numbering them. Professor Oak recruited trainers to gather data on pokémon as they traveled the world, with the purpose to study the amazing power they each contain. Once Kanto was fully cataloged, he sent his device to colleagues in Johto, Hoenn, Sinnoh, and finally Unova. The first 151 pokémon weren’t necessarily the first pokémon discovered, but the first catalogued with the pokédex in the Kanto region. As it stands now there are 646 known and cataloged species of pokémon.
In the games, The Pokédex is given to the player to gather data on all the pokémon in the region as they travel. Collecting data (and catching every single pokémon) is often considered the “main quest” of the games.
Versions
Every new generation of Pokémon games come in two versions. While basically the same in story, graphics, location, and presentation, the major difference between the two is the pokémon that can be encountered. Usually just a handful, there will be pokémon that can be encountered in one version, that isn’t in the other. This is mainly to encourage trading of pokémon between friends. This way, you can’t catch them all without trading and interacting with others to achieve your goal.
In the most recent versions, Black and White, not only are varying species of pokémon in each one, but there are also lots of ascetic differences. For example, Opelucid City in Black is a glowing, futuristic technology hub. In White, the same city is a lush cobblestone city reflecting the medieval architecture style. Otherwise, the two cities are the same, but their looks are very different. Additionally, Pokémon Black contains Black City, an ever changing metropolis where pokémon trainers can be battled, and many rare goods can be purchased. Pokémon White, on the other hand, allows access to White Forest, a lush area where many rarer pokémon from other regions can be caught.
Eventually after a new generation of Pokémon games are released, a third version is made. This third game usually contains a lot of tweaks and changes to things found within the main two. These can include ascetic changes as well as changes to the pokémon one can encounter. Also, various story elements have been added as well as presentation upgrades. Most consider this third version to be the definitive game in the generation.
Discover for Yourself
The Pokémon games are great fun, but this is simply an introduction to them. There is much, much more to these games to discover and learn about. The story and lore doesn’t just stop at the games, either. There are comic books, movies, and an anime TV series. Playing the Pokémon games and training pokémon can be as complex or easy as you want it to be. If you want to catch ‘em all, or simply casually play through the game, they are great games for everyone to enjoy. The story and characters in each game are all unique and memorable in their own ways. From the moment you choose your first pokémon, to your final battle with the Pokémon League Champion, you’ll have a smile on your face.
Pokémon Black and White are fantastic starting points for newcomers to the series. Not only are they fully updated with modern technology and graphics, but Nintendo has streamlined everything to make for the most approachable Pokémon games yet. While this isn’t a review, I can say that they are totally worth checking out, if you are a fan of the series or a newcomer. Now get out there, and catch ‘em all!
For more information, a good resource for anything Pokémon is Bulbapedia.
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