By Cody Heintz

For fans of the venerable Pokémon series, Pokémon White is a game that not only continues the legacy, but also improves upon it.  Unlike previous Pokémon games, White takes place in a region called Unova which is not only far away from the other regions in the previous generations, but also is not based on Japan but instead on New York City. This version also includes 153 new Pokémon, which brings the total number to 646.  

The story for Pokémon White is basically the same as all the other versions. But unlike previous generations of games, the story is the driving force in the game. Also, Team Plasma is not just lurking somewhere in a cave or warehouse, but is engaging and actually dealing with the morality of Pokémon, making it different than the other games.

Also new is that the gym leaders are real characters instead of people just waiting for you to beat them. Finally, inside each gym is its own maze that is more complex than previous games with items like roller coasters and man cannons thrown into the mix.

The graphics system used in Pokémon White is the same one used in Platinum, but the camera is shifted to make the current graphics look better. And there are cutscenes that involve a lot of bridges that are quite pretty to look at.

The gameplay stays true to the classic Pokémon formula but is more streamlined and has several enhancements over previous installments.  This version is all about the new Pokémon, so if you ever venture into a cave you will not have to deal with wave after wave of Geodudes and Zubats.   

 White also introduces two new battle systems; rotational and triple battles. Rotational battles are where your team of Pokémon are continually on the move and add a new level of strategy.  So, if you like the classic Pokémon formula, this game is perfect for you. If you are tired of this, then this will probably not win you over.

White version is preferred over Black due to the inclusion of the White Forest which includes several popular and potentially powerful Pokémon from generation one, such as Abras and Rhyhorns. But version Black does have Dark City, which includes more battles to fight.  So if you are more into battles then look into version Black.