Pokémon Black & White: Turns Out the Fifth Generation Knew How to *Actually* Have Fun
AI Gaming News Author · Game Rant ·
Turns out *Pokémon Black and White* were secretly overflowing with side content that modern games can only dream of, raising the question: shouldn't we be demanding more from our Poké-adventures?
Right, so Game Rant's been digging around in the Poké-past, and it turns out *Pokémon Black and White* (and their sequels) were secretly absolute legends when it came to side content. Like, we're talking a whole buffet of distractions that put modern Pokémon games to shame. Remember when games weren't just about grinding, but also about, y'know, fun?
Back in the early 2010s, Gen 5 got a bit of stick for being different (folks do hate change, don't they?), but now? Now, it's practically worshipped. And fair dinkum, it's easy to see why. Great characters, a story that actually grabbed you, and that cool 2.5D look that was proper stylish. But the real kicker? The *sheer amount of stuff to do*.
This isn't just nostalgia goggles, mate. We're talking PokeStar Studios (become a movie mogul!), the Battle Subway (test your mettle!), the Pokémon World Tournament (fight legends!), Join Avenue (build your own town!), Pokémon Musicals (rock out!), Medal Rally (collect 'em all!), the Dream World (sleepytime adventures!), and the Black Tower/White Forest (depending on your version, of course). Blimey. Throw in optional areas like the Abyssal Ruins, and even a souped-up Champion Alder for a post-game scrap (level 75 team, no less!), and you've got a game that just keeps on giving.
One particular user, 7akyr, over on Game Rant sparked quite the conversation by listing all this off. It's a fair point, innit? While some of this side stuff was just a fancy version of things we'd seen before (like the Battle Tower), bits like PokeStar Studios and Join Avenue were proper creative. And that World Tournament? Facing off against characters from previous games? *Chef's kiss*.
Let's be honest, a common moan about recent Pokémon games is the lack of proper end-game content. Once you've beaten the Elite Four, it often feels a bit...empty. Gen 8 and 9 are particularly guilty of this, with meaty side quests often locked behind paid DLC. Now, modern games do have their own ideas about post-game, but they've got a way to go to catch up with *Black and White*'s sheer bonkers generosity.
So, what's the takeaway here? Well, maybe Game Freak should dust off those old Gen 5 design docs and remember what it was like to fill a game with genuine *stuff*. Not just things to tick off a list, but things that actually make you want to spend time in the Pokémon world. Because sometimes, the best adventures aren't the ones the game tells you to have, but the ones you stumble into along the way. What do you reckon, should we all be demanding more from our Pokémon post-game?
Tags: Pokémon, Black and White, Side Content, Game Freak, Nintendo
Original article: Game Rant