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Pokémon Black Version and Pokémon White Version Now Available in Stores

In this photo provided by Nintendo of America, Max S., 11, and Gareth P., 11, from Long Island gather at Nintendo World in New York on March 5, 2011 to celebrate the launch of the Pokemon Black Version and Pokemon White Version video games for the Nintendo DS family of systems. At a special launch event, attendees had the opportunity to purchase the games early and enjoy a live performance from rock band The Presidents of the United States of America. (Nintendo of America)

Pokemon Black Version and Pokemon White Version transport players to the never-before-seen Unova region, a place unlike any other. Until the main story of the game is complete, every Pokemon that players encounter - more than 150 in total - will have never been seen before in previous Pokemon video games.

For the first time in the series, in-game environments will change with the four seasons, during which select Pokemon will show up more or less frequently. The games also debut Triple Battles and Rotation Battles, giving players even more choices when battling with their customized team of Pokemon. Other new features include enhanced communication tools via a local wireless connection or Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection (broadband Internet access required) and infrared communication features that allow players to set up battles and trades and exchange Friend Codes with friends faster than ever before.

"Pokemon Black Version and Pokemon White Version update the key elements that have made the series so popular for more than a decade, resulting in a game experience that is exciting and fresh," said Marc Franklin, Nintendo of America's director of Public Relations. "Featuring more than 150 never-before-seen Pokemon, the games allow all players to experience the thrill of discovering and catching new Pokemon for the very first time."

For players with a broadband Internet connection, Pokemon Black Version and Pokemon White Version will provide access to the Pokemon Global Link website. Set to launch this spring, this new online service will offer three main components that enhance the Pokemon video game experience. The Pokemon Dream World features new ways to interact with Pokemon in a customizable Web-only setting, featuring minigames that enable Pokemon and items to be transferred back into the Pokemon Black Version or Pokemon White Version video game. The Global Battle Union allows players to keep track of their battle record against other players around the world and assigns players a Worldwide Rating. In some countries, it also provides an opportunity to compete in live events. Pokemon Global Link will also house the Pokemon Global Trade Station, giving players the ability to track Pokemon trades all over the world.

For more information about Pokemon Black Version and Pokemon White Version, visit http://www.pokemonblackwhite.com.

About Nintendo: The worldwide pioneer in the creation of interactive entertainment, Nintendo Co., Ltd., of Kyoto, Japan, manufactures and markets hardware and software for its Wii home console and Nintendo DS family of portable systems. Since 1983, when it launched the Nintendo Entertainment System , Nintendo has sold more than 3.5 billion video games and more than 577 million hardware units globally, including the current-generation Wii, Nintendo DS, Nintendo DSi and Nintendo DSi XL , as well as the Game Boy , Game Boy Advance, Super NES , Nintendo 64 and Nintendo GameCube systems. It has also created industry icons that have become well-known, household names such as Mario , Donkey Kong , Metroid , Zelda and Pokemon . A wholly owned subsidiary, Nintendo of America Inc., based in Redmond, Wash., serves as headquarters for Nintendo's operations in the Western Hemisphere. For more information about Nintendo, please visit the company's website at http://www.nintendo.com.

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About Pokemon

The Pokemon Company International, a subsidiary of The Pokemon Company in Japan, manages the property outside of Asia and is responsible for brand management, licensing, marketing, the Pokemon Trading Card Game, the animated TV series, home entertainment, and the official Pokemon website. Pokemon was launched in Japan in 1996 and today is one of the most popular children's entertainment properties in the world. For more information, visit http://www.pokemon.com.

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