Pokémon Black 2 and White 2/Headscratchers

• Can someone rationalize to me why we needed sequel games instead of a third game? I mean, I know there's a lot about Unova that can still be told, but it just seems strange to need sequel games.
  • Perhaps Game Freak wants to be different this generation. They have been doing a lot of new things with the series this gen.
    • The two versions of Unova are essentially alternate universes. How could they mix then together?
      • Exactly. Black and White rely on dualism, antagonism of concepts. There was simply no way they could mix it together in a single game, and still throw Kyurem and a new plot in.
    • Not only that, but there is a technical reason as well. Black and White are the first games to have version exclusive areas, Black City and White Forest. If they were to make a single third version, what would go into it? How would it be compatible with Black City or White Forest (Each version can really only interact with the other, so you can't recruit people from one White Forest to another White Forest). Having two versions of a third version bypasses this issue.
  • This isn't actually the very first time they've used numbered sequels. Gold and Silver were originally known as Pocket Monsters 2 in their production.
    • Exactly. And since Black & White is suppose to be a fresh start, this is supposed to parallel that.
    • Assuming these are sequels in the first place.
    • They are.
  • There's absolutely no indication that these are anything other the expected third game but continuing the split yin/yang themes by having one game for each theme.
    • All the promotional materials seem to insist on using things along the lines of "completely new adventure", so...
    • If these were the equivalent of the third game, then why is the wrong colored dragon on each box?
      • Technically when you compare to every other generation Black and White had the wrong coloured dragons. Every third version would have a mascot that matches the colour or the name. Ie. Blue and Yellow had blastoise and Pikachu, Crystal had Suicune a Water Type, Emerald had the green Rayquaza, and Platinum had Giratina which had light grey on it's body. If these are suppose to be the third version then it's fitting that they had the third of the trio in it's alternate form that matches the game with it's none grey colour. B-Kyurem to Black 2 and W-Kyurem to White 2
    • Actually, it's probably because N's dragon will be fusing with Kyurem, not the Player Character's dragon.
      • What if N is the main character?
      • Well, we can definitively say he's not now, so no worries there.
    • They are definitely sequels. Been confirmed for a while.
• Why do the protagonists seem young again? They seem 12 - 14.
  • Maybe GF felt they made Hilbert and Hilda too old? I'm more wondering why they look so much like BW's protagonists - especially Palm Tree, he almost has the exact same outfit!
    • Maybe they were inspired by Hilda and Hilbert? Or maybe they're siblings.
  • Maybe Touko and Touya were more well-recieved abroad then they were in Japan? After all, Japan does prefer "cute" characters over tough characters, and the new female PC looks more "cute" than Touko.
    • It's not like we knew how old Hilbert and Hilda were, anyway.
• Why? Why don´t we get an Anime like the trailer? Everyone knows it would be infinitely more popular. It would be cool to like Pokemon again and could be like the New Gundam. It´s just so incredible to just be a trailer...
• What's wrong with her hair??
  • Two buns that end with a tail? Reminds me of this. I'm more interested in knowing how her shoes work.
• Why are these games on the Nintendo DS and not the 3DS? This would have made a great Pokemon 3DS debut, and it baffles me that Gamefreak would use the older handheld. Especially since the 3DS has been out for over a year now and has sold like hotcakes. I'm not so much complaining as I am... confused.
  • Maybe it's because these games run off the Black and White engine and Game Freak is having issues adapting that engine to the 3DS? It's flimsy, I know, but what else could it be? Especially considering that same Generation games haven't always been on the same handheld.
  • Given the timeframe, it's entirely possible that these games were always intended as part of the story along with Black and White- that is to say, when Black and White were being made, these were as well. Odds are they were far enough along in development to not want to scrap what they had and start over. Plus it makes a bit of sense to want the sequels on the same console.
  • Also, there are still more people owning a DS than people owning a 3DS. Making a Pokémon game entirely for the 3DS this early would rule out lots of gamers and force them to buy a 3DS just to play it. That and they're likely intentionally saving 3D effects for the next gen or remakes, for greater surprise.
  • Money, Dear Boy. They can make more selling it on the DS (which is still compatible with the 3DS after all). 3DS owners will have a small advantage though, with 3DS apps connecting to the game.
  • No, it's almost certainly because the 3DS and the DS are coded very differently. Taking a DS game and putting it on the 3DS is a lot more work than it sounds like, more than the Game Cube and the Wii if memory serves. Besides, Gen5 is going to remain on the DS because they want to pave the way for the Gen6 games on the 3DS. Probably including the Ruby and Sapphire remakes.
    • Dear God, let's hope not. Ruby and Sapphire got enough flak back in it's day. R/S/E remakes would be awesome, but putting them on the 3DS, which less people have than the DS or D Si, probably wouldn't be good at all.
    • Debatable - the main flaw in Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire was the lack of retrocompatibility alone, although the whole "regional/national" aspect of the Pokédex as well as the absence of any hints of other regions' Pokémon returning helped a lot with said flak. That said, after the first remakes, Game Freak generally wisening up with the introduction of worldwide trades (eventually culminating in HeartGold and SoulSilver) resulted in gradually faster means to complete the Pokédex. Implementing a decent enough post-game area with Gen-I-II-IV-V Pokémon, as well as the worldwide trading feature, would allow Hoenn to show its full potential that got wasted the first time thanks to the aforementioned lack of retrocompatibility, and so Game Freak could finally Set Right What Once Went Wrong.
• Will we see anything from Cheren or Bianca? Hilda and Hilbert as Previous Player Character Cameos are almost a given, but they're not the only ones with fans.
  • Almost assuredly. We already know 3 gyms are toast and there are only 2 new Gym Leaders as of what we know. Speculation is running rampant that Cheren might be running the third gym.
    • The latest Coro scans confirm that both of them, along with N, will be returning.
• Gameplay wise Pokémon such as Azurill or Absol being now "native" to Unova seems a good tactic... but in-universe wise... HOW THEY DID THERE? And nope, rather not imported since Azurill was seen in something that looks more like Route.
  • Yes, imported. There was that transporter accident that started releasing foreign pokemon in small numbers in the postgame, particularly in the postgame parts of the map, in Black and White. Like most invasive species, they evidently bred in large numbers due to lack of predators/parasites.
  • Also some Pokemon like Eevee and Riolu have never been "native" anywhere, only appearing under wild under very limited conditions and usually being received as gifts, suggesting they could actually be native to Unova in the first place.
• All the characters from pre-G5 games don't appear to have aged at all for the tournament. Non-canon?
  • They were probably just using the old artwork for another reason.
  • They might also have simply used the old art to keep from spoiling new art before the release; Kingdom Hearts 3D used old models for Sora and Riku in their early trailers, for instance. Cynthia's already getting new art for the anime, so she might as well receive the same in the games themselves. As always, we just need to wait and see.
• Can someone explain to me how Giovanni is back for the tournament? Last time we saw him, he threw himself off of a waterfall.
  • It wasn't a particularly large waterfall, and he probably knows how to swim. As for why he's back, it's because he used to be the Viridian City Gym Leader, and the tournament appears to be open to all previous leaders and champions.
  • Also, back in Gold and Silver, the option to trade between those games and the first generation was called the Time Capsule. Thus, time travel has been accessible to humans in a rudimentary form since Generation 2, and likely has only been improved since then. In this way, an enterprising division of the Pokemon League would be able to access Giovanni for battle before he went blue-screen.
  • Either that, or he never jumped off that waterfall to begin with, and that noise after he left really was just the radio.
    • This troper has always presumed that noise was really just radio static as well, and was absolutely baffled to see everyone claiming Giovanni was Driven to Suicide. Him showing up for the tournament makes perfect sense to me, but of course YMMV.
    • I think the bigger question is how did he get into the tournament if it is well-known that he's a mafia boss.
      • Maybe he got out on good behavior?
• Why are the games called "Black 2 and White 2"? Shouldn't it be "Black and White 2"?
  • There are two versions, therefore, each gets its own name.