Pokemon Black and White, New From Nintendo

This week news came from nintendo. They will release a new game "Pokemon Black and White". According to news Nintendo will release this game on 3 March 2011.

The demo began with a brief overview of the features requisite of a sequel. Yes, the game sports better graphics, although to say that the franchise has become competitive visually would be a lie. There are a few nifty 3D effects here and there, and some new animations during battles, but this is pretty much Pokémon as you remember it.

But isn't Black & White supposed to represent a "generational leap" for the series? Wouldn't it have made more sense for it to be on the 3DS? Oddly, many of the genuinely cool new features added in this iteration feel like workarounds to the aging platform's limitations. For example, there's an almost-cool video chat service that connects you and three of your friends ... but only through local (ad-hoc) wireless connections within 30-50 feet. The online option is far more limited: two people can chat simultaneously.

Other 3DS-esque features that have sneaked into Black & White involve Friend Codes ... and no longer needing to use them. Like Soul Silver & Heart Gold before it, the cartridge has a built-in IR communication feature that lets it transmit information directly from game card to game card. If you meet a friend in real life, you'll be able to add each other to your friends lists automatically. As with Street Pass on 3DS, you'll also be able to see if there are other players near you, and if you're brave enough, you can even challenge complete strangers on the internet without ever using a Friend Code via the "Wi-Fi Random Matchup." Although it's a DS game, the online features look like a genuine improvement for Nintendo -- and that should have Pokémon fans excited.