Its been twelve years since the first Pokémon games graced our shores, changing not only the RPG genre within the portable scene but also the very definition of what a portable game is due to its phenomenal success. Over the various iterations it's generally conceded that Gold and Silver were the most successful sequels for they introduced many of the staples within the series that are still used to this very day. It seems like every generation of games since have merely attempted to emulate the template while actually changing very little; until now that is.

The release of Pokémon Black & White sees less of Gamefreak resting on its laurels and more of them actually taking the time and effort to change a multitude of things that had become 'routine' and actually adding new and exciting elements that genuinely make you want to play, while somehow recreating that magical feeling of playing your very first Pokémon game.

Most notably you start off your adventure in the usual manner, as you're introduced to the wonderful world of Pokémon by Professor Juniper who asks you such probing questions such as your gender and name. But wait... something is 'missing' as you no longer have to give your generic rival a name such as 'noob', could this be the start of something completely new... it would seem so and the changes don't stop there as you'll discover when you get to pick your first Pokémon... from the comfort of your own in-game bedroom, your two friends Bianca and Cheren then of course take the remaining two and a battle ensues.

From these first moments that mostly serve to set the scene it's clear that Gamefreak went back to the drawing board in favour of a fresh feeling adventure while still remaining faintly familiar. To their credit it really works like a charm because I can personally say that this is the first Pokemon game since the legendary Gold and Silver iterations where I've actually felt compelled to start playing the game 'knowing' that I'm going to play to the end, then actually playing through and continuing to be captivated by the game long after the credits role.

But I'm getting a little ahead of myself here for there are many things to see and do in these fantastic new adventures, and while I won't be the one to spoil everything I will attempt to outline the most striking elements that have been brought to the table thanks to this radical shake-up in development.

From very early on in the game you are introduced to C-Gear which is a new and improved way of allowing you to connect to other trainers be it through local wireless, Nintendo WFC or even via the IR connection built into the card itself like with the Gold & Silver remakes. This seemingly simple, but very welcome, addition manages to streamline communication by making it simpler and easier to connect with fellow players; for instance you can find out if there are any nearby trainers in the Union Room or if other C-Gears have been detected, naturally you still need to visit a Pokémon Center to do so but it's nice to know in advance.

On the subject of the Pokémon Center its been given something of a makeover and while you can still run straight to the desk to heal your team or use the PC right next to it everything else has been shifted around. You can now buy all of your Pokéballs and Potions here as the Pokémart is now part of the centre and if you wish to trade or battle with your Pokémon, or even share musical photos and battle videos, then you can do that by just going up the steps to the top level; everything you need is under one roof and it significantly streamlines the experience.

As the story progresses you'll run into Team Plasma who are the new 'Cult' that you find yourself up against when they appear to be appealing towards trainers, persuading them to 'liberate' their Pokémon by releasing them. Naturally there's more to the plot than that but clearly this is something that you and your trainer friends won't stand for and suffice to say the plot does get more interesting as you progress, giving you more of a cause to continue fighting for; in another refreshing change you'll even see Gym leaders playing a more active role in things which is certainly nice to see.

Partaking in battles is much the same as before but with a host of welcome new additions. Firstly you'll notice that all of the Pokémon sprites are now animated for the duration of the fight, which is a welcome and worthy addition that adds that extra level of life and detail. Double battles now occur more frequently when you walk through long grass patches but best of all is the inclusion of rotational triple battles where the top three Pokémon in your team are put up against three of your opponents and you can choose to switch each time you attack, which greatly adds to the tactical elements already present. Standard triple battles are also present where all three creatures on both sides are in battle at once but can only target directly in front and to the side with the exception of whichever character is in the middle as they can attack all opponents.

These are easily the best looking titles in the series thanks to many new graphical touches that genuinely impress. Many of the areas have added depth to them, looking suitably solid in places but still familiar thanks to the fixed angle; however this changes when you cross over Sky Arrow Bridge as the perspective changes completely to give an excellent pseudo-3D effect which continues into the following city. This is used sparingly throughout certain areas and works very well indeed. Also worthy of note are the seasonal changes which are particularly impressive the first time you see them as the seasons change every month, rotating throughout the year. This also affects certain elements of the game and even certain Pokémon, but for the most-part it's just really nice to see how the Unova region changes over time giving you even more reason to come back regularly.

Audio is super effective from the moment you start playing, as the excellent reworking of the main theme demonstrates, and this continues throughout the adventure as each new area you visit has its own theme that's perfectly matched, further enhancing the overall experience. My personal favourites have to be Team Plasma's theme that perfectly encapsulates their 'evil' collective persona and the theme that's played whenever you encounter a legendary Pokémon because it's truly befitting of a creature that has such a rare status and ensures that you 'know' that the battle which will ensue is going to be an event to remember.

Of course there are a few niggling aspects to the titles but these have been present for a few generations, the actual designs for many of the new Pokémon are genuinely decent but there are more than a handful which I'd consider to be rubbish; one of which appropriately enough is named 'Trubbish' and stands out for all the wrong reasons no matter which season. My other gripe is that when battling certain trainers, such as one of the fishermen, they will use four or more of the same Pokemon such as 'Basculin' and in a world where there are so many different creatures to capture it bothers me somewhat to see in-game trainers using identical teams. That aside though I have no real complaints.

If I had to pick one thing that makes these latest entries so excellent it would have to be their inherent ability to instil a sense of adventure and wonder into the player, making them want to carry on exploring during the main story and far beyond. As a guideline I'm over fifty hours into the game myself after beating the Elite Four and I'm still coming back for more, not just because there's a wealth of things to do either but because I actually want to; and that is a mark of not just a decent Pokémon title but of an amazing game in its own right.