Pokemon Black and White Pictures

There has been much anticipation over the last couple of days about the just-announced Pokémon Black/White. What will its setting be? Will it be the reboot that some fans have been hankering for? Or is it simply yet another refinement of the formula that has been entertaining us for years?

Well, CoroCoro Magazine appears to have some of the answers. Scans of the upcoming issue have leaked ahead of the official date that Nintendo gave for the latestPokémon game’s unveil, 15th April. It seems that the setting is similar – a pseudo-modern urban land. The big news from these shots, however, is that there is more reliance on 3D, with a lower-angled viewpoint showing off some excellent skyscrapers, whilePokémon Centres and Pokémarts seem to have been combined into one building.

Battles have also had their appearance adjusted slightly, though are still sprite-based and look as if they will act out in the familiar manner thatPokémon fans are used to. The view is more zoomed out and includes environments in the background. Players’ Pokémon are now displayed in full, rather than just their upper body, and have shadows. Perhaps this is a sign that the animation will be improved this time round, too.

There is no sign of Pokémon following your main character, as introduced in Pokémon HeartGold/SoulSilver, but we’ll have to wait and see what features do carry over and if other improvements make up for this. The altered, more 3D-reliant, viewpoint may give credence to speculation thatPokémon Black/White, due to be released on Nintendo DS later on this year, will have 3DS enhancements when played in the newly-announced system.