This month’s (March) podcast was on Pokémon Black, part one of the DS odd duck in the Pokémon family: it has a direct sequel (which we didn’t play this month, but may get to later)! There are some interesting growing pains to observe in this game — it having 3D elements that might not stand the test of time (in 2025) being on the DS, it having an entirely new for-the-time roster of Pokémon without the old standbys, thirty-somethings are nostalgic for, etc. We definitely have a lot of friction with this one, but I think also allow in the conversation that if this is your first generation of Pokémon and first game you played in the series, of course you might be more attached do these particular pocket monsters and the story around them. Speaking of story, this game definitely has one, and makes a concerted effort to say a bit of something more than previous entries around the relationship between Pokémon and trainers — what each might mean to each other, and/or what Pokémon emancipation might look like as a political or philosophical perspective. However, this game also doesn’t full commit to that bold direction or promise, allowing only the same “catch, train, battle, repeat” verbs that were well established before this entry. We’re a bit mixed, but also intrigued (narratively), but also definitely happy to see some of the quality of life improvements that were made here and get added to the later formula and games (in Pokémon X and Y and later on with the multiple companion motivations/arcs, with gym leaders having more to do than just hangout inside their gyms, puzzle-box gym designs, etc.).

Check out the liner notes for the usual cadre of links and ephemera, and come back at the end of April for discussion of Halo Infinite.

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