Looks like Pokémon Black and White 2 will be just as gay (literally) as their predecessors

Those of you who have been visiting this little, rainbow-splashed slice of the Internet may remember a post I published just over a year ago. It's headline: "There's something about Brycen (or, Pokémon Black is pretty gay, isn't it?)."

In that post, I rather cheekily suggested that Pokémon Black and White--or, more specifically, a number of those game's gym leaders--were gayer than the Golden Girls dressing up as Cher, Judy, Lady Gaga and Madonna and singing a mash-up of "I Will Survive" and "YMCA" (hey, it could happen) at Elton John's Halloween party. (Yes, I know I just dated myself with that remark.)

Thanks in large part to this recent post over at the Video Games Made Me Gay tumblog, I'm getting the distinct impression that Pokémon Black Version 2 and Pokémon White Version 2 will be just as gay.

What makes me think Shizui (right), one of this sequel's many gym leaders, is gay, you ask? Well, for starters, there's his glitter-covered coiffure. And then there's his broad shoulders, shaved bod and fashion-forward (not to mention skintight) trousers.

Granted, that nasty tan line around Shizui's waist is a bit questionable, as is his lack of nipples (aren't those, um, a requirement?), but I still think he's likely "gayer than a three-dollar bill," as my mom used to say. (Don't worry, I got her to stop long ago.)

Anyway, all of the above really is just a long way of me saying that I'll be plopping down my hard-earned cash on Pokémon Black 2 (or maybe Pokémon White 2) as soon as someone allows me to pre-order it.

LEGO Vanillite

My (LEGO Pokémon) prayers have been answered!

In the comments section of my last LEGO Pokémon post, I mentioned that I'd love it if Filip Johannes Felberg added Vanillish to his ever-growing collection LEGO Pokémon creations.

Although the crafty Pokéfan didn't give me exactly what I wanted, he gave me the next best thing: A Vanillite made out of LEGO blocks!

True story: Vanillite/Vanillish/Vanilluxe are among my most favorite Pokémon Black/White creatures.

Speaking of Pokémon Black/White, I still have to finish the game. I got to the point--a few months ago, sadly--of taking on the Elite Four, only to lose interest. Maybe I'll give it--and Final Fantasy: The 4 Heroes of Light--one final push during my upcoming family vacation...

See also: All previous LEGO Pokémon posts

LEGO Pokémon post #352

OK, so it only seems like I've published 352 posts about Filip Johannes Felberg's fabulous LEGO Pokémon creations. In reality, I've only published six (including this one).

Is the batch below (see it here, too) Felberg's best yet? Not in my opinion, although I have to admit I'm quite impressed with his blocky recreation of that slippery Pokémon Black/White character, Shelmet.

You know which Pokémon I'd like Felberg to mold out of LEGO blocks next? Darumaka, Vanillish and Whimsicott. Make it happen, Filip!

See also: Previous posts about Felberg's creations

Man, those Pokémon are blocky!

Are you eagerly awaiting the day when Pokémon games are fully polygonal? In a way, I am, and in a way, I'm not.

Regarding the former, for instance, I really like how the folks at Game Freak have incorporated polygonal backdrops into the most recent Pokémon titles. Regarding the latter, though, I'm quite happy with the sprite-based Pocket Monsters themselves.



All that said, I'd be perfectly content if the polygonal Pokémon that are sure to show up in a future installment of the series look anything like Flickr user Filip Johannes Felberg's LEGO-based creations (above).

See also: 'LEGO + Pikmin'

Raise your hand if you're a Tympole hater

I hereby declare the Tympole (right) to be the worst Pokémon design ever. Or, at least the worst Pokémon design of which I'm aware.

Close behind, in my estimation, is Roggenrola.

On the other hand, two of my favorite designs of this generation thus far are the two-by-four toting Timburr and the zebra-based Blitzle. (I also have a bit of a soft spot for Sewaddle.)

To those of you currently playing through Pokémon Black or White: Which designs are your favorites and least favorites so far?

I'm currently about nine hours into the game at this point, by the way. I just chased Team Plasma through Pinwheel Forrest and into Castelia City.

Two hours in ...

I started playing Pokémon Black last night, and as of now I'm nearly two hours into the game. (I'm just about to battle the first gym leader, it seems. I know, I'm slow.)

I chose Tepig as my starter after much contemplation, by the way. I nearly went with Snivy instead, but the creatively named piglet is such a cutie that in the end I couldn't resist him.

Anyway, I'm enjoying the experience thus far. The graphics are nice--I especially like the animated Pokémon sprites while in battle--the music is appropriately cheery and, best of all in my opinion, everything seems to move along at a nice clip.

Are any of you currently working your way through Pokémon Black or White? If so, what do you like or dislike so far?

Lanky Pokémon

Well, Pokémon Black and White--or Pokémon Black Version and Pokémon White Version, if you go by Nintendo of America's official verbiage--will hit the streets in the US in just a few days. Will you be getting either of these games--or maybe both of them?

I caved and pre-ordered Pokémon Black--for no other reason than I like the looks of the Black City more than I like the looks of the White Forest--last week after I heard I could get a $5 promotional credit--which has since been bumped up to a $10 promotional credit--for doing so.

Anyway, enough about all of that. My main reasons for posting this were: 1) to see if any of you plan on getting either of these games and 2) to show you this interesting illustration, created by artist Reed Bond, of a rather lanky Pikachu, Charmander and Bulbasaur.



See more of Bond's work on his blog or on deviantart or Flickr.

Pre-order: Pokémon Black Version and/or Pokémon White Version

The next Pokémon titles come with a tab of acid, right?

I know the next Pokémon games are Pokémon Black and Pokémon White and I know that both of them are going to hit the streets in Japan on Sept. 18, but other than that I don't know much about Game Freak's next project(s).

Which probably goes a long way toward explaining the look that washed across my face as I watched the following trailer earlier today:



Which scenes in particular prompted my "WTF face," as I like to call it? Well, there are the twitchy, three-on-three battle scenes that appear at the 3:22 mark. (I knew they existed, but I had never seen them in action before today.) Then there are the headscratchingly crazy trainers--including a fat chef and a football player--that appear at 5:18. Last but not least, there's the dress-up-and-dance "music show" that appears at 2:12. (Note to the game's developers: Please let me take the lizard-like Pokémon--Tsutarja?--into battle avec purse!)

I know I'm going to buy this game, play it for about 10 hours and then give up on it, but that isn't stopping me from being completely and totally stoked about it at the moment.

See also: 'You know, I'm kind of interested in Pokémon Black/White'

You know, I'm kind of interested in Pokémon Black/White

The question is: Will they bring me back to the Pokémon fold?

I devoured Pokémon Red back in the day. I don't remember if I "caught them all" or if I completed the game, but I remember putting a lot of hours into the game. I put a lot fewer hours into my second Pokémon purchase, Pokémon Emerald, and I spent even less time with my third, Pokémon Pearl.

I kind of doubt "Gen 5," as the kids call it, will reverse that trend. That said, I'm intrigued by some of the changes the folks at Pokemon Company seem to be making to the series. Specifically, I'm really digging the new perspective:

More Pokemon Black/White screenshots can be seen here and here.

Still, so little is known about Pokémon Black and White at this point that it's hard to have much of an opinion about them.