Pokémon Black & White Celebrate 15 Years

by Marcus Thompson March 5, 2026

written by Marcus Thompson March 5, 2026

Key Takeaways

Created with AI - we're still experimenting, so apologies if it misses the mark

Pokémon Black & White, released in 2011, were highly successful and well-received games within the Pokémon franchise, selling over 15.6 million units.
The games introduced the Unova region and the 5th generation of Pokémon, along with new features and mechanics that sparked debates among fans.
Ahead of Pokémon Day, the official Pokémon social media accounts shared artwork daily, including a piece by YOOKI featuring Liepard on February 23.
Despite having slightly lower fan scores than critic scores, Black and White ranked 8th among fan favorites in the series.

Celebrating a Decade and a Half: Pokémon Black & White’s Legacy Unveiled

Fifteen years have passed since the European release of Pokémon Black and White on March 4, 2011. These titles from Game Freak sold over 15.6 million units, making them some of the best-selling games on the Nintendo DS and highly acclaimed entries in the Pokémon franchise. While critical reception was enthusiastic, fan scores were slightly lower. On Metacritic, Black and White hold a critic score of 87; fans, however, gave them 81. Despite this difference, fans ranked them 8th among their favorite games in the series. Black and White were the second set of original Pokémon games for the Nintendo DS, introducing the Unova region and the 5th generation of Pokémon. Players battled Team Plasma and took on gym challenges. In anticipation of Pokémon Day—an annual celebration of the franchise—the official Pokémon social media accounts shared artwork daily for a week, starting February 20. One piece posted on February 23 featured Liepard and was created by YOOKI. With 156 new Pokémon, Black and White introduced new features and mechanics, sparking the customary debates over Pokémon and starter designs. This installment remains a popular and influential part of the Pokémon legacy.