RPGamer recently had the opportunity to sample Pokémon Black and White at Kids Fest in Missisauga, Ontario. Squeezing into the small Pokémon booth filled to the brim with kids, parents, media, and Nintendo staff, we were able to play through a demo and have a brief chat with Nintendo representative Julie Gagnon.

When asked what sets Black and White apart from earlier Pokémon games, Ms. Gagnon reiterated the major game features that Nintendo has been emphasizing. All 150 Pokémon in the games are brand-new, and the Unova region is unique in several ways. There will be some differences in geography between Pokémon Black and White, in particular the Black City versus the White Forest found in their respective versions. Unova also has four seasons, and players will be able to catch different Pokémon and access new areas depending on the season.

We also learned more about Victini, a unique Pokémon that will be available to download via Wi-Fi from March 6 through April 10. Victini, the Victory Pokémon, is the first fire/psychic type Pokémon in the series. It also has an ability that boosts the agility of the entire party by ten percent.

Finally, we gained some information about the on-line features in Black and White. The Pokémon Global Link website integrates the game with web-based content. Players can put their Pokémon in sleep mode in the game, then enter the Pokémon Dream World on the website. In the Dream World, players can communicate with each other, find items and berries, and catch Pokémon that aren't normally available in the Unova region. For more hardcore Pokémon players, the website also has a Global Battle Union section in which players can review their battle records and participate in on-line tournaments.

Here is a video showing the highlights of our Pokémon Black and White demo. It gives a good overall impression of the look of the new animated battles, especially how the battle screen zooms in to show attacks. There's also a nice closeup of Zekrom at the end.