Pokémon Database - News & Updates
Welcome to The Pokémon Database! We believe in making Pokémon information as clear and easy to digest as possible.
On this page below you'll find the recent Pokémon news and updates to this site. Delve deeper using the menu above to find detailed Pokédex entries, attack stats, evolution chains and our thriving community of awesome Pokéfans who'll answer your questions. And much more besides!
Black/White European release date confirmed
Pokémon Black & White — 10 January, 2011
The release date of Pokemon Black and Pokemon White has been revealed by Nintendo Magazine as March 4th, 2011 - two days before its American release! The release date for Australia and New Zealand has also been revealed, which is March 10th.
This is the first time a Pokemon game has been released in Europe before the US. It also means we will likely have all the Pokemon and move names earlier than expected, maybe by March 1st.
(Note: the countdown timer around the site has been left as the US date, since most of our readers are American.)
New game-specific pages
Site Updates — 02 January, 2011
Following on from our Heart Gold & Soul Silver section opened before Christmas, I've added two new sections for the Sinnoh games: Diamond/Pearl and Platinum.
The DP section explains the changes that were introduced in Generation IV, such as the new type/category system for moves. It also lists which Pokemon you can only find in one game, and the Sinnoh gym leaders/Elite Four.
The Platinum section has some detail on the Distortion World, Battle Frontier and other new features. Plus the lowdown on the gym leaders, Elite Four and their rematches.
More confirmed English names
Pokémon Black & White — 29 December, 2010
Nintendo has confirmed more Pokemon, move and ability names.
Pokemon names:
- Chillarmy is now known as Minccino. Its name comes from Mink and Chinchilla on which it is based.
- Mamepato is now known as Pidove, a cross between birds Pigeon and Dove.
- Munna keeps its Japanese name, a cross between moon and lunar.
- Shimama is now known as Blitzle. Its name comes from the word blitz.
- Hihidaruma is now known as Darmanitan. Both names refer to the Japanese Daruma doll and a species of monkey - the former a baboon and the latter an orangutan.
- Gear is now known as Klink, which refers to the noise of two metal surfaces touching.
- Meguroko is now known as Sandile - as you can guess, a cross between sand and crocodile
- Gigaiasu is now known as Gigalith, from the prefix giga meaning large, and the suffix lith meaning rock.
New move names:
- Wild Bolt is now Wild Charge.
- Sweep Slap is now Tail Slap.
- Telekinesis keeps its name.
New ability names:
- Overconfident is now Moxie.
- Pigeon Heart is now Big Pecks.
- Encourage/Brute Force is now Sheer Force.
U.S. release date for Pokemon Black & White
Pokémon Black & White — 27 December, 2010
The release date for Pokemon Black and Pokemon White has been announced in a Nintendo press release.
The games will be released on 6th March 2011 in North America (i.e. USA and Canada). No word yet on European or other area release dates.
The English box art for Black/White
English names for ‘elemental monkeys’
Pokémon Black & White — 26 December, 2010
The English names for the three related monkey Pokemon from Black & White have been revealed via official promo material. Their Japanese names were Yanappu for the grass type, Boappu for the fire type and Hiyappu for the water type.
Their English names are based on pan
, a genus of apes (as in Chimpanzee) followed by a word related to their type:
- Pansage, Grass type, comes from the herb
sage
. - Pansear, Fire type, comes from
sear
meaning to cook. - Panpour, Water type, comes from
pour
, relating to liquids.
You receive one of the three Pokemon as a gift from a location called the Site of Dreams
, depending on which starter you chose.
New HeartGold/SoulSilver pages
Site Updates — 22 December, 2010
I've been meaning to add this for a while now, but finally I've opened a new section for the recent games, HeartGold & SoulSilver!
We already had the Pokewalker section, but now I've added a short description of the games and a few useful pages:
- A list of version-exclusive Pokemon.
- A page detailing the Gym Leaders and Elite Four from Johto and Kanto.
- A guide to gym leader rematches, detailing where and when you can set up rematches, and when each gym leader will battle you.
New event: Get a shiny Raikou, Entei or Suicune
Pokémon Events — 22 December, 2010
A new real-life event is coming to America and Canada in January 2011! Soon you will be able to obtain the legendary beasts - Raikou, Entei and Suicune - from GameStop stores. Not only are they shiny, they also come with new moves they don't normally learn!
All three have Extremespeed.
Raikou has Weather Ball and is available from January 3rd to 9th.
Entei has Flare Blitz and is available from January 17th to 23rd.
Suicune has Sheer Cold and is available from January 31st to February 6th.
What's more, if you transfer these shiny Pokemon to your copy of Pokemon Black or Pokemon White when released, you will unlock the chance to capture the illusionary fox pokemon, Zoroark!
Zorua & Zoroark confirmed and more English names
Pokémon Black & White — 14 December, 2010
Zorua and Zoroark, two event Pokemon from the upcoming Black and White versions, have been confirmed by Nintendo. They keep the names we already know them by.
Also confirmed are the Illusion ability and two moves: Hone Claws, previously translated as Claw Sharpen; and Foul Play, previously translated as Trickery.
English names for Black & White starters revealed
Pokémon Black & White — 23 November, 2010
Nintendo has revealed the English names of a few pokemon from the upcoming Pokemon Black and Pokemon White games.
Tsutarja, the Grass starter, will be known as Snivy. This is mostly likely a combination of the words 'snake' and 'ivy'.
Pokabu, the Fire starter, will be known as Tepig, a cross between 'tepid' and 'pig'. Of course, it's evolution is far from tepid.
Mijumaru, the Water starter, will be known as Oshawott. The name has references to 'otter', 'water' and possibly 'ocean'.
The region, previously known as Isshu in the Japanese version, will be called Unova.
As previously confirmed, the main legendaries in the games are Reshiram and Zekrom, same names as in the Japanese version. Reshiram's ability is called Turboblaze and Zekrom's Teravolt.
Nintendo has also unveiled their new dedicated website, PokemonBlackWhite.com. However, it's very light on details since they are choosing to release information in dribs and drabs instead of telling us what we all already know...
New location guide now online, plus quick-search
Site Updates — 21 November, 2010
I finally got round to finishing our location guide, which has been in the works for a little while now. It lists every Pokemon in every location, across every game of the Pokemon series so far!
In the Pokedex you will now see an updated list of locations, with each route linking to a full page, showing all the pokemon you can find there. Or you can start on the location main page which simply lists the available routes.
The design isn't anything special right now but we will be making a lot of changes to the guide in the coming weeks, to make it much easier to browse. Locations for Black & White will probably come in the new year, or at least before they are released in America.
Finally, we also have a new search facility, located on the right of the menu. (The old sharing buttons have moved to the bottom of the page.) It searches all Pokemon, moves, types, abilities as you type. It uses some fancy modern browser technologies, so if you are using the latest version of your web browser (Chrome/Firefox/IE) you will see instant results, otherwise it will be a second or two after each letter you type.
So whatever page you're on, you can quickly jump to another pokemon or move asap!
New wi-fi event to obtain Mew
Pokémon HeartGold & SoulSilver — 14 October, 2010
The original secret Pokemon Mew will soon be available over wi-fi in America and Europe! From October 15-30 you can download Pokemon #151 from Mystery Gift in HeartGold and SoulSilver.
As usual, you simply choose Mystery Gift
from the game menu, then Get Via Nintendo WFC
. Then you can pick up Mew from the delivery man in any Pokemart. And of course - save your game.
Don't miss out on this opportunity to catch one of the rarest Pokemon!
New moves and movesets!
Site Updates — 23 September, 2010
We've upgraded our Pokedex to include moveset variations between games! Now we have all Generation 4 learnsets, plus new learnsets from Pokemon Black and White. On each Pokemon's page, you'll see tabs where the moves change between games. So check the regular Pokedex or the B/W Pokedex to see what moves Pokemon can learn.
Along with this are all the new Black & White moves. The English names are not yet confirmed so we have translations - these are shown in brackets, e.g. [Sludge Wave].
There are a few bits missing such as the pokemon list on each move page but we're working on adding those.
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