Buying guide
Pokémon Black & White — buying the Unova cartridges
Generation 5 is the only one that got a true direct sequel: after Black and White (2011) came Black 2 and White 2 (2012), set two years later in the same region. Four cartridges, one region, and two questions every buyer has — which one to get, and whether an import will actually run on your console. Both answered below.
The short answer
Start fresh with Unova's story: Black or White. Want the most complete Unova experience: Black 2 or White 2 — real sequels, not remakes. And mind the region: all four are DSi-enhanced, so an American cartridge plays on a European DS or DS Lite but not on a European DSi, 3DS or 2DS. Every listing of ours states the region.
Black & White, or the 2-versions?
Black and White open the generation: a fresh start in Unova where, until the credits roll, you meet exclusively the 156 new Pokémon of this generation — no old faces. The story is the boldest of the series, with Team Plasma openly asking whether catching Pokémon is right at all. Black 2 and White 2 play two years later: new towns, a different beginning, a much larger Pokédex, and references that land best after the first pair — though they explain everything on their own.
Within each pair the split is the classic one: version-exclusive Pokémon, one area — Black City with its traders against the wild-Pokémon-rich White Forest — and the cover legendary: Reshiram in Black, Zekrom in White, Black Kyurem and White Kyurem in the sequels. Unique to Unova either way: the region has four seasons that rotate monthly, so some areas and Pokémon only appear part of the year.
The import trap: gen 5's region rule
All four Unova games are DSi-enhanced — their serials start with TWL where regular DS games read NTR. The practical catch: on an original DS or DS Lite every region plays, but on a DSi, 3DS or 2DS only a cartridge from your own region starts. A cheap American import that will not boot on a European 3DS is the most common way to buy these games wrong. We state the region in every listing.
The authenticity check, in order of certainty
- The save test. Save, power off, restart. DS saves live on flash memory — a genuine cartridge keeps your progress, many counterfeit boards lose it the moment the console switches off.
- Weight and label. A fake feels light, and its label print is glossy and slightly blurred where an original is sharp and matte.
- The serial. DSi-enhanced games read TWL, not NTR — and the region suffix must match what the seller claims.
- The shell. A crisp Nintendo stamp and a neatly moulded serial on the back — and no screw: DS game cards are glued and clicked, so a screw is itself a warning sign.
Those checks come straight from our full fake-cartridge guide — written from the roughly 12% of cartridges we reject when buying stock. Black and White sit with HeartGold, SoulSilver and Platinum among the most counterfeited DS titles.
Buy them already tested
Every Unova cartridge we sell has been through the weight, label, serial and board checks and a real save test on hardware — and now and then the black-and-white Nintendo DSi Pokémon Limited Edition joins the shelf. We have been doing this since 2019, with 1400+ verified reviews at 5.0★, and we ship tracked from the Netherlands to all 27 EU countries — no customs inside the EU.
Questions we get asked
What is the difference between Black/White and Black 2/White 2?
Black 2 and White 2 (2012) are true sequels, not remakes — they play two years later in the same Unova region, with new areas, a new start and a larger Pokédex. You can start with either pair; the sequels reference the first games but explain everything on their own.
Which should I pick: Black or White?
The story is the same. You choose on the cover legendary — Reshiram in Black, Zekrom in White — and on one area that differs: Black has Black City, a modern city with traders, White has White Forest, where more wild Pokémon live. Want to catch more, pick White; prefer the urban side and Reshiram, pick Black. The sequels split the same way with Black Kyurem and White Kyurem.
Will an American Black or White work on my European console?
On an original DS or DS Lite, yes — those are region-free. But all four Unova games are DSi-enhanced: on a European DSi, 3DS or 2DS, an American cartridge will not start. That is the catch with cheap imports. We state the region in every listing, so you know it plays on your console.
What makes generation 5 different from the other Pokémon games?
Unova is the only region where you meet exclusively new Pokémon at first — the 156 species of this generation; older ones appear only after the credits. The region also has four seasons that rotate monthly, changing which areas and Pokémon you can reach. And the story cuts deeper than usual: Team Plasma openly asks whether catching Pokémon is right at all.
How do I spot a fake Black or White cartridge?
Weight, label and the board: a counterfeit feels light, the label print is glossy and blurred, and the shell back misses the crisp Nintendo stamp. DSi-enhanced games carry a TWL serial where regular DS games read NTR — a mismatch is a warning sign. The decisive test is saving: power off, restart, and the progress must still be there. We run that test on every copy.
Is there a battery in these cartridges that can run empty?
No. Nintendo DS cartridges save to flash memory, so the save keeps without a battery — that is the difference with Game Boy and GBA Pokémon. It also makes the save test the most reliable authenticity check there is.
What is the DSi Pokémon Limited Edition?
An original Nintendo DSi in black or white with Reshiram and Zekrom engraving, sold in a limited run alongside the games. It is a collector piece and a fully working console at once — availability varies, check the list below.
Where Unova fits in the series: all Pokémon games in order — or the full Pokémon DS list.
Dutch reader? Pokémon Black & White kopen — dezelfde gids in het Nederlands.
