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DS

Traveling Through the Pokécity That Never Sleeps

The Second Gym

by Neal Ronaghan - March 4, 2011, 5:35 am EST

Neal goes to the Pokémon version of Brooklyn to fight the second gym leader.

A funny thing happened on the way to Nacrene City, the home of the second gym leader. The New York connection finally dawned on me. Nacrene City is basically the equivalent of Brooklyn, more specifically the Williamsburg neighborhood. Yes, that's right. There is a Pokémon city that is filled with hipsters. It's a bunch of people living in old homes talking about how ironic their tastes are. There's even a coffee shop that would feel right at home on the streets of Brooklyn.

Aside from that, I explored the area around the city, searching for new Pokémon. I caught three new ones around this time. First, I picked up the Pidgey iteration for the generation: Pidove. It's likely the most uninspired Pidgey knock-off in the entire series.

Pidove is lame.

The other two, Timburr (think Machop) and Sawk (a weird blue monstrosity wearing a karate gi), were both Fighting types. Pokémon Black does a good job, almost too good, of setting you up with Pokémon that make the gym leaders easy. Naturally, the gym leader in an area where at least two Fighting-type Pokémon hang out in the wild is a Normal-type leader. In case you're not up on the Pokémon type weaknesses, Fighting kicks Normal's ass.

Sawk it to me!

So, after training the Sawk a tiny bit, I took him into the gym and wrecked Lenora.

Unfortunately, that's as much as I can talk about Pokémon Black for right now. Go out and enjoy the game when it comes out in your region. Zach and I will have the full-on dual review sometime in the next week.

For posterity, here's an update on my team:

  • Clown the Oshawott (Water-type)
  • Pigbat the Woobat (Psychic/Flying-type)
  • AiAi the Pansear (Fire-type)
  • Macchio the Sawk (Fighting-type)
  • Daltry the Roggenrola (Rock-type)
  • Loco the Lillipup (Normal-type)

Images

Talkback

TurdFurgyMarch 01, 2011

Clown the Oshawott? I haven't followed Pokemon sense Yellow but it seems they're running out of ideas for names, ha ha.

TheBlackCatMarch 01, 2011

Wait, the villains want equality for Pokemon?  What sort of message are they trying to send kids?

TJ SpykeMarch 01, 2011

Quote from: TurdFurgy

Clown the Oshawott? I haven't followed Pokemon sense Yellow but it seems they're running out of ideas for names, ha ha.

Seel. I think that says enough.

TheBlackCat, think of PETA. I don't consider them good guys.

Edit: I apologize if I offended anyone with the PETA remark. I am all for protecting animals and that is why I support causes like the ASPCA. PETA is too extreme and take things way too far.

I ordered the game from Amazon today (there's a $10 credit for it there right now), and this article makes me glad I did.

NWR_pap64Pedro Hernandez, Contributing WriterMarch 02, 2011

Quote from: TJ

Quote from: TurdFurgy

Clown the Oshawott? I haven't followed Pokemon sense Yellow but it seems they're running out of ideas for names, ha ha.

Seel. I think that says enough.

TheBlackCat, think of PETA. I don't consider them good guys.

Edit: I apologize if I offended anyone with the PETA remark. I am all for protecting animals and that is why I support causes like the ASPCA. PETA is too extreme and take things way too far.

Funny enough, I got the same idea when reading about this new team.

It's rather interesting too as they have yet to explore the idea of Pokemon abuse and exploitation. It's always about catching them all, making them stronger and using their powers for their own selfish gains. There has yet to a storyline in the Pokemon universe about protecting the species as a whole (unless I am mistaken of course).

And don't worry about offending PETA. Usually I am one that respects people and organizations, but PETA will NEVER gain my respect. They are very villainous, selfish, self-righteous and manipulative a**holes. I stopped taking Tommy Tallarico seriously after he claimed that PETA was all about "kindness".

But now I am going way off topic, my apologies.

Does Oshawatt have a wang on his belly?

BeautifulShyMarch 02, 2011

Thats a seashell...

TJ SpykeMarch 02, 2011

That's a bad image, it does sorta look like that. LOL

It's a seashell. It can take it off and basically use it like a boomerang (it used this in the first episode of the new Pokemon season when it rescues Pikachu from Team Rocket's balloon).

Edit: Maxi beat me to it while I was typing.

TJ SpykeMarch 03, 2011

For those who don't watch the anime anymore, Woobat is the new Pokemon held by Team Rocket. Jesse and James were sent to Unova to scout for Team Rocket. Since Kanto/Johto/Hoen/Sinnoh Pokemon are supposed to be extremely rare there (in the 3 episodes that have aired so far, they have said that Pikachu and Umbreon have never been seen in the region before), so they had to leave their existing Pokemon behind and catch new ones. Jesse ended up catching a Woobat in a cave (Ash has caught a Pidove, Oshawott, and Tepig. I am going by US airings).

CalibanMarch 04, 2011

That Pidove's a pidgeon... a fucking pidgeon as a pokemon? Oi, oi, oi.

Of course there's going to be pidgeon Pokemon, it's in New York.

Also Neal, Sawk is amazing. Hang onto it.

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