Nintendo Encourages Plugging Pokemon Into the Internet

The Pokemon Global Link will bring new web-based features to Pokemon Black & White.

Pokemon Black & White won’t just be innovating with new 3D graphics and triple battles, it’ll also innovate outside of the DS. Hooking the games up to the Pokemon Global Link on a PC through the internet will enable all sorts of Poke-features.

First, players will have to register a Pokemon Trainer Club account on the Pokemon website. After that’s all set up, once the Pokemon Global Link launches in spring they’ll be able to connect to various Poke-portals.

One of these portals is the Pokemon Dream World. Pokemon Black & White will allow players to tuck their Pokemon into bed, and enter their dreams through the Dream World online. You’ll be able to customize their Poke-homes, grow Poke-fruit, and play mini-games to make friends with other Pokemon. These Pokemon can then be transferred back into Black & White for training, along with any items that players earn. The only Pokemon I wouldn’t do this with is Jigglypuff, because you know that little thing is tormented by horrifying, bloody nightmares.

The second portal is the Global Battle Union, which will let players keep track of their battles against players from all over the world. In fact, it’ll give Black & White players a worldwide ranking based on battle score. The best of the best can qualify for invitations to regional and national Pokemon videogame tournaments, and eventually the Pokemon World Championships in San Diego, California.

Lastly, the Pokemon Global Trade Station will be a central hub for players to track their Poke-trades. However, Nintendo says the Global Trade Station may not launch until “later this year.”

The Global Link replaces the outside functionality provided by the included pedometer in Pokemon HeartGold & SoulSilver. Considering that Nintendo could sell copies of Pokemon even if the box was only filled with spaghetti, it’s nice to see side features like these.