Pokémon Black (J) throws you right into Unova, and man, this region feels different—skyscrapers, urban vibes, and these weirdly cool new Pokémon designs. First thing you’ll notice? The battles actually animate now, which sounds small but makes everything pop way more than the older DS games.

You’ve got your usual gym grind, but the rivals here actually have personalities (and opinions), and Team Plasma’s whole “free the Pokémon” schtick gets weirdly philosophical for a kids’ game. Also, the soundtrack slaps—like, route music you’ll hum for days.

Pro tip: Don’t skip the seasons mechanic. It changes what Pokémon show up, and some areas are only accessible during winter. I missed a whole dungeon my first playthrough because I didn’t wait for snowfall.

It’s still Pokémon at heart, just with a fresh coat of paint and some bold choices that actually stuck around in later games.