As with any Pokémon game, your Black 2 and White 2 journey begins with some introductions. Professor Juniper, the de facto professor of the Unova region, will ask both your gender and name. Both are purely aesthetic, and have no impact on gameplay. Juniper will also ask you the name of your rival, and we'll stick with the default name 'Hugh'.

The game opens in Aspertia City. After a quick phone call will give you some good news: A girl named Bianca is in town, and she's here to give you your first Pokémon and a Pokédex, a device for recording Pokémon as you catch them. Bianca is lost somewhere in Aspertia City, so you'll have to go looking for her.

Head out into the street and wander north. You'll be stopped by Hugh and his sister. He's excited that you're getting a Pokémon, and will start following you around. You can now explore the houses of Aspertia City, but there's little of interest other than starting info and gossip. Head to the north until you see a tunnel to Route 19, an area you'll be exploring in the near future. The nearby stairs lead up to a lookout where you'll meet Bianca.


Bianca will confirm who you are, then offer you one of three starter Pokémon with which you can begin your journey. Your options are:
  • Snivy, a Grass-type Pokémon that will stay Grass-type throughout its life. It's a solid starter, though not the best choice for beginners since it will have trouble with the first few gyms.
  • Tepig, a Fire-type Pokémon that eventually becomes a mix of Fire- and Fighting-type. It's probably the best of the three to start, as it offers the most weapons against the game's initial gyms, though it comes up a bit lacking later in the game.
  • Oshawatt, a Water-type that stays Water-type throughout its life. It's of middling strength, though having Oshawatt is handy as you won't have to go looking for a Water-type that can use the HM move Surf for moving about on water.
None of these Pokémon are terrible choices in the long run, so go with the one you like most. Congrats, you now have your first Pokémon. Give it a nickname if you want. Afterward, Bianca will hand over your Pokédex and ask that you record as many Pokémon as possible into the Pokédex by travelling throughout Unova. When you go to leave, Hugh will ask for a Pokédex as well, revealing that he's headed out on similar a journey to find something 'important'. Very mysterious.

When you try to leave the lookout, Hugh will challenge you to a Pokémon battle - your first in the game. Bring it!


Pokémon Trainer Hugh
  • Tepig, level 5 (if you chose Snivy)
  • Oshawatt, level 5 (if you chose Tepig)
  • Snivy, level 5 (if you chose Oshawatt)
Reward: 500 P

You may have already noticed, but Hugh automatically chooses a Pokémon that's strong against your starter. This doesn't matter so much now, but in the future you won't want to pit your starter against Hugh's starter. Super effective attacks hurt. This intro battle's not so bad, however - simply use Tail Whip or Leer a few times, depending on your starter, then beat your opponent down. If you win your Pokémon will jump up to level 6. If not, well, the game will carry on regardless. Better luck next time?

Hugh will take off after the battle, happy to have a strong rival. Bianca will then lead you to the Pokémon Center, where you can heal your Pokémon and buy items at the side desk. Pokémon Center treatments are free, so use one whenever your Pokémon are feeling down. You'll also get your first look at the PC, where you can exchange and store Pokémon you don't currently need (your team limit is six Pokémon at any time). Bianca will end by giving you 10 Poké Balls, which you use to catch Pokémon in the wild.


Follow Bianca outside. Your mom's waiting, and she'll give you Running Shoes which will allow you to sprint by holding down the B button. Hugh's sister is also here, and she'll give you a Town Map to help you get around Unova. She'll also give you another map to hand to her brother the next time you see him. How sweet.

Follow Bianca to the north, to Route 19. On your way through the gate, the gatekeeper will give you a Potion. Use it if you get into a jam, and consider backtracking to the Poke Mart in the Pokémon Center for a few more Potions. They will pretty quickly get outclassed by Super Potions, but for the first few routes Potions are invaluable when moving between towns and cities.

Head out onto Route 19 when you're ready to begin your grand journey. Farewell, Aspertia!

Return Trip
  • Right beside your home in Aspertia City is a body of water. Come back here once one of your Pokémon knows Surf and they can ferry you over to TM53 Energy Ball.