Black and White split a lot more than the dragon on the box, so it helps to know the Pokemon Black White exclusives before you pick. Each game has 21 wild Pokemon the other one doesn't, plus a place you can only walk into in one version. Reshiram waits in Black, Zekrom waits in White, and the Unova story around them stays the same.
What you miss takes a trade to get, so the real question is which list you'd rather catch on your own.
A city in Black and a forest in White
These were the first games in the series with version-exclusive locations. Black has Black City and White has White Forest, and you can't walk into the other one. (Black City sounds tougher. White Forest sounds nicer.)
Gothitelle and Honchkrow, or Reuniclus and Braviary
- Type
- Psychic
- Category
- Astral Body Pokémon
- National Dex
- #0576
- Debut
- Gen V
- Base stat total
- 490
Black keeps Gothitelle, Mandibuzz, Honchkrow and Breloom to itself. White keeps Reuniclus, Braviary, Butterfree and Lilligant, and both lists reach back to older regions as well as Unova.
Only in Black
Gothita
Gothorita
Gothitelle
Vullaby
Mandibuzz
Reshiram
Tornadus
Weedle
Kakuna
Beedrill
Murkrow
Honchkrow
Houndour
Houndoom
Shroomish
Breloom
Plusle
Volbeat
Cottonee
Whimsicott
Throh
Only in White
Solosis
Duosion
Reuniclus
Rufflet
Braviary
Zekrom
Thundurus
Caterpie
Metapod
Butterfree
Paras
Parasect
Misdreavus
Mismagius
Poochyena
Mightyena
Minun
Illumise
Petilil
Lilligant
Sawk
Reshiram or Zekrom, and the wind and thunder pair
- Type
- DragonFire
- Category
- Vast White Pokémon
- National Dex
- #0643
- Debut
- Gen V
- Base stat total
- 680
The dragon waits at the top of Dragonspiral Tower at level 50. The Forces of Nature follow the same split: Tornadus belongs to Black and Thundurus to White, both on Route 7 at level 40. The other dragon isn't lost to you, though. N fights you with Zekrom in Black and Reshiram in White, at level 52.
Drayden in Black, Iris in White
Opelucid City has Drayden as its Gym Leader in Black and Iris in White. The team doesn't change: Fraxure and Druddigon at level 41, then Haxorus at level 43, and Iris brings the same three at the same levels.
A Nacrene City trade that runs backward
A trader in Nacrene City wants a Cottonee in Black and gives you a Petilil for it. White asks for a Petilil and hands back the Cottonee, so each game can reach the other's grass Pokemon without a friend.
Which one should you buy?
Pick the dragon you like looking at, because the rest of the game plays the same. Braviary looks like it has somewhere to be, and that tips us to White.
Black vs White FAQ
Can you finish Black without owning White?
Yes. Both games have the full story, and trading with a friend who owns White fills in the Pokemon you're missing.
Is one version harder than the other?
No. The Pokemon you can catch change, but the trainer teams don't, apart from the dragon N uses.
