Washington, U.S.A. — The 2011–2012 Play! Pokémon season came to a thrilling conclusion this weekend at the 2012 Pokémon World Championships in Waikoloa, Hawaii. Six battle-tested champions walked away as the world’s best Pokémon Trading Card Game (TCG) and video game players, rising above hundreds of other Pokémon players that came to the Big Island from more than 30 countries, including the United States, Japan, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, and Spain.

Representing their nations proudly in paradise, each player’s journey began nearly a year ago, battling in events over the course of the Play! Pokémon season sanctioned by The Pokémon Company International. The hard work and dedication to their craft led all players to Pokémon’s premiere competitive event.

The 2012 Pokémon TCG and Video Game World Champions are:

• 2012 Pokémon TCG Junior Division World Champion, Shuto Itagaki from Japan.
• 2012 Pokémon Video Game Junior Division World Champion, Abram Burrows from the United States of America.
• 2012 Pokémon TCG Senior Division World Champion, Chase Moloney from Canada.
• 2012 Pokémon Video Game Senior Division World Champion, Toler Webb from the United States of America.
• 2012 Pokémon TCG Masters Division World Champion, Igor Costa from Portugal.
• 2012 Pokémon Video Game Masters Division World Champion, Ray Rizzo from the United States of America.

Winners of the invitation-only tournament earned the title of Pokémon World Champion, received a special Pikachu World Championships trophy, and collectively earned more than $100,000 in scholarships. Additionally, The Pokémon Company International will choose a select number of Pokémon World Championships video game finalists and their Pokémon teams to be distributed as a Pokémon Trainer avatar in the upcoming Pokémon Black Version 2 and Pokémon White Version 2 video games via the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection service.

Players of the games, and those who have wireless Internet access, will be able to battle these Pokémon World Championships finalists and their teams in the Pokémon World Tournament, a new battle arena featured in the games. Pokémon Black Version 2 and Pokémon White Version 2 launch globally the week of October 7th. The Pokémon Company International will announce details of the distribution later this year.

“The Pokémon World Championships not only showcase some of the best Pokémon TCG and video game players from around the world, they also celebrate an international community that is unified by the fun, friendship, and mutual respect that the Pokémon spirit embodies,” said J.C. Smith, director of Consumer Marketing for The Pokémon Company International. “We are incredibly proud of all the players who competed this weekend and want to extend a big congratulations to the 2012 Pokémon World Champions who represented their nations proudly.”

To view highlights from the 2012 Pokémon World Championships, including official standings, photos, videos, and player interviews, please visit www.pokemonworldchampionships.com. For more information on how to participate in future Play! Pokémon events, please visit www.pokemon.com/play.

• 2012 Pokémon Trading Card Game World Finalists—Junior Division(born in 2001 or later)
• World Champion: Shuto Itagaki (Japan)
• Second Place: Ian Robb (USA)

• 2012 Pokémon Trading Card Game World Finalists—Senior Division(born in 1997–2000)
• World Champion: Chase Moloney (Canada)
• Second Place: Colter Decker (USA)

• 2012 Pokémon Trading Card Game World Finalists—Masters Division (born in 1996 or earlier)
• World Champion: Igor Costa (Portugal)
• Second Place: Harrison Leven (USA)

• 2012 Pokémon Video Game World Finalists—Junior Division(born in 2001 or later)
• World Champion: Abram Burrows (USA)
• Second Place: Brian Hough (USA)

• 2012 Pokémon Video Game World Finalists—Senior Division (born in 1997–2000)
• World Champion: Toler Webb (USA)
• Second Place: Jaime Martinez Alonso (Spain)

• 2012 Pokémon Video Game World Finalists—Masters Division (born in 1996 or earlier)
• World Champion: Ray Rizzo (USA)
• Second Place: Wolfe Glick (USA)

Image Courtesy of  http://www.pokemonworldchampionships.com

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In the regular Pokémon series, there are often two different versions for a gamer to choose from. The differences are evident within each version: there are generally some varying Pokémon in them. Usually a few months after the two versions are released, there is an in-between game that changes or adds to the storyline. Additionally, there are different Pokémon as well as areas and buildings to experience new activities in the game.

These in-between games are Pokémon Yellow, Pokémon Crystal, Pokémon Emerald, and Pokémon Platinum. However, this time the Pokémon Company decided to give us something different, and instead provide a sequel to both Pokémon Black and Pokémon White appropriately called Pokémon Black 2 and Pokémon White 2. These games are set two years after the events in the first games where, though not everything has changed, quite a bit has changed. Many of the locations have expanded and even some of the Gym Leaders are different (though the majority of them are the same).

Team Plasma also makes an appearance, but this time broken into two factions. Old Team Plasma wears the old Team Plasma uniforms from the last two games and follow the ideals of their old leader N (getting Pokémon trainers to release their Pokémon). The New Team Plasma have new uniforms and follow the leadership of Ghetsis, who served as the main antagonist in Pokémon Black and White. This makes these games the first games to have the player going against two crime syndicates since Pokémon Emerald.

Though there are very few new Pokémon introduced (though there are some new forms for a few of the Pokémon) there are different Pokémon in these games. In the first two games, a majority of the game is spent only acquiring fifth generation Pokémon; however, in the sequel you can acquire Pokémon from any generation throughout the entire game. These games also have the largest amount of Pokémon in one region, having three hundred Pokémon before the National Pokédex is acquired.

Another new feature is Pokémon World Tournament, where there are several different battles you can have such as Rental Battles (where you get rent Pokémon to battle with), Mixed Tournament (where you can switch Pokémon with the Trainer you are battling), and Type Expert (where it focuses one specific type). In the tournament you can also fight against every Gym Leader from every region, that being Kanto, Johto Hoenn, Sinnoh, and of course Unova.

One of the last new features is the PokéStar Studios, which allows you to create your own Pokémon movie, all of which have complete different scenarios for you to choose from. The player initially has to use rental Pokémon in the movies, but once you finish the scenario you can enter your own Pokémon. If the player’s movie does well at the box office, he or she will even get prizes.

While these games have already been released in Japan, it will be awhile until it is finally released in English. Pokémon Black 2 and Pokémon White 2 will not be released in the United States until October 7, 2012, but that doesn’t keep fans from getting excited over these new games.

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