Pokemon.com is celebrating 30 years of Pokémon by looking back at the regions that have captured the hearts of fans across the world. Get ready to take a few trips down memory lane as we explore and reflect on iconic locations and encounters from regions across the Pokémon world. We’ve already visited Kanto, Johto, Hoenn, and Sinnoh, making the Unova region the next stop on our journey.
Our first introduction to Unova was in Pokémon Black and Pokémon White, released in Japan in 2010. From the cinematic opening scene depicting Ghetsis crowning N as the king of Team Plasma with his Seven Sages looking on, the Unova region promised hopes, dreams, discoveries, adventures (and, of course, Pokémon)—and it delivered.
Notice: If you click on the YouTube video above, you will leave Pokemon.com. The Pokémon Company International is not responsible for the content of any linked website that is not operated by The Pokémon Company International. Please note that these websites’ privacy policies and security practices may differ from The Pokémon Company International’s standards.
Follow along as we tour some of the region’s highlights. And if you want some cute buddies to join you on this journey across Unova, check out the Pokémon Center’s Unova Paired Pikachu Plush.
A Unique and Extensive Pokédex
Notice: If you click on the YouTube video above, you will leave Pokemon.com. The Pokémon Company International is not responsible for the content of any linked website that is not operated by The Pokémon Company International. Please note that these websites’ privacy policies and security practices may differ from The Pokémon Company International’s standards.
The Unova region was the first and, to date, only Pokémon region after Kanto with a Pokédex comprised entirely of Pokémon first discovered in that region. It also boasts the most Pokémon of any region, with a whopping 156 Pokémon first discovered there. From Victini (#000) to Genesect (#155), the Unova Pokédex is packed with powerful Pokémon and Pokémon brimming with heaps of personality. Whether you’re a fan of Unova’s Legendary Pokémon Reshiram and Zekrom or you’ve got a soft spot for Pokémon you could take dumpster diving like Trubbish and Garbodor, Unova’s got a Pokémon for everyone.
Expanding well beyond Pokémon Black and Pokémon White, Pokémon from Unova have since appeared in games including Pokémon Black 2 and Pokémon White 2, The Hidden Treasure of Area ZeroPart 2:The Indigo Disk, Pokémon GO, and Pokémon Pokopia; in animation including Pokémon the Series (most prominently in seasons 14, 15, and 16) and Pokémon Horizons: The Series; and in the Black & White arc of the Pokémon Adventures manga.
If you’re ready to get started on your Unova Pokédex, you can begin as young Trainers from Unova do—with first partner Pokémon Snivy, Tepig, or Oshawott.
Castelia City, a City of Grandeur…and Sweet Treats!
Brimming with urban charm, Castelia City is the economic heart of the Unova region and the largest city geographically. There’s no shortage of interesting sights and activities for a Pokémon Trainer to take part in, including the Battle Company, a handful of scenic piers, GAME FREAK headquarters where Trainers can add a Zorua to their Pokédex, and the Castelia City Gym featuring Gym Leader Burgh and his swarm of Bug-type Pokémon.
Most importantly, Castelia City is the home of the Casteliacone, a medicine that cures a Pokémon of all status conditions in the video games and a delicious treat for humans and Pokémon alike in the animation. Ash and Pikachu first learn about Casteliacones in “A Venipede Stampede” (Season 14, Episode 22), but it isn’t until “A Unova League Evolution!” (Season 16, Episode 11) that Ash gets a taste of the delicious treat thanks to Bianca’s generosity.
Fans of the Tricky Fox Pokémon will be delighted to learn they don’t have to visit GAME FREAK headquarters in Castelia City to bring home their very own Zorua buddy. With the Zorua Character Hoodie available at the Pokémon Center, you can add Zorua to your “Fashiondex” without participating in a single battle.
You can also celebrate Zorua while bringing the bustling lights of Castelia City home with the Unova Explore Pokémon Poster capturing the beauty of Liberty Garden. Castelia City beckons invitingly in this stunning artwork.
The Electrifying Nimbasa City
Castelia City might be the largest city in the Unova region, but Nimbasa City has the biggest population. For battle-mad Pokémon Trainers, Nimbasa City is the place to be. It’s home to Elesa’s Electric-type Gym where Trainers can earn the Bolt Badge after defeating her Emolga and Zebstrika. In addition to offering vital battle experience, in Pokémon Black and Pokémon White, Elesa appears periodically throughout the game to offer support to Hilbert or Hilda and their friends.
In one of the games’ most emotionally charged scenes, Elesa intervenes on Bianca’s behalf when her father tries to send her home, arguing, “But it’s important to keep trying, to learn about the differences between yourself and others. To learn that being different is OK. And you shouldn’t worry. Trainers always have Pokémon at their side.”
Elesa’s impact extends beyond Pokémon Black and Pokémon White with frequent appearances in the animation, manga, and the Pokémon Trading Card Game. In fact, Elesa appears on three cards in the Pokémon TCG: Sword & Shield—Fusion Strike expansion in a Supporter role, striking a dramatic pose as befitting her role as a model.
Celebrate the Gym Leader known as “the Shining Beauty” with wall art and T-shirts capturing Elesa’s ferocity in battle.
Climb aboard the Battle Subway at Nimbasa City’s Gear Station for fierce battles against Subway Trainers and Subway Bosses. The Battle Subway is Unova’s answer to the Battle Tower from previous games, with a splash of the region’s characteristic urban charm. Players had their choice of eight lines: Single, Super Single, Double, Super Double, Multi, Super Multi, Wi-Fi, and Anville.
While the Anville line takes the player to Anville Town, the seven other options take the player straight to battle town with showdowns that test your mettle and help develop your skills for future high-stakes battles as you resume your journey across Unova. Each battle kicks off with dizzying theme music as iconic as it is heart-pumping, befitting the epic journey that is Unova’s Battle Subway.
Notice: If you click on the YouTube video above, you will leave Pokemon.com. The Pokémon Company International is not responsible for the content of any linked website that is not operated by The Pokémon Company International. Please note that these websites’ privacy policies and security practices may differ from The Pokémon Company International’s standards.
If Elesa’s Nimbasa City Gym and the Subway Bosses on the Battle Subway weren’t challenging enough, you could take a ride on the city’s Rondez-View Ferris Wheel. Technically, in the interest of everyone’s safety, Pokémon battles don’t take place while riding the Rondez-View Ferris Wheel. Rather, various Trainers—determined by the player’s gender and the current in-game season—will challenge you to a battle at the Ferris wheel’s base.
After the battle is over, you and your challenger climb into a Poké Ball–shaped gondola for a breathtaking ride above the city’s skyline. Fans of N may even recall engaging in a deeply revealing heart-to-heart with the sort-of leader of Team Plasma while spinning around the Rondez-View Ferris Wheel.
Given the emotional weight of N’s revelation, it’s no surprise that N standing in front of the Rondez-View Ferris Wheel served as inspiration for several popular Pokémon TCG cards. And N isn’t the only icon to pose with the Nimbasa City landmark; Elesa is shown riding the Ferris wheel in one colorful card.
Sensational Seasons
The Unova region was the first within the Pokémon world to give us seasons, adding depth and a realistic touch for Trainers to enjoy. While the seasons don’t transition at the same rate as they do in the real world—with each season lasting one month in-game—these changes nonetheless had significant in-game impacts. The landscapes shift color depending on the time of year in-game, and the weather changes accordingly.
Areas that usually see a lot of rain might get snow during winter. Additionally, different wild Pokémon are more likely to appear at different times of year, with certain Pokémon appearing exclusively during a certain season. Not surprisingly, many Ice-type Pokémon like Spheal, Vanillite, and Cubchoo will only appear during winter, for example. Plus, some areas of the game (like a cliffside above Icirrus City) are only accessible during certain seasons.
With seasons, Unova also gave us seasonal Pokémon forms, specifically for Deerling and its Evolution, Sawsbuck (both appropriately nicknamed the Season Pokémon). In the games, you may recall encountering the Season Research Lab on Route 6. This facility is specifically dedicated to researching the seasons, boasting a greenhouse that grows different plants according to the season and a thermometer that displays the current temperature on Route 6, which varies between −9 degrees Celsius (15.8 degrees Fahrenheit) in the winter and 25 degrees Celsius (77 degrees Fahrenheit) in the spring.
Best of all, a scientist there will ask you to show him each of Deerling’s seasonal forms, after which he will give you a Leaf Stone.
If you find yourself in need of a Deerling or Sawsbuck to add a touch of seasonal charm to your home—or want to prepare on the off chance that a scientist shows up to your house demanding to see Deerling in each of its seasonal forms—the Pokémon Center has you covered.
Seasons also impact who you encounter along your journey in Pokémon Black, Pokémon White, Pokémon Black 2, and Pokémon White 2. On the aforementioned Rondez-View Ferris Wheel, some of the Trainers you encounter have names inspired by the seasons, and many of these Trainers only appear during their respective season. Waitress Aurora will only be available to challenge you in autumn, and you can probably guess when Preschooler Winter will appear. Pay a visit to Undella Town in spring and summer to challenge Cynthia to a battle.
Honorable Mention: Driftveil City
The Driftveil City theme song went harder than Clay’s Excadrill’s Bulldoze and deserves to be remembered. Rock on!
Notice: If you click on the YouTube video above, you will leave Pokemon.com. The Pokémon Company International is not responsible for the content of any linked website that is not operated by The Pokémon Company International. Please note that these websites’ privacy policies and security practices may differ from The Pokémon Company International’s standards.
We hope you enjoyed your nostalgia-filled tour of Unova and look forward to seeing you again for a promenade across the Kalos region.
