I’ve already played through the Japanese version of Pokemon White (P.S. – it’s my favorite Pokemon game yet), but due to my limited Japanese, I only sort-of understood what was going on in the game’s story. That’s partially why it comes as such a shock that people are saying that a recreation of Ground Zero (the former site of New York’s Twin Towers) is in the game. I had no idea!
I know that the Unova, the in-game location right next to this presumed “Ground Zero”, is a lot like New York City (or at least, New York City through the eyes of Japan). However, I’m not so sure that Route 4, the area that some are saying it Pokemon’s Ground Zero, has the same real world connection. Route 4 is definitely ravaged, with remains of skyscrapers strewn about, but according to the Pokemon anime, the desolation there is the result of a fallen meteor, not a terrorist attack.
Still, it does seem like more than a coincidence that Route 4 is located right where Ground Zero would be in relation to Unova (Pokemon White‘s version of New York). Will that be enough for Nintendo to catch flack? If so, do they deserve to catch flack for a slight acknowledgment of Ground Zero’s existence in their “kids game”?
We wont know for sure until the game is released on March 6th, but in the meantime, I’d love to hear what you think.
Pokemon B/W recreates Ground Zero [Tiny Cartridge]
