Pokémon White DS box art

Nintendo DS · RPG

Pokémon White

Deep cut

SystemNintendo DS
Released2010
GenreRPG
DeveloperGame Freak
PublisherNintendo
Players1–2 players
CommitmentEpic journey (20+ hours of adventure)
SeriesPokémon
LegacyDeep cut · legacy score 2

Developed by Game Freak and published by Nintendo, Pokémon White arrived on the Nintendo DS in 2010 as a role-playing game.

It landed about 6 years into the DS's life. Other notable DS releases from 2010 include Dragon Quest IX, Golden Sun: Dark Dawn and Ōkamiden.

It is part of the Pokémon series; on the DS you can also try Pokémon Platinum, Pokémon Trozei! and Pokémon Black. The series also appears on other systems with Pokémon Yellow (Game Boy) and Pokémon Emerald (GBA).

Pokémon White supports up to 2 players, whether that means taking turns or going head-to-head.

Pick it if…

  • you want to get lost in a long quest
  • you have time for an epic journey (20+ hours of adventure)
  • you have a friend to play against
  • you've played the DS hits and want something less obvious

Maybe skip it if…

  • you want instant action rather than menus, story and grinding
  • you only have a few minutes at a time

What playing Pokémon White is like

Role-playing games trade reflexes for strategy and story. You build a party, level up, manage equipment and travel across a large world, usually through menu-based battles.

Tip for newcomers: Retro RPGs can require some level grinding and rarely tell you exactly where to go next. Talk to every townsperson, save often and use a guide if you get stuck: there is no shame in it.

Pokémon White gameplay screenshot on DS
In-game screenshot (DS)

Pokémon White cheats & codes

75 codes on file (Action Replay DS). Here are a few Action Replay DS codes to start with:

000:00:0002256FF4 00000000
999:59:5902256FF4 3B3B03E7
Male22234FED 00000000
Female22234FED 00000001
Remove Shiny Lock92018790 00004044 12018790 000046C0 D2000000 00000000
Disable 3D Edge Marking521891A8 43082020 221891A8 00000010 D2000000 00000000

See all Pokémon White cheats

Pokémon White walkthroughs & guides

Stuck, or want to go deeper? These trusted sites have full walkthroughs, completion times and more for Pokémon White.

If you like Pokémon White, the Matrix also picks…

Playing DS games today

Many DS games rely on the touchscreen and stylus, so they play best on original hardware, a 3DS, or an emulator with mouse or touch input such as Rec0m88. The library is enormous, which makes a recommendation engine especially handy.

Pokémon White FAQ

When did Pokémon White come out on the DS?

Pokémon White was released for the Nintendo DS in 2010.

Who made Pokémon White?

It was developed by Game Freak and published by Nintendo.

Is Pokémon White multiplayer?

Yes. Pokémon White supports up to 2 players.

How long does Pokémon White take to play?

As a role-playing game, Pokémon White typically falls into the "Epic journey" category: 20+ hours of adventure. Your time will vary with skill and how much you explore.

Read more about Pokémon White on Wikipedia. Facts on this page are compiled from the open libretro database and Wikidata; "legacy score" reflects how widely a game is documented across Wikipedia's language editions. Spotted an error? Let us know.

Not sure? Let the Matrix pick for you