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Forget Pokemon Black and White 2, PETA's Pokemon game really gets to the heart of the matter

Who is this 'Peter' fellow, anyway?

Forget Pokemon Black and White 2, PETA's Pokemon game really gets to the heart of the matter
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DS + 3DS + DSi
| Pokemon Black/White 2

We've seen plenty of weird video game parodies from animal rights activist group PETA over the years, including a Super Meat Boy game and a take on Cooking Mama.

The organisation's latest release, however, may just be its best. Pokemon Black & Blue is, quite obviously, a parody of Pokemon Black and White 2, which we absolutely adored.

So, what exactly is PETA's beef with Nintendo's monster-battling cultural phenomenon?

Well, PETA isn't happy about the idea of young children roaming the world, forcing animals to do their bidding for them by beating one another up. Of course.

Anyways, PETA's Pokemon Black & Blue is actually really well made - it has the Pokemon turn-based game mechanics down to a tee, and it even has a few jokes thrown in here and there that show there are certainly SOME Pokemon fans over at PETA HQ.

The Mudkips joke, in particular, made me laugh out loud, while the nod to Snorlax definitely took me back to my younger days.

Putting my cynical journo cap on for a second, though, it's hard to believe that this is anything but a publicity stunt. To the trained eye, you see, it would appear that PETA is just attempting to ride the Pokemon wave of popularity.

Forget about all the weird choke collars, tail dockings, and buckets of blood in Pokemon Black & Blue: it's clear that the creator of this little game does actually have a soft spot for Pokemon, and that it's merely using this moment in the spotlight to draw attention to its causes.

So, go give it a play and appreciate just how much effort has actually been put into it. Then, perhaps have a laugh at how misguided the message behind it actually is.

Mike Rose
Mike Rose
An expert in the indie games scene, Mike comes to Pocket Gamer as our handheld gaming correspondent. He is the author of 250 Indie Games You Must Play.