Pokémon Gold & Silver vs. Pokémon Black 2 & White 2: Full Comparison

Pokémon Gold & Silver are two of the most popular Pokémon games of all time, releasing in the early days of the franchise. While it was Pokémon Red, Green & Blue that kicked off the series’ popularity, Gold & Silver went on to ensure it stayed in the public consciousness beyond its initial hype.

So how do they hold up against some of the later iterations? To compare, we’re taking a look at Pokémon Gold & Silver alongside Black 2 & White 2, to see if any of these games are still worth playing in 2023!

Pokémon Gold & Silver vs. Pokémon Black 2 & White 2: Release Year and Platforms

Pokémon Gold & Silver were the first games in Generation II of the franchise, releasing in 1999, three years after Red, Green & Blue. This three-year gap led fans to crave more Pokémon action, resulting in even more massive success. The games were later followed by Pokémon Crystal a year later, all coming out as flagship titles for the Game Boy Color.

Comparatively, Pokémon Black 2 & White 2 were the second set of releases in Generation V. Not only were the games themselves set two years after the events of Pokémon Black & White, but they were also released two years later in 2012. They went on to become the final Pokémon games ever released for the Nintendo DS, pushing the hardware to its limit. Pokémon X & Y would later follow up on the Nintendo 3DS a year later.

Pokémon Gold & Silver vs. Pokémon Black 2 & White 2: Sales

When comparing the sales of Pokémon Gold & Silver with Black & White 2, it’s clear that these releases were in a totally different stratosphere from one another.

First off, there’s Pokémon Gold & Silver, which sold around 23.7 million copies. Even for the wildly successful Pokémon franchise, that’s still a mammoth release – the second most successful ever for the series, in fact.

Meanwhile, Pokémon Black 2 & White 2 sold just 8.5 million copies. Make no mistake – most releases can only dream of these sorts of figures. But for Pokémon, it feels a little underwhelming. There are certainly a few reasons for this, which we’ll get into soon enough.

Pokémon Gold & Silver vs. Pokémon Black 2 & White 2: Available Pokémon

In terms of available Pokémon, Gold & Silver and Black 2 & White 2 is actually a really interesting comparison.

With Pokémon Gold & Silver, it was only expanding upon the original 151 Pokémon found in Red, Green & Blue. This meant that Game Freak had plenty of interesting designs and ideas, which some of the latter games were accused of lacking.

Meanwhile, Pokémon Black 2 & White 2 technically add no new Pokémon. As follow-ups to Pokémon Black & White, that is where the new Generation of species were added. It’s a shame that Black 2 & White 2 couldn’t add even further to the collection, as Generation V was already a particularly large roster.

Here’s every Pokémon you can expect to find in the Pokédexes of Gold & Silver and Black 2 & White 2:

Gold & Silver Pokémon

Black 2 & White 2 Pokémon

Pokémon Gold & Silver vs. Pokémon Black 2 & White 2: Main Characters

The Pokémon series is notorious for following a very similar structure in terms of story and characters. Pokémon Gold & Silver and Black 2 & White 2 are arguably some of the biggest offenders in this regard.

Beginning with the protagonists, Pokémon Gold & Silver make you play as Ethan, with no choice in gender. They were the last games in the series to take this route, and Pokémon Black 2 & White 2 is different. There, you can choose between Nate or Rosa. Sadly, there’s no customization in either, with this feature being introduced from Pokémon X & Y a year later. Still, the ability to choose gives Pokémon Black 2 & White 2 the edge here.

In terms of the supporting characters, Pokémon Gold & Silver suffers from a particularly small cast. You have your rival, Silver, as well as Professor Elm. But beyond those, there aren’t too many memorable characters to speak of here. Pokémon Black 2 & White 2 suffer from similar issues, if not quite to the same degree. You’ve got Professor Juniper to kick off your adventure, as well as your rival, Hugh. However, there’s a strong cast of antagonists such as Ghetsis, Zinzolin, and Colress to provide a more menacing villain throughout the game. Because of this, Pokémon Black 2 & White 2 have the overall advantage in terms of characters.

Pokémon Gold & Silver vs. Pokémon Black 2 & White 2: Pros and Cons

Pokémon Gold & Silver Pros

• Nostalgia
• Faster-paced gameplay due to smaller scale
• Less complex meta than Black 2 & White 2

Pokémon Gold & Silver Cons

• Graphics and gameplay feel very dated in 2023

Pokémon Black 2 & White 2 Pros

• Expanded map from Pokémon Black & White
• PokéStar Studios side activity
• Pokémon World Tournament brings back powerful trainers from games past
• Best-looking sprites the series has ever seen

Pokémon Black 2 & White 2 Cons

• No new Pokémon from Pokémon Black & White
• Not much innovation in the gameplay, and as a result these games feel stale
• Generic story

As a general rule of thumb, Pokémon is a series that has improved with most iterations. This is due to its formula remaining consistent over the years. However, Pokémon Black 2 & White 2 are two of the more generic titles in the series overall. We’d probably still take them over Gold & Silver, but it’s a close one here.

Pokémon Gold & Silver vs. Pokémon Black 2 & White 2: The Final Details

Okay – we’ve explored a lot about these titles at this point. However, we’ve not quite covered everything you need to know.

Another major difference between these titles is the regions. Pokémon Gold & Silver place you in the region of Johto, which takes its inspiration from Japanese locations. You can also travel to Kanto, as found in the original games. Unfortunately, the age of these games really show in these regions, which lack in detail and scale, to some degree. Compare this with Pokémon Black 2 & White 2‘s Unova region, which is based on New York City. The region was also the setting of Pokémon Black & White, and was expanded in the sequels. The level of detail here is extremely impressive, pushing the Nintendo DS to its limits. It’s just a ton more fun to explore in Pokémon Black 2 & White 2 when compared to Gold & Silver.

Another key detail we have to look at is the gym leaders. Across the Pokémon series, gym leaders are used as a benchmark for your team’s progress during the game. With eight Gym Badges to collect in each, you are tested against a ton of different Pokémon types, making you think about team composition. Here are the gym leaders you’ll meet while playing Pokémon Gold & Silver and Black 2 & White 2.

Pokémon Gold & Silver Gym Leaders

Pokémon Black 2 & White 2 Gym Leaders

Once you get the gym leaders out of the way, all of these games have one last challenge: the Elite Four. Most Pokémon games use the Elite Four as a way to test the strength and composition of your team, with a series of battles that will serve as a formidable challenge for even the smartest of Pokémon Trainers. Pokémon Gold & Silver and Black 2 & White 2 are no different in this regard.

Here’s all of the Elite Four battles you’ll face while playing these games:

Pokémon Gold & Silver Elite Four

Pokémon Black 2 & White 2 Elite Four

There you have it – everything you need to decide between Pokémon Gold & Silver and Black 2 & White 2 in 2023. Still can’t choose? Check out the rest of our Pokémon comparisons to see everything the series has to offer new and returning players!