The towns and cities of a Pokémon region are often the lifeblood of that region and its respective games. The right attitude, vibe, or design aesthetic on the towns and cities can influence the feeling of the entire generation. That’s why it’s so important that each city has a clear, distinct design that is conveyed easily to the player.
Black and White, the original Generation V games, had a wide variety of different towns, each with their own personality. Black 2 and White 2, the sequels, added a few more locations to Unova, including a couple of towns. Here are all the towns across both games, ranked.
18 Accumula
Every game has its “second town” that the player will have to visit as they start their adventure. There’s the “starting town,” where the player’s house is, typically a village with not much in it. But the second town is where things start to go down.
Accumula is the town that plays this role in Unova. It’s nice, but it’s boring, like many second towns. The multiple levels are cool, but most towns in Unova have something like this.
17 Nuvema
Speaking of the starting towns, Nuvema also finds itself near the bottom of this list. It’s the starting town in Black and White, while players in Black 2 and White 2 will start in Aspertia instead.
Nuvema is unremarkable. It’s just three houses with a larger building in the back. It’s almost as boring as Accumula, but it gets some points for its cool seaside dock aesthetic. Like many towns, it’s better in the anime.
16 Mistralton
Mistralton is the home of Skyla, a gym leader who specializes in Flying-type Pokémon. This aviation theme is present throughout the town itself as well, as it’s home to a large airport. The design is cool, but it doesn’t have much else going on.
One thing that’s kind of cool about Mistralton is that it grows vegetables along the runway. That’s some sustainable use of space.
15 Lentimas
Lentimas is like the cooler version of Mistralton. It also has just a few buildings and a small airport, meaning it’s mostly the same. But, Lentimas is designed like a desert town with cool buildings and clear motifs.
Nearby is the base of Reversal Mountain, which is home to the Strange House, so that’s kind of fun.
14 Virbank
Virbank City is definitely a cool place, but the idea is overdone. It’s one of the newer locations that was added in Black 2 and White 2 and home to Roxie, a new gym leader who specializes in the Poison-type. It has a few raised platforms and a port. Both of these have been used several times in the Pokémon universe, for example in Sunyshore in Sinnoh.
13 Floccesy
There isn’t a much more boring place in Unova than Floccesy Town. Located in the southwest of the region, this town is only noteworthy for being the home of former Champion, Alder.
He can be battled here after the main story of the game. The interesting part of Floccesy is in the Pledge Grove at its northern end.
12 Aspertia
This small city is the starting city for the player in the sequel games. Interestingly, it’s the first time a gym has been located in the starting hometown of the game. The design here is modern and somewhat interesting. The trees surrounding the entire city is a nice touch that adds some visual interest. However, it’s overall pretty basic.
11 Anville
Remember the train station in Thomas the Tank Engine? That building seems to have made its way to the Unova region, now being located in the north end of Anville Town.
Jokes aside, it’s an interesting feature for an otherwise featureless town. The main purpose of Anville Town is related to the Battle Subway, and not much else, but it’s still somewhat interesting. At least it’s something different, for once.
10 Striaton
Like many buildings in real life, Straiton is saved by a nice garden. The eastern half of the city is alright, featuring a few buildings, with a couple that are a little interesting.
But, the western half is the real prize winner here. It has a large garden with glassy ponds, beautiful trees, and a nice central fountain.
9 Nacrene
Home to Normal-type gym leader (and notoriously difficult challenge) Lenora, Nacrene is a pretty cool city. The buildings and terrain here have a clear design connection, and the surrounding forest is really nice. Nacrene’s gem is the Museum, where the gym is located.
Here, trainers can see fossils and even revive some of them. The entire town is built in old warehouses, and it’s home to a large artist community.
8 Lacunosa
An ancient town with old traditions, Lacunosa is a very interesting place. First, its design is gorgeous, with the beige and blue color scheme a stunning one and the elevated bridge a great landmark.
It’s said that the legendary dragon, Kyurem, once terrorized this town. As a result, they built a wall around it to keep the monster out. Even though this is now disproven, the walls still stand and the residents still share the old stories.
7 Icirrus
Generation V introduced seasons to the games, with some places changing based on whether there is sun or snow. Icirrus finds itself this high on the list because it utilizes this weather system better than most other cities in Unova.
In summer, the town is completely different than it is in the winter, where snow will give access to different spots. Many of the buildings are built on high ground to avoid the wetlands.
6 Undella
Need a quiet break from the hustle and bustle of Unova’s busy towns? Undella Town is calling your name. This beachside resort town is beautiful and relaxing. It is mostly inhabited in the summer when visitors like Sinnoh’s Champion Cynthia come to visit. It’s a very nice place.
5 Opelucid
This historic city is an interesting one for a couple reasons. First, it is a completely modern place in a city that actually dates very far back into history, and it seamlessly blends old and new. It’s also the first time the gym leader changes based on game version. In the sequels, Kyurem freezes the city, making it look completely different than its original appearance.
4 Driftveil
This ocean port city is one of the earliest big cities the player will visit in Black and White. It is somewhat of a beginning gate to the rest of the region. It’s a fascinating city with a lot on offer.
There’s a bustling market, connection to a beautiful bridge, and a ton of cool buildings. It’s also home to the Cold Storage in Black and White and the Pokémon World Tournament in the sequels.
3 Humilau
Exclusive to Black 2 and White 2, Humilau is a really great city with a cool gym leader. It’s a beachside town that floats on the water, with a cool pier and several buildings all lining the ocean’s edge. It’s an interesting idea that is admittedly a bit similar to Pacifidlog Town in Hoenn, but still very cool.
It’s hard not to love a water-locked town like this one, the sun, the crystal clear water, the surf, what’s not to like?
2 Nimbasa
There are so many wonderful things about Nimbasa City. Its famous soundtrack is beloved by fans, the flashy, colorful amusement park is a spectacle, and it’s home to one of the hardest gym leaders in series history. Honestly, there’s not much to dislike about Nimbasa City at all.
The main entrance of the Battle Subway is here, as is a fun Musical Theater. It’s also home to the Battle Institute, the Big Stadium and Small Court, and a fantastic Ferris Wheel.
1 Castelia
Castelia City takes the top spot here, both because it’s a great city and because it’s the first big metropolis the average Pokémon player will encounter. Sure, places like Goldenrod and Lilycove are large cities, but Castelia really feels like one. It’s home to huge skyscrapers, countless businesses, a long procession of suits on their commute, and a ton of hidden nooks, crannies, and alleyways.
It’s Pokémon city design at its absolute best, and it has hardly been matched since.
NEXT: Pokémon: The 10 Most Interesting Unique Type Combinations, Ranked
