Pokémon Black and White beta

Like previous major releases, especially those that set a new generation, went through multiple development stages, many of which included several elements that were eventually dropped or revised before the games' release. Some of these components can still be found within their internal data.
==Pre-release==
===Pokémon names===
According to Ken Sugimori in an interview, 's Japanese name was originally ラッコマル Rakkomaru.Page 5 of interview with Game Freak, hosted on Nintendo's official website (Japanese, archived) The name may be a combination of ラッコ rakko (sea otter) and 丸 maru (round; a common suffix in male Japanese names).
===First partner selection screen===
The sprite used in the first partner Pokémon selection screen for is different in some early videos. The prototype sprite has a more triangular hind foot, with only one being visible on the sprite, and slightly different shading. Also, the silhouettes of the unselected first partner Pokémon are lighter compared to the final.
===VS Sprites===
Early VS sprites for and Cheren can be seen in an early video which was broadcasted on Pokémon Sunday. Whilst Cheren's VS sprite has a few minor alteration with his eyes and shading, Hilbert's sprite received a complete overhaul. An early VS sprite for Bianca, lacking her Xtransceiver, was shown in the early video footage that came with an issue of Dengeki Nintendo DS.
In 's first appearance in a promotional video, its stripes were mirrored. However, this was not long-lived, as it was changed to its current appearance in the next video.
File:Beta Hilbert VS sprite.png|'s prototype VS sprite
File:Beta Cheren VS sprite.png|Cheren's prototype VS sprite
File:Beta Bianca VS sprite.png|Bianca's prototype VS sprite
File:BW Prerelease double battle.png|'s prototype front sprite
===Sprites===
One of the C-Gear prerelease appearances showed a with a different sprite than it currently does.
===Music===
In some early footage of , The Dreamyard can be heard playing instead of the correspondent seasonal variant of Route 4.
===Region name===
Some in (specifically and ) used pre-release box art using the name Alleos for the region as opposed to its final English name, Unova. This name was also used at pre-release and post-release demo events in the United Kingdom.
===Locations===
====Castelia City====
In several pre-release screenshots and video footage, Castelia City's texture is noticeably different from the final version, with at least four different variations seen before the final release.
File:BW Prerelease City.png|Image released on April 15, 2010
File:Black White City.png|Animated view presented by Pokémon Sunday on April 18, 2010
File:BW Prerelease Castelia City 2.png|Footage from the June 27, 2010 trailer that was broadcasted on Oha Suta
File:BW Prerelease Castelia City 3.png|Image from a Pokemon.co.jp video
File:BW Prerelease Castelia City.png|Image released on May 14, 2010
File:BW Prerelease Castelia City 6.png|Another image from a Pokemon.co.jp video
====Chargestone Cave====
Pre-release screenshots of Chargestone Cave show rocks lying around the cave to be of a different shape and having a darker tone with less glow compared to the final version.
====Skyarrow Bridge====
On an early screenshot of within Skyarrow Bridge, a female can be seen. This Backpacker was replaced by an in the final release. However, in Pokémon Black 2 and White 2, exactly the same spot is occupied by a Backpacker, just like in the screenshot. In addition, two pre-release screeshots of Skyarrow Bridge depict a slightly different skyline of Castelia City.
File:BW Prerelease Bridge lookout.png|Early image of Skyarrow Bridge
File:BW Prerelease Bridge.png|Second early image of Skyarrow Bridge
====Pokémon Center====
When buying items at a Pokémon Center, the part of the screen where the can be seen is rotated.
===Dream World===
On early videos of Dream World, a Pikachu could be seen being encountered in the game and also later at Entree Forest indicating that it had been befriended. In the final versions, Pikachu cannot be encountered in any location in-game or in the Dream World, and the only way to catch one is transferring via the Poké Transfer.
==Post-release==
===Items===
Since the engine that powers the games is improved upon that of the Generation IV games, all items from Generation IV, including Poké Balls, Key Items and , are present in the internal data, with the exception of HM07 and HM08, which are now blank space "?" items. However, most of these items are unobtainable. Other leftover items, like the , are specific to and can be likewise obtained through modification of the saved game or cheating. Additionally, the Dragon Skull has a description but the player cannot look at it in-game since they are made to hand the Skull in before they can view the description.
Key God Stone Sprite.png|God Stone
===Hidden Abilities===
Some Pokémon are programmed to have Hidden Abilities in Generation V, but cannot legally obtain them. These Abilities may have been distributed in a later generation or are currently still not obtainable. The 's line Hidden Ability was changed between Generation V and Generation VI in favor of .
===Shiny Pokémon===
Every Pokémon in the game are programmed to have a variant, but some of them cannot be obtained legally. These Shiny Pokémon may have been distributed in a later generation or are currently still not obtainable.
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===Locations===
====P2 Laboratory====
If the uses the "walk through walls" cheat, enters the P2 Laboratory and keeps walking down, there will be an untextured room with a few tables in it.
This seems to be an early version of Nuvema Town with both an incorrect tile set and building set. It also has different movement permissions. For whatever reason it is placed on the same map matrix as the P2 Laboratory interior.
====Nacrene City====
A different version of Nacrene Museum exists in the game. It contains vastly different textures and modified movement permissions.
===Unused text===
Several lines of unused weather effect text appear within the internal data of . Notably, quotes for exist within the text, implying that fog functionality was planned to exist in Black and White. While the final game does include foggy locations, such as , the fog weather condition does not appear in battles.
Fog crept up as thick as soup!
The fog lifted.
The sandstorm rages.
The hail crashes down.
===Unused Mystery Gift text===
The game contains various placeholder text of the Mystery Gift covering as far into the future as 2020 for any possible Mystery Gift events in Generation V.
===Anti-Piracy===
The game will freeze at random intervals and prevent Pokémon from gaining experience points if it detects it is being played on an emulator or flash cart making progressing in the game past a certain level impossible.
==References==
==See also==
de:Pokémon Schwarz und Weiß (Vorabversion)
it:Pokémon Nero e Bianco beta