Does The New Pokémon Copy NYC, Ground Zero And All?

New Pokémon game Pokémon: Black and White is set in the fictional Unova. According to the game’s designer Junichi Masuda, it’s modeled after New York, complete with Brooklyn Bridge, Financial District and Ground Zero?

Certainly looks that way, evident by this map. As blogger Brad O’Farrell points out, Pokémon: Black and White’s Unova map lines up pretty well with an actual New York City map. So, the in-game Hiun City looks like the Financial District, the Sky Arrow Bridge is — according to the game’s designer — The Brooklyn Bridge leading to a Brooklynesque Shippou City, a Midtown entertainment district, and there’s a park smack dab in the centre.

But above the financial district, it’s a barren wasteland of rubble and destroyed buildings. O’Farrell notes what gamers have been saying previously: that it is Ground Zero.

That seems to be the Pokémon take on one of the sites where the events of September 11 transpired. The location is littered with construction equipment, and there are construction workers and diggers that players can challenge to a Pokebattle. However, in the game, the damage was not done by terrorists. The Black and White anime says that the area was destroyed by a meteor.

Previous Pokémon games were modelled after Yokohama and Tokyo’s Shinjuku, among other real world locations. However, this is the first Pokemon game is be based on a locale outside of Japan. Kotaku is following up with Nintendo to clarify whether or not this area is in fact inspired by Ground Zero.

Pokémon: Black and White will be released next spring in North America.

It’s Already Been Confirmed [Brad OFarrell Reblogs LOLCats]