The Battle Subway (Japanese: バトルサブウェイBattle Subway) is a facility found in Pokémon Black and White, and is the Unova equivalent of the Battle Tower. The Battle Subway facility, Gear Station, is located in Nimbasa City.
Seven of the subway Lines involve battling. Like the Generation IV Battle Tower, the player may participate in single battles, double battles, multi battles, or Wi-Fi battles. In each mode, the player must defeat seven Trainers in a row (two Trainers at a time in multi battles) to earn Battle Points. Afterwards, the player can continue battling or return to Nimbasa City. The player's total win streak is reported after each battle, and the player's current win streaks and Battle Points can be viewed in the Vs. Recorder.
The single, double, and multi battle modes contain two Lines: the Normal Line and the Super Line. In the Normal Line, the opponents only use Generation V Pokémon, and the Subway Boss can be challenged in the 21st battle. After defeating the Subway Boss, the Line ends and the player is returned to Nimbasa City.
The Super Line is unlocked after defeating the Normal Line's Subway Boss. In this mode, the opponents use fully evolved Pokémon from all five generations. After 48 battles, the Subway Boss can be challenged once again.
All Pokémon are set to level 50 on the Battle Subway, unlike previous Generations this also includes Pokémon below level 50. Like all battle facilities, if a consumable item is used, it will be restored at the end of the battle. Unlike previous battling facilities, the player does not automatically lose if both Trainers' last Pokémon faint simultaneously; instead, the Trainer whose Pokémon fell first loses.
Battle Points
When finishing a streak of 7, the player is awarded with a set number of Battle Points. These vary throughout both the Normal Lines and the Super Lines.
Normal
Streak
BP
1-7
3
8-14
3
15-21
10
Super
Streak
BP
1-7
5
8-14
6
15-21
7
22-28
8
29-35
9
36-42
10
43-49
30
50+
10
Exchangeable items
The Exchange Service Corner is located within each train platform (excluding the Anville Town line). The player can buy various goods with Battle Points won from the facility.
For every time a Trainer is defeated and the player advances to the next cabin, a sound effect or beat is added to the background music. At the first cabin of every train, only the sound of train tracks is played. Subsequently, jingles, bongo drum beats, and a bass tune are added, until the last (seventh) cabin, where a soft melody can be heard in the background.
Partners
In the multi battle lines, the player can team up with another player via wireless or infrared. Otherwise, the player can team up with the NPC Hilbert or Hilda, depending on the player's gender. The NPC asks what kind of team they prefer to team up with, based on attack, defense or balance, and adjust their team accordingly.
Pokémon
Banned Pokémon
Regardless of what challenge is taken, the following Pokémon are not allowed:
The Battle Subway appears in the anime as typical public transportation for the citizens of Nimbasa City, as well as featuring Battle Trains that Trainers may battle on. Gear Station made a short cameo in Meowth's Scrafty Tactics! as Jessie and James began the next phase of their mission. They continued their mission on into Purrloin: Sweet or Sneaky?, BW045, and BW046. In BW045 their actions were noticed by Emmet and his brother Ingo through their security office. In BW046, the twins set out to find the cause of the disturbances and they caught a glimpse of Team Rocket, but lost them among the shadows of the subway tunnels.
In BW047 and BW048, Ash, Iris, Cilan, and Meowth used the Battle Subway trains as a means of transport to reach the Pokémon Center. After the train was stopped, due to Team Rocket tampering with the rail switches, the group met Emmet and Ingo. While they were resting at the Pokémon Center, Team Rocket executed their scheme to steal all the Pokémon at the Pokémon Center, and used the Battle Subway as a medium for transporting them. They used their own specialized train, and were able to create balloon-like duplicates to throw off Emmet and Ingo's security center computer which monitors all trains currently on the rails. Ash, Iris, and Cilan were then assigned to use the maintenance trains to find Team Rocket and retrieve the stolen Pokémon. When things got rough, Ingo and Emmet joined them, using Emmet's Eelektross as a super-charged power supply for the maintenance train.
In BW051, a Stamp Rally was held, offering the prize of an opportunity to battle the Subway Bosses. Cilan entered the challenge, and after he completed the collection and helped Ingo and Emmet reunite a lost Axew with her Trainer, he partners with Ash to battle the twins. They faced Ingo and Emmet's Chandelure and Eelektross, but lost.
