With Pokemon Black and White 2 releasing in stores yesterday, fans everywhere are probably thrilled to return to Nintendo's animal-laden universe.  But PETA just issued an interesting reminder that animal abuse, even one based in a fantasy universe, is bad.

The company released a parody game, which is now playable online, titled Pokemon Black and Blue.  Yes, we're serious.  In the game, you play as a badly injured (but still energetic) Pikachu, as he battles against trainers who have abused him.  But in the Pokemon way, using battle techniques.

"Much like animals in the real world, Pokemon are treated as unfeeling objects and used for such things as human entertainment and as subjects in experiments," stated a PETA rep.  "The way that Pokemon are stuffed into Pokeballs is similar to how circuses chain elephants inside railroad cars and let them out only to perform confusing and often painful tricks that were taught using sharp steel-tipped bullhooks and electric shock prods."

Hey, we're not thrilled with the prospect of animal cruelty either – it's wrong.  But this is just a little…offbeat.  Sort of like when PETA introduced Super Tofu Boy a couple of years back.  (Yes, we're serious.)

Still, if you want to play it, head over to this link. It's free, and though not as engaging as, say, Black or White 2, it has its moments…