Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver
Remakes of Gold and Silver for the Nintendo DS.
Pokémon HeartGold Version and Pokémon SoulSilver Version are remakes of the 1999 Game Boy Color titles Pokémon Gold and Silver, released in 2009 for the Nintendo DS. They also incorporate elements from Pokémon Crystal. Developed by Game Freak and published by The Pokémon Company and Nintendo, these games belong to the fourth generation of the Pokémon series. To mark the tenth anniversary of the original Gold and Silver, they launched in Japan on September 12, 2009, with international releases following in March 2010. By March 2014, the two versions had sold a combined 12.72 million copies, ranking them as the eighth best-selling DS games ever.
The games are set in the fictional Johto and Kanto regions, where the player’s main objective is to become the top Pokémon Trainer in both areas. This involves raising and cataloging Pokémon, as well as defeating other trainers. Game director Shigeki Morimoto aimed to honor the experience of players of the earlier games while making it feel fresh for newcomers to the series.
In terms of gameplay, HeartGold and SoulSilver are role-playing games with adventure elements, keeping the core mechanics of their predecessors. The perspective is third-person overhead, with three main screens: an overworld map, a battle screen, and a menu for managing the player’s party, items, and settings. Players start with one Pokémon and can capture more using Poké Balls. When encountering wild Pokémon or being challenged by a trainer, the game switches to a turn-based battle screen. During battle, players can use moves, items, switch Pokémon, or flee (though fleeing is not allowed in trainer battles). Each Pokémon has hit points (HP); when HP reaches zero, the Pokémon faints and must be healed at a Pokémon Center or revived with items or skills. Defeating an opposing Pokémon earns experience points, and leveling up can lead to evolution, either at a certain level or when specific conditions are met.
New features include the ability for the first Pokémon in the player’s party to follow them on the overworld, similar to the mechanic in Pokémon Yellow where Pikachu follows the player. This was also seen in a limited way in Pokémon Diamond, Pearl, and Platinum within Amity Park. Players can talk to their following Pokémon to check its mood, and it may occasionally pick up items. Each game came with a pedometer called a Pokéwalker, allowing p
- Developer
- Game Freak
- Publisher
- The Pokémon Company and Nintendo
- Platform
- Nintendo DS
- Release Date (Japan)
- September 12, 2009
- Release Date (Other Regions)
- March 2010
- Genre
- Role-playing video game
- Director
- Shigeki Morimoto
Lore & Background
Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver take place in the Johto and Kanto Regions of the franchise's fictional universe. The silent protagonist is a young Pokémon Trainer who lives in New Bark Town. The goal is to become the best Trainer in both regions by raising and cataloging Pokémon and defeating other trainers. The games include plot elements from Pokémon Crystal, such as added emphasis on Suicune and the post-ending Battle Frontier. The player battles members of Team Rocket, a criminal organization originally from Kanto, who attempt to contact their boss Giovanni by taking over the radio tower.
Reader's Guide
HeartGold and SoulSilver are significant as remakes that respected the memories of players of the original Gold and Silver while introducing new features for newer players. Director Shigeki Morimoto aimed to balance nostalgia with freshness. New features include a Pokémon following the player in the overworld (echoing Pokémon Yellow), a bundled pedometer called the Pokéwalker, the Pokéathlon minigame using the touchscreen, and the GB Sounds item that changes music to chiptune versions. International releases replaced slot machines with Voltorb Flip, a cross between Minesweeper and Picross. The games also introduced a permanent Running Shoe feature, unique among GB, GBA, and NDS era Pokémon games. Connectivity with Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection allowed trading and battling with players of Diamond, Pearl, and Platinum, and a special mission in Pokémon Ranger: Guardian Signs could send a Deoxys to these games. The games received positive reviews from critics.
Did You Know?
- The games were released in Japan on September 12, 2009, to commemorate the 10th anniversary of Gold and Silver.
- A pedometer called the Pokéwalker was bundled with each copy, allowing players to transfer Pokémon and earn in-game rewards by walking.
- International releases replaced slot machines with a new game called Voltorb Flip, described as a cross between Minesweeper and Picross.
- The games' combined sales reached 12.72 million as of March 2014, making them the eighth best-selling DS video games of all time.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver?
They are 2009 Nintendo DS remakes of the 1999 Game Boy Color titles Pokémon Gold and Silver, made by Game Freak and published by The Pokémon Company and Nintendo. The pair also folds in the storyline that was originally exclusive to the Pokémon Crystal spin-off.
What's new in HeartGold and SoulSilver compared to the original Gold and Silver?
The remakes add a real-time dodging mechanic in battles, a visitable Hoenn region area, updated graphics, and the ability to trade Pokémon from Generation IV titles. They also bring in Crystal's Deoxus encounter and the Elite Four rematch, neither of which appeared in the 1999 originals.
Who is the rival in Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver?
Your rival is named Silver (or Gold, depending on which version you pick) and is driven by an obsession with capturing every Legendary Pokémon. By the end of the story, this rival has earned a spot on the Elite Four, making the final gym battle unusually intense.
What is the Deoxus storyline in HeartGold and SoulSilver?
Deoxus, an alien Pokémon, crash-lands in the Johto region and the player must track it down to a special location and battle it in a one-on-one encounter. This plot was carried over directly from Pokémon Crystal and serves as the game's climactic event.
Why do fans consider HeartGold and SoulSilver a milestone in the franchise?
Launched to celebrate the tenth anniversary of the original Johto games, they bridge the gap between the classic Gold/Silver era and the newer Unova region, and had sold a combined 12.72 million copies by March 2014. They also expanded the National Pokédex to 492 species and introduced the Reversal system for battling.
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