Why Pokémon HeartGold & SoulSilver Are The Best Games In The Series By Far
By: Michael D'Angelo
Tags: Culture, Game Design, Pokemon, Features, Gaming

Why Pokémon HeartGold & SoulSilver Are The Best Games In The Series By Far

“Gotta Catch’em All”! Who doesn’t know the iconic phrase? Pokémon is a worldwide phenomenon that has taken the entire world by storm. These games have been held in very high regard for many years since Pokémon’s debut all the way back in 1996 with Pokémon Red & Pokémon Green on the Game Boy. At this point in time, the Pokémon series has currently released 18 main series games, and have introduced more than 800 new Pokémon creatures to catch and befriend.

I’ve always been a huge Pokémon fan, ever since I got my hands on Pokémon Yellow Version way back when on my Game Boy Color. Something about exploring a new region, befriending cute critters, and growing along with them has always entranced me. However, up until the more recent games in the series, my passion for these games have begun to dwindle a bit. Sure, the title of the new games says ‘Pokémon’ but it never really felt the same to me.

Even despite playing through the newer games to completion, I never really felt as connected to the series as I once was. I just couldn’t shake the feeling that the newer games really weren’t made for me. They were being targeted towards a newer, and younger audience. These games began to hold my hand way too much, and the game's difficulty slowly declined, to the point where playing began to feel like a chore. Cutscenes litter virtually every corner you turn, leaving no room for your imagination to take shape.

Suffice it to say, I’ve been kind of fed up with the series as of late. But, after cleaning out my closet earlier this week, I stumbled on my old Pokémon SoulSilver DS cartridge. It was a bit battered and beaten up from the countless hours I played it as a kid, but it was a weirdly nice find. After a few seconds, I decided to pop it into my 3DS. This would be the first time I would play this game since I was a kid.

So, does it hold up today?

Yes, it does, and it is easily the best game in the series to date, even after all these years.

What Is Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver?

Pokémon HeartGold and Soulsilver are the Nintendo DS remakes of the original Pokémon Gold and Silver released on the Game Boy in 1999, and offer the same feelings and experiences as the original, while implementing new features, content, and even more Pokémon.

There are so many incredible aspects of this game that I’m sure many either miss, or have never experienced before, but let’s start with some of my absolute favorite aspects of this stellar Pokémon title.

Region Design

If there is one thing that I truly adore about this game it has to be its region design. This particular Pokémon region, Johto, is based on the Kyoto region of Japan. In the real-world, Kyoto is full of ancient towers and structures and is a city full of rich tradition and folklore, and its infrastructure is one of the most well-known around the world. When comparing Pokémon’s Johto region to its real-world counterpart Kyoto, the resemblance is uncanny.

Pokémon HeartGold & SoulSilver Ecruteak City (Left) and Kyoto, Japan (Right)

This inspiration is further emphasized in the game’s Ecruteak City, which is a city that completely embraces more historical Japanese infrastructure. This is by far one of my favorite cities in the entirety of the Pokémon series and pays homage to where the Pokémon series originated, Japan. Featuring Kimono girls, mediums, and its own set of Pokémon-themed folklore, this city represents Kyoto’s most beautiful aspects.

This infrastructure can be found all over the region, and it gives players a sense of wonder and makes the region feel incredibly unique. From the way this region is represented, it shows that the region is moving towards the future while trying to stay rooted in its past. This is a subtle type of worldbuilding, that is so engaging and keeps you immersed in the region’s lore and history.

Continuing an Old Story

Playing Through a Different Version of Kanto

Since Pokémon Gold and Silver were direct sequels to Pokémon Red and Green, there were bound to be loads of easter eggs, callbacks, references, and direct storylines that further the story of the original games, all while telling a completely new and fresh story. The remakes definitely make good on this promise and offer a story that satisfies old and new players alike.

Taking place 2 years after the events of the original Pokémon Red and Green, the world has changed quite a bit. Once you gain access to the Kanto region, you get to explore the region and see first hand how things have changed since you last played through the region in the original Pokémon games.

Saffron City (Image: Bulbapedia)

As you play through the game, we see how the characters have grown, and how the world around them has changed as well. Gym Leaders are much older and more experienced. Iconic locations from the original games have either disappeared or have been remodeled. Cities contain new facilities and activities that weren’t present before. These changes not only give older players a chance to return and experience the region with fresh eyes, but it also allows new players to get a taste of what made the original games so special.

Music

National Park, Source: (aminoapps.com)

Pokémon music has always been amazing, and every main series game has its stand-out tracks. However, I’m actually referring to how these games remix the tracks from the original Pokemon Gold and Pokemon Silver games they were based on, all while keeping the core aspects that made them special, to begin with.

The remixes of the original Gold and Silver tracks are absolutely spectacular and even despite the Nintendo DS’s hardware limitations, the musical compositions had much more depth and represented the songs in a way that I believe the developers wanted since the originals all those years ago. The composers definitely added their own unique spin on these iconic tracks and made them even more memorable.

Not only do we have a complete soundtrack for the Johto region, but since this game also functions as a pseudo-sequel of Pokémon Red and Green we also have a complete soundtrack for the Kanto region. Kanto songs are back and better than ever, and these remakes breathe more life into their original 8-bit counterparts.

However, the developers understood that many players would’ve loved to experience the game with music that sounded more like the original and implemented a feature into the game called ‘GB Sounds’. This allowed players to listen to the classic songs from the original instead of the remixed songs. These GB sounds were also re-recorded for a better listening experience for players.

Your Pokémon Follow You + Unique Minigames

There is nothing better than having your Pokémon follow you. These games are the only ones in the series that let you walk with your Pokémon. Sure, you had Pokémon Yellow Version and the newer Let’s Go Pikachu and Let’s Go Eevee games, but this game allowed you to walk with Pokémon from Generation 1 all the way until Generation 4 (which was 493 at the time). Yup, the developers designed all 493 Pokémon to walk alongside you throughout your entire journey.

Never have I felt more connected to my precious Pokémon than I have when playing this game. It also felt like this game valued the connection with your team much more as well. In this game, you get to participate in loads of different activities with your Pokémon that doesn’t involve battling at all.

The Pokéathelon was such a treat to experience for the first time, and it is still a joy to play even now as an adult. The Pokéathelon was an Olympic style tournament where you and your Pokémon get to participate in various minigames, such as Relay Races, Hurdle Dashes, Disk Catch, and Circle Push, just to name a few.

Pokéathelon Competition, Source: (aminoapps.com)

These minigames made use of each Pokémon’s differing stats, and these stats would determine how they would perform in the minigames.

There was also the PokéWalker accessory that acted as a pedometer that allowed players to walk with their Pokémon in real-life! These fun minigames help you bond with your creatures in a way that no other feature has come close to in the newer generations.

Massive Post-Game Content

If there is one thing to really write home about when it comes to Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver, it has to be its incredibly expansive post-game content. No other Pokémon game to date can compare to this game in this regard. Not one.

After you defeat the Elite Four, as well as the main story, you can do all of the following:

Venture to Bell Tower and Capture the Legendary Pokémon Ho-Oh.

Explore Mt.Silver and Capture Moltres + Battle Pokémon Trainer Red

Explore Cerulean Cave and Capture Mewtwo

Fight the Master Dragon Trainers with Your Rival

Track Down The Legendary Dog Trio and Capture Them

Explore Seafoam Islands.

Explore The Entirety of the Kanto Region + Battle all 8 of its Gym Leaders

Explore different facilities such as Pal Park, Battle Frontier, Safari Zone, and the Pokeathelon.

Participate in daily events in National Park.

Rematching the Elite Four after collecting all 16 badges.

This is just a fraction of the sheer amount of post-game content available in this game, and you could easily pour tons of hours in the game, and still have plenty to do.

Conclusion

One word that I would use to describe the development team during the creation of this game, is incredibly passionate. It is very apparent from the minute details, extra content included, as well as the many additional features present in the final product that the team was fully invested in providing players an unforgettable experience.

In order to show you what I mean, I’ll leave you with a quote from Tsunekazu Ishihara, from the team behind the development of Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver in an IwataAsks interview. Tsunekazu Ishihara had this to say about the development of the game:

“We were very greedy with the features we put in” — Tsunekazu Ishihara

Although I feel that the newer Pokémon games have failed to live up to the older games in terms of the passion behind them, I won’t deny that they bring happiness to millions of new players every year, and I could never complain about that. But, when it comes to a definitive Pokémon experience that would satisfy both old and new players alike, you can’t top Pokémon HeartGold and Silver! Thank you for attending my TED Talk :)