Pokemon HeartGold/Soul Silver Review

After the Western World waited with bated breath for the release of Pokemon HeartGold and SoulSilver whilst the Japanese thoroughly enjoyed the new games in the latter months of 2009, the two newest members of the Pokemon series have landed gracefully into our DS slots. Are they an evolution of the Series, or are Nintendo simply milking Pokemon’s popularity?

In simple terms, HGSS are Generation IV (Using the Pearl, Diamond and Platinum engine) remakes of the Generation II titles Pokemon Gold, Silver and Crystal. But, like many remakes, there have been some changes. And let me tell you, they are GOOD changes. The first change I will talk about is the integration with the DS touchscreen capabilities. Unlike in Platinum and it’s predecessors, the control system and layout for HGSS feel much more involving and not the unneeded gimmick that it was in D/PL/PT. However, if you still just want to play Pokemon without using your stylus, you can still do that with ease.

Gameplay wise, the Game follows the same formula as the other Pokemon RPGs in that you wonder around the regions of Johto ,and later Kanto, catching Pokemon, training them and levelling them up, and defeating Gym Leaders and collecting the badges required to take on the Pokemon League. However, a new Gameplay addition called the Pokeathlon! replaces the contest mechanism often seen in previous games. The Pokeathlon is a single player series of DS mini games, that you compete in with your Pokemon and control using the stylus. If you bought the game hoping that the mini-games would be as good as the likes of Wario Ware and Mario Party have offered, prepare to be disappointed, as they are not up to the levels of depth and enjoyment that those titles brought. However, if you came expecting them to be simple nice pokemon-related addons, utilizing the new 3d sprites, then you’ll be very happy with the results

There are many changes implemented in the game which mean it is enough of a change from the originals to be fresh for veterans of the series, but enough familiarity to make it a nice trip down Nostalgia Avenue. Pokemon Silver and Gold are 10 years old now, so it was inevitable that some changes and improvements would be made. The PokeDex has been completely redesigned, to allow for certain Generation IV that can be found now in the Johto region. This is a minor change, of course, but a nice little touch. One of the biggest changes is that now any of the 493 pokemon from Generation I-IV can now follow the trainer around, as Pikachu did in Pokemon Yellow. The player can interact with their Pokémon by pressing ‘A’, and can see how their Pokémon is feeling at the moment. In battle, like Yellow’s Pikachu, they are sent out from the side of the screen, rather than from a Poké Ball, unless in certain situations, such as while riding the bicycle or going into a small space with a big Pokémon. Legendary Pokemon from other regions and games can now be found in HGSS, meaning you can really build an ultimate legendary team by yourself, if you have the patience and time.

Graphically, the game is the most impressive DS game I have played. With Stunningly crisp, bright visuals, even on the old Chunky DS that lacks the backlight of later models. The game also features more impressive 3D rendering in cut-scenes and on the intro screen, with the in-game world having a great 3D look and feel to it as well. However, the overall aesthetic feel is slightly dampened by the fact that we are simply looking at sliding sprites rather than a fully 3D experience. However, I like the Sprites, as they hark back to the old days of Pokemon, but in today’s market, they are beginning to look dated

The Sound is an issue too. Whilst much of the music has been remixed and updated, those same grating battlecries from the original have remained in the game. In those days, we thought they sounded great. However, with Dolby Digital Surround Sound and crisp audio now the mainstay of games rather than the exception, the sound in the game is very dated, and detracts from the experience.

Those of you who have followed the game since it’s announcement, or have bought the retail version, will know about the Pokewalker bundled with it. A Poke-Ball shaped Pedometer, the Pokewalker allows you to store a pokemon and allow it to gain limited experience and morale by walking around with it upon your person. Depending on the route you pick, you will also encounter different types of Pokemon that you can catch and bring back to your main game with you. However, with the 16 Badges and Pokemon League to worry about, you won’t be walking anywhere in quite a while.

The Wi-Fi multiplayer seen in Platinum and it’s predecessors makes a welcome return in HGSS, with all of the features of Friend Codes and Online Battling retained to keep compatibility with the aforementioned games. Pal Park is also retained, meaning you can trade in Pokemon from the GBA games, provided you have a GBA Slot and didn’t waste your money on a DSi .

In conclusion, HGSS are the greatest addition to the Pokemon series of RPGs since the originals first hit our now antique Game Boys. Composed of hours of fun, engaging gameplay, HGSS will be a fixture in your DS slot for weeks and months to come. With very little difference between the two games, just variations in the Pokemon that can be caught, you will have fun with either game. Or you could just buy both, like I did, Just turn the volume down so the grating sound doesn’t irritate!

-Foolish-

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