Pokemon HeartGold Version

Pokémon - HeartGold Version is the alternate to the SoulSilver Version and both were released on the Nintendo DS all the way back in 1999. These games were released 10 years after the original versions on the Game Boy Color so think of them as an enhanced remake rather than a brand-new game.

Welcome To Kanto!

The game is set in the Kanto region and this is one of my favorite regions of any Pokémon game. The story is exactly what you would expect. You start off as a rookie Pokémon Trainer, you pick your Pokémon (anyone other than Totodile is a wrong choice by the way) and then you start your journey to become the best Pokémon trainer the world has ever seen.

The story is what you would expect from a Pokémon game and as a fan of the series I do not mean that as a huge negative. The game does add in elements from Pokémon Crystal so the story is a little different from what it was like on the Game Boy Color. I like the way Team Rocket is handled in this game, with them looking to make a comeback and also the focus on a different Legendary Pokémon is kind of cool as well.

Pokémon Are Pretty

As Pokémon - HeartGold Version was released 10 years after the original and on hardware that was much more advanced. As you would expect this game offers quite the visual upgrade. It has that same Nintendo DS look that all the Pokémon games on that console have, but that is not a bad thing. If you played the original, you will get a real kick out of how recognizable the areas are as well as the Pokémon of course. However, the level of detail here is a million times better and you will really like that.

Anything New?

As this is a remake Game Freak has added a few new things that are cool. In all honesty, what I like the most is the way that the main Pokémon you have selected will follow you around the map. Now, this was not the first game to do this, but I think it looks way better here than it did in Pokémon Yellow. A new mini-game is added called the Pokéathlon which is kind of like the Pokémon Olympics. Here you can take part in various events such as Hurdle Dash, Ring Drop and Snow Throw. These are kind of fun and along with the Voltorb Flip mini-game, you have some great side content here that is way more fun than you would think.

I really enjoyed my time with As Pokémon - HeartGold Version and think that it is one of the best Pokémon remakes that the good folks at Game Freak have done so far. This is a great Pokémon experience with a really cool main campaign that is going to take you a long time to get through. Plus the side content they have added here is actually really well done and an awesome distraction.

Final Score: 9/10

Pros:

• I love the visual upgrade they have given the game
• Having a Pokémon follow you around is adorable
• The extra content they have added is great
• The campaign is interesting and will take you a while to get through
• Team Rocket is back and bad!

Cons:

• Nothing to win over non-Pokémon fans
• The Japanese version has a cool slot machine game that is cut out here