Pokémon HeartGold / SoulSilver

A return to Johto that many consider the best Pokémon remake ever. Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver bring the second-generation classic from the Game Boy to the Nintendo DS with such polish that even players who know the original by heart discover the region as if for the first time. And then there is that legendary little touch: your Pokémon walks by your side, literally, always the first in the team, visibly following you across the whole map.

Mechanically it is traditional catching, training and turn-based battles, but Johto has a soul of its own, two generations of Pokémon and, after completing the main storyline, the entire second region of Kanto to explore, crowned by a battle on Mount Silver. This two-act structure makes HeartGold and SoulSilver one of the most content-generous games in the series.

The release was prepared by Game Freak in cooperation with Nintendo and came out as part of the fourth generation, so it adopts the modern battle system with the split of physical and special attacks. The package also included the Pokéwalker accessory, a small Poké Ball-shaped pedometer into which you could transfer a Pokémon and raise it during a walk in the real world.

Culturally, this pair reinforced Johto's reputation as one of the most beloved regions and showed what a respectful remake should look like, one that not only updates the graphics and controls but adds new content and preserves the soul of the original. The walking-companion feature became iconic, and fans wished for its return in every subsequent generation.

Among collectors, HeartGold and SoulSilver are among the most sought-after titles on the DS and frequently appear in rankings of the best Pokémon games of all time. They are proof that nostalgia and modern design can be combined without compromise.

Why play: A model remake with a walking companion, two regions and content that will keep you busy for dozens of hours.