Pokemon HeartGold & SoulSilver

Believe it or not there have been a number of changes between each generation of Pokémon games. Now in its fourth stage of development, with the first game of the fifth being released in Japan in December, the series has undergone a large overhaul in terms of graphics so that every city no longer contains the homogenous array of buildings. Unlike the original each town you visit has its own character and colour scheme, this may sound like a minor point but in comparison to Gold and Silver this really feels like a big improvement.

The best new feature however is not an in game one but a peripheral one, the Pokéwalker. When news of a Pokémon themed pedometer first emerged as a rumour there was a collective groan from many who saw this as the latest in a line of frivolous add-ons that really adds nothing to the gameplay. However, we were all wrong since this little Pokéball shaped pedometer has become a real boon to the game allowing the capture of Pokémon and finding of rare items in return for doing some exercise, and they’ve made sure that you cannot just shake it to get the watts necessary to get these extra features. While it may seem like a strange method to get on the Wii Fit bandwagon it has been remarkably well-executed and has been clipped onto my jeans for the last 33 days.

There is also the Pokéathlon which in essence are a series of mini-games you encounter about 25% into the main story arc. The thought behind such an addition is a sound idea as the mini-games were a great little timewaster in the Pokémon Stadium games. They also replace the Contests, something which has always been somewhat lacking in potential, and so make for a nice addition. The games themselves are a mixed bag with some being fun and others just featuring stylus-mashing. It doesn’t help that they all pale in comparison to Voltorb Flip, the new Games Corner game, which is probably the best new thing to be added.

As a whole though it is a standard Pokémon game and HeartGold/SoulSilver are so much better than anything that emerged as part of Generation 3’s appalling batch of Ruby/Sapphire/Emerald. This game acts as a great introduction into what made this franchise the stalwart it has become and feels like a real homecoming in terms of gameplay and storyline, the nostalgia factor is also fantastic. However, with this being an update there is a slight feeling of being cheated out of your money since it has been a year since the release of Pokémon Platinum and Pokémon Black and White are likely to be released next summer.

So did these games really need to be made? No they probably didn’t, and actually charging more for these than Pokémon Platinum felt incredibly cheeky but in the end it is a great update of some of their best games and would be worth a purchase when the prices go down in six months. If, however, the success of these games leads to Gamefreak feeling obliged to make Generation 3 remakes in the vein of LavaRuby and OceanSapphire then I will not be held responsible for the angry e-mails of indignation I will be spamming their collective inboxes with.

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