Pokemon HeartGold And SoulSilver Review

Platform: Nintendo DS

Genre: Role-Playing

Developed By: Game Freak

Published By: Nintendo, The Pokemon Company

ESRB Rating: E

Overview: Pokemon HeartGold and Pokemon SoulSilver are remakes of Pokemon Gold and Pokemon Silver made in 1999.  The games take place in the Johto and Kanto Regions.  The player controls the protagonist, who is from New Bark Town.  In that town lives a man called Professor Elm, who asks for a favor from the player.  The professor thinks that walking with a pokemon increases the pokemon's friendship with the trainer.  He asks the player to help him with this experiment.  While he talks, the professor receives a "urgent" email from his friend  Mr. Pokemon.  Because Professor Elm can't leave the lab, he asks the player to choose a pokemon and go in his place.  When the player gets to Mr. Pokemon's house, he receives the item, and meets Professor Oak who gives the player the pokedex.  As soon as the player leaves the house, they receive a frantic message from Professor Elm to return to the lab immediately.  Before the player gets there, they battle a mysterious trainer, and after defeating him, continues to the lab.  There the player finds out that the trainer he fought stole a pokemon from the lab.  After giving the name to the officer who is reporting the crime, the player talks to Professor Elm, who recommends that they should battle the gym leaders of Johto, and try to be the best trainer of all time.  Thus, the player's adventure begins.

Single or Multiplayer: The game itself is a single player game.  However, you have the option to battle and trade with other people through the DS connection or through Nintendo WFC.  This can be used to get pokemon that you can not obtain and to battle for fun.  There are other things you could do with other players as well, like playing certain minigames.

Difficulty: The game is not really that difficult.  It's really easier for people who have played a pokemon game before, but even new people can understand and learn quickly.

Age: The game has nothing in it that someone can consider inappropriate for young children.  But you do need to know how to read, and understand how to do certain things that may be a little too difficult for the young audience.  So the game should be played by kids 8+.

Game Length: The game is extremely long.  The player is suppose to defeat the gym leaders of Johto, but gets side tracked many times.  And after you think you have beaten the game, there is even more to unlock.  And don't forget trying to collect all 493 pokemon available.

Replay: The game would be a very good game to replay.  However, many people get really far in the game, and put a lot of time and effort into it, so many choose not to start a new game, but get the other version instead.

Effects/Graphics: The graphics are amazing.  The adding of the beautiful 3D world into a 2D game was a brilliant idea.  The colors and the looks of the whole world is amazing, and adds a lot to the game.

Star 1 through 5: ***** = 5 stars

Final Thoughts: Pokemon Heartgold and Pokemon SoulSilver are two of the best Pokemon games of all time.  Whether you are new to the series or been around since Red and Blue, you will enjoy these games either way.  With all the new things to do, you will be entertained for a long time, and will not stop playing until you catch them all.