March 19, 2010
I've been playing Pokemon games for years (since 1999 to be exact). That's why it saddens me that the series has changed so little over the course of nearly two decades. There are only so many times that one can attempt "Catch 'em all!" before repetition ensues. There are just too many of the little buggers to keep track of.
If you go back to 2000 however, things were different. Most everyone was awaiting the sequels to the Gameboy's hottest games (Pokemon Red, Blue, and Yellow). Our golden chariot to gaming glory finally arrived shortly thereafter with Pokemon Gold, Silver, and eventually, Crystal. Everything was just dandy. There were still few enough Pokemon to keep track of and new features to boot. You could carry more items, and a real-time clock allowed you to participate in special events at certain hours and on certain days. There was even a virtual radio and cell phone. Then in 2003, Ruby and Sapphire came out. It lacked most of the new features that made the second generation of Pokemon so good in the first place. I was devastated.
Why I am telling you all of this? Well, let's just say that Pokemon Heartgold / Soulsilver lets you party like it's 2000 again. There are less Pokemon, the same fabulous features, and shiny new graphics. Most remakes are good enough on their own merit, but these games also have working save files. That's right, the save battery in most of the Gold/Silver/Crystal cartridges died out because of the heavy use of an internal clock. Another benefit is that you can now trade over Pokemon that can't be found in the fourth generation cartridges. DSi can owners rejoice because you don't need a GBA slot anymore.
These games bring back memories. I was even able to pick Totodile as my starter again. Soon he'll become a Feraligatr that will be able to follow me around, along with any other Pokemon. I guarantee that your jaw will drop when your former Magikarp follows you around as a hulking Gyarados.