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Good day everyone! If you're wondering why is HG/SS so anticipated for, then you should read this article. Or even if you want to know the differences between the old version and the new version, go right ahead.
Anyways, as we know, HG/SS are remakes of Pokemon Generation 2: Gold and Silver. HeartGold has the mascot of Ho-Oh, and SoulSilver has its mascot as Lugia. The release dates are as listed below:
Japan: September 12, 2009
Korea: February 4, 2010
North America: March 14, 2010
Australia: March 25, 2010
Europe: March 26, 2010
There are many changes that have been made, or things that have been added to both versions. Here are some aesthetic changes:
- The main male character Gold gets re-designed, whereas the female character Kris is completely replaced by Kotone.
- Of course, the game's music has been re-mixed or replace to fit the sound card of the DS better. There is also a key item that can let you play any sound tracks at the time you want, and it is received from a NPC.
- The Pokegear has received a re-design, and the skin colors can be changed according to the player's will.
- The Johto Pokedex has been completely re-designed. Now Sinnoh (Gen 4) Pokemon will be available in the national dex, which wasn't a feature in G/S/C.
- Just like in FireRed and LeafGreen, images of certain important locations are displayed when you enter it. The images change according to the time of the day.
- Team Rocket Grunts have received a re-design.
- The Rocket Executives from Generation II have been completely re-designed, with four new ones appearing: Apollo, Athena, Lance and Lambda. Just like Team Galactic from Generation IV, these ones have a certain name theme as well. Surprisingly, they're named after actual Rockets of the respective names.
- Lugia and Ho-Oh have their unique battle themes, and the Legendary Beasts have their own re-mixed version of their battle theme from Crystal.
- Kurt, the PokeBall smith returns with Apricorns as well as their respective PokeBalls. The Apricorns can be carried along with the player in a special key item named the Apricorn Case.
- The berry trees have all become Apricorn trees.
- Gym Leaders, Elite Four members, Silver, and Red have now obtained animated battle sprites and battle intros, similar to Platinum. Many Gyms have been redesigned as well, some with new and interesting puzzles.
- Rock Smash now becomes a HM (as it wasn't a field move in G/S/C.) Defog is not a HM anymore, and is replaced by Whirlpool.
- Sound effects are now more detailed and use higher frequency; for example, running water and the player walking through grass will produce audible noises, giving it a more realistic feel.
- The Magnet Train returns, and the tracks can be seen in overground locations too.
- Pal Park now replaces Fuchsia City (Kanto) Safari Zone.
- The Rage Candy Bar is now a key item.
- The player can now see how many Kanto badges they have. It wasn't possible in the original versions.
- As we know that Cianwood and Ecruteak City had the same theme in G/S, they now have different remixes of the same theme in HG/SS.
- Many music themes in Kanto have been changed. Mt. Moon and Seafoam Islands don't have their own remixed themes, but they share music which is used in Johto's Union Cave and Ice Path respectively. Music in Cerulean City and Fuchsia City, as well as on Routes Route 24 and Route 25, rather than taking the theme used in Pewter City, Celadon City, and on Route 3 as they did in the original Generation II games, keep the theme used in Generation I and Generation III, but have a remixed version. The music used on Route 2, however, is different from any previous generation; the Generation II theme, a remix of the Viridian Forest theme in Generation I, is used onlly in the Viridian Forest, while the theme used in Generation I and Generation III is, like in Generation II, only used on Route 1. Route 2 instead uses the theme that first appears on Route 3.
As well as many of the changes above, there are many Location Changes too. They include:
- Professor Elm's Lab now has an upstairs level in which him and his family live. His old house is now occupied by Kotone/Hibiki and their family.
- The maps have been changed to match the theme used in D/P/Pt.
- The Battle Tower west of Olivine City (Introduced in Crystal) now makes its return. But it brings with it the very same Battle Frontier seen in Platinum.
- Two new routes have been introduced near Cianwood City. Route 47 and 48 lead to the new Safari Zone as well as the Hidden Tower.
- Mt. Silver is re-sized and it is now bigger in size than it was in its previous versions.
- The Viridian Forest is not cut down, making it much larger than its old size.
- The Cerulean Cave and Seafoam Islands remain as they were in Generation III (FR/LG), which means that the Legendary Birds inside them can be battled.
- Moltres, formerly found in the Victory Road and Mt. Ember, is now found in Mt. Silver.
- The Fighting Dojo in Saffron City now serves a role that is very similar to Sinnoh's Battleground, allowing you to battle Gym Leaders and a few other NPC's that you've battled before.
There have been many Gameplay changes as well. Here are the following:
- All 493 Pokemon can follow the main player. Shiny Pokemon are still available, and will be in their shiny form while they follow the player. The player is allowed to interact with their partner Pokemon by pressing A, and can see how the Pokemon feels at that time. While a player battles, the Pokemon in lead is sent out from the side instead of being sent out from a Pokeball, unless if the player is riding a bicycle or going into a small place like a house with a very large Pokemon.
- Just how Shaymin and Regigigas had an effect on Platinum, the Pikachu-colored Pichu can unlock an event at the Ilex Forest Shrine where the spiky-eared Pichu can be obtained.
- The bag, party interface, the Pokemon storage system and the start/X button menu now all make use of the Nintendo DS's touch screen.
- Legendary Pokemon from other regions than Kanto and Johto can be caught in HG/SS. Kyogre appears in HG, whereas Groudon appears in SS, after the Elite Four, Rayquaza can be caught in both games once the other members of its trio (The Weather Trio) are all traded into the game. Latias (HG) and Latios (SS) will roam Kanto later in the game once you speak to Steven Stone.
- You can again use Headbutt on trees to locate some Pokemon. But now, you can even collect Pokemon from Hoenn and Sinnoh after you obtain the National Pokedex.
- Cynthia makes an appearance in the Arceus event. It takes its place in an area that is to the far North of the Ruins Of Alph. The location is known as the Shinto Ruins. This event will allow players to get either Dialga, Palkia, or Giratina (Origin Forme) at level 1 holding the Adamant Orb, Lustrous Orb and Griseous Orb respectively.
- The Gracidea flower can now be obtained in the flower shop in Goldenrod City when you bring a fateful encounter Shaymin to show them.
- Eusine from Pokemon Crystal makes a comeback.
- Pokemon Contests lose their status to a new sidequest call the Pokeathlon, which features ten mini-games involving athletic competitions.
- Apricorns are the only items that can be collected from plants on field. Berries are now collected in exchange of shards from Jugglers in Violet and Fuschia City. Because there are only a limited variety of berries, the rest must be traded in from different versions.
- Berries CAN be grown portably with the use of the Berry Planter and Squirtbottle. They are controlled with the DS's touch screen and can water and grow upto four berries at a time. The berries can be found on the ground at some locations, held by wild pokemon, with the Pokewalker, and will be bought by the main character's mother at times.
- The Apricorn Shaker can be used to mix Apricorns into drinks which increase a Pokemon's Pokethlon stats.
- The running shoes are recieved in Cherrygrove City, and permanent selection is allowed using the touchscreen menu. The selected item (By pressing Y or Select in older games) is also shown on the touchscreen. Two items are now allowed to be selected.
- Since the Vs. Seeker is not an item anymore in HG/SS, the Pokegear has now introduced a new and improved cell phone feature with a call list that has no limits. But the trainers that you re-battle depend on the day and time.
- The Radio Card for the Poke Card is a necessary item to have in the game. Gym Leader Whitney won't return to her Gym unless the player has obtained the Radio Card.
- You are able to collect starter Pokemon from Kanto and Johto from Professor Oak and Steven Stone once certain conditions are met.
- Commemorative photos can be taken around Johto and Kanto with the player's partner Pokemon, team, Gym Leaders, and certain NPCs.
- With the help of an event-exclusive Celebi, an encounter with former Team Rocket boss and Viridian Gym Leader Giovanni is possible. He was mentioned in the original G/S but he did not appear.
- Movesets and movepools have been expanded, as well as the amount of egg moves. Example: Exeggcute can learn Power Swap once an Exeggutor has been bred with a Seedot, Nuzleaf or Shiftry with Power Swap.
- The Pokewalker is now introduced with the purchase of HG/SS. It is a Poke Ball-shaped pedometer that can link to the two games and hold one Pokemon at a time. Pokemon storage in the Pokewalker does increase the experience and happiness as its wearer walks. There are some Pokemon that can be captured in Pokewalker-only areas, and then transferred to the main game.
- The GB Player is a key item that is obtained once all 16 badges are earned. It allows you to switch the background music for the soundtrack from the original Gold and Silver redone. New Music tracks also receive 8-bit remixes!
- When the HM move Whirlpool is used outside battle, the whirlpool won't disappear like in Generation II, but the player will only surf over it.
- Some IVs may be passed down through breeding, though it depends on the EV-enhancing item which is held by the parent Pokemon.
- Trainers in Viridian City's Trainer House are now influenced by Pokewalker communication rather than the Mystery Gift method.
- When the player has his/her first battle with the rival, he is known as Passerby Boy rather than ???, as he was known in G/S. Players can re-name him later.
- If the player makes it to the end of the Tin Tower or the Whirl Islands, he/she has to talk to the Kimono Girls to summon Ho-Oh and Lugia respectively with a dance.
Thu Aug 25, 2011 8:06 pm by aryan aussie
Subject: Pokemon HG/SS: Old and New! 
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