10 Things I Want In Pokemon HeartGold/SoulSilver

With the recent news on the Pokemon Gold and Silver remakes, I've been playing Pokemon Crystal for my GBC. As nostalgia, I've drawn up a list of ten things that I want either changed or not changed in the remakes, with pictures to go with the final four.

 

10: Original Berries

 

Back in Gold/Silver, berries were simple. 10 berries, each doing one thing. A Berry to recover 10 HP, a PrzCureBerry to cure paralysis, a Mint Berry to cure sleep, and 7 others. Nowadays, you get over 50 berries with tons of effects; some with none. Useless, I say.

 

9: Apricorns and Classic Special Pokeballs

 

As with the berries, there's been more Pokeballs than I care to recall. In Gold/Silver, there were a couple colors of Apricorns which you could give to a man named Kurt in Azalea Town, and he'd make you a special Pokeball. Simple ones, simple effects. Much better than the newer ones.

 

8: Suicune Event

 

The third game in the series, Crystal, featured an event in which the Pokemon Suicine, which you normally had to hunt down, confronted you in the Tin Tower, where it couldn't run away. This may or may not be in HG/SS, but I'd like it if it were.

 

7: Red Gyarados (CONFIRMED...?)

 

To show off Gold/Silver's new feature, off-colored or "shiny" Pokemon, a battle with a shiny Gyarados (colored red) was forced. This has almost been confirmed; Gold was seen battling a Pokemon on water, and although the name and picture of the Pokemon were blocked, you can see the shine that appears whenever you encounter a shiny Pokemon. Good news to me.

 

6: Day-Exclusive Events

 

To supplement the Game Boy Color's new processing power, the day was kept track of in the game. Depending on the day of the week, certain shops would be open, certain battles would be available, among other things. I would like to see these back.

 

5: Kanto (CONFIRMED)

 

The region from the original Pokemon Red/Blue, Kanto was available to explore in Gold/Silver. Eight new badges, more Pokemon, tougher battles. As one of the original selling points, it's no wonder they brought this back.

 

4: Red's Team Strengthened

 

(Red, as he appears in Pokemon FireRed/LeafGreen, and Super Smash Bros. Brawl)

 

Red, the protagonist from Pokemon Red/Blue, was available to fight in Mt. Silver. He was notable for having the strongest team ever in a Pokemon game. That is, until your rival's team in Pokemon Platinum. I'd like to see Red's team with even higher levels; at least level 86 to top the current record of 85.

 

3: Kris

 

(Kris, as she appears in Pokemon Crystal)

 

The first playable female character in Pokemon, Kris's first and only appearance was in Pokemon Crystal. It was speculated that she would return as the female playable character in HG/SS, but unfortunately, she was replaced by another character named Soul. I'd still like to see Kris in there somewhere, though.

 

(Soul, as she appears in Pokemon HeartGold/SoulSilver)

 

2: Catchable Celebi

 

 

Pokemon #251. The final Pokemon in the second generation. This Pokemon was originally available to catch in the Japanese version of Pokemon Crystal, but required a strange cell-phone-esque apparatus in order to find it. The device didn't take off in America/Europe, leaving non-Japanese players in the dark, though Celebi was still programmed into the game, and was obtainable by hacking or glitching Celebi itself, or the item needed to find it (the GS Ball). Hopefully, they'll put some way to catch Celebi in the new remakes.

 

1: Lugia AND Ho-oh, Aeroblast and Sacred Fire

 

 

I remember back in the good old days of Pokemon, namely the Gold/Silver/Crystal arc. When it wasn't unusual for both legends to be in a game. All legends were available in Red, Blue, Yellow, Gold, Silver, and Crystal. And it wasn't until Ruby and Sapphire came along and ruined the series that only one was available in each game. Then Emerald came along, and made getting both into a "feature" and a "selling point". Pissing off a lot of hardcore fans, but selling a lot of copies of Emerald to newer players.

 

In classic Gold/Silver squalor, I want both Ho-oh and Lugia to be in the game. Back in G/S, whichever one was on the cover was at a lower level, which you caught earlier, and they knew their signature move; Aeroblast and Sacred Fire (in my opinion, the two best moves in the series), for Lugia and Ho-oh respectively. Thus, while you could catch them both, only one would have its best move.

 

If you read through all the way, congratulations! You're now addicted to Pokemon. As I am at the moment. Here's your picture, and I'll see you all soon. :)