It's absurd how many variations of the Pokemon role-playing games have been released since the series first hit the US in 1998. Even though Pokemon HeartGold and SoulSilver are remakes of their 10-year-old Game Boy Color counterparts, they're the first entries in the series to actually make you want to exercise, thanks to the ingenious Pokewalker accessory that comes bundled with them. Johto's numerous nooks and crannies provide refuge to hundreds of different species of Pokemon. Pokemon fall under different types, and many have unique abilities that are stronger or weaker against other specific types. This plays heavily into the strategy of the game's turn-based battles. Though they're a big step up from those in the original Silver and Gold games, the warm and colorful visuals in HeartGold and SoulSilver run on the same engine used by other Pokemon games on the DS. The Pokemon animations during battle are extremely basic and limited. Even the screen layout and the way the Pokemon battle are essentially the same. Walking generates energy that eventually levels up your Pokemon, though this happens only once per outing. Your Pokewalker-bound buddy can also spend energy to battle and catch other Pokemon and hunt for treasures to take back with it when it returns to your DS. It's disappointing that the gameplay doesn't push any major boundaries for the Pokemon series, but you'll still find an addictive and compelling solo adventure, lots of local and online multiplayer options for battling and communicating with other players, and a legion of Pokemon to care for and train.
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