Pokémon HeartGold is basically the best way to revisit Johto—it takes the original Gold/Silver magic and polishes it up with smoother sprites, better pacing, and that sweet DS-era glow. You start off in New Bark Town like always, but everything just feels nicer, from the way your Pokémon follow behind you (yes, Pikachu trots at your heels) to the little battle animations that give fights more punch.

And the Pokéwalker? Weirdly addictive. Tossing a Pokémon onto that little pedometer thing and racking up steps for items and wild encounters was a dumb gimmick that somehow worked. I ended up checking it way too often, like "Oh, my Cyndaquil just found a Rare Candy while I was grocery shopping."

It’s still got that classic Pokémon grind—train, battle, repeat—but the remixed soundtrack and the way Kanto opens up post-game makes it feel huge without being overwhelming. If you’ve got a DS and any nostalgia for Gen 2, this is the one to play.