Pokémon SoulSilver (JP) is basically the DS remake of Gold/Silver, but with all the polish you’d expect—smoother sprites, better animations, and that little Pikachu-colored Pichu event that unlocks the spiky-eared one. You start in Johto like the old days, but now your lead Pokémon follows you around, which is weirdly charming (watching a giant Onix waddle behind you never gets old).

The battles feel snappier than the original, and the Pokéathlon minigames are a fun way to kill time when you’re tired of grinding. Oh, and the Safari Zone? They totally reworked it—way less frustrating now. If you’ve played HeartGold, it’s the same deal, just with a different legendary on the box. Still one of the best ways to revisit Johto.