Pokémon HeartGold is basically the best way to revisit Johto—it takes the classic Gold/Silver experience and polishes it up with DS-era upgrades. The second you start, you’ll notice your starter Pokémon actually follows behind you on the overworld, which is weirdly charming (and makes losing battles feel way more personal).

It’s got that classic Pokémon loop—grinding levels in tall grass, getting wrecked by Whitney’s Miltank, stumbling into caves without enough repels—but with smoother mechanics and little QoL tweaks. The Pokéathlon minigames are a fun distraction when you need a break from training, and the rematches against gym leaders keep the late-game from feeling stale.

Honestly, if you’ve only played the originals, this is the definitive version. Just don’t blame me when you spend hours trying to catch a shiny in the Safari Zone.