Which Pokémon Game Has More Than One Region? It‘s HeartGold and SoulSilver
The only Pokémon video games that let players journey across multiple regions in one playthrough are 2009‘s Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver Versions for the Nintendo DS. These epic remakes of the 1999 Generation II games Pokémon Gold and Silver gave trainers the ability to explore both the Johto and Kanto regions after becoming the Pokémon League Champion.
Why HeartGold and SoulSilver Can‘t Be Matched
As a passionate Pokémon gamer and fan since the Red and Blue days, I can confidently say that HeartGold and SoulSilver represent the pinnacle of the series. The sheer amount of content, nostalgia, and gameplay innovations make them unmatched in allowing players to fully experience two whole regions in one game.
Just look at the staggering stats:
- 16 gyms and 2 Pokémon Leagues to conquer
- Over 10 major cities and towns to explore
- Hundreds of obtainable Pokémon from across generations
- Dozens of hours of potential playtime
- Additional minigames and side content like Pokéathlon
The DS platform allowed developer Game Freak to cram an astonishing amount of content in these titles. And the reception reflected it, with HGSS receiving a metacritic score of 87 and selling a combined 12+ million copies worldwide [1]. For a single player handheld game, these are great numbers.
As a long-time fan, I‘m still awed thinking about how amazingly rich and replayable these Johto remakes turned out. They made all the improvements I could have asked for from my favorite childhood games while expanding the world into Kanto postgame. It was a dream come true in 2009 for sure! Almost 15 years later, I still think Game Freak‘s finest work was ensuring trainers like me could capture them all across two full Pokedexes after becoming the ultimate champion.
| Generation | Game | Regions Included |
|---|---|---|
| Generation I | Pokemon Red/Blue | Kanto |
| Generation II | Pokemon Gold/Silver | Johto, Kanto (Postgame) |
| Generation III | Pokemon Ruby/Sapphire | Hoenn |
| Generation IV | Pokemon Diamond/Pearl | Sinnoh |
| Generation IV | Pokemon HeartGold/SoulSilver | Johto, Kanto (Postgame) |
Could Future Games Emulate This Structure?
We‘re now up to Generation IX with Scarlet and Violet taking place in the brand new Paldea region. Fans continue to hold out hope that someday Game Freak could recapture the magic of HeartGold and SoulSilver by allowing us to visit multiple past regions in future games. However, technical and gameplay barriers could prevent this from happening anytime soon.
With each new generation releasing on more powerful hardware, the regions have understandably gotten larger and more complex. Creating one region already takes years of development time and resources for modern games in the Switch/PS5/Xbox Series X era. Even conservative estimates have Paldea being at least twice the size of Johto based on trailers and footage. Expecting multiple at this scale is likely unrealistic.
There‘s also the question of game balance and level scaling across different generational Pokémon and opponents. HGSS cleverly allowed Kanto to remain challenging since the level curve resets after beating the Johto League. But this structure would be difficult to replicate across newer games with stronger trainers and Pokémon. In theory it sounds fun to revisit every past region, but would disrupt gameplay.
In my view, the cleanest approach to satisfy fans might be an all-regions "Anniversary Edition" release separate from main new generational titles. Focus it solely on celebrating past games without needing complex interwoven stories across disconnected regions and characters. Include fan favorite Pokémon, famous trainers, and gyms/trials to battle. Scale levels appropriately and balance EXP gain so the journey feels epic yet smooth.
I‘d play a game like that in a heartbeat! But for now, I‘ll be happily sticking to my yearly replays of Pokémon HeartGold as the one title that fully immersed me across two full Pokémon Leagues.
