Pokemon Heart Gold, the eighth best-selling Nintendo game ever, is actually a remake of the 1999-released Game Boy version. But can you also play it as Pokemon Heart Gold ROM, i.e., on PC? The real question is, should you? And is it legal? That’s something you will find out in this article, along with other essential aspects of the game.
Table of Contents
Pokemon Heart Gold
The Nintendo DS was the handheld foldable game console that was released back in the day in 2004 and 2005 globally.
Pokemon Heart Gold and its companion version, Pokemon SoulSilver, was one of the most popular Nintendo games, released in 2009.
The game’s developer is Games Freak, exclusively made for Nintendo DS where the publishers behind the game are, The Pokemon Company and Nintendo.
It was the remake of the 1999-released Game Boy color role-playing games titled Pokemon Gold and Silver. Another inspiration for this game was Pokemon Crystal.
This game’s primary goal is to become a Pokemon trainer in the Johto and Kanto regions, for where players has to raise and catalog Pokemons and defeat other trainers.
Setting
The overall setting of Pokemon Heart Gold ROM is similar to Pokemon Gold and Silver.
This world is set in Johto from the Kanto region of the Pokemon franchise’s fictional universe.
The region comes from the previous popular Red and Blue games and the conclusion of three years of earlier games.
Japan’s Kansai and Tokai regions was the inspiration behind the design of the city Johto in the game.
The gameplay’s setting has a lot of traditional Japanese aesthetics and infrastructure, like monuments and temples around the town.
Story
The story is set in this fictional universe where Pokemon exist with their unique abilities. The protagonist in this story is a young Pokemon trainer who lives in a small town named New Bark Town.
As a player, you will choose one starter Pokemon from Chikorita, Totodile, and Cyndaquil from Professor Elm.
You are supposed to make a delivery for Professor Elm and retrieve an electronic device that catalogs all the information regarding every Pokemon species, called Pokedex, from Professor Oak.
He is the one who decides that you can keep the Pokemon and begin your journey with it.
The driving factor in the story is the same as what drives the gameplay as well, i.e., becoming the best Pokemon trainer in Johto and Kanto.
To do this, you as a player will have to raise Pokemons, complete the cataloging Pokemon in the Pokedox, and eventually defeat the eight gym leaders in Johto to gain gym badges.
The story’s last act is about challenging and defeating the best trainers of the Kanto,the Elite Four and the champion.
And finally, as the climax, you as a player will face off against the game’s final boss, Red, who lives atop Mt. Silver.
Gameplay
Pokemon Heart Gold is a role-playing video game with an element of adventure in it. If you look at the game’s basic mechanics, it is primarily similar to its predecessor.
Since all the Pokemon games are for handheld consoles, so is this one as well. The gamer views the gameplay from the third-person overhead perspective.
You get these different screens to look at:
- Field map: here, you can navigate the main character
- Battle screen: where the player action happens
- Menu:Â where you can configure items, parties, and other gameplay settings.
As a player, you start the game with just one Pokemon and, over time, use Pokeballs to capture more Pokemon.
How To Play Pokemon HeartGold?
When you come across a wild Pokemon while exploring the game adventure or any trainer challenges you to battle, the screen switches into a battle screen.
This battlescreen is turn-based, where Pokemons will fight each other individually.
Players can use a specific move or a particular item during these battles. You can also switch your active Pokemon to another.
You can, in fact, flee from the battle, retreat to avoid the battle for the time being, or just to protect yourself. And it can even be a strategy against the opponent to confront them later.
However, you can flee or retreat during your battles against trainers.
The game has hit points (HP), which you can see displayed during the battles. So when a Pokemon’s HP gets reduced to zero, it cannot fight further and faints. To make it able to fight again, you must take it to a Pokemon center.
Or you can also revive them using a Pokemon skill or an item, i.e., a revive medicine.
If your Pokemon defeats the opponent’s Pokemon, making it faint and unable to fight, you will receive experience points.
When you accumulate enough experience points, your Pokemon will level up. So, as per Pokemon’s storyline, most of the Pokemon evolve into a new species and more powerful species of Pokemon.
Features
Global Terminal
The game offers the ‘GTS’ where you can trade your Pokemon around the world. However, they are located in Goldenrod City.
Safari Zone
You can spot Safari Zone in the west of Cianwood City. This area allows you to customize different zones to attract wild Pokemon.
Gym Leader Rematches
The game allows you to rematch Gym leaders after certain events. After this, you come back stronger with better-trained teams.
Wi-Fi Club
Gamers can trade Pokemon internationally and battle them with other Pokemons around the world.
This will allow them to expand their collection and test their teams against opponent teams across the globe.
Battle Frontier
Battle Frontier of the game gives you some unique challenges and various battle formats to engage more in the gameplay.
Is Pokemon Heart Gold ROM Hacks legal?
On the safer side, it is best to consider that Pokemon Heart Gold ROM hacks are illegal.
However, there is nuance to it. ROM cheats are basically modified ROMs.
So as per lazy assumption that they are not necessarily illegal if you have bought the ROMs.
First of all, It is essential to check whether you are using legally purchased ROMs to patch the Pokemon Heart Gold ROM hack or any hack for that matter.
However, the practise of cracking the ROM or downloading it is likely illegal.
But if you do not commercialize it and download ROM just for personal use, the company may never find out about it or even care too much about it.
It is highly unlikely for the company to come after an individual download or downloader as the act is hardly hurting their bottom line.
We would highly suggest you play the game on the Nintendo DS as it means to be instead of opting for emulators or ROM downloads.
Final thoughts
Pokemon Heart Gold is one of the most popular games on Nintendo DS. When it comes to Pokemon Heart Gold ROM, it is safer to assume it is illegal to download the ROMS or play through an emulator.
However, if you bought the ROM, own the copy of the ROM legally, and only do the patchwork, i.e., the game hack natively on your computer just for personal use, it shouldn’t be a problem.
Still, it is a gray area where the devil is in the details, but the company anyway sees it as an illegal practice. Especially, hosting the game ROM site or the emulator is definitely illegal.
It is better that you yourself the Nintendo DS to play Pokemon Heart Gold rather than going for Pokemon Heart Gold ROM.
FAQ
1. Where can you play Pokemon Heart Gold?
You can play Pokemon HeartGold on Nintendo DS and Nintendo DSi systems.
2. Is Pokemon Heart Gold ROM Download Legal?
No, Pokemon Heart Gold download ROM is not legal. However, if you have legally purchased the copy of the ROM and not commercialized it, you can go for the personal use, with rare risk involved.
 3. Is Pokemon Heart Gold Emulator Legal?
No, using an emulator to play Pokemon Heart Gold is illegal.
