Pokemon-Heart-Gold
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Pokemon HeartGold, SoulSilver soundtracks now on iTunes
Pokemon HeartGold/SoulSilver, the 2010 DS remakes of the Game Boy games that added the train-as-you-move Pokewalker device, can now be relived sonically. The 270-song Pokemon HeartGold & Pokemon SoulSilver: Super Music Collection soundtrack is available for $9.99 on iTunes. Good thing you don't have to capture those tracks individually! The new release follows the availability of soundtracks for Pokemon FireRed/LeafGreen and Pokemon X/Y earlier this year. If you're still holding out for jams from other Pokeregions, remember that we can expect to see soundtracks for the following duos in 2014: Pokemon Ruby/Sapphire, Pokemon Diamond/Pearl, Pokemon Black/White and Pokemon Black 2/White 2. If you don't already own HeartGold/SoulSilver but still want to kick up those childhood memories, this is a decent alternative from paying the steadily-increasing entry price for new copies of either game.
NPD: 2010's bestselling game releases by platform
Gamasutra has obtained NPD data that puts a new filter on last year's US box-copy software sales, ranking the top ten bestselling 2010 releases for each console and handheld platform (PC excluded). Like the monthly NPD breakdowns, these rankings don't include actual sales numbers, but they do reveal some interesting trends. By omitting Nintendo's so-called "evergreen" titles (i.e., games released before 2010), Gamasutra found that -- perhaps unsurprisingly -- Just Dance 2 was last year's top-selling 2010 release for Wii, and among six additional third-party games that made the top ten in sales for the platform. On DS, however, Nintendo games filled out half of the top ten, and Pokemon SoulSilver and HeartGold were the only titles to surpass sales of one million units each. At first glance, PSP software sales look even bleaker, with Kingdom Hearts: Birth by Sleep on top and, according to Gamastura, the only PSP title to break 300K units sold; with the other top ten games each falling below 200K. Of course, these rankings don't include digital sales or box-copy games bundled with hardware, so it's unlikely that Birth by Sleep (which isn't available on the PlayStation Store) was the true #1 bestseller among 2010's PSP releases -- let alone the most pirated. What is certain is that Call of Duty: Black Ops dominated torrents, as well as the games legitimately sold for PS3 and Xbox 360 in 2010. Still, both Sony and Microsoft saw two first-party releases make their console's respective top ten sales charts for the year; though each publisher's most critically-acclaimed release of 2010 -- at least, from Joystiq's perspective -- was not present. Perhaps telling of the two console's core player bases, Madden 11 beat out God of War 3 for the #2 spot on the PS3 chart, but fell to #3 beneath Halo: Reach in the Xbox 360 ranking. Finally, we have to wonder just what were they thinking? They, of course, being all those Xbox 360 owners that purchased Fable 3 and Fallout: New Vegas instead of Mass Effect 2. Three and a half stars plus four still doesn't add up to the Game of the Year, people. Check out Gamastutra for the complete breakdown of 2010's bestselling releases by platform.
Toys R Us now distributing TV's Pikachu to your DS
Sure, you've probably caught plenty of Pikachu across the various generations of the Pokémon franchise, but have you ever added a celebrity Pikachu to your collection? Toys R Us is offering a chance for you to do just that from today through February 13 -- just stop by any participating location with any of the DS Pokémon games in tow, and you can download "Ash's Pikachu" directly to your roster. What sets this particular instance of the electric rat apart from the others? Well, he possesses the same moveset as the Pikachu from the television show (Thunderbolt, Iron Tail and Volt Tackle, for interested parties) and generally has an air of authenticity you'll find lacking in your run-of-the-mill Pikachu. At least, it will until you delete those moves, replacing them with stronger abilities, then breed the little guy into oblivion hoping to get a Pichu with a favorable Nature, whom you can then EV train, evolve and level up until you have a lean, mean, Lv. 100 Raichu-killing-machine. ... We're sad that we know what all of those things mean.
Rumor: GameStop to distribute Celebi for Pokemon HeartGold and SoulSilver
There are already plenty of upcoming opportunities for you to go to stores and download new Pokemon for HeartGold, SoulSilver, Diamond and Pearl. According to reports claimed to originate from GameStop employees with access to the promotional materials for those events, there is still one more that has yet to be announced. In the underworld of retail Pokemon data distribution events, news travels fast. According to the reports, GameStop will offer Celebi downloads from February 27 through March 7. This is noteworthy enough, as Celebi is exceptionally rare, but this particular Celebi activates a time-travel event when encountered in HeartGold and SoulSilver, which can't be accessed any other way. Having this Celebi and transferring it into the upcoming Pokemon Black or White will also allow you to get a Zorua, one of the new Pokemon in that game. So, in conclusion, we just wrote a whole bunch about a Pokemon distribution event that hasn't been announced. Didn't expect to do that today.
Gamestop and Toys R Us offering Pokemon download promos next month
If your six-strong roster in Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver could use a little sparkle, a little pizazz, a little shimmer -- any of that stuff, a handful of download promotions slated for early next year should satisfy your needs quite well. You can download rare, shiny versions of legendary monsters Raikou, Entei and Suicine during various week-long periods in January at Gamestop. Check out the schedule of their availability after the jump, and plan your retail excursions accordingly. If you're looking for something a little more plain Jane, you can pick up Ash's Pikachu -- a version of the iconic lightning mouse with a special set of abilities -- at Toys R Us between January 30 and February 5. Don't get it twisted, though; this guy starts out at level 50. This isn't the adorable mascot you came to know and love in the anime series. This Pikachu is a hardened killing machine. [Thanks, Michael!]
Best of the Rest: Griffin's picks of 2010
Cave Story I am mad at everyone I've ever known for not telling me to play Cave Story before I grabbed it late last year. Within two months, I had beaten it four times across two different platforms. It's arguably the most charming game I've ever played, with deep layers of Metroidvania-esque exploration and a level of difficulty which expertly straddles the line between challenging and frustrating. It's one of the most polished games I played during the year, and if you find yourself with an overabundance of virtual Nintendo currency, you absolutely need to own it. Twice, if you have the means.
Largest Pokemon Center on Earth opening in Osaka next month
Nintendo has announced a few more details about the new Pokémon Center it's planning on opening soon in the heart of Osaka. The retail outlet, which will swing wide its colorful doors on November 26th, will stuff 2,500 different kinds of purchasable Pokémon goods and a "Union Room," where players can congregate to trade and battle, into 9,000 square feet of retail space, making it the largest Pokémon Center on this, our planet Earth. We want to go to there. It sounds like a pretty huge ordeal, but it's kind of a waste -- all anyone ever does in those places in run to the front desk, heal their dudes, then run back out for more adventures and stuff. [Image Credit: Ipin]
Halo: Reach, New Super Mario Bros. top software sales for 2010 (so far)
Gamasutra recently pieced together NPD data for the first nine months of 2010 to give us a look at the top-selling software of the year so far. Though the data doesn't combine the sales of multiplatform titles -- which might affect the landscape of the chart -- the results are a little perplexing. (And not just because half of the games therein were released in 2009.) Halo: Reach is leading the pack so far, followed by New Super Mario Bros. Wii, which is so, so old. Also, the 360 version of Red Dead Redemption made the list, but not the PS3 version. Even more confusing than that: Pokémon SoulSilver made the list, while Pokémon HeartGold did not. What earthly reason could there possibly be for that? Did consumers think that gold would be more gaudy than silver?
Get the original secret Pokemon, Mew, for HeartGold and SoulSilver
While the rest of you suckers are going to be running around, perfectly content with your housetrained Mewtwos, we're going to take advantage of an upcoming promotion from Nintendo -- one which allows us to come face to face with the original event Pokémon: Mew. You too can lock down Number 151 by using the Mystery Gift option on your copy of Pokémon HeartGold or SoulSilver from October 15 until October 30. The Mew you'll receive is only Level 5, meaning the world's your oyster when it comes to how you decide to raise the little guy. We're unsure of where we'd like to focus his stats, but we are certain that we're going to name him Joey, and make him wear a little baseball cap, and he will be our precious little perfect angel.
Catch Latias or Latios in Pokemon HeartGold and SoulSilver's latest Wi-Fi event
The latest online-exclusive content for Pokemon HeartGold and SoulSilver will give you the opportunity to acquire the Legendary Pokémon Latias or Latios for your e-menagerie, and all you have to do is ... well, kind of a lot of stuff, actually. In order to take part in the event, you'll have to have beaten the Elite Four and received the National Pokédex. Then, you'll have to connect to the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection between July 31 and August 27 and fight a Pokémon holding an Enigma Stone. This will indirectly lead to an encounter with Latios (in HeartGold) or Latias (in SoulSilver) -- all in a day's work in the endless pursuit of 'em all. [Press release is posted after the break.]
Pokemon HeartGold/SoulSilver reaches 8.4m sold; other Nintendo million-sellers revealed from last fiscal year
As an addition to its overall earnings report, Nintendo has released a list of first-party million-sellers from its last fiscal year (ending March 31). Many of these games, including Wii Sports and Wii Fit, have been out for years, but still managed to sell more than a million units over the last four quarters! On DS, Pokemon HeartGold and SoulSilver have sold an astonishing 8.4 million copies -- 3.78 million in Japan, where the game's been out since September, and 4.62 million outside of Japan in just a few short weeks of availability before the close of the fiscal year. Nintendo's Japan-only Tomodachi Collection sold 3.2 million copies, and Professor Layton and the Diabolical Box moved a respectable 2.43 million copies outside of Japan. Even Style Savvy, which has a somewhat low profile in North America and Europe, sold 1.21 million copies in those territories. As for two perennial bestsellers, Mario Kart DS and New Super Mario Bros. each sold over three million copies outside of Japan in the last fiscal year. Nintendo's marquee 2009 Wii titles, Wii Sports Resort, Wii Fit Plus and New Super Mario Bros. Wii, sold more than 10 million units each in North America and Europe alone; and worldwide, those titles sold 16.14 million, 12.65 million, and 14.7 million copies, respectively, through the fiscal year. But if you think those are big numbers, think again. Thanks to Wii Sports being bundled with the Wii system outside of Japan, the game now totals 63.46 million units sold. Heck, even Link's Crossbow Training (bundled with the Wii Zapper) broke a million sold in the last fiscal year. Head past the break for the complete list of million-sellers from Nintendo's fiscal year ending March 31, 2010. Source [PDF] - Supplementary information about earnings release [Nintendo]
Walk the Winner's Path in new Pokemon HeartGold / SoulSilver DLC
Nintendo continues to support Pokemon HeartGold and SoulSilver with new downloadable paths, through which you can pick up new Pokemon and items. From tomorrow, May 6, through June 25, Pokemon players in North America will be able to access the "Winner's Path Route" DLC. Pokemon available in the route, to those who pick up enough Watts with the Pokewalker accessory, include a Munchlax that knows "Selfdestruct," a Magikarp that can learn "Bounce" upon evolution into Gyarados and others, along with items like the Focus Sash, the Choice Scarf and the Choice Band. You can see the full details of the offerings here. Can you resist the allure of a special Magikarp? Of course not!
This Week on Nintendo Channel: Pokemon reminiscing
Man, has it really been that long since those Pokémon hit the scene? Right now, we feel incredibly old, but don't let our impending deaths bring you down! This week on the Nintendo Channel, a pair of suspiciously attractive PokéTrainers talk about their favorite moments in the franchise. After that, head past the break for the list of this week's content.
Exclusive Pokewalker path available as Pokemon HeartGold/SoulSilver DLC
Done with everything in Pokemon HeartGold/SoulSilver? Of course you are -- it's been like two whole weeks. Luckily, Nintendo is supplying some new downloadable content, in the form of the Pokewalker route "Yellow Forest." To get it, you have to enable "Mystery Gift" and connect to Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection between now and May 5 to download the route. The Yellow Forest, as you might guess from the name, is loaded with Pikachus. In fact, if you get enough steps on the Pokewalker, you can get a special Pikachu with the Surf or Fly abilities! ... You're already downloading this, aren't you? We could type anything here and you'd have no idea. Or we could even just leave in the middle of [Via 1UP]
Video: How to cheat with your Pokewalker
Look, we know the headline kinda endorses cheating and we often err on the less evil side of things, but desperation has left us little choice. It's just that some of us are so damn sick of hearing about how great Griffin's Blissey is. Yeah, we get it, dude -- can't we just eat our peanut butter sandwich in the break room in peace? We don't care about how much damage your Hitmonlee does. That's why the tutorial video on how to cheat using the Pokewalker past the break is such valuable intel for us. So, we've resorted to doing the unthinkable: we're going to play Pokemon. We're going to play and we're going to level up our pokemans so high, it's going to fog up that jerk's glasses and take the breath right out of his lungs. Soon, he will know true pain as he's squashed beneath the scales of our Magikarp. Embarrassment, thy name will soon be Griffin McElroy! [Via Destructoid]
Snap Judgment: Pokemon HeartGold and SoulSilver
I can't remember a single game release I ever anticipated more in my life than Pokémon Gold and Silver. By the time the game hit U.S. store shelves in 2000, I'd been rendered a shivering addict to versions Blue and Red for nearly two years. The promise of new pocket-sized monsters and new areas to explore thrilled me to the central of my very being -- and thankfully, the franchise's massive second generation did not disappoint. I'm a decade older now, and while I've retained most of my love for the franchise since my middle school career, I worried that the recently released remakes, HeartGold and SoulSilver, wouldn't have the same intoxicating properties as their source materials. Now that I've spent about eight hours in the game, I feel confident in reporting that these remakes possess the same gripping magic as the originals -- partially due to the infusion of new elements introduced in later generations of the series, and, surprisingly, due to the bundled Pokéwalker peripheral. %Gallery-65398%
This Week on the Nintendo Channel: Pokemon TV spots
This week's Nintendo Channel update is about as light as it gets. Sure, there's a new DS demo to check out and a pair of TV spots for Pokemon HeartGold and SoulSilver -- but that's about it. Oh, you don't believe us? Well, that hurts our feelings, but, by all means, check out the full list of this week's content past the break for yourselves. We'll just wait for you in the corner with our broken heart.
Nintendo leading fans on wild Pokemon chase in New York City
Nintendo is adding an ambulatory flourish to its Pokemon HeartGold/SoulSilver launch, celebrating the PokeWalker accessory with a guided walk around New York City's Times Square. On Sunday, March 14, Pikachu footprints will be placed around Broadway Plaza, inviting fans to trace the trail of the fictional giant rat, with live demonstrations of the game and accessory along the trail. Nintendo's usual launch events take place at the Nintendo World Store in Rockefeller Center, but this one is located in (and around) the Times Square Toys 'R' Us. Should you show up at the NWS, you'll just have to do a little extra walking.
Pokemon HeartGold and SoulSilver, Pokewalker caught on video
If you're hoping to learn more about the device which you'll soon be hiding within your deepest, darkest pocket, filling you with terror that, while withdrawing your keys, you'll accidentally expose the accessory, bringing your reticent Pokémaniacal tendencies to light, forcing you to ... wait, what were we talking about again? Oh, yes, the Pokéwalker accessory which comes with HeartGold and SoulSilver was recently demoed in a video released at the Nintendo Media Summit, and posted above. Looks like it has some neat functionality beyond just step-counting. Oh, the games themselves also received their own trailer, which is posted after the jump. We've seen most of the footage shown there before -- though the music is new, and totally triumphant.
Catch Jirachi at your local GameStop on February 27
Is your elite Pokémon fighting force lacking a certain adorability factor? Starting this coming Saturday, February 27, GameStop will have the perfect remedy to your problem -- the retailer will offer a free download of the legendary Psychic/Steel-type Jirachi for anyone who treks to the store with a copy of Pokémon Pearl, Diamond or Platinum in tow. The promotion will run until March 13 -- the day before HeartGold and SoulSilver hit store shelves. As an added bonus, trainers who have Jirachi in their collection will have access to a special training route on HeartGold and SoulSilver's bundled accessory, the Pokéwalker. That might just be enough to give us the courage required to suffer the judgmental looks of our local GameStop's customers and employees.
