Appendix:HeartGold and SoulSilver walkthrough/Section 1

This is the Bulbapedia walkthrough for Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver Versions. This walkthrough follows the remade Nintendo DS versions, not Pokémon Gold and Silver.
The guide for those can be found here.

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A New Journey is About to Unfold

Professor Oak greets you

You begin the game in your room

Just like in Gold and Silver, Professor Oak introduces new Trainers to the Pokémon world. His lecture is important for new players, though it's nothing new to veterans of the series. Once he has finished talking, choose a gender for your character. After choosing, the character's gender cannot be changed. Then, you have to enter your character's name. The name cannot be changed either, so double-check that you have what you want. Press "OK" when you are happy with your choice, and your sprite will shrink to the overworld sprite.

New Bark Town

New Bark Town

Choose either Chikorita, Cyndaquil, or Totodile

After listening to Oak's lecture, you wake up in your room. Walk downstairs to find your mom, who enables the Bag, Trainer Card, Save, and Options on the lower screen. When she is done talking, step outside to explore your hometown.

After you take your first step, A Marill runs into you, mistaking you for its Trainer, Lyra/Ethan. Your opposite-gender counterpart appears from the second story of the lab and calls it back, and they both run off. As in the originals, the shady guy peering into Elm's lab will shove you away, telling you to get lost. Enter the lab and speak to Professor Elm, who asks you a favor: it seems his friend Mr. Pokémon has found something, and needs you to bring it back to the lab. He feels that it is too dangerous to leave by yourself, so he lets you choose either Chikorita, Cyndaquil, or Totodile to accompany you. Before you leave, Elm explains the benefits of letting a Pokémon walk beside you, outside of its Poké Ball. This is one of the most recognizable differences from Gold and Silver: a Trainer's lead Pokémon will follow behind them, like Pikachu did in Yellow Version.

Chikorita		Cyndaquil		Totodile
Grass		Fire		Water
	Bayleef		Quilava		Croconaw
Grass		Fire		Water
	Meganium		Typhlosion		Feraligatr
Grass		Fire		Water

Cyndaquil is a good choice because it and its evolution are very fast and have high Sp. Atk, which makes Special-based moves much more powerful (most Fire-type moves are Special-based, such as Flamethrower, Ember, Lava Plume and Eruption). The Cyndaquil evolutionary line's Attack is bad, but the line only learns one Physical-based Fire-type move, Flame Wheel, so it doesn't matter a lot. However, the evolutionary line's Defense and Sp. Def is also quite low, so if the foe launches a super effective move (Water-, Ground- or Rock-type move), the foe may knock Cyndaquil or its evolutions out in one or two shots.

Totodile is a fairly good choice since its evolution can learn moves that cover different types (such as Superpower, Crunch and Ice Fang) and the above-mentioned shady guy will then choose Chikorita which can easily be beaten by Pidgey, or even Croconaw's Ice Fang. It's a shame that the Sp. Atk of Totodile and its evolution is low, which makes Special-based moves (most of the Water-type moves are Special-based, such as Surf, Water Gun and Hydro Pump) deal less damage. Also, strong moves like Aqua Tail and Superpower come late.

Chikorita is a defensive Pokémon. Its offensive side is not good. Although it can learn Petal Dance and SolarBeam, these strong Grass-type moves come late. However, it can learn Reflect and Light Screen, which can boost Defense and Sp. Def of the whole team for a few turns.

All Pokémon have their advantages and disadvantages (in other words, strength and weaknesses). Choose the Pokémon you like and train it well, then it will be very strong and helpful.

Mr. Pokémon lives on Route 30, but you'll have to cut through Route 29 and Cherrygrove City first. On your way out, Elm's aide gives you 5 Potions. Step back outside to find Lyra/Ethan, who tells you to visit your mom before leaving. Stop back home to pick up your Pokégear from Mom. It only has a phone function now, but will soon act as a map and radio as well. Leave your home and walk west towards Route 29, and Elm runs out of the lab to give you his phone number.

Route 29

Route 29

There's no way to avoid the tall grass on the way to Cherrygrove, so train your starter by fighting off the wild Pokémon. Follow the dead-end trail in the northeast to find a Potion in the clearing. Further west is the first Apricorn tree that you'll find, though you don't have anything to store it in right now. Stop by this area on a Tuesday to find Tuscany, one of the seven Week Siblings, who will give you a TwistedSpoon on your first meeting. Continue west to reach Cherrygrove City.

Available Pokémon
Pokémon Games Location Levels Rate Pidgey HG SS Grass 2-4 55% 55% 0% Rattata HG SS Grass 2-4 5% 5% 15% Sentret HG SS Grass 2-4 40% 40% 0% Hoothoot HG SS Grass 2-4 0% 0% 85% A colored background means that the Pokémon can be found in this location in the specified game. A white background with a colored letter means that the Pokémon cannot be found here.

Items
Item Location Games Potion East of the gate past the pair of grass patches  HG  SS  Grn Apricorn Just outside Cherrygrove City's east end  HG  SS  Poké Ball ×5 Gift from Lyra or Ethan after teaching the player how to catch Pokémon  HG  SS  TwistedSpoon From TuscanyTu  HG  SS  Shock Ribbon From TuscanyTu  HG  SS

Cherrygrove City

Cherrygrove City

On your way into the city, a nimble old man ambushes you and gives you a speedy tour of the city - the Pokémon Center, the Poké Mart, the path to Route 30, and the ocean. After the tour, he gives you the Running Shoes. These shoes appear on the touch screen, and can be equipped indefinitely (unlike in Generation III, where it was controlled by the B button). Heal up at the Poké Center if need be, buy a few Potions, and head for Cherrygrove's northern exit. Before you can leave, the Guide Gent shows up again, this time to give you the Map Card for your Pokégear, which allows you to view a map of the Johto region anytime. Leave the city for Route 30 to the north.

Items
Item Location Games Running Shoes Gift from Guide Gent  HG  SS  Map Card Gift from Guide Gent  HG  SS  Mystic Water From the fisherman on the island  HG  SS  Nugget ×2 Directly right of the Pokémon Center, accessed from Route 30's lower pond (requires Surf) (hidden) On land north of the off-shore island (requires Surf and Rock Climb) (hidden)  HG  SS

Route 30

File:Hoothoot and Gold.png

Route 30

There's plenty of tall grass here, which makes this route an ideal spot for training. Pick up the Potion near the pond, and continue north to reach the first house. Talk to the man inside, and he will give you the Apricorn Box, which means that you can finally start collecting them all (Don't worry about missing the man—if you ignore the house and run straight north, he will come out and stop you). Step outside and check his tree to pick the green Apricorn growing there. Walk north through the next patch of tall grass, and grab the Antidote to the left. The route splits into two separate trails here; the western trail is currently blocked by two battling Youngsters, so wander through the tall grass of the eastern trail to find Mr. Pokémon's house at the northern end. Grab the Pnk Apricorn from the tree, and head inside.

Available Pokémon

Pokémon Games Location Levels Rate Caterpie HG SS Grass 3-4 50% 35% 0% Metapod HG SS Grass 4 10% 15% 0% Weedle HG SS Grass 3-4 50% 35% 0% Kakuna HG SS Grass 4 10% 15% 0% Pidgey HG SS Grass 2-4 40% 50% 0% Pidgey HG SS Grass 2-4 10% 50% 0% Rattata HG SS Grass 3-4 0% 0% 40% Hoothoot HG SS Grass 3-4 0% 0% 30% Hoothoot HG SS Grass 3-4 0% 0% 60% Ledyba HG SS Grass 3 30% 0% 0% Spinarak HG SS Grass 2-3 0% 0% 30% A colored background means that the Pokémon can be found in this location in the specified game. A white background with a colored letter means that the Pokémon cannot be found here.

Items

Item Location Games Potion Near the route's southern end, by the eastern pond  HG  SS  Antidote Near the split in the route  HG  SS  Apricorn Box From the man in the southern house  HG  SS  Grn Apricorn Growing on the tree near the southern house  HG  SS  Pnk Apricorn West of Mr. Pokémon's house  HG  SS  Mystery Egg From Mr. Pokémon in the route's northeastern house  HG  SS  Exp. Share From Mr. Pokémon in exchange for the Red Scale from the Lake of Rage  HG  SS

Mr Pokémon's house

Mr Pokémon approaches you with the Mystery Egg as soon as you enter, and then his guest steps up. Professor Oak gives you a Pokédex and his phone number before leaving for his radio show. Mr Pokémon will heal your Pokémon before you leave.
Leave the house, and you'll get an urgent call from Elm. He doesn't go into detail, but you must hurry back to New Bark!

Cherrygrove City

Make sure your team is rested up before proceeding! It is because as soon as you try to head east from Cherrygrove, that shady guy that was spying on Elm's lab ambushes you, forcing you into a battle. It turns out that he swiped one of Elm's Pokémon from the lab. Whichever you chose, his Pokémon will always have a type advantage against yours, so having a few Potions isn't a bad idea.

If the player chose Chikorita:	If the player chose Cyndaquil:	If the player chose Totodile:
Passerby Boy Cherrygrove City HeartGold and SoulSilver Professor and Professor Passerby Boy Oak Cherrygrove City HeartGold and SoulSilver Reward: $500 Types: Fire Unknown Ability: Blaze Held item: None Cyndaquil♂ Lv.5 Tackle Normal Physical   --       Leer Normal Status   --       Unknown Unknown   --       Unknown Unknown   --	Passerby Boy Cherrygrove City HeartGold and SoulSilver Professor and Professor Passerby Boy Oak Cherrygrove City HeartGold and SoulSilver Reward: $500 Types: Water Unknown Ability: Torrent Held item: None Totodile♂ Lv.5 Scratch Normal Physical   --       Leer Normal Status   --       Unknown Unknown   --       Unknown Unknown   --	Passerby Boy Cherrygrove City HeartGold and SoulSilver Professor and Professor Passerby Boy Oak Cherrygrove City HeartGold and SoulSilver Reward: $500 Types: Grass Unknown Ability: Overgrow Held item: None Chikorita♂ Lv.5 Tackle Normal Physical   --       Growl Normal Status   --       Unknown Unknown   --       Unknown Unknown   --

Back in New Bark

Hurry to Elm's lab to see the professor talking to the police. The Policeman seems to think that you're the one responsible, but Lyra/Ethan defends you, telling the police that they saw a kid with red hair spying on the lab. Realizing that you have just battled the suspect, the policeman asks you for his name. After naming that shady guy (his official name is Silver, and if you input nothing, the default name, Soul or Heart, depending on your version, will be used) as the culprit, deliver the Mystery Egg to the professor. Elm is intrigued by the discovery, and promises to call you if he learns anything about the Egg. Once he realizes the Professor Oak gave you a Pokédex, he suggests that you challenge the eight Pokémon Gyms of Johto. The first Gym is located in Violet City, off to the northwest. Before you leave (for good this time), stop back home to say goodbye to Mom. She asks if you want to her to save your money; say yes, and she'll act as a bank, and will occasionally buy helpful items, like Potions or rare Berries (Unlike Generation II, the items are delivered in the Poké Mart or Department Store by a Delivery Man instead of through the players' PC). As you leave New Bark, Lyra/Ethan will give you a quick demonstration on how to catch a wild Pokémon. After the battle, she/he gives you 5 Poké Balls to start you on your collection. Now that you've delivered the Mystery Egg, Poké Marts have added Poké Balls to their inventory (buy 10 at once to receive a free Premier Ball), so with enough cash, you're free to start the hunt.

With Elm's errand complete, you can finally get to Violet City. Return to Cherrygrove and head north to Route 30 again.

Once you catch a second Pokémon, you can begin sending Pokémon to the Pokéwalker.

HeartGold and SoulSilver walkthrough

Route 30, Route 31, Violet City, Violet Gym Part 2 →

This article is part of Project Walkthroughs, a Bulbapedia project that aims to write comprehensive step-by-step guides on each Pokémon game.