Pokémon™ HeartGold Version and Pokémon SoulSilver Version available across Europe on 26th March 2010 for Nintendo DS and Nintendo DSi

OFFICIAL NINTENDO UK PRESS RELEASE: 12th January 2010 РFor more than a decade, millions of Pok̩mon fans around the world have enjoyed training their Pok̩mon within their video games. The March 26 release of the Pok̩mon HeartGold Version and Pok̩mon SoulSilver Version games for the Nintendo DS & Nintendo DSi heralds the beginning of a major new development for the Pok̩mon world, as players across Europe continue that training in the real world, simply by going for a walk.

Pokémon HeartGold Version and Pokémon SoulSilver Version will allow you, the player, to interact with your Pokémon beyond the realm of the main game itself! The brand new Pokéwalker accessory is a pedometer that is exclusively packaged with and only for Pokémon HeartGold Version and Pokémon SoulSilver Version.  It works with the game through an infrared connection and allows you to transfer any one of your Pokémon from one of the two games, to the Pokéwalker and thus continuing the adventure in the real world.

The Pokéwalker counts the number of steps you take in the real world as you walk with it, using these to earn vital experience points while strengthening the bond between you and your Pokémon. The more steps you take in the real world, the more Watts are gained. Watts are used within the Pokéwalker to encounter and catch wild Pokémon using the Poké Radar or to search for hidden items using the Dowsing Machine, which can then be transferred into Pokémon HeartGold Version and Pokémon SoulSilver Version.

You can select which route within the Pokéwalker you would like to walk along such as plains or the sea. Each route has different wild Pokémon to encounter and catch, and some special Pokémon can only be found within certain routes. The Pokéwalker not only communicates with your Nintendo DS but also to each other using infrared – and if you and a friend connect your Pokéwalker together, you both receive a game item as a gift.

Pokémon HeartGold Version and Pokémon SoulSilver Version brings players back to the beloved Johto region which has not been available in a Pokémon game since Pokémon Gold Version and Pokémon Silver Version were launched in 2001. This is also the very first time players can visit this region on their Nintendo DS / Nintendo DSi which introduces several new enhancements that enrich these timeless adventures. Created exclusively for the Nintendo DS and Nintendo DSi systems, the games feature detailed graphics that spotlight the unique environments, hundreds of Pokémon that players can encounter and capture as well as a new Pokédex with new touch-screen controls making it easier to sort through your collection. Players can even see and interact with their favourite Pokémon outside of battle, selecting one from their team to follow behind them as they travel through the Johto region. The games also include robust touch screen functionality, allowing for smoother control and seamless navigation by the player.

The story sees you journey from your home, New Bark Town, and the Pokémon Research Lab, across the Johto region, encountering all sorts of wonderful and mysterious characters – as well as Team Rocket, a nefarious group that uses Pokémon to cause all sorts of trouble and, naturally, hundreds of Pokémon. Raikou, Entei, and Suicune are some of the legendary Pokémon that roam around the Johto region. Although legend has it that these Pokémon perished in a fire, rumour suggests they have been somehow brought back – which means you may encounter them on your travels.

Pokémon HeartGold Version and Pokémon SoulSilver Version bring some amazing Pokémon characters back into the limelight for a new generation – and longtime fans – to catch, train and battle. Get ready to see why the Pokémon series of games have sold over 197 million copies across the globe, when Pokémon HeartGold Version and Pokémon SoulSilver Version launch across Europe for the Nintendo DS and Nintendo DSi on 26th March 2010.