Two different products
Pokémon HeartGold vs SoulSilver
HeartGold and SoulSilver are Nintendo’s 2009 Nintendo DS remakes of Gold and Silver. SoulGold on this domain is a 2026 GBA ROM hack by rahtak.
HeartGold vs SoulSilver (official remakes)
Per Bulbapedia, HeartGold and SoulSilver are paired DS remakes. Version mascots are Ho-Oh (HeartGold) and Lugia (SoulSilver). Story structure is shared; version-exclusive Pokémon and the version legendary path differ. Buy those games from Nintendo if you want the official remakes.
Where SoulGold fits
Pokémon SoulGold is not SoulSilver and not a DS ROM. It is an Emerald-based GBA hack: Johto only, nine starters, Hidden Grottos, Mega Evolutions, and a Hackdex patch. Searches for “heart gold vs soul gold” often mix the remake pair with this hack’s name.
| HeartGold / SoulSilver | SoulGold (this site) | |
|---|---|---|
| Publisher | Nintendo / Game Freak | Fan hack by rahtak |
| Released | 2009 (Japan), 2010 (rest of the world) | 2026; current version v1.2 (2026-10-03) |
| Platform | Nintendo DS | GBA (Emerald base), played on an emulator or flash cart |
| How you get it | Buy the cartridge | Free patch on Hackdex, applied to your own Emerald ROM |
| Kanto | Yes, after the Johto League | No (official FAQ: “pure Johto focus”) |
| Starters | Three Johto starters | Nine, plus every generation’s starters from the Goldenrod Gachapon |
| Pokémon | Generations 1–4 | Species and forms from all generations, including Paradox Pokémon |
| Mega Evolution | No | Yes, with type-generic stones and new starter Megas |
| Following Pokémon | Yes | Yes, including Mega forms |
| Version exclusives | Yes (Ho-Oh / Lugia focus, exclusive species) | No: one game; Ho-Oh and Lugia are both available |
| Difficulty options | None | Hard mode, optional level caps, innate toggles |
| Postgame | Kanto, Battle Frontier | Title Defense, Battle Factory/Tower/Pyramid, Rocket Arcade, dozens of legendaries |
Which one should you play?
- You want the official Johto remake with Kanto, the Pokéwalker, and the Pokéathlon: play HeartGold or SoulSilver. Pick by mascot and exclusives; the story is the same.
- You have played HGSS and want Johto again with modern Pokémon and mechanics: SoulGold. Expect new areas, Mega Evolution, abilities and innates, and a harder optional mode.
- You only want one version-free run: SoulGold has no version split; both Ho-Oh and Lugia appear (see legendary locations).
Common mix-ups
- “Soul Gold” is not a third official version. Nintendo released HeartGold and SoulSilver only; “SoulGold” is this fan hack’s name.
- HGSS cheat codes and guides do not apply. SoulGold is a GBA hack with different maps, items, and data; see the cheats guide and the SoulGold walkthrough.
- Saves do not transfer between a DS cartridge and a GBA hack.
Also see SoulGold vs Heart & Soul and Gold vs HeartGold. To play the hack, download the official patch.