Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver

Pokémon HeartGold Version and SoulSilver Version
Also known as: Pocket Monsters HeartGold and SoulSilver (JP/KR), literally “Pokémon Gold Version HeartGold and Silver Version SoulSilver” in all other languages Developer: Game Freak Publishers: The Pokémon Company (JP), Nintendo (INT) Platform: Nintendo DS Released in JP: September 12, 2009 Released in US: March 14, 2010 Released in EU: March 26, 2010 Released in AU: March 25, 2010 Released in KR: February 4, 2010 This game has unused areas. This game has unused graphics. This game has unused models. This game has unused items. This game has unused abilities. This game has unused music. This game has debugging material. This game has regional differences. This game has anti-piracy features. This game has a development article This game has a prototype article This game has a notes page

This game/console's online features are no longer supported. While this game/console's online features were once accessible, they are (as of May 20, 2014) no longer officially supported and online-exclusive features may be documented as now-unseen content.

This article is a work in progress. ...Well, all the articles here are, in a way. But this one moreso, and the article may contain incomplete information and editor's notes.

Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver Versions are remakes of the original Pokémon Gold and Silver.

Sub-Pages

Development Info

Prototype Info

Notes

Unused Maps Slot Machines were too good for international players.

Unused Graphics More leftovers than a Snorlax.

Inaccessible Content All the content that died along with Nintendo WFC. Rest in peace.

Moves 468-470

When taught to a Pokémon, data about unused attacks 468, 469 and 470 does not necessarily freeze the game. Such attacks are special, have a power and accuracy of 100, and a PP of 10. Other invalid attacks do not give this data and simply freeze the game as soon as they are recalled, perhaps suggesting that the move database was once intended to end at 470 as a nice round figure rather than at 467 (Shadow Force).

Leftover Content

To do: This whole section should be revised to accurately specify what Platinum content is really missing. In addition, the /pbr/ directory has a lot of Diamond/Pearl/Platinum data. There may be more files of interest in there.

Files originally found in Pokémon Diamond and Pearl have found their way into HeartGold and SoulSilver.

Item Bag

The sprites for the Diamond/Pearl male hero's item pocket selection's upper screen remain. Missing are the female hero's purse and Platinum's white bags.

Overworld Sprites

Several overworld sprites were not reintroduced in HeartGold and SoulSilver but still exist within the game, such as the associated data for the playable male and female characters (as they appeared in Diamond / Pearl and Platinum) including their 'berry planting' poses and Gym Leaders (with the exception of Maylene and Crasher Wake, who appear in Celadon and Johto Route 47, respectively).

Slot Machines

Most graphics from the Diamond/Pearl slots game remain, including the Clefairy bonus mode. The slots had a design overhaul in Japan, but were replaced by a Voltorb Flip minigame for everyone else.

The Underground

There are quite a few files related to the huge underground complex found in the three earlier Pokémon DS games. Most (if not all) of the 2D graphics remain, including the traps, radar pinging, and the mining mini-game. It's possible that it was going to be remade, as the walking sprites for both the Diamond/Pearl heroes exist with the other underground files; however, Platinum's heroes are missing. There's also an entire map header dedicated to the Underground, but the map matrix responsible for it just reloads the entire Johto and Kanto overworlds.

Audio Data

The sound file (sound_data.sdat) from Diamond/Pearl is still in the game's files, completely unused.

Pokétch Graphics

Pokétch graphics used in Platinum are all still in the game's files, including the two unused graphics from Diamond and Pearl.

Lost Debug Mode

Nearly 2,000 text strings can be found talking about changing values for unknown debugging features. However, the debug menu code is probably lost. This debug mode is apparently based on the one in Platinum, containing references to events such as the Distortion World; it seems more of it survives than in that game.

To see the debug mode strings, please look at the Notes page.

Unused Items

Photo Album

Name (EN)	Name (JP)	Description (EN)	Description (JP)
Photo Album	フォトアルバム	A nice photo album for storing all the photos taken along your adventure.	ぼうけんちゅうに　さつえいした きねんしゃしんを　かざる　アルバム

In the final version, photos are stored on your PC instead.

SlowpokeTail

Name (EN)	Name (JP)	Description (EN)	Description (JP)
SlowpokeTail	おいしいシッポ	A very tasty tail of something. It sells for a high price.	とても　おいしい　なにかの　しっぽ。 ショップで　たかく　うれる。

Existed in the original Gold/Silver; it has been upgraded to a key item here but ended up unused.

Lock Capsule

To do: What is the “correct” configuration?

Name (EN)	Name (JP)	Description (EN)	Description (JP)
Lock Capsule	ロックカプセル	A sturdy Capsule that can only be opened with a special key.	とくしゅな　カギで　あけられる がんじょうな　カプセル。

This unreleased event item, intended to be transferred to Black and White to unlock an event there, can be added to the Bag through hacking. Since its only intended purpose is to be transferred to another game, it does absolutely nothing in HeartGold and SoulSilver. However, if the Lock Capsule is obtained by a correctly-configured Mystery Gift, then an option to view the Lock Capsule's status will be added to the Mystery Gift menu.

The Lock Capsule can't be found by the Relocator unless this option is unlocked, either—presumably an anti-cheating measure.

Blank Item Data

Blank item data occupying 21 identifiers exists between identifiers 0x0070 (Griseous Orb) and 0x0087 (Adamant Orb). These are perfectly formatted items which do not crash the game, unlike invalid items. They use the error handler "???" as a name and a ? symbol as the picture, suggesting that they may have once been items from Diamond/Pearl when they were still in development.

Unused Hex Values

To do: Find out more items, and list them and their properties.

There are many hex values that go unused and have the same data as the blank item data above. It appears that some glitch items above 0x0F00 have similar sprites to already existing items but use a different colour palette. They don't seem to be usable, but may possibly be connected to other data, like map data. In earlier generations, performing an item underflow glitch and swapping some of the items under the cancel button would seem to change up the game, indicating that the items are connected to other game data. It is currently unknown if glitch items in this generation are connected with other game data in the same way.

Unused Music

Bizarrely, the entire audio archive and soundtrack from Pokémon Diamond & Pearl is carried over, despite very few tracks from that game actually being used in the game! This is more than likely a case of imported data, as HeartGold & SoulSilver reuse many graphical and audio assets from those games.

GB Sounds

The GB Sounds item allows 8-bit music tracks to be played, and most tracks that couldn't be listened to normally can be played using the Pokégear radio on Sundays through the Pokémon Past Archive Program after obtaining the GB Sounds. However there are a couple of music tracks not covered by the Pokémon Past Archive that cannot be accessed at all during normal gameplay, as music played by the radio from the Pokégear is not affected by the GB Sounds:

SEQ_GS_P_KAIDENPA

The GB Sounds version of the Radio Transmission that is played when the PokéGear radio is opened in Mahogany Town before Team Rocket is defeated there.

SEQ_GS_P_RADIO_UNKNOWN

The GB Sounds version of the Mysterious Transmission that is played when the PokéGear radio is opened in the Ruins of Alph. This track was later released through the official soundtrack.

Interestingly, the GB Sounds was programmed to play virtually any track which had a GB Sounds version of it, including the title screen. Using the code below will force GB Sounds to always be on.

221D05D2 00000001

Unused Wild Held Item Data

Some Pokémon, when found in the wild, have a chance of holding an item. This held item data also exists for some Pokémon which cannot be caught in the wild in the final game, however, rendering these assignments unused.

#	Pokémon	Held Items	Note
026	Raichu	(5%) Oran Berry
036	Clefable	(5%) Moon Stone (50%) Leppa Berry
037	Vulpix	(50%) Rawst Berry	Available in SoulSilver.
038	Ninetales	(50%) Rawst Berry
052	Meowth	(5%) Quick Claw	Available in SoulSilver.
053	Persian	(5%) Quick Claw	Available in SoulSilver.
056	Mankey	(5%) Payapa Berry	Available in HeartGold.
057	Primeape	(5%) Payapa Berry	Available in HeartGold.
058	Growlithe	(100%) Rawst Berry	Available in HeartGold.
059	Arcanine	(100%) Rawst Berry
062	Poliwrath	(5%) King's Rock
065	Alakazam	(5%) TwistedSpoon
075	Golem	(5%) Everstone Stone
091	Cloyster	(5%) Big Pearl (50%) Pearl
110	Weezing	(5%) Smoke Ball
121	Starmie	(5%) Star Piece (50%) Stardust
149	Dragonite	(5%) Dragon Scale
151	Mew	(100%) Lum Berry
172	Pichu	(5%) Oran Berry
173	Clefa	(5%) Moon Stone (50%) Leppa Berry
186	Politoed	(5%) King's Rock
199	Slowking	(5%) King's Rock
230	Kingdra	(5%) Dragon Scale
231	Phanpy	(5%) Passho Berry	Available in HeartGold.
232	Donphan	(5%) Passho Berry	Available in HeartGold.
242	Blissey	(5%) Lucky Egg (50%) Oval Stone
251	Celebi	(100%) Lum Berry
262	Mightyena	(5%) Pecha Berry
277	Swellow	(5%) Charti Berry
286	Breloom	(5%) Kebia Berry
294	Loudred	(5%) Chesto Berry
295	Exploud	(5%) Chesto Berry
297	Hariyama	(5%) King's Rock
300	Skitty	(5%) Leppa Berry
301	Delcatty	(5%) Leppa Berry
303	Mawile	(5%) Hard Rock	Available in SoulSilver.
306	Aggron	(5%) Hard Rock
315	Roselia	(5%) Poison Barb
316	Gulpin	(5%) Big Pearl	Available in SoulSilver.
317	Swalot	(5%) Big Pearl
318	Carvanha	(5%) Deep Sea Tooth
319	Sharpedo	(5%) Deep Sea Tooth
323	Camerupt	(100%) Rawst Berry
326	Grumpig	(5%) Tenga Berry
332	Cacturne	(5%) Sticky Barb
345	Lileep	(5%) Big Root
346	Cradily	(5%) Big Root
351	Castform	(100%) Mystical Water
352	Kecleon	(5%) Persim Berry
362	Glalie	(5%) Babiri Berry
367	Huntail	(5%) DeepSeaTooth
368	Gorebyss	(5%) DeepSeaScale
372	Shelgon	(5%) Dragon Fang
373	Salamence	(5%) Dragon Fang
374	Beldum	(5%) Metal Coat
375	Metang	(5%) Metal Coat
376	Metagross	(5%) Metal Coat
385	Jirachi	(100%) Star Piece
397	Staravia	(5%) Yache Berry
398	Staraptor	(5%) Yache Berry
400	Bibarel	(5%) Sitrus Berry (50%) Oran Berry
407	Roserade	(5%) Poison Barb
413	Wormadam	(5%) Silver Powder
414	Mothim	(5%) Silver Powder
416	Vespiquen	(5%) Poison Barb
419	Floatzel	(5%) Wacan Berry
421	Cherrim	(5%) Miracle Seed
428	Lopunny	(5%) Chople Berry
431	Glameow	(5%) Cheri Berry
432	Purugly	(5%) Cheri Berry
433	Stunky	(5%) Pecha Berry
434	Skuntank	(5%) Pecha Berry
437	Bronzong	(5%) Metal Coat
439	Mime Jr.	(5%) Leppa Berry
440	Happiny	(5%) Lucky Punch (50%) Oval Stone
444	Gabite	(5%) Haban Berry
445	Garchomp	(5%) Haban Berry
446	Munchlax	(100%) Leftovers
452	Drapion	(5%) Poison Barb
454	Toxicroak	(5%) Black Sludge
456	Finneon	(5%) Rindo Berry
457	Lumineon	(5%) Rindo Berry
459	Snover	(5%) Never-Melt Ice
460	Abomasnow	(5%) Never-Melt Ice
461	Weavile	(5%) Quick Claw (50%) Grip Claw
462	Magnezone	(5%) Metal Coat
463	Lickilicky	(5%) Lagging Tail
466	Electivire	(5%) Electirizer
467	Magmortar	(5%) Magmarizer
469	Yanmega	(5%) Wide Lens
476	Probopass	(5%) Hard Stone
477	Dusknoir	(5%) Kasib Berry
478	Froslass	(5%) Babiri Berry
492	Shaymin	(100%) Lum Berry

Route 23

Route 23, the huge route in Pokémon Red/Blue/Yellow and FireRed/LeafGreen that contains Victory Road and is right after the Pokémon League Front Gate on Route 22, is unceremoniously replaced by the Pokémon League Reception Gate in both the original Pokémon Gold/Silver/Crystal and HeartGold/SoulSilver. However, a small stretch leading from the northern exit of Victory Road to the Indigo Plateau's front door is still identified within Gold/Silver/Crystal as "Route 23"; in HeartGold and SoulSilver, however, this stretch is identified as Indigo Plateau instead.

Nonetheless, the location header for Route 23 is still present in HeartGold and SoulSilver's data.

Unused Text

To do: *Find more and put them here. Check whether the photo Mystery Gift text is possible to trigger in-game using a hacked Wonder Card.

There are some unused text strings related to the unused Photo Album key item.

Hmmm... You don’t seem to have a Photo Album. For you to sort pictures taken, you will need one. My big brother runs a memorial photo studio at Goldenrod City. Why don’t you go there to get one?

おやおや？ きみ　フォトアルバム　もってないね とった　しゃしんを　せいり　するには フォトアルバムが　いるんだよ コガネシティで　わしの　にいさんが きねんしゃしんスタジオ　やってるから そこで　アルバム　もらっておいでー

The Photo Album is full. Please delete some pictures before you come back.

フォトアルバムの　しゃしんが いっぱいに　なっています しゃしんを　せいり　してから また　おこしください

You don’t have a Photo Album. Please go to Goldenrod City. There is a tunnel there... And come back with a Photo Album.

フォトアルバムが　みあたりません コガネシティの　ちかつうろで フォトアルバムを　もらってから また　おこしください

The text for the Mystery Gift deliveryman includes lines for receiving a photo, something that was never used in any released events. "Memorial Photo" could be in reference to the name of the photo booth in the Goldenrod Tunnel.

[player name] received a Memorial Photo!

[player name]　は きねんしゃしん　を　うけとった！

Oh no, [player name]! Your Photo Album is full. Would you please come back once you’ve opened up space in your Album?

……あれれ　[player name]さん フォトアルバムが　いっぱいですね アルバムの　しゃしんを　せいりして またきて　いただけますか？

There is also unused text in Blackthorn City for the guy who mentions that Clair is not available yet; he even blocks entry to the Blackthorn City Gym like he did in the original Gold/Silver/Crystal. However, the player cannot get past Mahogany Town to access Blackthorn City until after Team Rocket is defeated in the Goldenrod City Radio Tower; by the time Blackthorn City can be accessed, the guy has already moved out of the way so that the player can enter the gym.

I am sorry. Clair, our Gym Leader, entered the Dragon’s Den behind the Gym. I have no idea when our Leader will return.

もうしわけ　ございません ジムリーダーの　イブキさまは ジムの　うらにある　りゅうのあなへ ようじで　でかけて　おります もどられるのは　いつに　なるやら……

The Pokégear map has several area description strings that go unused, either because an alternate string is used instead or because the area doesn't show up on the map at all.

Area	Description (EN)	Description (JP)
Lavender Radio Tower	An old building that has been reused as a radio broadcasting tower.	ふるいビルを　さいりよう　して つくられた　ラジオほうそうとう
Battle Frontier	A Battle Stadium with five different sets of rules to enjoy.	５しゅるいの　ルールが　たのしめる そうごう　バトル　スタジアム
Mt. Silver	A mountain where something mysterious awaits you underfoot.	なにかが　まちうける あしもと　けわしき　やま
Pokéathlon Dome	A place where Pokémon can compete against each other’s strengths.	ポケモンたちが　さまざまな ちからを　きそいあえる　ばしょ
Bellchime Trail	A path said to always be bathed in sunset, no matter what the season.	きせつを　とわず　きぎのはが ゆうやけいろに　そまる　こみち

Additionally, in the Japanese script, several locations have placeholder description strings consisting of simply ダミーのガイドメッセージ (translating to "Dummy Guide Message") followed by the area's name: Team Rocket Hideout, Goldenrod Tunnel, Dragon's Den, Cliff Cave, Goldenrod Radio Tower, and Route 23. The strings were blanked out in all other languages.

(Source: Bulbapedia)

Various leftover text strings from Diamond/Pearl are still present; these ones pertain to the unused Azure Flute event, the fog weather condition, and honey tree encounters, respectively.

[player name]’s Azure Flute is making a sound! Would you like to blow into the Azure Flute?

[player name]の　もっている てんかいのふえ　から　おとがきこえる てんかいのふえを　ふきますか？

[player name] blew the Azure Flute.

[player name]は てんかいのふえを　ふいてみた

A glowing stairway appeared!

ひかりの　かいだんが　あらわれた！

The Azure Flute echoed hollowly... It appears to be meaningless using the Azure Flute here...

てんかいのふえ　は むなしく　なりひびいた…… この　ばしょで　つかっても いみが　ないようだ……

The fog is deep...

きりが　ふかい

A deep fog drapes the area... Would you like to use Defog?

ふかい　きりに　おおわれている…… きりばらいを　つかいますか？

[Pokémon name] used Defog!

[Pokémon name]は きりばらいを　つかった！

A deep fog drapes the area... Will a Pokémon’s move lift it?

ふかい　きりに　おおわれている…… ポケモンの　わざで　はらえるかも？

A wild [Pokémon name] appeared from the tree you slathered with Honey!

あ！　ミツを　ぬった　きから [Pokémon name]が　あらわれた！

The event-themed unused met locations from Diamond/Pearl are also all reused, and are as described on that page.

Unused Pal Park Species Data

When transferring Pokémon from Generation III games into HeartGold and SoulSilver through the Pal Park feature, the location and appearance rate for each one as well as the score bonus for catching it are determined on a per-species basis. As with Diamond and Pearl, every species in the game has unique data for this, including those that are newly-introduced to Generation IV and therefore cannot be encountered in Pal Park during normal gameplay.

#	Pokémon	Area	Score	Rate
387	Turtwig	Forest	50	30
388	Grotle	Forest	80	10
389	Torterra	Forest	90	3
390	Chimchar	Field	50	30
391	Monferno	Field	80	10
392	Infernape	Field	90	3
393	Piplup	Pond	50	30
394	Prinplup	Pond	80	10
395	Empoleon	Pond	90	3
396	Starly	Field	30	50
397	Staravia	Field	50	30
398	Staraptor	Field	70	20
399	Bidoof	Field	30	50
400	Bibarel	Field	50	30
401	Kricketot	Forest	50	30
402	Kricketune	Forest	70	20
403	Shinx	Field	50	30
404	Luxio	Field	70	20
405	Luxray	Field	80	10
406	Budew	Field	80	10
407	Roserade	Field	80	10
408	Cranidos	Mountain	70	20
409	Rampardos	Mountain	80	10
410	Shieldon	Mountain	70	20
411	Bastiodon	Mountain	80	10
412	Burmy	Forest	50	30
413	Wormadam	Forest	70	20
414	Mothim	Forest	70	20
415	Combee	Forest	50	30
416	Vespiquen	Forest	70	20
417	Pachirisu	Forest	50	30
418	Buizel	Forest	70	20
419	Floatzel	Mountain	70	20
420	Cherubi	Mountain	80	10
421	Cherrim	Field	90	3
422	Shellos	Sea	50	30
423	Gastrodon	Sea	70	20
424	Ambipom	Pond	50	30
425	Drifloon	Pond	70	20
426	Drifblim	Forest	80	10
427	Buneary	Field	50	30
428	Lopunny	Field	70	20
429	Mismagius	Forest	80	10
430	Honchkrow	Forest	80	10
431	Glameow	Field	50	30
432	Purugly	Field	70	20
433	Chingling	Field	70	20
434	Stunky	Mountain	80	10
435	Skuntank	Mountain	50	30
436	Bronzor	Mountain	70	20
437	Bronzong	Mountain	80	10
438	Bonsly	Field	90	3
439	Mime Jr.	Field	90	3
440	Happiny	Field	50	30
441	Chatot	Field	70	20
442	Spiritomb	Field	80	10
443	Gible	Mountain	50	30
444	Gabite	Mountain	70	20
445	Garchomp	Pond	50	30
446	Munchlax	Pond	70	20
447	Riolu	Field	70	20
448	Lucario	Field	50	30
449	Hippopotas	Field	70	20
450	Hippowdon	Sea	80	10
451	Skorupi	Sea	50	30
452	Drapion	Sea	70	20
453	Croagunk	Forest	90	3
454	Toxicroak	Mountain	50	30
455	Carnivine	Mountain	70	20
456	Finneon	Mountain	80	10
457	Lumineon	Mountain	90	3
458	Mantyke	Mountain	90	3
459	Snover	Mountain	50	30
460	Abomasnow	Mountain	70	20
461	Weavile	Mountain	80	10
462	Magnezone	Mountain	80	10
463	Lickilicky	Field	80	10
464	Rhyperior	Mountain	80	10
465	Tangrowth	Forest	80	10
466	Electivire	Mountain	80	10
467	Magmortar	Mountain	80	10
468	Togekiss	Field	80	10
469	Yanmega	Field	80	10
470	Leafeon	Field	90	3
471	Glaceon	Field	90	3
472	Gliscor	Mountain	80	10
473	Mamoswine	Mountain	80	10
474	Porygon-Z	Field	80	10
475	Gallade	Field	80	10
476	Probopass	Mountain	80	10
477	Dusknoir	Forest	80	10
478	Froslass	Mountain	80	10
479	Rotom	Field	90	3
480	Uxie	Field	90	3
481	Mesprit	Field	90	3
482	Azelf	Field	90	3
483	Dialga	Mountain	90	3
484	Palkia	Mountain	90	3
485	Heatran	Mountain	90	3
486	Regigigas	Mountain	90	3
487	Giratina	Mountain	90	3
488	Cresselia	Forest	90	3
489	Phione	Sea	90	3
490	Manaphy	Sea	100	1
491	Darkrai	Mountain	100	1
492	Shaymin	Field	100	1
493	Arceus	Mountain	100	1

(Source: Veekun)

Sinjoh Ruins Return Trip

As is well known, the Arceus distributed at Japanese movie theatres and at Toys "R" Us can enable the player to enter an area called the Sinjoh Ruins and choose between a Level 1 Dialga, Palkia, or Giratina, all holding their signature items.

What is less well known is that the unused Hall of Origin event Arceus within Diamond, Pearl, and Platinum can, if obtained through a hacked Azure Flute or a warp to the Hall, enable a second trip to the Sinjoh Ruins, wherein the Hiker in the cabin has some different dialog and it is possible to choose one of the dragons that you didn't choose the first time (complete with the really creepy cutscene). There is no way whatsoever to obtain the last dragon left unchosen, though.

The Hiker in the cabin's special return-trip dialogue:

Well, hello! We meet again! Cynthia has gone back to Sinnoh. She is the Sinnoh League Champion. She studies various ruins despite her tight schedule. How wonderful she is!

やー　どーも また　あいましたねー シロナさんは　シンオウちほうへ もどられましたよー あのひとは シンオウリーグの　チャンピオン いそがしい　あいまを　ぬって いせきの　けんきゅうを　してるんです すばらしいですねー

???-Type Arceus

Arceus' ???-type form from previous games makes its final appearance here, as Black/White would take out the ???-type entirely.

Unobtainable Shiny Pokémon

For the sake of consistency, every Pokémon in every Pokémon game is given a Shiny variant. Most Shiny Pokémon have been obtainable through random chance encounters or event distributions, including most Legendary Pokémon. However, a few Pokémon cannot be obtained in this form without hacking, and as a consequence, normal players would never be able to see their Shiny coloration.

Arceus

Arceus has a Shiny palette for each of its 18 forms, including the unused ???-type (see above). However, because the only way to obtain it legitimately was through distributions, the Shiny version of Arceus was left unobtainable through normal means. Shiny Arceus was later made available as a distribution via serial code in Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire with the purchase of tickets to the 18th Pokémon movie, and was finally made available worldwide in Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl after update 1.3.0.

Spiky-eared Pichu

The Spiky-eared Pichu from the special Ilex Forest event (unlocked via the Shiny Pichu distribution) has a Shiny palette as well. However, it cannot be obtained as Shiny from the event.

Head Smash Nosepass

Nosepass gained the ability to learn Head Smash as an egg move in these games. Normally, that wouldn't be notable, because everyone and their mother gained the ability to learn Head Smash as an egg move in these games.

...Except that Nosepass can't breed with anything that learns Head Smash, making the move unobtainable. Oops!

The egg move was removed in Pokémon Black and White and did not become available for Nosepass until Pokémon Scarlet and Violet, despite that it would've been possible to pass down the move in games post-HGSS (via Aegislash or Sudowoodo).

Anti-Softlock Tentacool

While present in the game, no one would realistically come across this unless they were trying to softlock themselves and it took a decade for this to be discovered. If you reach Cianwood City with only one Pokémon in your party and PC, an NPC will give you a free Tentacool. As you are required to get the Surf HM and Tentacool can learn Surf, this means you can never be in a situation where you cannot escape Cianwood City. This can be repeated an unlimited amount of times.

Anti-Piracy

If the game detects that it is being played on a flash card or emulator, it will softlock at the start of a battle, with the player's Poké Balls continuing to spin indefinitely. Most emulators are able to avoid triggering this, however.

Unused Textures

To do: There are some models, as mentioned below, that use the unused gym texture. Get them to appear in-game and add screenshots.

There is an unused texture within the 41st tileset in the game, which simply spells "YoBi". When translated, it simply means "preliminary".

A texture with the word "gym" on it. It's a placeholder graphic for a placeholder model.

Unused 3D Models

There are unused 3D models for both Dialga and Palkia, left over from the title screen of Diamond & Pearl.

Obsolete References to Gold/Silver/Crystal Features

To do: There are likely more obsolete references in the game; hunting them all down may be quite a task.

There are several references in the game's dialog to features that were present in the original Gold/Silver/Crystal, but are either no longer present or have been altered in such a way that the references are no longer relevant.

• After defeating Pryce, he inaccurately says that the Glacier Badge will raise the Special stats of Pokémon. Badges no longer boost stats in Generation IV games, and the dialogue of other Gym Leaders removes references to this.
• Kurt in Azalea Town still refers to "Poké Ball" in the singular form in most of his dialogue. In Gold/Silver, he would only turn one Apricorn at a time into a Poké Ball for the player, whereas in Crystal and HeartGold/SoulSilver the player can give him multiple Apricorns at a time and receive multiple Poké Balls, making his speech slightly awkward. This is probably just a typo.
• In the English versions, the poster on the first floor of the Goldenrod Radio Tower advertising the "Lucky Channel" remains. This was the radio show in Gold/Silver/Crystal that would broadcast lottery numbers which, if they matched the Trainer ID of any of the player's Pokémon, would allow them to win prizes. The show is no longer broadcasted in HeartGold/SoulSilver, having been replaced by Felicity the lottery attendant behind the counter at the Radio Tower, who tells the player the daily lotto number when spoken to. In the Japanese versions, it refers to the show as だいこうひょうポケモンくじ (The Super-Popular Pokémon Lottery) instead of ラッキーチャンネル as in the originals, indicating that this could have been a new yet scrapped show instead.

Regional Differences

Title Screen

Japan	International

Game Corners

To do: Seems like importing the overlay and graphics code for the Slots machines back into the International ROMs causes the game to crash. Also, check the map IDs to clear up any doubts.

In all non-Japanese versions of the game, the traditional slot machines were replaced with a Minesweeper/Sudoku hybrid called Voltorb Flip. This was due to then-recent European legislation which automatically prescribes a 12+ rating to any game featuring interactive gambling content. While this same law previously affected Platinum as well, it was only in the European versions of the game. Although the original Game Corner maps from the Japanese version of HeartGold and SoulSilver are no longer accessible in regular gameplay, they still remain within the internal data: the Goldenrod one has a hexadecimal identifier of 0x00B7 and the Celadon one is 0x017D. Read more here.

In the Japanese version, the modified Game Corner maps also exist without events or warps. Their identifiers are 0x0218 (Goldenrod) and 0x0219 (Celadon). However, the overlay and graphics files for Voltorb Flip do not exist in the Japanese version. Similarly, the slots machines' graphics and overlay files are removed, and only placeholders remain in the International releases.

GTS Notifications

To do: What about the Korean version?

In the Japanese version, players could receive e-mail messages stating when a trade on the GTS was complete. In the North American and European versions, players could only receive notifications through Wii Messaging. This change also applies to Pokémon Platinum.

(Source: Bulbapedia)

Korean Versions

By the time Nintendo and The Pokémon Company opened their South Korean subsidiaries in 2006, Game Freak was finalizing Diamond and Pearl, the first games of the fourth generation. A Korean release of Diamond and Pearl did not occur until 2008, after the releases of those games, meaning that non-Korean copies of games of the fourth generation were never made in mind to support Korean copies. As such, some limitations and changes were implemented in them, such as items like the Manaphy Egg being unobtainable due to inherent incompatibilities and the unavailability of the required spin-off games. However, because at least Japanese Ruby and Sapphire were released in South Korea, Pal Park accepts all languages of Ruby, Sapphire, FireRed, LeafGreen, and Emerald, unlike the Japanese and Western versions. The transferred Pokémon are treated as nicknamed due to the language mismatch, behavior that is not exclusive to the Korean versions. It supports one more language for its Pokédex than other languages as such.

Due to the lack of an Hangul font in non-Korean releases, communications between Korean and non-Korean copies were made impossible to avoid having display issues on those copies. This means that it is impossible to trade and receive non-Korean Pokémon on a Korean copy outside of Major Bob's Pikachu and Pokémon and their evolutions available from the Pal Park. Since Platinum, foreign entries in the Pokédex for each Pokémon can be consulted once a Pokémon from a specific language has been obtained. Since it is impossible to receive Pokémon from game from other languages outside of the previous cases mentioned, this means that all of the Pokémon from the fourth generation have foreign entries coded into the games, but most of those are not accessible without cheating.

The sprite for the Sages was seemingly altered for religious reasons in the Korean version: the prayer beads were removed, the robes were slightly recolored, and a red robe was added on their left shoulder. Their title was also changed to 수행자 (Ascetic); in Gold and Silver, it was 중 (Monk).