The Pokémon game I want most is also the one we’ll never get

Can you believe that it’s been 25 years since Pokémon Gold and Silver were first launched? Generation 2 really took things to the next level in a way that no other gen has quite managed to replicate. It’s no wonder that these games are still beloved years later. However, many players are missing out on the joys of Johto, and it doesn’t have to be this way.

While it’s true that Gen 2 has already received wildly successful remakes, I can’t help but wish for another. After all, it’s been so long since Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver were released on the Nintendo DS. Those remakes are endlessly replayable, but imagine the power of a Pokémon Gen 2 remake on the Nintendo Switch 2? But I’m not holding my breath. 

The Escapist recaps

• Pokémon Gold, Silver, and Crystal were first released over 25 years ago, and they’ve only seen one remake.
• Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver, while successful, are no longer easily available for new and returning players.
• It’s high time for a new Generation 2 remake for the Nintendo Switch 2, and many Pokémon Gen 2 fans have been asking for one for years.
• Pokémon Let’s Go Johto would be a great way to bring the game back to a wider audience, but it may never become a reality.

Pokémon Gold, Silver, and Crystal changed my life

Being a true 90s kid, I was all-in on the Pokémon hype the moment it started. The games, the anime, the merchandise, the TCG —you name it, I was obsessed with it.

Although I started my Pokémon journey with Blue, the magic of exploring Johto for the first time was unparalleled, really. From the quaint New Bark Town to the incredible Ecruteak City, the game just has a certain feeling to it that cannot be replicated. I know that my opinion is colored by nostalgia, but I also know that Pokémon Gen 2 were the perfect follow-ups to a massive franchise.

Exploring Johto, finding new Pokémon, and following the story of Suicune in Crystal — all of that was incredible. But getting to come back to Kanto, the region we all know and love from Gen 1? That was a once-in-a-lifetime kind of gaming experience. 

I still get goosebumps when I replay the game and make my way back to Kanto. Fighting Red is still as epic and as difficult as it was the first time around. Meeting old (and new) Gym Leaders in Kanto is still a thrill. 

And to think that, to this day, these games remain the only main series Pokémon games to feature two complete regions.

Pokémon Gold, Silver, and Crystal were simply the perfect continuation to the franchise, and shockingly, their remakes, Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver, were just as good (or better).

Heart Gold / Soul Silver are now hard to find

We all know how it goes with game remakes; they can be pretty hit or miss. Some games turn out well, and others are best forgotten, if only to preserve the nostalgic feeling of the original titles.

In the case of Pokémon SoulSilver and HeartGold, we’re dealing with huge hits. They were huge sellers, selling nearly 13 million copies worldwide since their release in 2009. I’ve played them dozens of times since, and I’m still itching to go back as I write this.

Unfortunately, getting your hands on a legitimate copy of one of the Pokémon Gen 2 remakes is equal parts difficult and expensive. They’re no longer being made, so your best bet is eBay, where an authentic copy can cost north of $150. Getting one with the Pokéwalker and the box can set you back well over $1,000.

With those games being unavailable on the Nintendo Switch, and Gold/Silver/Crystal last being available to buy on the Nintendo 3DS, gamers are left with no realistic, fully legal ways to play them.

Pokémon Let’s Go Johto would be amazing, but it’s unlikely to happen

Seeing as the last Pokémon remake for Gen 2 dates back to 2009 — which, not to alarm you, was a whopping 16 years ago — it feels like it’s time for Game Freak to give us all a return to Johto. However, we’re getting just about everything but that.

Gen 3 saw its remake in Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire. Gen 4 made a return with Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl. Gen 1 came back yet again with Let’s Go Pikachu and Let’s Go Eevee. Then, Game Freak released Legends Arceus, soon to be followed by Pokémon Legends Z-A. I know that many are still hoping for a Black and White remake, but personally, I can’t help but hope for a Let’s Go Johto or a Legends game set in that universe.

The potential is boundless. Incredible graphics, immersive gameplay, and two full regions in one title on the Switch 2? I think that such a game might be the best Pokémon remake to date. 

Many weren’t huge fans of the Let’s Go games, mainly due to the Pokémon Go-esque catching mechanics. However, the games were still hugely popular, making Nintendo’s Switch bestsellers list with well over 15 million copies sold. They’re just entertaining and vibrant enough to bring Johto to life in the best way possible.

And getting to explore Kanto and Johto in a modern Pokémon game was simply glorious, regardless of the Pokémon Go mechanics. 

For this reason, I’ve been dreaming of a Let’s Go Johto announcement for years, but I’m starting to lose hope. At this point, it doesn’t seem like Game Freak has any plans to re-release Pokémon Gen 2 for a second time. It looks ike they’ve replaced the Let’s Go idea with the Legends games.

A huge leak late last year revealed a lot of Game Freak data about Pokémon games, past and present. However, there was next to no new information about a possible remake. Leak-centric communities, such as r/PokeLeaks, also hardly ever speculate about a potential return to Johto.

Right now, it seems unlikely that we’ll get a new Pokémon Let’s Go 2 game set in Johto, but I’m still hoping, and that’s not going to change. I don’t think there’s any game that I want as much as one that brings me back to Johto.

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