Pokémon Heartfelt Gold

Gohan's Tips

5 days ago

3 min read

Updated: 2 days ago

Author: Trinsic.

PROGRESS: Completed v1.0.9 (06/11/2026) — Main story fully playable across Johto and Kanto, with active updates for visual polish, bug fixes, and encounter balance.

Serving as a major update to the HeartGold Retiled project, it combines redesigned and retiled overworld and cave maps across Johto and Kanto with reworked wild encounters, redesigned trainer rosters, 1,000+ obtainable Pokémon, Mega Evolution, dozens of scripted Legendary and Mythical static encounters, and modern quality-of-life engine upgrades.

🛑Features:

➡️hg-engine Integration: Powered by the modern hg-engine framework, bringing advanced mechanics, expanded data tables, and quality-of-life enhancements to Gen 4.

➡️Expanded Roster (1,000+ Pokémon): Over 1,000 Pokémon are available to obtain, including species, regional forms, and Paradox Pokémon from later generations.

➡️Hoenn Starter Choices: Starter options are changed to Treecko, Torchic, and Mudkip, with each starter holding its corresponding Mega Stone right from the start.

➡️Early Mega Evolution: Mega Evolution is fully functional; players receive the Mega Ring from Professor Oak immediately after obtaining the Pokédex.

➡️National Pokédex from the Start: The National Pokédex is granted early on so players can register and track all available species across generations without waiting for post-game.

➡️Redesigned and Retiled Maps: Features redesigned and expanded overworld and cave layouts across both Johto and Kanto, introducing new and expanded locations.

➡️Reworked Wild Encounters: Wild encounter tables have been completely overhauled across all areas, times of day, and encounter methods throughout Johto and Kanto.

➡️Redesigned Trainer Battles: Trainer teams, levels, movesets, and held items have been completely rebalanced and upgraded for a fresh challenge.

➡️Bonus Boss Battles: Features challenging bonus rematch battles for Gym Leaders, the Elite Four, and the Champion.

➡️Extensive Scripted Static Encounters: Every Legendary, Mythical, Ultra Beast, and Paradox Pokémon is made available through scripted static overworld encounters across various specialized maps (such as Ancient Cavern, Sacred Grove, Spear Pillar, Hall of Origin, Ultra Space, and Mysterious Cave).

➡️Updated Evolution Methods: Evolution tables have been extensively modernized to support later-gen species without trading, introducing level-up triggers, modern evolution stones, item-specific evolutions (e.g., Apples, Scrolls, Armor, Metal Alloy), and move-based requirements.

➡️Reusable TMs & Forgettable HMs: Technical Machines can be used infinitely without breaking, and Hidden Machine moves can be freely forgotten like any regular move.

➡️Uncapped Frame Rate: Frame rate caps are removed for smoother performance during both overworld exploration and battles.

➡️Expanded Poké Mart Inventories: Marts offer expanded item selections including evolution items, specialty Poké Balls, and select Mega Stones based on story progression.

➡️Customizable Level Cap System: Features an optional level cap system managed by a dedicated NPC located in 24 Pokémon Centers across Johto and Kanto, allowing players to view, disable (cap at 100), restore badge progression, or fine-tune the cap level-by-level.

➡️Regional Forms Integration: Wild encounters and trainer parties feature Alolan, Galarian, and Hisuian forms, complete with correct form handling, battle sprites, animations, and Pokédex integration.

➡️Refined Held-Item Mechanics: Newly captured Pokémon properly retain their configured held items, correctly supporting two-slot 50/50 probability splits and form-specific item configurations.

➡️Natural Text Flow: Instant text is not forced, preserving natural Gen 4 dialogue progression unless manually altered in options.

➡️Save Compatibility: Built with an unchanged save layout across Heartfelt Gold versions, allowing safe transfer of in-game save files between current patches.

SCREENSHOTS