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Game Boy Advance

Pokémon Heart & Soul

A complete Johto remake and HGSS-style demake with Kanto, following Pokémon, day and night, PokéGear radio, deep challenge settings and a rebuilt 2.0 engine.

Complete Catalog source check 27 Sep 2026

By Pocket Deal Radar · How we check

PlatformsGame Boy Advance
DeveloperLil Dill and the Heart & Soul development team
Version2.0.6
DistributionROM patch
Base gamePokémon Emerald Version (U)
Patch formatUPS patch; check the current developer release for the exact asset name
Base revisionNot stated by the creator
Save goes to the next versionNot stated by the creator
Quick answers

Straight answers

What is the latest version of Pokémon Heart & Soul?
Latest version: 2.0.6.
What is the latest catalog note?
7 Sep 2026 — Version 2.0.4 settings note. Read the dated note
How do I update Pokémon Heart & Soul?
Re-patch a clean, unmodified base ROM you already own, following the developer's instructions. Save compatibility between versions is determined by the developer's release notes; do not assume saves carry over. Developer release notes
Is Pokémon Heart & Soul finished?
Status: complete. Campaign: Complete Johto story and Kanto postgame, with 16 Gym leaders, rematches, Battle Frontier content and additional 2.0 postgame events.
Which base game does Pokémon Heart & Soul need?
Base game: Pokémon Emerald Version (U). Patch format: UPS patch; check the current developer release for the exact asset name
Which starter Pokémon can you choose?
Chikorita, Cyndaquil, Totodile
Where is the official documentation?
Player-facing documentation
Which platforms and emulators are confirmed?
Use the developer's v2.0.6 release instructions and a legally obtained Pokémon Emerald Version (U) base; the exact current patch asset name is not recorded here. · Pre-2.0 saves are not compatible. Start fresh or preserve the old patched game and save separately. · Recommended options are mGBA on desktop, Pizza Boy/Lemuroid/RetroArch with mGBA on Android, and Delta/Ignited/RetroArch with mGBA on iOS.
Does Pokémon Heart & Soul include Kanto?
Yes. The complete Johto story continues into an overhauled Kanto postgame, with 16 Gym leaders in total, rematches, Battle Frontier content and additional postgame events.
Does Pokémon Heart & Soul have a randomizer?
Yes. Its optional randomizer can change starters, wild Pokémon, trainers, static encounters, types, moves, abilities, evolutions, the type chart and items.
Can I use a pre-2.0 save in Heart & Soul?
The developers' earlier 2.0 release notes say saves from before version 2.0 are incompatible. Keep the older patched game and save separate, and check the current release notes before updating.
Save this gameSaved only on this device · last checked 27 Sep 2026
Spoiler-light introduction

What kind of adventure is it?

Heart & Soul brings the classic Johto journey to the GBA while blending the structure and story beats of Gold, Silver, Crystal and HeartGold/SoulSilver. After the Johto League, the campaign continues into an overhauled Kanto with new rematches, trades and postgame content.

Pokémon availableThe standard adventure focuses on Generations 1–3 plus later evolutions. The optional randomizer can draw from Generations 1–9, which is not the same as every species being normally obtainable.
At a glance

Recorded gameplay details

Region

Johto and Kanto

Starters

Chikorita, Cyndaquil, Totodile

Campaign

Complete Johto story and Kanto postgame, with 16 Gym leaders, rematches, Battle Frontier content and additional 2.0 postgame events.

Difficulty

Recommended and custom presets, adjustable level caps, party limits, EXP multipliers, trainer scaling, Nuzlocke rules and optional challenge modes.

Playtime

A full two-region campaign with postgame activities; the developer does not publish an official hour count.

Music

HGSS-inspired music, a PokéGear radio with Crystal-style channels and a GB Player item for Generation 2 music and sound effects.

Recorded features

  • Complete Johto story plus Kanto postgame
  • Following Pokémon, visible overworld encounters and modern quality-of-life options
  • PokéGear rematches and radio, all 92 HGSS TMs and expanded Kanto maps
  • Optional randomizer, Nuzlocke, difficulty and ruleset controls

Known limits

  • Saves from every version before 2.0 are explicitly incompatible with the 2.0 branch
  • MyBoy is explicitly listed as outdated and unsupported; use one of the developer-recommended emulators
  • The repository README still says 2.0.1 would be the final official release, while the developers' release list now reaches 2.0.6; check the current release page for exact assets
Quality of life

Recorded convenience features

  • Following Pokémon, AutoRun, FastSurf and quick-catch prompts
  • HM field moves without teaching the HM to an active party member
  • Selectable physical/special split, Fairy type, reusable TMs and shiny rate
  • PokéGear rematches, radio, clock, room decoration and expanded flight points
Compatibility check

Before you update or start

  1. Use the developer's v2.0.6 release instructions and a legally obtained Pokémon Emerald Version (U) base; the exact current patch asset name is not recorded here.
  2. Pre-2.0 saves are not compatible. Start fresh or preserve the old patched game and save separately.
  3. Recommended options are mGBA on desktop, Pizza Boy/Lemuroid/RetroArch with mGBA on Android, and Delta/Ignited/RetroArch with mGBA on iOS.
ROM PATCH INSTALLATION

Safe patch boundary

  1. Open only the developer-owned source or release page linked below.
  2. Patch format: UPS patch; check the current developer release for the exact asset name. Read the bundled instructions before patching.
  3. Use your own legally obtained copy of the required base game: Pokémon Emerald Version (U).
  4. Back up the in-game save before changing a patched build.

We never host ROM files, BIOS files, prepatched games, mirrors or unofficial download bundles.

Open the official patch source Open the complete safe patching guide Check your base file and patch locally Compare all three installation models Heart & Soul on Miyoo Mini Plus: Onion setup and savesChoose a GBA emulator and check your savesPlaying Pokémon Heart & Soul on a handheld? Start with the device guide
Version history

What changed, and when?

Browse all dated catalog notes
  1. Version 2.0.4

    The retained 2.0.4 release note records randomizer, rematch, level-cap, crash and progression fixes. This historical entry does not identify the latest release or establish a tested patch input.

  2. Historical profile correction

    The profile moved from version 1.2.1 to the then-recorded 2.0.4 and added a pre-2.0 save warning. This note does not establish that we tested a save transfer.

  3. Version 2.0.4 settings note

    Retained catalog note about settings documentation for version 2.0.4. It is not a fresh creator check or a settings test, and it does not establish which settings apply to a later release.

Recorded sources

Lil Dill and the Heart & Soul development team

The developers' release list reaches version 2.0.6. The existing 2.0.4 documentation remains a historical reference for pre-2.0 save incompatibility and emulator guidance; check the 2.0.6 release itself for current patch assets. The README sentence naming 2.0.1 as final remains outdated.

developerHeart & Soul 2.0 developer repositoryreleaseOfficial version 2.0.4 releasedocumentationPlayer-facing documentationdeveloper mediaOfficial screenshots
Practical guides

Answers for this exact game

Updated 7 Oct 2026Best Heart & Soul settings for a first playthroughChoose a safe first-run preset and understand randomizer, Nuzlocke, level-cap, EXP and modern-mechanics controls before starting.Updated 7 Oct 2026Heart & Soul EXP Share explainedUnderstand the key-item EXP Share, held EXP Share S and the documented 100 EXP example before training your team.Updated 7 Oct 2026Heart & Soul Kurt Poké Balls guideChoose Kurt’s special Poké Balls using the developer’s type affinities and encounter conditions, without guessing berry recipes or catch multipliers.Updated 7 Oct 2026Heart & Soul progression blockers: Johto and KantoResolve the Mahogany RageCandyBar blocker, Kanto Power Plant sequence and Mt Silver access using the official player FAQ.Updated 7 Oct 2026Heart & Soul Day Care and egg movesMirror Herb transfers, breeding inheritance and item locations for a deliberate team plan.Updated 8 Oct 2026Heart & Soul shiny hunting and resetsChoose starter, gift, static and roamer reset methods; distinguish fixed shiny rewards and alternate palettes.Updated 8 Oct 2026Heart & Soul Safari Pokéblocks and Hidden AbilitiesSelect feeder colours, Gold flavours and Nature pools for deliberate Safari recruitment; distinguish catches from breeding.Updated 8 Oct 2026Heart & Soul evolutions and trade alternativesGengar and Alakazam levels, Metal Coat actions, Eevee branches and friendship diagnosis.
Next profile

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Updated 16 Oct 2026: Corrected the historical 2.0.4 timeline so it is not presented as the latest release or a new settings verification. Version 2.0.6 and all earlier note and source-check dates are unchanged. No creator check, playtest or save-transfer test was added.

Profile text revised 15 Oct 2026: removed untested recommendations and blanket verification headings. Game facts retain their recorded check dates.

Emerald-like collectionPokémon Heart & Soul
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Complete games collectionPokémon Heart & Soul
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Quality-of-life collectionPokémon Heart & Soul
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Written with AI help from recorded source notes. Catalog source checks, release reviews and save guidance have separate dates. No hands-on play or device results are recorded here.

How we check