Where it all started.
For me, Pokémon has always been Gen 4. Diamond was the game that got me into Pokémon, and it's still the generation I associate with the series more than anything else.
Then there was Platinum, which basically took everything I already liked about Sinnoh and made it better. And HeartGold is still one of my favorite games in the entire series.
There's also something pretty funny about HeartGold. The male protagonist is named Ethan. That's literally my name. So growing up, having a Pokémon protagonist with my actual name was pretty cool.
I've played a lot of the games since then, and I've gone back to play some of the older ones too. But Gen 4 is always going to be my favorite. It's where all of this started for me.
Every game along the way.
This isn't release order. It's the order I played them.
A little bit of Johto.
Before the cards, there were the games. And few adventures are quite as memorable as the journey through Johto.
ETHAN.
ヒビキ / HIBIKI
One trainer.
Two regions.
One unforgettable adventure.
Starting in New Bark Town, Ethan sets off on a journey through Johto, challenging Gym Leaders, exploring Kanto, and eventually making his way to the summit of Mt. Silver. A character whose adventure helped define an entire generation of Pokémon.
A fresh look for a familiar adventure. Ethan returned with an updated design for the Nintendo DS remakes.