And like clockwork, The Pokemon Company is releasing another installment on the Pokemon money train. Since the series origin in 1996 (and its debut in the US in 1998), the franchise has gone on to release 9 main installments with countless off-shoots and merchandise deals. This newest release, Pokemon HeartGold and SoulSilver is a creation in the vein of the earlier titles FireRed and LeafGreen which were remakes of original Red and Blue installments. HeartGold and SoulSilver are, as you would expect, revamps of the original Gold and Silver editions. What they bring to the table is a graphical upgrade to Diamond and Pearl quality as well as a few minor tweaks and some novel touches here and there.

Let me get this out of the way: I loved Pokemon. As my first endeavor into game obsession, it's one of the few series that shaped my taste as a gamer today. That being said, the nostalgia factor is primarily what these games have working for them. As the series first BIG step forward from it's initial release, the original Gold and Silver are what brought major changes that shaped the subsequent installments in the franchise

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HeartGold and SoulSilver set out to serve the same purpose FireRed and LeafGreen had: reintroduce the series and make gamers fall in love all over again. From what we can tell so far, these releases are on course. Now on the DS, the improved design lets players see a new side of Johto you didn't see before on the GameBoy Color. The display truly is impressive, offering something familiar but refreshingly new. Also, a cute novelty added is the new "Pokewalker", a Pokemon Pikachu style peripheral that allows players to "carry" a pokemon with them as they walk, generating experience for the stored pokemon and a new kind of currency used to purchase exclusive in-game items. Certainly not a revolution to the industry but a clever implementation nonetheless.

All in all, these revived installments are shaping up to be solid purchases for nostalgic Pokemon fans, or those who missed the Gold and Silver action the first time around. It's certainly worth looking into regardless. You can "catch 'em all" once more this March 14th, 2010.