Pokémon Gold and Silver Versions: Difference between revisions

More specialized [[Poké Ball]]s were introduced in these games. A {{ball|Lure}} is more effective if used against a Pokémon caught with a [[Fishing|fishing rod]], a Heavy Ball is used to catch large, heavy Pokémon like {{p|Snorlax}}, and a {{ball|Friend}} will make a Pokémon more comfortable and friendly to its Trainer much more quickly. To obtain these Balls, [[Apricorn]]s must be picked from special plants found throughout Johto, and [[Kurt]] in [[Azalea Town]] will fashion these into the different Balls based on their color. However, Kurt can only make one Ball at a time, and players must wait until the next day for Kurt to finish the Ball.

Gold and Silver introduced a number of features to the Pokémon video game franchise, many of which set a new standard for every game in the series that followed.  

* [[Pokérus]] (a portmanteau of "Pokémon" and "virus") was introduced. Encountering a Pokémon with the virus is even rarer than encountering a Shiny Pokémon, with the odds estimated to be somewhere around a 1 in 21,845 chance. Pokérus doubles the special experience (a concept adapted to later installments as [[effort values]]) that the player's Pokémon gain each time the infected Pokémon participates in battle (provided the battle is won and the infected Pokémon does not faint).

* The way the game handles color on the world map has been improved.

** Overworld sprites no longer change their palettes when moving between areas.

* The updated battle screen showed both how much [[experience]] points a Pokémon had until its next level and whether an encountered wild Pokémon's species has already been captured.  

* In Kanto region, remixes of most of the overworld and battle music from the Generation I games are used. Some notable exceptions include Cinnabar Island's music and the music from various Team Rocket hideouts.

* Two new [[type]]s were introduced: {{t|Steel}} and {{t|Dark}}.

** These two types serve to balance the {{t|Psychic}} type, which previously was only weak to {{type|Bug}} moves. In addition, the Steel and Dark types also balanced the {{t|Fighting}} type, which was only [[super effective]] against {{t|Normal}}-, {{t|Ice}}-, and {{type|Rock}} Pokémon; Steel and Dark are both weak to Fighting-type moves. Steel-type Pokémon are known for their very high defense; they are highly resistant to many types and their moves are strong against Ice- and Rock-type Pokémon. Dark-type Pokémon are immune to Psychic-type moves and have moves with malicious-sounding names, such as {{m|Bite}} (previously {{type|Normal}}) and {{m|Thief}}, which are super-effective against Psychic-type Pokémon. Dark-type Pokémon are also strong against {{type|Ghost}} Pokémon, thus being the only type that has an attack advantage over Ghost-type Pokémon besides Ghost-type moves themselves. Dark-type Pokémon are also weak to Bug-type attacks.

** In Generation I Ghost-type moves had no effect on Psychic-type Pokémon; this was changed to super-effective as it was in the anime. {{type|Poison}} moves were previously super effective against Bug-type Pokémon, and Bug-type moves were super effective against Poison-type Pokémon; this was changed to Poison doing normal damage to Bug and Bug becoming not very effective against Poison, seriously limiting the effectiveness and usage of both types. Ice-type moves were also made not very effective against {{type|Fire}} Pokémon (previously doing normal damage). Four moves had their types changed: {{m|Gust}}, previously Normal-type, became a {{type|Flying}} move; {{m|Bite}}, previously Normal-type, became a {{type|Dark}} move; {{m|Karate Chop}}, previously Normal-type, became a {{type|Fighting}} move; {{m|Sand-Attack}}, previously Normal-type, became a {{type|Ground}} move. Two Pokémon, {{p|Magnemite}} and {{p|Magneton}}, changed from being {{t|Electric}} type to being {{t|Electric}}/{{t|Steel}}.

{{main|Johto}}

Gold and Silver introduced a new region to the Pokémon universe, Johto, located directly west of the Kanto region featured in Generation I. Johto's culture is notably more old-fashioned than Kanto's, especially in the more rural areas, which are more plentiful than in Kanto. Like Kanto, it has a sea to the south and mountains to the north.

{{main|Kanto}}

Gold and Silver offer the player the chance to return to the Kanto region where the [[Generation I]] games are set. This is available once Johto's Gyms are conquered and the Elite Four is defeated.