Pokemon HeartGold Generations is a Completed NDS Rom Hack made by Spearmintz. Catch 835+ Pokemon from all generations, experience modern mechanics, challenging Gyms, and fully functional Mega Evolution!
Pokemon HeartGold Generations Completed NDS Rom Hack
- Author: spearmintz
- Hack Off: HeartGold
- Language: English
- Released on: August 05, 2025
- Latest Version: v1.1
- Last Updated: August 07, 2025
- Status: Completed
Description
Following the success of Pokemon Contemporary Emerald, creator Spearmintz has released a new project built using the HeartGold engine (hg-engine). While Generation 4 ROM hacking is often seen as less developed compared to Generation 3, this project aims to showcase its potential in a tangible and playable form. Titled Pokemon HeartGold Generations, the hack features Pokemon from Generations 1 through 9, incorporates modern gameplay mechanics such as nature changing, and includes various quality-of-life improvements. The project is intended to inspire and encourage further exploration and development within the Gen 4 hacking community.
Key Features
- 835+ Pokemon from all 9 generations
- All trade and cross-generation evolutions included
- Free Rare Candies to support raising weaker wild Pokemon
- Nature Mints and Ability Capsules available in shops
- Free Heart Scales after 7 badges for move relearning
- Level cap system to prevent overleveling
- Fully functional Mega Evolution
- Slightly adjusted level curve for more relevant Gym battles
- Gym Leaders use more Johto Pokemon with minor team updates
- Maintains core difficulty and balance (e.g. Falkner’s Pidgey → Hoothoot)
- Some late-game trainers have increased levels for added challenge
- Three versions available: Full, Lite, and Vanilla
- Additional features and changes listed in the included documentation
What’s new in v1.1
- Fixed Level Cap bug.
Creator Note:
The project has been made fully open source to help support and encourage further development within the Generation 4 ROM hacking community. The goal is for HeartGold Generations to act as a launch-pad for other developers who are interested in Gen 4 hacking—especially those who may be new to it or unaware that many of these features are even possible within the HeartGold engine.
The full source is available on GitHub, with all three versions of the hack—Full, Lite, and Vanilla—provided as separate branches. These can be freely forked and customized for anyone looking to create their own version.
Feedback and bug reports are welcome, either through GitHub or community platforms like Reddit. Efforts will be made to address issues as they come up.
Version Difference
| Full Version | Lite Version | Vanilla Version |
|---|---|---|
| Expanded Dex | Expanded Dex | Regular HG Dex |
| Free Rare Candies at Start | Free Rare Candies after 8 Gyms | Free Rare Candies after 8 Gyms |
| Hard Level Caps | No Level Caps | No Level Caps |
| All Trade evolutions possible | All Trade evolutions possible | All Trade evolutions possible |
| Cross gen evolutions possible | Cross gen evolutions possible | Cross gen evolutions possible |
| Minor level curve adjustments | Minor level curve adjustments | Completely vanilla |
| Minor trainer/boss edits | Minor trainer/boss edits | Completely vanilla |
| Nature Mints and Ability Capsules | Nature Mints and Ability Capsules | Nature Mints and Ability Capsules |
| Fairy Type | Fairy Type | Fairy Type |
| Johto Starter type changes | Johto Starter type changes | No type changes at all |
| Ability additions for some Pokemon | Ability additions for some Pokemon | Ability additions for some Pokemon |
Known Bugs
- No Guard ability seems to not work, maybe just with Fury Cutter
Screenshots
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31 Comments
pretty excited to play heartgold again with this awesome features
835+ Pokemon from all 9 generations in a DS game got me off guard
Looks amazing, going to start once I complete emerald imperium
what are available megas
possibly the official one’s, kindly check the docs for more detail about the game
is there New starters or the types changes is for traditional heartgold starters
starters are the same as heartgold with type changes
The creator is smart, introducing multiple versions is a good option for someone like me who doesn’t love level caps! going to start the lite version now! Kudos to the creator really appreciate this work
free rare candies means no grinding that’s lovely, it will save a lot of time for me
DS hacking came a long way with HG engine, really I think in coming days ds hacks will also become common like emerald & FireRed hacks if more people gets aware of it. Hoping & prying for more hacks like this in coming days specially with New Region & New story (I really like ds hacks more than gba hacks)
Trade Evolutions will be level ups or other method
Hoping that in future Exp Share All will also be implemented in DS games
Really appreciate the work of creator. Thanks to spearmintz for dropping this bomb
Is there any story changes, I wanna play the hack but story is too repetitive
no major story changes in the game
Gonna play this on Sunday
Black screen after lance can’t end game 🙁
Is there any cheats?
I think it’d be great if the starters were from Gen 9 or at least Gen 8, but I wll still play it after I finish the other hack by the creator Contemporary Emerald just won the third badge in it
which emulator would you recommend playing this on?
drastic for android & DeSmuME for windows pc
Would’ve enjoyed more if i didn’t need an hm slave… but other than that very well done game with lots of pokemon I’ve never seen before since I stopped playing after Gen 5.
Cheats?
Missing Dexnav and exp share but high hope that in future ds games will have this both amazing features as well
saw Sprigatito in the last image, Can you tell me where I can find the Gen 9 starters?
New update just dropped fixing some bugs. Please update it, I don’t know how to patch it
Thanks for the update Thomas. we have updated the post with the latest version of the game.
Wichs?
God bless u for the update!!
Actually playing pokemon HeartGold ( official cartridge ) and loving the game so far, can’t wait to clear the game and try yours. I’m sure it will be a blast. I love Gen4 because I always loved Gold/Silver/Crystal and the remake offers so much more than the original game could offer.
How to use old save with new update?