Which ROM do I patch?

Use an unmodified US copy of HeartGold for Pure Heart or SoulSilver for True Soul. The creator says the game IDs must end in E: IPKE for HeartGold and IPGE for SoulSilver.

What patch format does it use?

The official downloads are separate XDELTA patches for Pure Heart and True Soul. The creator's instructions name Delta Patcher; on Android, they suggest UniPatcher.

No. The creator said the project was not complete, and in February 2025 said their motivation to continue working on it had diminished. The original post still lists planned additions rather than a final release.

Are there known problems?

The creator acknowledged bugs in the added Eusine cutscenes and said they were unsure how to fix the scripting. They also reported interval crashes when running it on their 3DS, while their DS Lite worked normally.

Is there a full encounter or trainer guide?

No. The creator says there is no proper documentation; the release thread includes only a basic overview of important-trainer team changes. Version exclusives still apply between the two games.

Pokemon Pure Heart & True Soul cover art

Pokemon Pure Heart & True Soul screenshot 1

Pokemon Pure Heart & True Soul screenshot 2

NDS Hack of HeartGold/SoulSilver

Pokemon Pure Heart & True Soul

Pokémon Pure Heart & True Soul are NDS remakes of HeartGold and SoulSilver by gunsho, offering a paired Johto-focused experience.

Plays on: PC · Android · iPhone (emulator)
Base game: Pokémon HeartGold/SoulSilver
Version: 3.1.2
Made by: gunsho

Download Install guide

About Pokemon Pure Heart & True Soul

Pokémon Pure Heart & True Soul are paired NDS hacks by gunsho, built from Pokémon HeartGold and Pokémon SoulSilver. Version 3.1.2 presents the two titles together as a Johto-focused remake project. The games are in English and retain the NDS format of their respective base games, with Pure Heart and True Soul forming the two named halves of the release.

◆ POKEPATCHED NOTES

A paired HeartGold/SoulSilver refinement that keeps the Johto remakes' original design rather than rebuilding them around modern quality-of-life changes. Its practical downside is unfinished development: the creator later acknowledged an unresolved Eusine-cutscene bug and said their motivation to continue had waned.

Base ROM: US Pokémon HeartGold (IPKE) or US Pokémon SoulSilver (IPGE).

Before you patch

Use the matching clean US ROM. Pure Heart needs HeartGold with game ID IPKE; True Soul needs SoulSilver with IPGE. The creator says a final letter other than E means the wrong region.
Apply the matching XDELTA patch to an unmodified ROM. The official thread links separate v3.1.2 files for Pure Heart and True Soul. Delta Patcher is the desktop tool in the instructions; the creator also suggests UniPatcher for Android.
Do not expect a complete guide. There is no full encounter or trainer document. The thread has a basic important-trainer overview, and the two versions retain their exclusives.

What to expect

This is for players who want HeartGold or SoulSilver kept close to its original character, with selected Crystal-inspired encounter changes and additions rather than a broad modern-mechanics overhaul. The creator explicitly did not aim to put all 496 Pokémon before the League or alter Pokémon stats and movepools.

The extra Eusine material is the main caution: in February 2025, the creator acknowledged bugs in those cutscenes and said they did not understand the scripting well enough to fix them. They also reported crashes on their own 3DS test, although it ran on a DS Lite.

Version history

v3.1.2 — official XDELTA files uploaded 9 March 2024.
The creator called the project incomplete and later said their motivation to continue had diminished; no completed final version is announced in the official thread.

If you liked it

Pokémon HeartGold Generations — another completed HeartGold-based NDS hack.
Pokémon Heart Gold Reloaded — another NDS revision built from HeartGold.

Sources

Notes researched 2026-09-25 from the sources above.

Pokemon Pure Heart & True Soul: common questions

Which ROM do I patch?: Use an unmodified US copy of HeartGold for Pure Heart or SoulSilver for True Soul. The creator says the game IDs must end in E: IPKE for HeartGold and IPGE for SoulSilver.
What patch format does it use?: The official downloads are separate XDELTA patches for Pure Heart and True Soul. The creator's instructions name Delta Patcher; on Android, they suggest UniPatcher.
Is it finished?: No. The creator said the project was not complete, and in February 2025 said their motivation to continue working on it had diminished. The original post still lists planned additions rather than a final release.
Are there known problems?: The creator acknowledged bugs in the added Eusine cutscenes and said they were unsure how to fix the scripting. They also reported interval crashes when running it on their 3DS, while their DS Lite worked normally.
Is there a full encounter or trainer guide?: No. The creator says there is no proper documentation; the release thread includes only a basic overview of important-trainer team changes. Version exclusives still apply between the two games.