Editions HeartGold & SoulSilver

- First Pokémon in the player's party is able to follow them, which echoes a mechanic in Pokémon Yellow in which Pikachu follows the player.
- The player may talk to the Pokémon to see or check on how that Pokémon is feeling, and occasionally it may pick up items.
- A new minigame called the Pokéathlon (called Pokéthlon in Japan) uses the Nintendo DS touchscreen and allows Pokémon to compete in events such as hurdling.
- The Japanese versions retain slot machines found in previous games, while the international releases of the titles replace the slot machines with a new game called "Voltorb Flip", described as a cross between Minesweeper and Picross.
- Another new item, the GB Sounds, changes the background music to the original 8-bit music from Pokémon Gold and Silver