Origin HeartGold walkthrough and quest guide

Main quests, side quests, puzzles and easy-to-miss events in Origin HeartGold (起源心金 v4.0.3), in the order the game unlocks them, chapter by chapter.

The quest instructions are based on the game’s event scripts, maps, trainers and wild Pokémon tables, with specific audit findings noted beside the affected steps. Steps that were checked in an emulator say so; most others have not been played through. The English patch doesn’t change what happens in quests, so what’s described is how the original Chinese hack behaves. Directions are approximate, and steps marked “not confirmed in game” have not been checked by playing. The game starts in Pallet Town in Kanto. Johto opens up after you become Kanto Champion and finish the story scenes that follow (see Pokémon League, Mt. Silver and New Bark Town).

Several quests depend on your starter (Charmander, Pikachu or Bulbasaur), gender, the weekday, or earlier choices. Each entry says so in its title or under Who gets it. “Post-game” in this guide means after your final Hall of Fame entry; things that open after your first one say so.

On the website, every entry has a Main quest or Side quest tag. Main quests cover story and badge progression, including conditional story routes and walkthroughs; side quests cover optional activities and rewards. Post-game tags mark entries that open only after the final Hall of Fame. Use Quest type at the top of each chapter to filter them alongside your starter, character and finished quests. Your filters are remembered between chapters, and a quest you follow a direct link to always stays visible.

The website also has moves, abilities, TMs and HMs and items. Their evidence labels separate configured game data, in-game text, attributed author notes and specific gameplay tests. Reference sources explains coverage and conflicts; an author note or matching data does not prove an event can be reached.

Chapters

Each chapter says where to go next (the main quest), which quests it opens up, and which ones it closes for good. Post-game chapters come last. The chapters are listed on the website; on GitHub they are the files in guide/chapters/, and the quest entries themselves are in the numbered files beside this one.

• Chapter 1: The First Badge: Pallet Town to Pewter City and Brock’s Boulder Badge. (17)

• Chapter 2: Mt. Moon: Route 3 and Mt. Moon: gather your four companions and get past the fake construction guards. (7)

• Chapter 3: Cerulean City and the Cascade Badge: Cerulean City, the Cape Battle Festival, Bill’s cottage and Misty’s Cascade Badge. (4)

• Chapter 4: Past the Cascade Badge: Mt. Moon Square revisited, Route 9 and 10, the Route 5 shelter and the Underground Path to Vermilion. (7)

• Chapter 5: Vermilion City and the Thunder Badge: The construction-site dispute, Lt. Surge’s Thunder Badge and everything Vermilion opens up. (12)

• Chapter 6: The S.S. Anne: The party on board, the Team Rocket hijack and the one chance to save the ship. (3)

• Chapter 7: Rock Tunnel and Lavender Town: Rescue Prof. Hale in Rock Tunnel, then Lavender Town and the haunted Pokémon Tower. (15)

• Chapter 8: Saffron City and Celadon City: Through Saffron City to Route 7, the Team Rocket hideout under Celadon and the Rainbow Badge. (20)

• Chapter 9: Cycling Road, Fuchsia City and the Soul Badge: The Secret Potion run down Cycling Road, Koga’s ninja trial in Fuchsia and the Soul Badge. (16)

• Chapter 10: Surf to Cinnabar Island and the Volcano Badge: Surf south past Seafoam Islands to Cinnabar Island, Blaine’s hidden Gym and the Detrick lab where Mewtwo breaks loose. (8)

• Chapter 11: Pokémon Tower, the Saffron Takeover and the Marsh Badge: Make Sabrina laugh in Pokémon Tower, take back Saffron City from Team Rocket and win the Marsh Badge. (7)

• Chapter 12: The Alto Mare Islands, Viridian Gym and the Earth Badge: Granny Mae’s trial on Two Island reopens the Viridian Gym; Giovanni’s Earth Badge is the last Kanto Badge. (22)

• Chapter 13: Victory Road and the Indigo Conference: The qualifiers on Victory Road, the Indigo Conference tournament and the Elite Four, ending in your first Hall of Fame. (4)

• Chapter 14: Cerulean Cave and the Mt. Silver Lodge: After your first Hall of Fame entry: Giovanni’s duel in Cerulean Cave, your rehabilitation at the Mt. Silver lodge and Prof. Oak’s errand that opens Johto. (5)

• Chapter 15: Into Johto: Route 26, Route 27 and New Bark Town: Walk south from the Indigo Plateau gate to Route 27 and New Bark Town and deliver Prof. Oak’s Pokédexes to Prof. Elm. (7)

• Chapter 16: Route 29, Cherrygrove City and the Dark Cave: Crystal’s tour of Cherrygrove City, Route 30 and 31, and Team Rocket’s dig at the other end of Dark Cave. (11)

• Chapter 17: Violet City, Sprout Tower and the Zephyr Badge: Violet City, the memorial ceremony in Sprout Tower and Falkner’s Flying-type Gym. (13)

• Chapter 18: The Ruins of Alph, Route 32 and Union Cave: Find the missing Molly in the Ruins of Alph, then follow Route 32 and Union Cave south to Route 33. (15)

• Chapter 19: Azalea Town, Slowpoke Well and Ilex Forest: Team Rocket goes after the Tidal Bell in Slowpoke Well, Bugsy needs help in Ilex Forest, and you win the Hive Badge. (9)

• Chapter 20: Route 34, Goldenrod City and the Plain Badge: Route 34 and the big city of Goldenrod: the Radio Tower recording, Whitney’s Gym and a long list of city jobs. (20)

• Chapter 21: Routes 35 to 37, the National Park and Silver on Route 37: North of Goldenrod: the National Park, the odd tree on Route 36 and the first rematch scene with Silver on Route 37. (10)

• Chapter 22: Ecruteak City, the Burned Tower and the Fog Badge: The Marauder at the Burned Tower, the Bell Tower gate quiz, Morty’s Ghost Gym and Ecruteak’s small errands. (10)

• Chapter 23: Routes 38 and 39, Olivine City and the Mineral Badge: West from Ecruteak: MooMoo Farm, Gold and Crystal on Route 39, Olivine City, Jasmine’s Steel Gym and Team Rocket in the Lighthouse. (19)

• Chapter 24: Cianwood City, Cianwood Cave and the Storm Badge: The Secret Potion for Amphy, Chuck in Cianwood Cave, the Raikou device on Route 47 and the Storm Badge. (20)

• Chapter 25: Route 42, Mt. Mortar and the Lake of Rage: Silver and a brainwashed Entei on Route 42, the Mt. Mortar expedition, Mahogany Town and the red Gyarados at the Lake of Rage. (8)

• Chapter 26: Mahogany Town, the Team Rocket HQ and the Glacier Badge: The souvenir shop that hides a Rocket base, the Boot Camp Ruins, the HQ’s three floors and Pryce’s no-weather Gym. (6)

• Chapter 27: Route 44, the Ice Path, Blackthorn City and the Rising Badge: East from Mahogany through the Ice Path, Clair’s dragon rule and the Dragon’s Den: the eighth and last Johto Badge. (14)

• Chapter 28: The Silver Conference and the League HQ’s First Round: Giovanni on Mt. Silver, the Silver Conference at the summit and the first leads from the Trainer Affairs desk. (5)

• Chapter 29: League HQ Rounds 2 and 3: Seafoam Islands and Kyogre, then Violet City’s stolen Jade Orb, the Forest of Time, the legendary tracks in Johto and the sick Miltank at MooMoo Farm. (6)

• Chapter 30: League HQ Round 4: Ho-Oh stolen from the Bell Tower, Lugia at the Whirl Islands, Giovanni’s chase from Dark Cave to Dialga’s and Palkia’s spaces, and Petrel at the Lake of Rage. (7)

• Chapter 31: The Island Pilgrimage: Sign up on Seven Island, clear the trials of all six islands, then follow Team Rocket from the Ritual Shrine to the Ruins of Alph. (15)

• Chapter 32: The Final March and the Final Hall of Fame: Team Rocket’s all-out war: the Radio Tower broadcast, Victory Road, Mewtwo, the Elite Four rooms and Giovanni in the Hall of Fame. (7)

• Chapter 33: Postgame, Lance’s Visit and the Seized Items: Back home after the final Hall of Fame: Lance returns the legendary items, and the orbs open the legendary encounters across Kanto, the Sevii Islands and Sinjoh Ruins. (9)

• Chapter 34: Postgame, the Legends of Johto: The three beasts, Ho-Oh and Lugia, the Griseous Orb, the Battle Frontier’s stone and the dreams of Cresselia and Darkrai. (10)

• Hidden items: every hidden item with a screenshot of where to stand and press A.

• Known issues: suspected bugs in the original hack that affect quests (reported, not fixed).

Start here

• Romance route: how it’s unlocked, how your partner is chosen, and what locks a partner out (central entry)
• Field moves: which Badge each one needs
• Pallet Town: Lance’s visit home (after the final Hall of Fame): what opens up after your final Hall of Fame entry

Quests that depend on your starter

• Pallet Town: send-off gifts (one per starter, before Viridian)
• Viridian City: the Meowth thief (Charmander starters only)
• Viridian City: the Pikachu thief (Bulbasaur starters only)
• Viridian City: the Mankey thief (Pikachu starters only)
• Route 2: the Rocket warehouse Poké Ball (starter-dependent gift)
• Route 2, north of Viridian Forest: the abandoned Charmander (Pikachu starters only)
• Route 2, north of Viridian Forest: Nidoran♀ and the Apricorn Ball maker (non-Pikachu starters)
• Viridian Forest: lend her a Pidgeot (Pikachu starters only)
• Route 3: the Scyther chase (Charmander starters) / Bug Catcher Kenji (others)
• Route 5: the Pokémon shelter raid (Bulbasaur at risk for Pikachu starters, Growlithe for others)
• Route 9: the Squirtle Squad steals your Pokédex (Pikachu starters only)
• Celadon Gym: sneaking in dressed as a girl (if you insulted Erika; Charmander starters can get Green instead of Misty after a failed attempt)
• Victory Road: the Indigo Conference qualifiers (which 3F Trainer is the disguised Janine depends on your starter, gender and Route 11 choice)
• Cerulean Cave: Giovanni’s duel and the Charizardite (the Charizardite is for Charmander starters only)
• Goldenrod City: the fortune-teller’s “ideal Pokémon” reading (gift item depends on your starter)