PokéGear
The PokéGear is a device that was introduced in the games Gold and Silver and was also used in Crystal. Its utility is the equivalent of generation three's (Ruby/Sapphire/Emerald) PokéNav and generation four's (Diamond/Pearl/Platinum) Pokétch.
This tool is very useful during your adventure and can be expanded with applications awarded to you later in your quest. It is manufactured by Silph Co., a company based out of Saffron City in Kanto. The Silph Co. logo can be seen on the outside of the PokéGear and periodically when you are using the device ingame. It consists of a PokéBall on its side, and is contorted so that the top half of the ball is moved upward while the bottom half is moved downward.
Male and Female PokéGears
When selected from the main menu the PokéGear will be displayed on both the upper and lower screens. Ontop the Time function is displayed when the device is open. On the bottom screen is the main menu for the device which will change when you have selected a different application to use. The various applications are explained below and pertain only to the remakes, not the original games or application functionality within them.
The four original applications are used HGSS and there is a minor new edition, the ability to customize the device's style.
Map
The Map is a default application. The updated Map application has proven to be a large upgrade but many say it is too cluttered (likely the result of screen size). It is in full colour, allows for zooming, note-taking and tracking of roaming legendary Pokémon.
To be specific when you have selected a location you can zoom into it for a larger view. The depth and utility of zooming isn't the most useful of things but the map in general makes note of such places as SlowPoké Well and you can even see a little well when looking at it. This is, personally, a nice aesthetic touch and I guess helpful for the forgetful among us. Another nice touch is the flavortext that is displayed when a location, even a route, is selected.
Note-taking/mark-making is another added feature to the map. You can place various icons, a max of four per location, on a location's notes. Such as a TM icon, Apricorn icon, house icon and many more and add text (from the ingame word or phrase menu, which is a minor let-down) to the note. The symbols are somewhat similar to those used in Sinnoh's Pokétch Map.
Phone
A memorable second generation classic was the Phone, which is available through the updated PokéGear. A trainer may exchange phone numbers after defeating certain Non-Playable Characters in the game. Periodically you may get a call from a trainer with news, battle requests, or to give you an item. You can also call them for updates. A Phonebook is provided below.
Beware of your Mom, she will call with new item purchases for what seems to be every 10,000 PokéDollars you earn, which can get extremely annoying.
| Name | Type | Location | Time to call | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Baoba |  |
Rt. 39 | - | Informs you of Safari Zone enhancements. |
| Bill |  |
Goldenrod City | - | Call to see how much space is available in the current box of your PC. |
| Blaine |  |
Cinnabar Island (Tuesday) | Tues. 10AM-7:59PM | Call for a rematch at Saffron's Fighting Dojo. |
| Blue |  |
Pallet Town (Daisy Oak's grooming, 5 meetings) | Sun. 8PM-3:59AM | Call for a rematch at Saffron's Fighting Dojo. |
| Brock |  |
Diglett's Cave (1-1:59PM) | Sat. 8PM-3:59AM | Call for a rematch at Saffron's Fighting Dojo. |
| Bugsy |  |
Thurs. (Viridian Forest) | Thurs. 10AM-7:59PM | Call for a rematch at Saffron's Fighting Dojo. |
| Buena |  |
Goldenrod Radio Tower (30pts. on Blue Card) | - | Get tips and hints. |
| Chuck |  |
Wife, Cianwood City | Wed. 8PM-3:59AM | Call for a rematch at Saffron's Fighting Dojo. |
| Clair |  |
Dragon's Den 6-9:59AM | Fri. 8PM-3:59AM | Call for a rematch at Saffron's Fighting Dojo. |
| Day Care Lady |  |
Rt. 34 Day Care | - | Check on your Pokémon's levels. |
| Day Care Man |  |
Rt. 34 Day Care | - | Check on if your Pokémon like eachother and if there is an egg. |
| Ethan |  |
Rt. 34 Day Care | - | Find out the various gestures your Pokémon will make; for instance Farfetch'd in Ilex Forest. This NPC is only available if you are a female. |
| Erika |  |
Sat., Sun. 2-4:59PM (Celadon Fountain) | Sun. 4-9:59AM | Call for a rematch at Saffron's Fighting Dojo. |
| Falkner |  |
Mon. (Celadon Dept. Store) | Sat. 4-9:59AM | Call for a rematch at Saffron's Fighting Dojo. |
| Janine |  |
Indigo Plateau 4-6PM | Mon. 10AM-7:59PM | Call for a rematch at Saffron's Fighting Dojo. |
| Jasmine |  |
Olivine City Diner (1-1:59PM) | Wed. 10AM-7:59PM | Call for a rematch at Saffron's Fighting Dojo. |
| Kurt |  |
Azalea Town | - | Call to check on the status of your Apricorns. |
| Lt. Surge |  |
Power Plant 9-11AM | Fri. 4-9:59AM | Call for a rematch at Saffron's Fighting Dojo. |
| Lyra |  |
Rt. 34 Day Care | - | Find out the various gestures your Pokémon will make; for instance why Pokémon get confused on Rt. 13. This NPC is only available if you are a male. |
| Misty |  |
Rt. 25 4-6PM | Wed. 4-9:59AM | Call for a rematch at Saffron's Fighting Dojo. |
| Mom |  |
New Bark Town | - | Call her to check how much money you have saved. She will call when she buys you something. |
| Morty |  |
Bellchine Trail (Mon., Tues.) | Tues. 8PM-3:59AM | Call for a rematch at Saffron's Fighting Dojo. |
| Prof. Elm |  |
New Bark Town | - | Story progression. |
| Prof. Oak |  |
Rt. 30 Mr. Pokémon's House | - | Check status of Johto/National Dex |
| Pryce |  |
Lake of Rage 6-9:59AM (Sat.) | Mon. 4-9:59AM | Call for a rematch at Saffron's Fighting Dojo. |
| Sabrina |  |
Olivine City Port (Fri.) | Sun. 10AM-7:59PM | Call for a rematch at Saffron's Fighting Dojo. |
| Whitney |  |
Goldenrod Dept. Store 4-6PM | Sat. 10AM-7:59PM | Call for a rematch at Saffron's Fighting Dojo. |
| Jose |  |
Rt. 27 | Sat. 8PM-4:59AM | Rematch and get Star Piece. |
| Erin |  |
Rt. 46 | Sat. 8PM-4:59AM | Rematch and get Calcium. |
| Alfred |  |
Shining Lighthouse | Tues. afternoon | Rematch and get Calcium. |
| Liz | |
Rt. 32 | Thurs. afternoon | Rematch. Calls with daily gossip. |
| Kay and Tia |  |
Rt. 15 | Sat. 8PM-4:59AM | Rematch and get Oval Stone. |
| Rob |  |
Rt. 2 | Fri. 4-9:59AM | Rematch and get a random berry. |
| Josh | |
Rt. 14 | Tues. 8PM-4:59AM | Rematch. |
| Tim and Sue |  |
Rt. 13 | Fri. afternoon | Rematch. |
| Billy |  |
Rt. 15 | Fri. 8PM-4:59AM | Rematch. Has information about Gym Leaders. |
| Hillary |  |
Rt. 15 | Thurs. 8PM-4:59AM | Rematch. |
| Chad | |
Rt. 38 | Fri. 4-9:59AM | Rematch. Knows various things about Prof. Oak. |
| Huey |  |
Shining Lighthouse | Wed. 8PM-4:59AM | Rematch and get Protein. |
| Wade | |
Rt. 31 | Tues. 8PM-4:59AM | Rematch and get a random berry. |
| Joey |  |
Rt. 30 | Mon. afternoon | Rematch and get HP Up. |
| Jack | |
National Park | Mon. 4-9:59AM | Rematch. Has information on battle strategies. |
| Gaven |  |
Rt. 26 | Thurs. 4-9:59AM | Rematch. |
| Ernest |  |
Rt. 17 | Sun. afternoon | Rematch. |
| Ian | |
Rt. 34 | Sat. 4-9:59AM | Rematch and get a random berry. |
| Kenji |  |
Rt. 45 | - | Rematch and get PP Up. |
| Tanner |  |
Rt. 13 | Mon. 8PM-4:59AM | Rematch. |
| Parry |  |
Rt. 45 | Fri. afternoon | Rematch and get Iron. |
| Tiffany | |
Rt. 43 | Tues. afternoon | Rematch and get PokéDoll. |
| Anthony | |
Rt. 33 | Fri. 8PM-4:59AM | Rematch. |
| Walt |  |
Rt. 35 | Mon. 8PM-4:59AM | Rematch. |
| Aiden | |
Rt. 17 | Mon. 4-9:59AM | Rematch. |
| Kyle |  |
Rt. 12 | Wed. afternoon | Rematch. |
| Reena |  |
Rt. 27 | Sun. 4-9:59AM | Rematch. |
| Kenny | |
Rt. 13 | Sat. afternoon | Rematch. |
| Wilton | |
Rt. 44 | Thur. 4-9:59AM | Rematch and get Poké Balls. |
| Jamie | |
Rt. 26 | Fri. 8PM-4:59AM | Rematch. |
| Torin | |
Rt. 14 | Wed. 8PM-4:59AM | Rematch. |
| Irwin |  |
Rt. 35 | - | Calls with random discussions. |
| Kyler | |
Rt. 12 | Thurs. afternoon | Rematch. |
| Brent |  |
Rt. 43 | Mon. 4-9:59AM | Knows various things about Bill. |
| Alan | |
Rt. 36 | Wed. | Rematch and get Fire Stone. |
| Derek |  |
Rt. 39 | - | Gives a Nugget. |
| Gina | |
Rt. 43 | Sun. afternoon | Rematch and get Leaf Stone. |
| Doug | |
Rt. 2 | Wed. 4-9:59AM | Rematch and get a random berry. |
| Tully | |
Rt. 42 | Sun. afternoon | Rematch and get Water Stone. |
| Beverly | |
National Park | - | Gives a Nugget. |
| Vance | |
Rt. 44 | Wed. 8PM-4:59AM | Rematch and get Carbos. |
| Ralph | |
Rt. 32 | Wed. 4-9:59AM | Rematch. |
| Krise |  |
National Park | Sun. 4-9:59AM | Rematch. |
| Todd | |
Rt. 34 | Sat. 4-9:59AM | Rematch. |
| Arnie | |
Rt. 35 | Teus. 4-9:59AM | Rematch. |
| Dana | |
Rt. 38 | Thurs. 8PM-4:59AM | Rematch and get Thunderstone. |
| Reese | |
Rt. 17 | Tues. afternoon | Rematch. |
Radio
The radio, perhaps a second generation fans' favorite radio channel, makes a welcome return. Many shows are featured on the radio including broadcasts for trainer tips, interviews and obviously various types of music. Signals are broadcast on a globe. Tuning can be manupiluated by using the stylus to drag or by selecting one of the four main channels on either side of the globe.
A listing of the various stations and what they broadcast can be found below.
| Channel | DJ(s) | Availability | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pokémon Talk | Prof. Oak and DJ Mary | All day; Johto and Kanto | Broadcasts where Swarms are occuring, the locations of uncommon and rare Pokémon and where Hoenn and Sinnoh Pokémon may be found. |
| Pokémon Music | DJ Ben | All day; Johto and Kanto | The music being broadcast varies based on if the player has the National Dex and what of week it is. What is played has varying effect on wild Pokémon, see below. |
| Buena's Password and Variety Shows | DJ Buena | All day; Johto and Kanto | Password - reveals a new word every three hours Variety - Entertaining short stories of trainer battles, Pokémon encounters and more are played. |
| Unown Radio Station | Unown | Ruins of Alph | No other stations will play in the Ruins of Alph but you must find this station using your stylus. When it is tuned in to 13.5 you will hear odd noises made by the Unown. This increases your chances of finding Unown you haven't caught. |
| Poké Flute | none | Kanto | Tune into station 20 in Kanto to hear the Poké Flute. It will awaken the Snorlax that is blocking Rt. 11. You will need the EXPN Card to hear this station. |
| Evolution Signal | Team Rocket | Lake of Rage, Mahogany Town, Rt. 43; Johto | This station will appear upon reaching Mahogany Town and overwrites all other radio stations. You will have to capture Red Gyarados and defeat Team Rocket in their hideout in Mahogany to get rid of the signal and return the Pokémon to normal. |
| Announcement | Team Rocket | Goldenrod Radio takeover; Johto | This station will appear once you have obtained seven badges and overwrites all other radio stations. It proclaims that Team Rocket has returned and asks Giovanni to come out of hiding. Once have you beaten Team Rocket in Goldenrod's Radio Tower this station will disappear. |
Pokémon Music Channel
The various types of Pokémon music that are played on this station are listed, with descriptions, below. Check out the Daily Event Calendar for a clearer depiction on what is being played each day.
March - Increases wild encounter rate. Is played: Mon., Wed. and Sat. pre-National Dex. After getting the National Dex it is no longer played on Wednesday in exchange for the Hoenn Sounds.
Lullaby - Decreases the wild encounter rate. Is played: Tues., Thurs. and Saturday pre-National Dex. After getting the National Dex it is no longer played on Thursday, in exchange for the Sinnoh Sounds.
Hoenn Sound - Attracts Pokémon native to Hoenn. Plays only on Wednesday after unlocking the National Dex.
Sinnoh Sound - Attracts Pokémon native to Sinnoh. Plays only on Thursday after unlocking the National Dex.
Archive - Plays GSC remixes that cannot be heard with the GB Sounds item. It is only played on Sunday and you must have the GB Sounds item.
Buena's Password Show
The show airs every three hours (2, 5, 8, 11AM and 2, 5, 8, 11PM). When visiting Goldrenrod Radio Station and giving the password to Buena, on the second floor, the player will earn 1 point, which is saved on the Blue Card. When certain amounts of points are collected, Buena's assistant will provide the player with a prize, listed below. Only one prize may be earned each day.
After accumulating 30 points on the Blue Card you can add Buena's number to your PokéGear, you can then call in your answers.
- 1 points
- 3 points
- 5 points
- 10 points
- 15 points
- 20 points
- 25 points
- 30 points
Time
Time is a default application. It appears on the top screen when using the PokéGear. Unlike in the original games the updated Time application uses a 24 hour clock, which is based off of your DS's time setting. As well a WiFi signal strength icon is displayed, though it is not actually an indication of signal strength because WiFi is not turned on at all times.
Options
New to the PokéGear is the ability to somewhat customize its appearance by choosing one of the six themes depicted below.
