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HeartGold and SoulSilver Version Exclusives

Every paired game release in Pokémon history has had version-exclusive Pokémon. Version-exclusive Pokémon cannot be found in every game in a 'set' of games, requiring the player to trade with players with other games in the set to complete their Pokédex. This page lists the version-exclusive Pokémon in HeartGold and SoulSilver, and makes note of some other version-specific Pokémon attributes.

Species

Several species of Pokémon are altogether unavailable without trading with other games. This list shows which Pokémon are only available in some (but not all) of HeartGold and SoulSilver. This does not include Pokémon that evolve via trade, even though they are technically "unavailable without trading".

Paired version exclusives

With the initial paired versions of a set of Pokémon games, it is usually the case that there are 'paired Pokémon' that are available in the same areas between the two games, but one Pokémon in the pair is exclusive to one game and the other is exclusive to the other game. The table below shows the paired Pokémon in HeartGold and SoulSilver.

Although, normally, Latios is only obtainable in SoulSilver and Latias in HeartGold, the other one of the two can be obtained in Pewter City with the Enigma Stone item, accessible from a Wi-Fi event distribution in 2010.

HeartGold		SoulSilver
	Growlithe		Vulpix
	Arcanine		Ninetales
	Mankey		Meowth
	Primeape		Persian
	Omanyte		Kabuto
	Omastar		Kabutops
	Spinarak		Ledyba
	Ariados		Ledian
	Gligar		Skarmory
	Gliscor	N/A
	Phanpy		Teddiursa
	Donphan		Ursaring
	Mantyke	N/A
	Mantine		Delibird
	Sableye		Mawile
	Baltoy		Gulpin
	Claydol		Swalot
	Anorith		Lileep
	Armaldo		Cradily
	Latias		Latios
	Kyogre		Groudon

Pokéwalker

Although Meowth and Sableye are technically version-exclusive, they are both obtainable in either version with access to the event-only Pokéwalker courses Sightseeing (for Meowth) and Rally (for Sableye).

Rayquaza

Rayquaza can only be encountered at the Embedded Tower if the player has a Groudon obtained in SoulSilver and a Kyogre obtained in HeartGold.

Encounter Methods

Several Pokémon may be available in both games, but have different encounter methods depending on the game. The full list is shown below.

Pokémon		Games		Encounter Methods
	Caterpie	HG	SS	Walking, Bug-Catching Contest, Headbutt
		HG	SS	Bug-Catching Contest
	Metapod	HG	SS	Walking, Bug-Catching Contest, Headbutt
		HG	SS	Bug-Catching Contest
	Butterfree	HG	SS	Walking, Bug-Catching Contest, Headbutt
		HG	SS	Bug-Catching Contest
	Weedle	HG	SS	Bug-Catching Contest
		HG	SS	Walking, Bug-Catching Contest, Headbutt
	Kakuna	HG	SS	Bug-Catching Contest
		HG	SS	Walking, Bug-Catching Contest, Headbutt
	Beedrill	HG	SS	Bug-Catching Contest
		HG	SS	Walking, Bug-Catching Contest, Headbutt
	Ekans	HG	SS	Walking, Purchase
		HG	SS	Walking
	Sandshrew	HG	SS	Walking
		HG	SS	Walking, Purchase

Version-Preferred Species

Several Pokémon may be available in both games, but have different encounter rates or locations that cause them to become more common in one game than another. Those Pokémon are listed here, though only with the wild locations that are subject to this preferential treatment.

Pokémon		Games		Encounter Methods
	Sandshrew	HG	SS	Walking: Union Cave 1F and B1F, Safari Zone Desert, Mt. Moon
		HG	SS	Walking: Safari Zone Desert Purchase: Goldenrod Game Corner
	Ekans	HG	SS	Walking: Safari Zone Marshland Purchase: Goldenrod Game Corner
		HG	SS	Walking: Routes 32, 33, 3, and 4, Safari Zone Marshland
	Sandslash	HG	SS	Walking: Routes 26 and 27, Safari Zone Desert, Mt. Moon
		HG	SS	Walking: Safari Zone Desert
	Arbok	HG	SS	Walking: Safari Zone Marshland
		HG	SS	Walking: Routes 26, 27, 3, and 4, Safari Zone Marshland
	Caterpie	HG	SS	Walking: Routes 30, 31, and 2, Ilex Forest, National Park, Bug-Catching Contest, Viridian Forest Headbutt (Group A): Ilex Forest
		HG	SS	Walking: Bug-Catching Contest
	Weedle	HG	SS	Walking: Bug-Catching Contest
		HG	SS	Walking: Routes 30, 31, and 2, Ilex Forest, National Park, Bug-Catching Contest, Viridian Forest Headbutt (Group A): Ilex Forest
	Metapod	HG	SS	Walking: Routes 30, 31, and 2, Ilex Forest, National Park, Bug-Catching Contest, Viridian Forest Headbutt (Group A): Ilex Forest Headbutt (Special): Route 47
		HG	SS	Walking: Bug-Catching Contest
	Kakuna	HG	SS	Walking: Bug-Catching Contest
		HG	SS	Walking: Routes 30, 31, and 2, Ilex Forest, National Park, Bug-Catching Contest, Viridian Forest Headbutt (Group A): Ilex Forest Headbutt (Special): Route 47
	Butterfree	HG	SS	Walking: Route 2, Bug-Catching Contest, Viridian Forest Headbutt (Group B): Ilex Forest Headbutt (Special): Route 47
		HG	SS	Walking: Bug-Catching Contest
	Beedrill	HG	SS	Walking: Bug-Catching Contest
		HG	SS	Walking: Route 2, Bug-Catching Contest, Viridian Forest Headbutt (Group B): Ilex Forest Headbutt (Special): Route 47
	Seedot	HG	SS	Headbutt (Groups A and B): Viridian Forest (30%)
		HG	SS	Headbutt (Groups A and B): Viridian Forest (5%)
	Shroomish	HG	SS	Headbutt (Groups A and B): Viridian Forest (5%)
		HG	SS	Headbutt (Groups A and B): Viridian Forest (30%)

Ho-Oh and Lugia

Although Ho-Oh and Lugia can both be found at the same places in both of HeartGold and SoulSilver, the player can only get to them if they have the Rainbow Wing (Ho-Oh) or the Tidal Bell (Lugia). One of these items is obtained after saving the Director at the Goldenrod Radio Tower and the other requires the player to defeat the Elite Four to receive it in Pewter City. In HeartGold, the player gets the Rainbow Wing from the Director, and in SoulSilver, the player gets the Tidal Bell. The result is that the player can get Ho-Oh earlier than Lugia in HeartGold and Lugia earlier than Ho-Oh in SoulSilver, giving these Pokémon a preferred version.