an aggregate score of 87 on Metacritic. The titles are among the top 20 rated DS games on the site. Japanese gaming magazine Famitsu awarded the games a composite score of 37 out of 40 based on four individual reviews, of which the ratings were 9, 10, 9, and 9. The reviewers praised the games for retaining much of the quality that drew them to the original Gold and Silver. The only drawback mentioned was that the games brought "no major surprises". Nintendo Power gave the games one of the highest scores, remarking on its replay value though criticizing shortly about no improvement in graphic animation for Pokémon sprites. Official Nintendo Magazine stated that they were the best Pokémon games yet. Game Informers Annette Gonzalez stated "Even though the classic Pokémon formula still works as evidenced by HeartGold. I can’t help but hope for a new Pokémon title that breaks some new ground." IGNs Craig Harris said that the titles were "like a gap filler to make the wait for a new Pokémon game just a little more bearable". Jim Sterling of Destructoid stated, "While it is, at its core, the same game that you've played many years ago, it still manages to feel new and the updated features bolster the original experience in a manner that never intrudes and only enhances". 1UP.coms Justin Haywald stated that "HeartGold and SoulSilver is easily the best Pokémon game yet". VideoGamer.com reviewer Jamin Smith said, "With HeartGold and SoulSilver the Pokémon series has reached a point where it can't get any better." Eurogamers Keza MacDonald gave the games a 9/10, stating "They combine everything that was best about the older Pokémon games", citing the Pokémon designs and improved graphics and battle system. GamePros McKinley Noble stated that "it's clear that this is a perfect experience for both old-school trainers and the newest generation of Pokémon fans." GameZones Cliff Bakehorn III said, "There is not a doubt in my mind: Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver are the pinnacle of the entire series." Nathan Meunier of GameSpot gave the games one of the lower scores, criticizing them for a lack of innovation. GamesRadar attributed the game's success to being a remake of classic games. HeartGold and SoulSilver won the Golden Joystick Award for Portable Game of the Year in 2010, the first Golden Joystick Award win for the series. Sales In Japan, the games sold over