After greater than a yr and 1000’s of group makes an attempt, Pokemon’s hardest challenge has been overwhelmed.
In the event you’re aware of Pokemon challenge runs, you have in all probability heard of Kaizo Ironmon. The ruleset was, for some time, thought of to be the hardest factor the group might provide you with. A totally randomized run by which enemy trainers’ Pokemon are far stronger than they’d usually be, and the trainers themselves are smarter. You are additionally solely allowed to have one Pokemon at a time. Which means not one of the switching that is a key a part of regular Nuzlocke runs, which dials up the challenge.
However then gamers began beating Kaizo Ironmon, so the principles had been made even tougher. Tremendous Kaizo Ironmon provides to the challenge by banning any ‘setup’ strikes – these which do no injury and solely serve to buff your Pokemon’s stats, and are additionally a key a part of many Nuzlocke runs. Equally, stat-buffing objects are banned after the ultimate health club, as are virtually all hidden objects.
To make issues much more complicated, Tremendous Kaizo Ironmon limits your skill to change your Pokemon. Whereas regular guidelines enable you to ‘pivot’ to a brand new champion throughout each route, in Tremendous, you’ve to take your (random) decide from Oak, and then you’ve to change to a brand new Pokemon mid-way by means of the sport. In FireRed and LeafGreen, this has to be executed within the Safari Zone.
It is a merciless and uncommon ruleset that actually solely exists to challenge probably the most affected person top-level gamers. It is so difficult, in reality, that its creator makes positive to level out that “this isn’t meant for everybody” proper firstly of their rulebook. As its first anniversary rolled round – just for no-one to have publicly overwhelmed it – there have been issues that it could be actually unbeatable. Whereas there is not any official tally, this can be a recreation mode so tough that the overwhelming majority of runs do not make it out of Pallet City, and the group thinks it’s “simply” surpassed 100,000 mixed makes an attempt with no win. Till now.
Over the weekend, streamer Reimi finally took down Gary Oak on his 8,502nd try. He did so with a Pokemon {that a} fellow runner said was “a monster […] with stats/strikes practically handpicked to do it.” That monster was a Crobat with some wonderful stats and protection, and but the run nonetheless got here down to the wire – Reimi was compelled to use a Full Restore to get by means of the run’s final two Pokemon, and was helped alongside by some huge RNG when Gary’s Rayquaza rolled Substitute off Metronome, consigning itself to a gradual dying by poison earlier than it might get a correct hit on Crobat.
For a ‘mon this robust to come so shut to dying on the ultimate hurdle is a reminder as to why some in the neighborhood frightened that Tremendous might by no means be overwhelmed. Even Reimi’s response is disbelief – “there is a motive why each time individuals ask me ‘can this do it?’ I am like, ‘I dunno, man’ […] I legitimately thought we might be taking part in this for years.”
The hardest Pokemon challenge is not a Nuzlocke, it’s taking part in one of many RPGs in a language you do not converse with an absurd checklist of guidelines and exercising each time you mess up.
