UPDATE 32: Final Preparations
Hello and welcome back! I’m sorry about missing last week’s update, I underestimated how much of a grind I was looking at for the endgame and things took longer than I expected. But now we’re here, and it’s time to give Jammerjab Waterfa…
…ll. Oh hold on we have to do something first.
The look of confusion is what tipped Spamigo off, as he’d seen far too many times that look of wondering at how someone could be running so fast outside of a track meet.
The high five is what caught Spamigo by surprised, although he wound up returning it all the same.
He must have been feeling better, since Barry was back to rapid-fire statements. “You still haven’t won yet! I’m still going to be the strongest trainer around! Me and my Pokemon are getting tougher one day at a time… but I’m not going to challenge you. Yet. I know you’re still tougher than me. Just by a little. Not a lot. Doesn’t matter! We’re gonna beat you! Better hope you get to the Pokemon League first because we’re not waiting. See you!”
“Must be nice to have a friend like that,” Jasmine said in a quiet voice that near nearly the opposite of Barry’s motormouth.
“Yeah, I guess…” Spamigo shrugged. “I guess it’s been nice to have people keep testing myself against. He’s a little flighty though.”
“Still, it must be nice. I’m sorry for eavesdropping, but are you headed to the Pokemon League? Here.” She pulled an HM out of her satchel and handed it over. “You’ll need Waterfall to get there.”
“Uh… but won’t you need it?” Spamigo held it but didn’t move to put it away, like she might take it back.
“Not here,” she shook her head. “I came to see more of the world, other trainers and Pokemon. I’ll be heading home soon, but I wish you luck.”
Well then.
No time like the present.
Don’t ask how the geology of this works just nod and go along.
The courtesy Pokemon Center at the entrance to Victory Road takes a lot of the bite out of it. If you had to go back to Sunyshore every time that’d be a nightmare.
If it had a Dark segment in the middle maybe but it’s not really that complicated of a Victory Road.
So, while we’re here: Platinum.
Coming back years later, I like what they were going for with the Gyms in this game. Each leader’s ace Pokemon is no joke, and a lot of them have some sort of strategy built into their team or coverage against the basic counter to their type. Most major battles end up with more challenge that I expected and I wind up getting caught flat-footed. Mars’ Purugly, for instance.
Anomalo took out a Blissey in one Brick Break, by the way.
The real issue with Gyms becomes that… none of them have full teams.
I can understand having the first Gym start at three and ramp up, but they don’t actually ramp up. Even Volkner’s only got four Pokemon. I don’t really wind up feeling as though I was in that much danger of losing as I feel like I’ve got such a numbers advantage.
Dang, usually have to download a fan game with so-so spritework to get this level of self-awareness.
Just a few.
But anyway, that may rank as the biggest drag about the experience of playing this.
Nah, Mina doesn’t really need to do anything but blast hard.
Victory Road isn’t that complicated in this generation. I didn’t even look at a map and I only got hung up twice trying to figure out where a boulder puzzle expects you to loop back to.
One last ride up the waterfall…
One first look at how DeSmuME does not want to render the background here…
And we’re in.
Of course, Barry only said he wasn’t challenging us yet.
Although I can’t help but wonder, if the loser has to wait for the winner to challenge the League, what happens if the winner scrubs out and has to retry? Does the loser still have to wait or do they get a shot now? Terms of the bet unclear.
Alright, it’s That Bird again, but even if all it does is Double Team or Close Combat we can h-
wha
…FINE.
I sorta… thought she’d Beam a little harder.
Maybe if she was at full health she survives? I hate U-Turn now.
REVENGE!
Alright, if Anomalo can just wipe out a Blissey than a Snorlax shouldn’t be any problem.
No problem at all, it didn’t live on one HP it didn’t live on one HP it didn’t live on one HP
Nuuuuuuuuuuuu
uuuuuuuuuuuuu
uuuuuuuuuuuuu
uuuuuuuuuuts.
So we have to do this like 4 more turns.
Sid better get used to beating up on Floatzels, because this is what we’re going to be grinding on for a while.
He comes out ahead on the damage race. Return’s not a joke.
Rapidash with Bounce? Am I battling against me from high school?
But what goes up must come down and what comes down gets hit with a torrent of water delay your coming down as much as possible is what I’m getting at.
Alright That Bird, you want to U-Turn again or stick around for a battle?
Thanks.
Class Aves will not defeat me!
Quick Claw kicks in an Sid fires off a Flamethrower.
I gave Sid Flamethrower in place of Screech because with his defenses, he doesn’t have time to not be hitting.
Being honest, I kind of expected that not to work out as well as it did.
And that’s the last challenge before the Elite 4.
Maybe we’d be better friends if we actually stuck around to watch each others battles and cheer each other on.
Anyway, I’m glad they don’t have rules about battling in the lobby.
NEXT TIME: THE LAST TEAM UPDATE
It’s right below this you can just scroll down