How 1 Gen 3 Pokemon Reshaped Difficulty Discourse in…

The Pokemon series has never been known for its difficulty, generally being geared to all ages and experience levels of gamers. However, that doesn't mean there isn't a challenge to be had in any of the Pokemon games, as the community routinely creates new ways to ramp up the difficulty by imposing restrictions on themselves for particular playthroughs. The most famous Pokemon challenge run was developed 16 years ago, using the namesake of a Gen 3 critter that's almost 24 years old today.

As the franchise approaches its 30th anniversary next month, it's clear that looking back on Pokemon's history reveals a series that has adhered to certain trends while taking significant risks elsewhere. Pokemon games are often criticized for playing it safe with their gameplay, usually being very similar from generation to generation. In an effort to break up the monotony and inject a degree of greater difficulty into the Pokemon games, there are a variety of self-imposed rules players can incorporate to run, and the Nuzlocke challenge is the most famous of these challenges.

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By Josh Cotts

24 Years Later, Nuzleaf's Claim to Fame is Still the Nuzlocke Pokemon Challenge

Nuzleaf may not be the most memorable Gen 3 Pokemon, as a middle-stage Grass/Dark type that doesn't really have any impressive gameplay uses. Outside of being a version exclusive to Pokemon Ruby, Nuzleaf isn't used by any notable trainers in the Hoenn Region, and has underwhelming stats. However, the critter has become the mascot for Pokemon's most famous challenge, solidifying its legacy within the franchise in a way Game Freak likely never intended.

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The Origins of the Nuzlocke

The Nuzlocke challenge was started in 2010 by college student Nick Franco, who was looking for a more challenging way to play through Pokemon Ruby. This challenge run was then turned into a webcomic series by Franco, chronicling his adventures using the rules he had imposed on himself. Franco used Nuzlocke as his screen name for this comic, and included a Nuzleaf character drawn to look like John Locke from the popular TV show Lost, creating the portmanteau name of "Nuzlocke" that has been ascribed to Pokemon playthroughs using this rule set.

What are the Rules of a Nuzlocke Challenge

Catch only the first Pokemon encountered in a new area
If a Pokemon faints, it's considered dead and must be released
Players must nickname all their Pokemon to form more emotional bonds with them
No soft resets or third-party hacking
No trading
A full party wipe is a game over, and the run ends

With Nuzlockes intended to increase the emotional stakes of a Pokemon playthrough, the core rules of the challenge need to support that goal. Limiting the number of Pokemon the player can catch to the first one they encounter per location limits the team options they have available to them and forces them to come up with a winning strategy, even if they're given less desirable mons. A Pokemon fainting is usually trivial in a standard run, since the player can just use a Revive to bring them back, so adding the rule that they must release any fainted mons adds tension to each battle. While not every player opts to nickname their team of critters, Nuzlockes require players to grow more attached to their party, and nicknames help reinforce that bond.

There are also several optional rules that players can add to further increase the difficulty of a Nuzlocke run, such as banning the use of healing items in battle and putting a level cap on their party for each gym battle.

Variation of the Nuzlocke

Ironmon Challenge
Wonderlocke
Soul Link

In the years since Franco debuted the Nuzlocke, other creators have developed variations on its rules to create their own type of challenge run. Twitch streamer iateyourpie is credited with developing the Ironmon Challenge that takes the Nuzlocke formula and throws it into a randomized Pokemon game so that players can't predict what critters they will encounter or what attacks they will use. This formula has become popular among fan-made Pokemon games, with many including built-in Nuzlocke and randomizer modes.

Two Players Doing A Surprise Trade In Pokemon Scarlet and Violet

Another variation of the Nuzlocke was developed during the Pokemon X and Y days when the Wonder Trade feature was introduced. Wonderlockes take the basic rules of a Nuzlocke, but require players to Wonder Trade (or Surprise Trade if playing in Gen 8 or later) any Pokemon they capture to a random other player, adding another layer of unpredictability to the run. A Soul Link is a co-op way of doing a Nuzlocke where two players play separate games, but the Pokemon they catch in each area become "linked" and if one faints, the other player must release their linked mon as well.

How the Nuzlocke Changed the Discourse Surrounding Difficulty in the Pokemon Series

Pokemon Generations Have Gotten Easier Over Time

The rise of Nuzlocke runs within the Pokemon community has largely been a direct response to the decrease in difficulty the mainline games have seen in recent generations. Despite Pokemon games never being known for their difficulty, the past few generations have especially toned down the challenge and held players' hands through more areas of the game. This decline makes it clear why so many new iterations of the Nuzlocke have developed over the years; longtime Pokemon fans have gotten used to the series' predictable mechanics and want new ways to challenge themselves.

Some of the changes modern Pokemon games have made to make the series more accessible to players have actually made it harder for Nuzlocke runners to increase the difficulty. Pokemon Gen 7 introduced the chance for a critter to survive a move that would normally KO them if their friendship stat with the player is high enough, making games like Pokemon Let's Go Pikachu and Eevee harder to Nuzlocke by being easier for a standard playthrough.

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The Pokemon Legends Series is a Step in the Right Direction for Pokemon's Difficulty

Although the traditional Pokemon series, like Gen 9's Pokemon Scarlet and Violet, are still fairly easy and use the same formula as the majority of the mainline series, the Pokemon Legends subseries has definitely become the go-to for fans looking for a greater challenge. Pokemon Legends: Arceus' introduction of free-roaming aggressive critters like Alpha Pokemon that will attack the player on sight dramatically increases the tension of its gameplay. Similarly, Pokemon Legends: Z-A's Rogue Mega Evolution battles can be some of the toughest in the entire series. While the Pokemon Legends games offer the increased difficulty that many fans are missing, the rest of the mainline Pokemon games have yet to adopt Nuzlocke levels of gameplay challenge.