A determined fan of Pokemon has conquered the 2004 installment of the series, Leaf Green, using only the lovable Pokémon Caterpie. The monster collection franchise has built a large fan base throughout its 25-year history, and many of these players create new challenges using self-imposed rules. In addition to being limited to a specific pocket monster, Pokémon’s difficult “Nuzlocke” challenges are another way for players to artificially inflate the series’ difficulty.
Named after a webcomic drawn by the creator of the challenge, Nick Franco, the Nuzlocke challenge features two unique rules that make a normal game of Pokemon be much more difficult. During a Nuzlocke run, death becomes permanent for each pocket monster on the trainer’s team, meaning that if a Pokémon faints during battle, the player must immediately release it into the wild. Another rule dictates that the player can only try to capture the first Pokémon he finds in a zone, and if he does not succeed, he must continue advancing to the next zone without capturing anything. While Nuzlocke Challenges have become popular, many Pokémon Challenge races other than Nuzlockes have been created to make Nintendo’s iconic series more intense.
Now reddit user HirokiTakumi has completed the Pokémon Leaf Green challenge using only one Caterpie. The tiny Pokemon Bug-type, introduced as one of the original 151 monsters in the series, he is typically outmatched by many of the series’ mid-level creatures due to his limited move set. However, HirokiTakumi took it upon himself to conquer the entire game with Caterpie, raising the creature’s level to the max and strategically equipping it with effective moves. The lovable caterpillar exclusively used Tackle and Struggle during combat, forgoing its familiar String Shot attack, allowing it to deal constant damage to its opponents.
Many Pokémon fans challenge themselves, such as the Nuzlocke rules or using a single ineffective Pokémon, to make the series more difficult. However, Pokémon Black 2 and White 2 feature a challenge mode as an official way to increase the difficulty of fans’ monster collecting trips. This optional setting makes many adjustments to the experience, such as increasing the level of enemy Pokémon and increasing the artificial intelligence of rival Trainers. Gym Leaders and the Elite Four receive a special boost, as each member receives a Pokemon extra to use and gives each Pokémon a varied move set.
The fan base of Pokemon It has become truly massive since the series’ debut in 1996, and many of these loyal fans have become expert Pokémon trainers. Franchise veterans looking for a bigger challenge resort to many unusual self-imposed rules, but the exclusive use of Caterpie’s HirokiTakumi is an especially impressive feat. The paltry caterpillar was able to overcome every encounter in Pokémon Leaf Green, demonstrating both the monster’s versatility and the unwavering dedication of its trainer.