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I’ve never been much of a competitive gamer. My friends and family will often get angry when they’re defeated in a game or find themselves up against a seemingly insurmountable obstacle, but I’ve always been one to walk away and try again tomorrow. It’s just a video game, so letting it ruin my day simply isn’t worth it. I ain’t about that life, ya feel me?
When it comes to online games I’m incredibly fussy too. Solo experiences that emphasise experimentation and challenge can turn me off if mechanics appear too complex or I’m expected to jump through multiple hoops in order to actually have fun - which is pretty important for a medium designed around having a good ol’ time. This brings me to Pokemon Nuzlockes, an experience which on the surface feels built on the act of random challenge and luck instead of actually piecing together a cohesive strategy in order to win.
Game Freak has abided by a tried-and-true formula for decades now, only recently pushing Pokemon forward with the release of Legends: Arceus. Hardcore fans don’t mind too much, and neither do the millions of people who pick up each and every new game in the series. Yet there is absolutely something to be desired, or a deeper, more challenging outing that doesn’t pull its punches and requires us to think outside the box. You could always play competitively against fellow players, but Nuzlockes are another alternative.
I’ve edited countless features written by colleagues about Nuzlockes in recent months and while I understand the appeal of only catching a single Pokemon on each route and throwing aside fainted ones forever as a consequence of defeat, on the surface I just didn’t see the appeal. So you’re just punishing yourself for the sake of it? How is that fun? What happens when you have no way forward? Do you just give up and start all over again? It felt like an emotional investment that wasn’t worth the toll it would take on me, but earlier this week I realised that that’s the entire point. It’s meant to mean something to you.
This revelation is thanks to multiple videos on Pokemon Nuzlockes by JaidenAnimations on YouTube, which chronicle entire adventures across several different generations. Her enthusiastic energy, playful attitude, and reverence for the universe she was indulging in was infectious, and managed to pull me right in. I think the way in which she stressed the emotional investment of each Pokemon she caught, even ones that weren’t her intended targets, is what really sold me. Giving them silly names and even creating bespoke backstories for each of them as they grew to play pivotal roles in the run’s success.
When a Pokemon was suddenly killed by a critical hit, I lost my shit. Then when one tanked a move that should have guaranteed their death I couldn’t help but cheer, breathing a sigh of relief that the collective team was yet to be splintered. I felt their loss when one of them inevitably bit the dust, with Jaiden pouring one out for her fallen comrades while recognising the role they played in helping them defeat gym leaders and push forward. It’s emotional stuff, and all thanks to the imagination we’ve applied to a run format that on the surface is purely mechanical. While watching her videos I cared, so much so that it made me want to embark on a Nuzlocke adventure of my own, and I think I will finally bite the bullet and jump in.
One of gaming’s greatest strengths is how communities are able to take titles and bend their intended vision into something entirely different. This can be done in order to improve upon games that initially proved underwhelming, or to expand on masterpieces that mean so much to us that we can’t help but inherit them as our own creative successes. Nuzlockes are reflective of that ethos. What started out as a simple challenge run has grown into something unimaginable. There are so many stories to be told that are only possible through abiding by such rules, finding ways to circumvent impossible barriers through sheer perseverance.
After I came to terms with these possibilities I was able to embrace Pokemon Nuzlockes and why they’ve resonated with so many. I’ll be sure to report back once I’ve found the time to try it for myself and see what all the fuss is about. In practice I might hate it, but I’m still excited to craft my own narrative defined by emotional investment and a determination to be the very best, even if I have to leave Pokemon corpses in the ditch when it all goes wrong.