Soft Resetting is basically the ability to go back to the game’s title screen without powering down an entire console or handheld. It’s a huge time saver and was a feature that was more common in a lot of games before the HD era. Some of them were system based while others were designed on a one on one basis with games. For example, Final Fantasy X had a Soft Reset on the original PS2 version all the way up to the latest release of the remaster on Switch.

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Speaking of the Switch, this feature is where Soft Reset ended for the main Pokémon titles. This is because it’s much faster to duck in and out of an app on the console rather than shutting the whole thing down. This is all to say that there are three main console lines where this trick is available.

Now, the biggest reason why players use Soft Reset is to find better stats in Pokémon with EV levels. Getting Shiny Pokémon might be easier as well and it just saves time altogether with catching things like legendary Pokémon. Let’s explain how to do it along with why this cheat can be beneficial for players in specific circumstances.

3 Game Boy Controls And Uses

First of all, in order to Soft Reset on the Game Boy, all players need to do is press and hold A, B, Start, and Select. This also works for Game Boy Color and Game Boy Advance. This means that the Soft Reset trick can work for the first three generations of Pokémon. The games in question include Pokémon Red, Pokémon Blue, Pokémon Yellow, Pokémon Gold, Pokémon Silver, Pokémon Crystal, Pokémon Ruby, Pokémon Sapphire, and finally, Pokémon Emerald. It works for the remakes of the first two games as well. Speaking of the first two games, let’s give some examples where Soft Reset can be useful in them.

In Pokémon Red/Blue/Yellow, there are only four legendary Pokémon: Zapdos, Moltres, Articuno, and Mewtwo. This does not include Mew who was obtained through other means. Anyway, fighting these four Pokémon in their designated location is a one shot deal.

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If the Pokémon faints, like Zapdos, that’s it, no Zapdos for the player. So, it is recommended to save before any of these battles. That way if the Pokémon faints, a Soft Reset can quickly give players another chance.

There are actually two more games for these systems that will work too: Pokémon Trading Card Game and Pokémon Puzzle League. The puzzle game is less hectic but the card game might make the Soft Reset trick worth remembering. Losing a match also means losing cards and that is never fun.

2 GameCube Controls And Uses

The main game players will want to use this Soft Reset trick for on GameCube is Pokémon XD: Gale of Darkness. In order to perform it players will have to press and hold B, X, and Start. This also works for Pokémon Channel although there isn’t much use for it in that mini game collection.

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Pokémon XD, while celebrated for the time for being more than just a series of battles akin to Pokémon Stadium, is not as fun to go back to now. In a world where a real Pokémon console game exists via Pokémon Sword/Shield, it isn’t as special. Still, for those nostalgic, there is the cheat.

1 DS Controls And Uses

Lastly, this is how one can Soft Reset the DS and 3DS portables. Players need to press and hold L, R, Start, and Select. This technique will work on a lot of the core titles including Pokémon Diamond, Pokémon Pearl, Pokémon Platinum, Pokémon Black, Pokémon White, Pokémon X, Pokémon Y, Pokémon Sun, and Pokémon Moon.

These were not mentioned specifically above, but all of the sequels and remakes for the core games, like Pokémon Black 2, will work with Soft Reset as well. Even the Pokémon typing game for the DS has it built in, but most other spinoffs don’t.

Anyway, let’s get to some strategy tips on the games on where to use Soft Reset starting with the very first entries for the DS line aka Pokémon Diamond/Pearl/Platinum. Those three games have some of the most legendary Pokémon packed into one game in any core title up that point that were not tied to outside events.

These Pokémon include the specific version monsters of Dialga or Palkia, as well as Unie, Azelf, Mesprit, Heatran, Regigigas, Giratina, and Cresselia. With only one Master Ball, Soft Reset is a must in order to minimize playtime. It can take a lot of tries and in-turn Pokéballs before these monsters can get captured. As is the case for all legendary Pokémon, make sure to have a Pokémon that can can cast a sleeping move along with having a Pokémon with False Swipe. These will help but at the end of the day it’s all up to the numbers at play.

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