-I've played Crytal many times but none in a foreign language. I also learned that trying to trade between English/non-JP ROMS and Japanese ROMS creates a beautiful mess of glitchy sounds. Thank God for Gen III finally fixing that.
-Started right off with Hoppip, who was the man player on my team until I was able to grab the rest.
FALKNER
As a Skiploom, my first Japanese Pokemon was the MVP of this fight with Tackle spamming.
BUGSY
More of the same.
-Headbutt earns me my Pineco, who remaned a Pineco for a good portion of the game.
-Caught my Jigglypuff before Whitney
WHITNEY
Skiploom now knew Leech Seed (I was so excited when i found out that I taught it Leech Seed unintentionally!), so Miltank could only stall me for so long. Also, a few Headbutt flinches mades ure I got the victory.
-With Time Capsule now active, I traded for my Mr. Mime from Japanese Red. Hitmonlee will later come through this same way because I'm not waiting until Kanto to get the Dojo Leader's Tyrogue.
In addition, I expected an Odd Egg (the one with the 50% Shiny chance) and upon research found that the Egg is not distributed in Japanese versions because it came through an event only in 2001. I wish the Mobile GB Adapter thngy still worked so I could get Tyrogue early, but oh well. I wanted Hitmonlee anyways.
MORTY
Skiploom->Jumpluff
More Leech Seed BS here. Pretty funny how cheaply I've won all of my battles.
CHUCK
-Caught Corsola
-Grabbed Moon Stone found at Tohjo Falls to evolve Jiggly to Wigglytuff
Leech Seed but also some work from Hitmonlee!
JASMINE
Leech Seed BS plus some Surf action from Corsola to take down Steelix.
PRYCE
Leech Seed and some Headbutts from Jumpluff. Mr. Mime Psychic'd and Corsola Surfed over Piloswine.
-Pineco->Forretress
CLAIR
Hitmonlee was my strongest Pokemon along with Mr Mime now, so they were used against Clair. It was here that my team fell below the level curve, and *I ran into save issues after failing a clone attempt. *More on this very soon.
Anyways, Jumpluff used Leech Seed, Wigglytuff stalled, then Mr. Mime and Hitmonlee actually attacked.
WILL
Jumpluff and Corsola helped out in this fight, but being underleveled because a terrible problem at this point. Plus, my team was severly lacking in type diversity, being without Fire, Electric, or any Ground moves like Earthquake.
KOGA
An easier time here, Mr. Mime Psychic'd and Confusion'd his Poison types successfully.
BRUNO
Not too terribly hard, but only because of Hitmonlee saving the day when Mr. Mime kept fainting.
KAREN
I used infinity Full Restores and Revives, and almost cleaned my entire item inventory before Lance's Dragons.
I had to rely on Hitmonlee's Double Kick (Pre Gen III Fighting moves suck so bad) to take out her Dark types, save for Vileplume (killed by Mime) and Houndoom (beat by Corsola).
LANCE
Down to very few Revives and Full Restores, absolutely no Thunder or Ice Attacks, extremely slow Pokemon besides Mr. Mime and low PP, I knew this was going to be a stretch.
And it was; I required the utmost BS luck to push through. The Dragonites eventually missed their Elemental Attacks, allowing me to Revive the rest of my team and wait until Leech Seed finally killed them. Charizard died from Corsola's Ancientpower (Rock's Greatest Hits: Japan Tour) and Aerodactyl fainted after two Surfs from Corsola.
This was easily the hardest Johto I've ever done because I had such a bleeping dismal team that was below the level curve. I thought I'd never beat him without grinding my Pokemon to 60, but that wasn't necessary.
Back to the saving issue: after attempting to clone my HM Slave Mew (I wanted to use as much of my team as possible), I realized that it failed. Not only that, but my ONLY HM SLAVE along with everything in its Box, got deleted. Everytime I'd save from this point forward, whether automatically or in-game, the Box Pokemon would get deleted. I had to carry on with Save States, and trading between my HM Slave and one of my Pokemon to get through the game.
And on that note... let's go to Kanto!!!
SURGE
Mr. Mime was my choice for this Gym, good Special Attack and some Speed to it, even the Electrodes were too slow for it. Psychic killed the majority of hs Pokemon in one hit.
JANINE
Same tactic with Mr. Mime. Oh and I got Toxic, which I taught to Wigglytuff. Wigglytuff was the best tank on my team, and I did not teach it to Forretress because it would not accompany me in the Red fight due to Save issues.
ERIKA
Same as above. Hate being repetitive.
SABRINA
I wanted to use Corsola for as lng ss I could with Surf until it fainted, which then I would Leech Seed/Toxic Stall until her Pokemon died.
MISTY
I just ToxicStalled with Wigglytuff, which was I could hope to do. I didn't have any Grass or Electric moves, but Hitmonlee used Double Kick on the Lapras.
BROCK
Soloed by Corsola, which put a smile on my face.
BLAINE
Also done alone by Corsola. Corsola te gusta hacer Surf en los Pokemon de Blaine.
BLUE
Last Kanto Gym and last Gym in the whole game. I won't lie, I was glad to get to that point. I did not have much sentiment towards these Pokemon because they weren't that great to use in battle.
ToxicStall + LeechStall was the only strategy I ran for this fight, my Pokemon were still underleveled and not mych could be done about that.
RED
HERE IT IS! The end of the game is nearing! I also noticed that Red says "................. ............ .........." in the Japanese version, which differs from the three silent periods he says in the English translation. Found that cool.
For Pikachu: Wigglytuff Toxicstall + Pound(?)
Espeon was beat in the same way, but I had Mr. Mime resist Espy's Psychic attack.
I drew Snorlax next, who took about four (or eight!) Double Kicks from Hitmonlee. I was amped because things could've gotten really ugly.
I sent in Jumpluff, which caused Red's AI to bring in Charizard. This worked out because Corsola switched in and KO'd Edgyzard.
Venusaur as next, so no ToxicStall/LeechStall was possible. I had to keep hitting Psychic with Mr. Mime, and I actually drew a Critical Hit that dropped it in one move.
Blastoise was the last Pokeman standing. Wigglytuff Toxic'd while Blastoise set up Rain Dance, then stalled. It took three turns for Wigglytuff to finally faint. Jumpluff cane in and Cotton Spore'd to cut Speed and allow me to flinch it with Headbutt, Leech Seed to cut its HP and Synthesis to stall even more.
The end result looked a whole lot better than my fight with Lance, and I could be proud of that. I'm glad to play English translations now!
