Hello one and all, and welcome to my Screenshot Let's Play of Pokémon Fool's Gold!
What is Fool's Gold?
Despite the name, Fool's Gold is actually a romhack of Pokemon Crystal. It started as a romhack that redesigns every single Pokemon in the game, but since then has been expanded to have more than 400 Pokemon total, entirely new areas, and other neat things.
There is a trailer for Fool's Gold on Youtube, but I won't link it here since it both contains spoilers and is somewhat outdated for the newest version of the romhack. However, it gives the game the tag line:
A somewhat familiar Johto experience ...where everything is a little bit different
I think this is a good description of this romhack.
Notably, this is not an extreme difficulty hack or anything. The devs assure us that you could beat the game with any team you want and don't have to worry too much about movesets. That's fantastic because that is how I like to play Pokemon, and also that means I can easily take into account your suggestions for which Pokemon to put in my party.
What will this Let's Play look like?
I am planning to show off everything that is unique to this romhack. New Pokemon, new moves, new areas, and so on. However, even though the game makes it possible, I won't attempt to catch 'em all. I tend to burn out when I try that. Instead I'll post Pokedex entries whenever we first encounter a new Pokemon. I'll try to fight all the trainers but I won't be spending hours looking for low-encounter rate Pokemon. Hopefully a later trainer will have it and if not I can always go back later.
Throughout the LP, I will take suggestions from you all on what Pokemon to have in my party, as well as their nicknames. Feel free to post suggestions at any time!
This LP will be cross-posted between SA and the LP Beach, so I'll take suggestions from both threads.
I played a previous version of this romhack up till about the 5th badge, so it will become a mostly blind LP after that.
Spoiler policy
Please don't talk about anything Fool's Gold we haven't seen yet. Any discussion about official Pokemon games or other romhacks is perfectly fine.
Table of Contents
Part 1: Welcome to the world of Pokemon
Part 2: Arisu
Part 3: Violet City
Part 4: SLOWPOKETAIL? In this economy?
[SSLP] An experience somewhat like before... Let's Play Pokémon Fool's Gold
Last edited by Carbon dioxide on Sun Jun 02, 2024 2:35 pm, edited 4 times in total.
Part 1: Welcome to the world of Pokemon
Well, let's jump right into it, shall we?
As the game boots up, it first shows the developers of this romhack.
Hmm, is that a Ditto?
I start a new game.
If you bought this with real-world money, you have been scammed.
Please do not distribute this without crediting the devs and providing an official link.
If you have any questions about anything Fool's Gold, join the Discord server: discord.gg/xMA9Udq
Speaking of, if you want to play the romhack yourself, you can download it here. You're looking for the "FOOLS GOLD 1.3.1.ips" file. According to the wiki, that ...other patch file is "considered non-canon and it is recommended you use the normal patch for a first playthrough".
After asking me if I want to play as a boy or a girl, the game asks if I want to enter a password. This can only be done when starting a new game, and passwords modify the game in some way.
Some passwords you can find during normal gameplay, others have only been handed out by the devs. Either way, this is intended for a kind of New Game Plus so let's skip it for now.
The game jumps into the normal Pokemon Crystal intro, although it shows the redesigned Aipom sprite.
Some of the default nickname choices are the devs' names.
Once the intro is done, let's take a look at the map on the wall in our room.
Hmm, that looks a bit different than I remember it.
Nothing much in New Bark Town has changed. Our mother gives us the Pokegear, the rival is rude as always and all the dialogue is original. This is one thing you'll notice throughout the LP: everything starts off looking quite vanilla but the further we get, the more different things get.
Let's go pick a starter.
Cyndaquil, the Ice Mouse Pokemon
Type: Ice
Pokedex: Said to be a timid POKÉMON. It uses the icicles that protrude from its back to protect itself.
Totodile, the Pilot Pokemon
Type: Flying
Pokedex: Even though it was born with no wings its greatest ambition in life is to fly. Its wings are hand-made.
Chikorita, the Nunchaku Pokemon
Type: Fighting
Pokedex: It is slothlike and rarely moves, but occasionally manages to hit its enemy with the nunchuk on its head.
So, dear readers, of course I'll leave this to a thread vote.
Please leave suggestions for the following:
- Our gender and nickname (max 7 characters).
- Our starter and its nickname (max 10 characters).
- The rival's name.
Progress:
- Pokemon seen: 3/433 (0.69%)
Well, let's jump right into it, shall we?
As the game boots up, it first shows the developers of this romhack.
Hmm, is that a Ditto?
I start a new game.
If you bought this with real-world money, you have been scammed.
Please do not distribute this without crediting the devs and providing an official link.
If you have any questions about anything Fool's Gold, join the Discord server: discord.gg/xMA9Udq
Speaking of, if you want to play the romhack yourself, you can download it here. You're looking for the "FOOLS GOLD 1.3.1.ips" file. According to the wiki, that ...other patch file is "considered non-canon and it is recommended you use the normal patch for a first playthrough".
After asking me if I want to play as a boy or a girl, the game asks if I want to enter a password. This can only be done when starting a new game, and passwords modify the game in some way.
Some passwords you can find during normal gameplay, others have only been handed out by the devs. Either way, this is intended for a kind of New Game Plus so let's skip it for now.
The game jumps into the normal Pokemon Crystal intro, although it shows the redesigned Aipom sprite.
Some of the default nickname choices are the devs' names.
Once the intro is done, let's take a look at the map on the wall in our room.
Hmm, that looks a bit different than I remember it.
Nothing much in New Bark Town has changed. Our mother gives us the Pokegear, the rival is rude as always and all the dialogue is original. This is one thing you'll notice throughout the LP: everything starts off looking quite vanilla but the further we get, the more different things get.
Let's go pick a starter.
Cyndaquil, the Ice Mouse Pokemon
Type: Ice
Pokedex: Said to be a timid POKÉMON. It uses the icicles that protrude from its back to protect itself.
Totodile, the Pilot Pokemon
Type: Flying
Pokedex: Even though it was born with no wings its greatest ambition in life is to fly. Its wings are hand-made.
Chikorita, the Nunchaku Pokemon
Type: Fighting
Pokedex: It is slothlike and rarely moves, but occasionally manages to hit its enemy with the nunchuk on its head.
So, dear readers, of course I'll leave this to a thread vote.
Please leave suggestions for the following:
- Our gender and nickname (max 7 characters).
- Our starter and its nickname (max 10 characters).
- The rival's name.
Progress:
- Pokemon seen: 3/433 (0.69%)
Part 2: Arisu
Everyone agreed we should play as a girl. There were four suggestions for a name. I went with Quackles's suggestion Alice since I liked the idea that we're in Wonderland.
After Totodile and Cyndaquil going head to head for a while, in the end Totodile was the clear winner with 19 votes. I'm not sure if all three people mentioning Air Toto were actually suggesting that as a nickname but I decided to roll with it.
Air Toto comes equipped with an Oran Berry (yes, Fool's Gold uses later-gen berry names), and starts with the basic moves Scratch and Leer.
The romhack devs even made custom animated menu sprites! (I removed the berry for this gif). You can already see a lot of love went into this game.
Anyway, we receive the Potion from Elm's aide, and start making our way to Mr. Pokemon.
Our first encounter on Route 29 is this Pidgey.
Pidgey, the Thwacking Pokemon
Type: Fighting/Flying
Pokedex: This feisty Pokémon picks fights with those around it, but often loses due to its small size.
Of course, without Pokeballs, all we can do is scratch it to death.
Physical? Yep, that's right, Fool's Gold introduces the physical/special split 2 generations early.
In case you're wondering, most of the other internal stats have been kept vanilla Gen 2. For example, IVs/DVs and EVs/Stat exp have not been changed.
Other than the redesigned pokemon, Route 29 seems entirely unchanged. Next, we encounter Sentret.
Sentret, the Squirrel Pokemon
Type: Normal/Flying
Pokedex: Their tails help them leap into the air, where they glide freely using skin flaps under their legs.
Sentret gets Air Toto to level 6.
I get the Potion and make my way to the Route 46 gatehouse. As always, Route 46 is almost entirely blocked by ledges but at least we can take a look at the pokemon.
Corsola, the Flame Pokemon
Type: Fire
Pokedex: CORSOLA are kind-spirited and often appear by weary travelers, eager to warm them up.
Such as this friend. It's unfortunate I don't have balls yet.
Corsola did manage to hurt Air Toto a bit with its annoying combination of Smokescreen and Ember. But Air Toto leveled up again and learned his first STAB move: Gust.
Back on Route 29, I pick an Oran Berry off the tree (they grow back every 24 hours like in the base game), and with that we're already in Cherrygrove City.
Let's get the tour from this guy so he can give us the map.
Hey, what's that pier? Let's check that out in a minute. First, let's heal up and hit the Poke Mart.
Mart - Fool's Gold OST
Here is the first new song of Fool's Gold. Most music is kept unchanged, but when you hit a new tune and it's a good one like this Poke Mart theme, it's a nice surprise.
Anyway, all NPC dialogue in Cherrygrove is unchanged. You've probably noticed the nice red trees as well as what I assume are cherry blossoms on the ground. Let's go see what that pier is about.
The S.S. SAKURA is a ship for only the most elite Trainers.
Nobody really knows where it goes.
Through a short underground corridor, onto the final part of this pier.
Sorry, kid.
This ship's only for the best of the best.
I guess we'll have to come back later. Let's go to Route 30 and meet Mr. Pokemon.
I get the Oran Berries from the tree and from the guy inside the house. The kid battling here says "Go, SENTRET" now, so apparently he doesn't have a Rattata anymore.
In the grass we encounter Hoppip.
Hoppip, the Potato Pokemon
Type: Grass/Ground
Pokedex: A grumpy POKÉMON who stays underground, absorbing nutrients and growing.
It dies to a couple gusts. I found some Antidote on the route as well as a Pecha Berry from the tree next to Mr. Pokemon's house.
I get the Mystery Egg from Mr. Pokemon, and the Pokedex from Prof. Oak.
On the way back to New Bark Town, there's the rival fight. At level 5, Cyndaquil doesn't know any ice moves yet, so it's an easy win.
The police officer asks for his name. Now, there were 2 votes for BUTTS and 2 for ????. Everyone knows ???? is canonically pronounced "HUH?!?" so let's name him that.
We hand the Mystery Egg to Elm, and get 5 Pokeballs from his aide. Finally, before leaving New Bark Town, I ask Mom to save some of my money. She might buy something neat from it for us.
On the way back to Cherrygrove I fill out my initial team a bit, if only to prevent Air Toto from getting over-leveled early on.
Now here's my darkest secret: I can never come up with nicknames for pokemon.
So here's how you can help: At any time during this LP, please leave suggestions for what pokemon I should have in my party and what their names should be. These can be pokemon I've caught, but also pokemon we've seen. I'll try to catch them if they're on a route I already have access to.
It'll be difficult to change nicknames until we get to the Name Rater, so that part might take a bit.
On route 30 we start encountering trainers.
Youngster Joey indeed has a Sentret.
From what I can tell, most dialogue from random trainers is unchanged or just slightly altered. I don't remember what everyone said in the original.
I'll spare you from talking about every single trainer if they don't have new pokemon or stand out in some other way.
During the trainer battles, Corsola levels up to 6, at which point she learns Sweet Scent. Like in the base game, this move can also be used on the field to force encounters.
Bug Catcher Don sends out a Venonat.
Venonat, the Aphid Pokemon
Type: Bug
Pokedex: These POKÉMON are very easy to miss, as they blend right into the leaves they cluster on.
Venonat only knows Leech Life at this point. I switch to Corsola to kill it with fire.
Don also has a Ledyba.
Ledyba, the Firefly Pokemon
Type: Bug/Electric
Pokedex: Many people use LEDYBA as a light source at night. It is a popular POKÉMON for those who like to camp.
On Route 31 I decide to pop into Dark Cave for a moment. It's too dark to see anything but right away I get attacked by Onix.
With Leech Life to heal itself and with a catch rate of only 45, this thing was annoying to catch, but I managed it with my last pokeball.
Onix, the Earthworm Pokemon
Type: Ground
Pokedex: These massive POKÉMON tunnel through the soil, absorbing moisture through their rubbery skin.
What can I say, sometimes it's immediately obvious what to name a pokemon.
This is a Persim Berry tree. It cures confusion.
For some reason I gave Youngster Joey my number. He already decided to call me. Apparently Sentret is doing well and they beat a Venonat. Good for them.
In the next trainer battle against Bug Catcher Wade, Pidgey grows several levels. At level 5 she learns Arm Thrust, a Fighting move introduced in Gen 3. At level 9 she learns Gust.
Wade throws this... thing at me.
Sneasel, the Festering Pokemon
Type: Bug/Dragon
Pokedex: A strange POKÉMON which hides in the darkest caves. It is considered no more than a cryptid by most.
As the dex implies, Sneasel can also be found in Dark Cave, although its encounter rate is very low unless it's night.
Very early to find a Dragon type though.
Wade also has a Spinarak.
Spinarak, the Spider Pokemon
Type: Bug/Ghost
Pokedex: These pests are difficult to get rid of, as their bodies are only made of shadows and grief.
We make it to Violet City without further incident. This seems as good a place as any to stop for now.
Progress:
- Pokemon seen: 12/433 (2.77%)
Everyone agreed we should play as a girl. There were four suggestions for a name. I went with Quackles's suggestion Alice since I liked the idea that we're in Wonderland.
After Totodile and Cyndaquil going head to head for a while, in the end Totodile was the clear winner with 19 votes. I'm not sure if all three people mentioning Air Toto were actually suggesting that as a nickname but I decided to roll with it.
Air Toto comes equipped with an Oran Berry (yes, Fool's Gold uses later-gen berry names), and starts with the basic moves Scratch and Leer.
The romhack devs even made custom animated menu sprites! (I removed the berry for this gif). You can already see a lot of love went into this game.
Anyway, we receive the Potion from Elm's aide, and start making our way to Mr. Pokemon.
Our first encounter on Route 29 is this Pidgey.
Pidgey, the Thwacking Pokemon
Type: Fighting/Flying
Pokedex: This feisty Pokémon picks fights with those around it, but often loses due to its small size.
Of course, without Pokeballs, all we can do is scratch it to death.
Physical? Yep, that's right, Fool's Gold introduces the physical/special split 2 generations early.
In case you're wondering, most of the other internal stats have been kept vanilla Gen 2. For example, IVs/DVs and EVs/Stat exp have not been changed.
Other than the redesigned pokemon, Route 29 seems entirely unchanged. Next, we encounter Sentret.
Sentret, the Squirrel Pokemon
Type: Normal/Flying
Pokedex: Their tails help them leap into the air, where they glide freely using skin flaps under their legs.
Sentret gets Air Toto to level 6.
I get the Potion and make my way to the Route 46 gatehouse. As always, Route 46 is almost entirely blocked by ledges but at least we can take a look at the pokemon.
Corsola, the Flame Pokemon
Type: Fire
Pokedex: CORSOLA are kind-spirited and often appear by weary travelers, eager to warm them up.
Such as this friend. It's unfortunate I don't have balls yet.
Corsola did manage to hurt Air Toto a bit with its annoying combination of Smokescreen and Ember. But Air Toto leveled up again and learned his first STAB move: Gust.
Back on Route 29, I pick an Oran Berry off the tree (they grow back every 24 hours like in the base game), and with that we're already in Cherrygrove City.
Let's get the tour from this guy so he can give us the map.
Hey, what's that pier? Let's check that out in a minute. First, let's heal up and hit the Poke Mart.
Mart - Fool's Gold OST
Here is the first new song of Fool's Gold. Most music is kept unchanged, but when you hit a new tune and it's a good one like this Poke Mart theme, it's a nice surprise.
Anyway, all NPC dialogue in Cherrygrove is unchanged. You've probably noticed the nice red trees as well as what I assume are cherry blossoms on the ground. Let's go see what that pier is about.
The S.S. SAKURA is a ship for only the most elite Trainers.
Nobody really knows where it goes.
Through a short underground corridor, onto the final part of this pier.
Sorry, kid.
This ship's only for the best of the best.
I guess we'll have to come back later. Let's go to Route 30 and meet Mr. Pokemon.
I get the Oran Berries from the tree and from the guy inside the house. The kid battling here says "Go, SENTRET" now, so apparently he doesn't have a Rattata anymore.
In the grass we encounter Hoppip.
Hoppip, the Potato Pokemon
Type: Grass/Ground
Pokedex: A grumpy POKÉMON who stays underground, absorbing nutrients and growing.
It dies to a couple gusts. I found some Antidote on the route as well as a Pecha Berry from the tree next to Mr. Pokemon's house.
I get the Mystery Egg from Mr. Pokemon, and the Pokedex from Prof. Oak.
On the way back to New Bark Town, there's the rival fight. At level 5, Cyndaquil doesn't know any ice moves yet, so it's an easy win.
The police officer asks for his name. Now, there were 2 votes for BUTTS and 2 for ????. Everyone knows ???? is canonically pronounced "HUH?!?" so let's name him that.
We hand the Mystery Egg to Elm, and get 5 Pokeballs from his aide. Finally, before leaving New Bark Town, I ask Mom to save some of my money. She might buy something neat from it for us.
On the way back to Cherrygrove I fill out my initial team a bit, if only to prevent Air Toto from getting over-leveled early on.
Now here's my darkest secret: I can never come up with nicknames for pokemon.
So here's how you can help: At any time during this LP, please leave suggestions for what pokemon I should have in my party and what their names should be. These can be pokemon I've caught, but also pokemon we've seen. I'll try to catch them if they're on a route I already have access to.
It'll be difficult to change nicknames until we get to the Name Rater, so that part might take a bit.
On route 30 we start encountering trainers.
Youngster Joey indeed has a Sentret.
From what I can tell, most dialogue from random trainers is unchanged or just slightly altered. I don't remember what everyone said in the original.
I'll spare you from talking about every single trainer if they don't have new pokemon or stand out in some other way.
During the trainer battles, Corsola levels up to 6, at which point she learns Sweet Scent. Like in the base game, this move can also be used on the field to force encounters.
Bug Catcher Don sends out a Venonat.
Venonat, the Aphid Pokemon
Type: Bug
Pokedex: These POKÉMON are very easy to miss, as they blend right into the leaves they cluster on.
Venonat only knows Leech Life at this point. I switch to Corsola to kill it with fire.
Don also has a Ledyba.
Ledyba, the Firefly Pokemon
Type: Bug/Electric
Pokedex: Many people use LEDYBA as a light source at night. It is a popular POKÉMON for those who like to camp.
On Route 31 I decide to pop into Dark Cave for a moment. It's too dark to see anything but right away I get attacked by Onix.
With Leech Life to heal itself and with a catch rate of only 45, this thing was annoying to catch, but I managed it with my last pokeball.
Onix, the Earthworm Pokemon
Type: Ground
Pokedex: These massive POKÉMON tunnel through the soil, absorbing moisture through their rubbery skin.
What can I say, sometimes it's immediately obvious what to name a pokemon.
This is a Persim Berry tree. It cures confusion.
For some reason I gave Youngster Joey my number. He already decided to call me. Apparently Sentret is doing well and they beat a Venonat. Good for them.
In the next trainer battle against Bug Catcher Wade, Pidgey grows several levels. At level 5 she learns Arm Thrust, a Fighting move introduced in Gen 3. At level 9 she learns Gust.
Wade throws this... thing at me.
Sneasel, the Festering Pokemon
Type: Bug/Dragon
Pokedex: A strange POKÉMON which hides in the darkest caves. It is considered no more than a cryptid by most.
As the dex implies, Sneasel can also be found in Dark Cave, although its encounter rate is very low unless it's night.
Very early to find a Dragon type though.
Wade also has a Spinarak.
Spinarak, the Spider Pokemon
Type: Bug/Ghost
Pokedex: These pests are difficult to get rid of, as their bodies are only made of shadows and grief.
We make it to Violet City without further incident. This seems as good a place as any to stop for now.
Progress:
- Pokemon seen: 12/433 (2.77%)
Part 3: Violet City
Alright, looking at nickname choices, for Pidgey we have 3 votes for Popeye, for Hoppip there's 2 for Maship. For Corsola it's more difficult, with two each for Bonfire, Calcifer, Kimchi and Hestia.
I am not able to change nicknames in-game at this point, so I'll unofficially use the names Popeye and Maship and leave Corsola unnamed for the time being.
Let's explore Violet City.
Ghosts are rumored to appear in SPROUT TOWER. They said normal-type POKEMON moves had no effect on ghosts.
Someone in the Pokemon Center confirms that 3 years ago a kid got Team Rocket to break up. Good to know history hasn't changed too much.
By the way, the trading/link battle floor of the Pokemon Centers seem unchanged. I have no idea if they made that system compatible with the changed Pokemon and everything. Doesn't really matter because everything is available in a single copy of the romhack anyway.
In the southernmost house, someone wants to trade their Oddish for a Yanma. We haven't encountered Yanma yet so that'll have to wait. Earl's school seems much the same as in the original, just the early game tutorial stuff.
However, other than Pokeballs and basic healing items, the Mart here stocks X Defend, X Attack, and X Speed. Not that I have the money for those.
Finally, the Sudowoodo is here like usual. The nearby NPC says that he tried to punch it but that it didn't work. A hint as to its type?
We'll check out the ruins later. Let's first have a go at the Sprout Tower.
I'll switch-train Maship a bit since y'all seem to like him. At level 5, she learns Tail Whip. Yay, now she knows two non-damaging moves and nothing else.
Luckily with some more training we get her to level 7 where she learns Absorb.
Bellsprout, the Cannon Pokemon
Type: Steel
Pokedex: Though not very intimidating, they blast puffs of smoke at POKÉMON larger than themselves.
Steel? This is Corsola's time to shine, I guess.
Most of the Sprout Tower sages have Bellsprout, which all are knocked out quickly by Corsola's Ember or Popeye's Arm Thrust. Corsola has significantly better base stats so she does slightly better. At level 11 she learns Rock Throw. Sure, I'll take it.
I also encounter a wild Bellsprout which I catch. It only has the bug-type move Pin Missile at this low level.
On the top level, some of the sages have a Hoothoot.
Hoothoot, the Owl Pokémon
Type: Steel/Flying
Pokedex: A well-armored POKÉMON. It has been observed sledding down icy hills on its shield in winter.
Nothing in Sprout Tower can withstand fire.
We find HUH?!? battling the Elder, and then it's our turn.
The Bellsprout statues haven't been updated.
Corsola OHKOs the Elder's two Bellsprout and Hoothoot, and the Elder rewards me with HM05, Flash. Corsola and Maship can learn it, so I teach it to Maship.
With that done, I go heal up and get my Bellsprout in the party instead of Sentret. Bellsprout seems more interesting, at least.
Next up, the Gym.
Hey! I'm no trainer but I can give some advice! Believe me! If you believe, a championship dream can come true.
You believe? Then listen. The grass-type is weak against the flying-type. Keep this in mind.
Hm.
Alright, the first trainer in the gym is still a Bird Keeper and has a Pidgey. I guess they kept gym types the same.
The second trainer isn't much more interesting, with a Pidgey and Hoothoot.
And with that, we're already at Falkner. I don't think his dialogue changed.
Marill, the Sky Mouse Pokémon
Type: Normal/Flying
Pokedex: MARILL's large ears are just strong enough to barely lift it off the ground.
...I don't know what I was expecting Falkner to lead with, but it wasn't this.
Marill attacks with Mud-Slap, Defense Curl, and, of all things, Icy Wind. None of these are moves he learns normally, but he can learn them through TMs. I guess Falkner has been around.
At level 8, my Bellsprout learns a second move, Spikes.
Falkner's second pokemon, Hoothoot, also knows Mud-Slap and Defense Curl, which it also only learns by TM.
And here is Falkner's ace.
Pidgeotto, the Walloping Pokémon
Type: Fighting/Flying
Pokedex: PIDGEOTTO are easily irritated and will land a solid punch on those who cross them.
Evolves from Pidgey at level 18.
Pidgeotto ALSO knows Mud-Slap which it only learns by TM. I get sick of Falkner's accuracy-lowering bullshit and set up a Smokescreen myself, before switching in Popeye who is immune to Mud-Slap.
Since Pidgeotto keeps trying to hit Popeye with Arm Thrust and Popeye uses Gust in return, we win easily.
First badge in the pocket! Unsurprisingly, we also get TM31, Mud-Slap. All of the pokemon in my party except for Bellsprout can learn it. I decide to give it to Maship. Even if it's a weak attack, at least that gives it some STAB.
But wait a second...
Yep. TMs are reusable in Fool's Gold, a very very nice QoL improvement that was introduced in the official games in Gen V.
After the gym, Elm's assistant is waiting for me in the Pokemon Center to give me an egg. Of course we're gonna hatch it. It kind of feels like my first playthrough of Silver all those years ago, having no idea what's going to come out.
I put Earthworm Jim in the PC to make space in my party.
Alright, time to leave Violet and go find some new Pokemon. You may have noticed when we went to check on Sudowoodo that there's now a small patch of grass on this side of route 36. I take a couple minutes to check it out and only find Venonat and Pidgey. There's probably something else here but hopefully we can find it more easily later. I catch a Venonat and move on.
You probably knew that Johto is based on a real area of Japan. You might even have known that every city in Johto is based on a real Japanese city. But did you know that the Ruins of Alph are based on a collection of real ancient ruins in the Japanese village of Asuka? Some of them even have ancient wall paintings in them.
Since this romhack is based on Crystal, the puzzles in the back leading to item rooms are there. Let's do this before the sliding puzzle. This first room tells me to ESCAPE.
The back room has a couple berries, a Heal Powder, and an Energypowder. I'll never feed my friends bitter medicine so I'll sell those two when I get a chance.
The text in the Unown rooms seems unchanged. Time for the slide puzzle,
A Pokemon that hid on the sea floor. Eyes on its back scanned the area.
Hmm, do you have any idea what pokemon that might be?
Yep, it's... Kabuto?
Unown, the Symbol Pokémon
Type: Psychic/Rock
Pokedex: These POKÉMON resemble stone inscriptions, and seem to have strange, primordial powers.
While Unown still starts with Hidden Power, in this game at least they learn plenty of moves by level up or TM.
This is the Unown I, by the way. I also catch Unown C and Unown J to have the three forms needed to get the Unown Pokedex mode from the scientist.
Oh man, the text in the ruins was just normal Unown but the words in the Dex are made from the redesigned alphabet. This one says "INCREASE", just like in the vanilla game. Apparently these Unown designs are based on Glagolitic script.
I put an Unown in my party for just a second because the new menu sprite gave me a chuckle.
Next time, we'll make our way to Azalea.
Progress:
- Pokemon seen: 17/433 (3.93%)
Alright, looking at nickname choices, for Pidgey we have 3 votes for Popeye, for Hoppip there's 2 for Maship. For Corsola it's more difficult, with two each for Bonfire, Calcifer, Kimchi and Hestia.
I am not able to change nicknames in-game at this point, so I'll unofficially use the names Popeye and Maship and leave Corsola unnamed for the time being.
Let's explore Violet City.
Ghosts are rumored to appear in SPROUT TOWER. They said normal-type POKEMON moves had no effect on ghosts.
Someone in the Pokemon Center confirms that 3 years ago a kid got Team Rocket to break up. Good to know history hasn't changed too much.
By the way, the trading/link battle floor of the Pokemon Centers seem unchanged. I have no idea if they made that system compatible with the changed Pokemon and everything. Doesn't really matter because everything is available in a single copy of the romhack anyway.
In the southernmost house, someone wants to trade their Oddish for a Yanma. We haven't encountered Yanma yet so that'll have to wait. Earl's school seems much the same as in the original, just the early game tutorial stuff.
However, other than Pokeballs and basic healing items, the Mart here stocks X Defend, X Attack, and X Speed. Not that I have the money for those.
Finally, the Sudowoodo is here like usual. The nearby NPC says that he tried to punch it but that it didn't work. A hint as to its type?
We'll check out the ruins later. Let's first have a go at the Sprout Tower.
I'll switch-train Maship a bit since y'all seem to like him. At level 5, she learns Tail Whip. Yay, now she knows two non-damaging moves and nothing else.
Luckily with some more training we get her to level 7 where she learns Absorb.
Bellsprout, the Cannon Pokemon
Type: Steel
Pokedex: Though not very intimidating, they blast puffs of smoke at POKÉMON larger than themselves.
Steel? This is Corsola's time to shine, I guess.
Most of the Sprout Tower sages have Bellsprout, which all are knocked out quickly by Corsola's Ember or Popeye's Arm Thrust. Corsola has significantly better base stats so she does slightly better. At level 11 she learns Rock Throw. Sure, I'll take it.
I also encounter a wild Bellsprout which I catch. It only has the bug-type move Pin Missile at this low level.
On the top level, some of the sages have a Hoothoot.
Hoothoot, the Owl Pokémon
Type: Steel/Flying
Pokedex: A well-armored POKÉMON. It has been observed sledding down icy hills on its shield in winter.
Nothing in Sprout Tower can withstand fire.
We find HUH?!? battling the Elder, and then it's our turn.
The Bellsprout statues haven't been updated.
Corsola OHKOs the Elder's two Bellsprout and Hoothoot, and the Elder rewards me with HM05, Flash. Corsola and Maship can learn it, so I teach it to Maship.
With that done, I go heal up and get my Bellsprout in the party instead of Sentret. Bellsprout seems more interesting, at least.
Next up, the Gym.
Hey! I'm no trainer but I can give some advice! Believe me! If you believe, a championship dream can come true.
You believe? Then listen. The grass-type is weak against the flying-type. Keep this in mind.
Hm.
Alright, the first trainer in the gym is still a Bird Keeper and has a Pidgey. I guess they kept gym types the same.
The second trainer isn't much more interesting, with a Pidgey and Hoothoot.
And with that, we're already at Falkner. I don't think his dialogue changed.
Marill, the Sky Mouse Pokémon
Type: Normal/Flying
Pokedex: MARILL's large ears are just strong enough to barely lift it off the ground.
...I don't know what I was expecting Falkner to lead with, but it wasn't this.
Marill attacks with Mud-Slap, Defense Curl, and, of all things, Icy Wind. None of these are moves he learns normally, but he can learn them through TMs. I guess Falkner has been around.
At level 8, my Bellsprout learns a second move, Spikes.
Falkner's second pokemon, Hoothoot, also knows Mud-Slap and Defense Curl, which it also only learns by TM.
And here is Falkner's ace.
Pidgeotto, the Walloping Pokémon
Type: Fighting/Flying
Pokedex: PIDGEOTTO are easily irritated and will land a solid punch on those who cross them.
Evolves from Pidgey at level 18.
Pidgeotto ALSO knows Mud-Slap which it only learns by TM. I get sick of Falkner's accuracy-lowering bullshit and set up a Smokescreen myself, before switching in Popeye who is immune to Mud-Slap.
Since Pidgeotto keeps trying to hit Popeye with Arm Thrust and Popeye uses Gust in return, we win easily.
First badge in the pocket! Unsurprisingly, we also get TM31, Mud-Slap. All of the pokemon in my party except for Bellsprout can learn it. I decide to give it to Maship. Even if it's a weak attack, at least that gives it some STAB.
But wait a second...
Yep. TMs are reusable in Fool's Gold, a very very nice QoL improvement that was introduced in the official games in Gen V.
After the gym, Elm's assistant is waiting for me in the Pokemon Center to give me an egg. Of course we're gonna hatch it. It kind of feels like my first playthrough of Silver all those years ago, having no idea what's going to come out.
I put Earthworm Jim in the PC to make space in my party.
Alright, time to leave Violet and go find some new Pokemon. You may have noticed when we went to check on Sudowoodo that there's now a small patch of grass on this side of route 36. I take a couple minutes to check it out and only find Venonat and Pidgey. There's probably something else here but hopefully we can find it more easily later. I catch a Venonat and move on.
You probably knew that Johto is based on a real area of Japan. You might even have known that every city in Johto is based on a real Japanese city. But did you know that the Ruins of Alph are based on a collection of real ancient ruins in the Japanese village of Asuka? Some of them even have ancient wall paintings in them.
Since this romhack is based on Crystal, the puzzles in the back leading to item rooms are there. Let's do this before the sliding puzzle. This first room tells me to ESCAPE.
The back room has a couple berries, a Heal Powder, and an Energypowder. I'll never feed my friends bitter medicine so I'll sell those two when I get a chance.
The text in the Unown rooms seems unchanged. Time for the slide puzzle,
A Pokemon that hid on the sea floor. Eyes on its back scanned the area.
Hmm, do you have any idea what pokemon that might be?
Yep, it's... Kabuto?
Unown, the Symbol Pokémon
Type: Psychic/Rock
Pokedex: These POKÉMON resemble stone inscriptions, and seem to have strange, primordial powers.
While Unown still starts with Hidden Power, in this game at least they learn plenty of moves by level up or TM.
This is the Unown I, by the way. I also catch Unown C and Unown J to have the three forms needed to get the Unown Pokedex mode from the scientist.
Oh man, the text in the ruins was just normal Unown but the words in the Dex are made from the redesigned alphabet. This one says "INCREASE", just like in the vanilla game. Apparently these Unown designs are based on Glagolitic script.
I put an Unown in my party for just a second because the new menu sprite gave me a chuckle.
Next time, we'll make our way to Azalea.
Progress:
- Pokemon seen: 17/433 (3.93%)
Part 4: SLOWPOKETAIL? In this economy?
Let's see what Route 32 has in store for us.
The guy that blocks our progress until we got the badge gives me a Miracle Seed. I give it to Maship right away.
Youngster Albert attacks with Sandshrew.
Sandshrew, the Mouse Pokémon
Type: Normal
Pokedex: A kleptomaniac POKÉMON that slashes through bushes and steal items during the night.
His second pokemon is a Zubat.
Zubat, the Eyeball Pokémon
Type: Psychic/Flying
Pokedex: Spelunkers often feel a sense of paranoia from glimpses of ZUBAT lurking in the shadows.
I guess I didn't stay long enough in Dark Cave to encounter this pokemon.
After this battle, Mom calls me because she bought her first item for us. Turns out to be a Super Potion. Not terrible for the early game.
In the grass, I encounter Hoppip, Pidgey and a Marill, who I accidentally crit before I manage to throw a ball. Luckily I do catch one a bit later.
Air Toto levels up and learns Wing Attack. I then run into a wild Wooper.
Wooper, the Cirrus Pokémon
Type: Flying
Pokedex: WOOPER weigh nearly nothing. they love to float around and are active on humid days.
Wooper naturally learns moves that are somehow weather-related. For example, it starts with Gust, Powder Snow, Sunny Day and Rain Dance, and later on learns moves such as Twister, Thunder, and Blizzard.
I go ahead and catch it.
Picknicker Liz has a Yanma.
Yanma, the Seed Pokémon
Type: Grass/Flying
Pokedex: They swoop off of trees and can fly freely, but once they land, they have a hard time getting up.
Oh, I know those, that's maple seeds.
Moving on, the next trainer has a Poliwag.
Poliwag, the Mud Pokémon
Type: Ground
Pokedex: Clumps of POLIWAG are often found by riverbeds, splashing in the water.
Yeah, some designs I really like, others I'm less sure about.
One of the fishers on the bridge sends out a Tentacool.
Tentacool, the Jellyfish Pokémon
Type: Water/Psychic
Pokedex: Their movements are beautiful, but touching their tentacles will give you a nasty sting.
Not a huge redesign this time around. Reminds me slightly of Tentacruel's original design.
Through some switch training Bellsprout grows to level 11 and learns... Aurora Beam? 65 BP ice move, I won't say no to that.
Here's the guy with only a bunch of Magikarp.
Magikarp, the Lamprey Pokémon
Type: Ground
Pokedex: This invasive larva often attach to the legs of unsuspecting waders, eventually evolving into GYARADOS.
Don't worry, it's basically as weak as the original. Starts with Splash, learns Leech Life at L15.
And continuing our theme of pokemon that can be fished up, the next fisher has a Shellder.
Shellder, the Razor Clam Pokémon
Type: Fighting/Steel
Pokedex: SHELLDER-infested seafloors are dangerous because a misplaced step can earn you a nasty gash.
And with that, we reach the end of the route. The guy trying to sell a Slowpoketail for 1 million is still here.
In the pokemon center at the end of route 32 I get the Old Rod. The only thing I can catch with it on this route is Shellder, so I go ahead and do so. At level 10, it has Fury Cutter, Water Gun, Lick, and Sharpen.
I send Popeye out against Bird Keeper Peter just before Union Cave, and she levels up to 15, where she learns Mach Punch.
Let's see what pokemon are in here. Onix can also be caught here, but there's also new pokemon such as this Drowzee.
Drowzee, the Seal Pokémon
Type: Water
Pokedex: They once lived in colder oceans, but many have migrated downwards in hopes of finding more food and mates.
I think this is actually the first water type we encounter in the wild? I go ahead and catch it.
I encountered this Drowzee by walking around, but with fishing you can also find Drowzee (and Shellder) here.
I don't remember if this encounter was skippable in the original. Looking at some maps, I think it was in Crystal, but not in Gold/Silver.
The Hiker just has an Onix. The next Hiker, Russell, leads with a Diglett.
Diglett, the Stalagmite Pokémon
Type: Rock
Pokedex: They periodically peep out of the ground in caves, but are cautious to avoid jabbing cavers' feet.
Russell also has a Zubat and another Diglett.
Maship grows to level 13 and learns Synthesis.
After this battle, a wild Diglett pops out, so I catch it.
Further south, Firebreather Bill sends out the Bug/Electric Ledyba, strange. He also has a Scyther.
Woah.
Scyther, the Fire Ant Pokémon
Type: Bug/Fire
Pokedex: Its sting is incredibly painful but it will only use it if it can't ward off its enemy with its limbs.
Better hope you don't accidentally sit in this pokemon's nest if you go for a picnic.
Strange, after defeat Bill tells me there's strange roars from the depth of the cave on weekends.
Pokemaniac Larry here has a Slowpoke.
Slowpoke, the Plug Pokémon
Type: Electric
Pokedex: Weak electric shocks run from its tail. It is very energetic but gets tired out easily.
What, are they selling its tail as an extension cord?? No, wait, the guy claimed it was tasty and nutritious. Hm.
...Larry tells me there's roars from the depth of the cave on Fridays. Huh. I guess we'll find out when I come back with Surf.
Downstairs, I find TM39, Swift. A 60 base power move that never misses. Quite useful. Maship can't learn it but I immediately teach it to the four other pokemon in my party, overwriting status moves I'll never use anyway.
I make one mistake though, I pressed A too fast on Popeye and accidentally overwrite Arm Thrust with Swift. Not worth resetting to my last save, since Popeye still knows Mach Punch.
Firebreather Ray sends out Dunsparce. What's this?
Dunsparce, the Boiler Pokémon
Type: Steel/Fire
Pokedex: People have used DUNSPARCE as a power source for ages. Its flame never dies out but its shell is cool.
After defeating him, Ray admits that his Dunsparce keeps this cave lit up.
Made it out.
There's a rare POKEMON called SCYTHER here. Scientists once thought it was related to another POKEMON called SCIZOR, but they are in fact two different species.
It's true, Scyther does not evolve to Scizor in this game.
Not just Scyther here, apparently.
Mankey, the Weed Pokemon
Type: Grass
Pokedex: Fields they form large communities in take on a bitter scent. They often fly away without control.
No, this is not Pokedex #420.
I try to catch Mankey, but it refuses to stay in its ball, even when I try a found Great Ball. When I try to lower its HP further I accidentally knock it out. Oh well. I spend a few minutes looking for another but I mostly find Venonat and Sentret. I'll come back later if I have to.
The last hiker before Azalea has nothing new.
So, let's call it a d... huh?
A few steps after setting foot in Azalea, Togepi hatches.
Togepi, the Egg Pokémon
Type: Ground
Pokedex: It rarely moves much due to its vision being obfuscated. It manages to avoid harm this way.
Togepi's menu sprite is actually the regular egg sprite twitching back and forth. At level 5, it only knows Tackle.
With that, let's really end it here.
Remember, I will keep taking suggestions for team composition and nicknames. Especially now that the egg has hatched, so I have space for six pokemon again.
Progress:
- Pokemon seen: 32/433 (7.39%)
Let's see what Route 32 has in store for us.
The guy that blocks our progress until we got the badge gives me a Miracle Seed. I give it to Maship right away.
Youngster Albert attacks with Sandshrew.
Sandshrew, the Mouse Pokémon
Type: Normal
Pokedex: A kleptomaniac POKÉMON that slashes through bushes and steal items during the night.
His second pokemon is a Zubat.
Zubat, the Eyeball Pokémon
Type: Psychic/Flying
Pokedex: Spelunkers often feel a sense of paranoia from glimpses of ZUBAT lurking in the shadows.
I guess I didn't stay long enough in Dark Cave to encounter this pokemon.
After this battle, Mom calls me because she bought her first item for us. Turns out to be a Super Potion. Not terrible for the early game.
In the grass, I encounter Hoppip, Pidgey and a Marill, who I accidentally crit before I manage to throw a ball. Luckily I do catch one a bit later.
Air Toto levels up and learns Wing Attack. I then run into a wild Wooper.
Wooper, the Cirrus Pokémon
Type: Flying
Pokedex: WOOPER weigh nearly nothing. they love to float around and are active on humid days.
Wooper naturally learns moves that are somehow weather-related. For example, it starts with Gust, Powder Snow, Sunny Day and Rain Dance, and later on learns moves such as Twister, Thunder, and Blizzard.
I go ahead and catch it.
Picknicker Liz has a Yanma.
Yanma, the Seed Pokémon
Type: Grass/Flying
Pokedex: They swoop off of trees and can fly freely, but once they land, they have a hard time getting up.
Oh, I know those, that's maple seeds.
Moving on, the next trainer has a Poliwag.
Poliwag, the Mud Pokémon
Type: Ground
Pokedex: Clumps of POLIWAG are often found by riverbeds, splashing in the water.
Yeah, some designs I really like, others I'm less sure about.
One of the fishers on the bridge sends out a Tentacool.
Tentacool, the Jellyfish Pokémon
Type: Water/Psychic
Pokedex: Their movements are beautiful, but touching their tentacles will give you a nasty sting.
Not a huge redesign this time around. Reminds me slightly of Tentacruel's original design.
Through some switch training Bellsprout grows to level 11 and learns... Aurora Beam? 65 BP ice move, I won't say no to that.
Here's the guy with only a bunch of Magikarp.
Magikarp, the Lamprey Pokémon
Type: Ground
Pokedex: This invasive larva often attach to the legs of unsuspecting waders, eventually evolving into GYARADOS.
Don't worry, it's basically as weak as the original. Starts with Splash, learns Leech Life at L15.
And continuing our theme of pokemon that can be fished up, the next fisher has a Shellder.
Shellder, the Razor Clam Pokémon
Type: Fighting/Steel
Pokedex: SHELLDER-infested seafloors are dangerous because a misplaced step can earn you a nasty gash.
And with that, we reach the end of the route. The guy trying to sell a Slowpoketail for 1 million is still here.
In the pokemon center at the end of route 32 I get the Old Rod. The only thing I can catch with it on this route is Shellder, so I go ahead and do so. At level 10, it has Fury Cutter, Water Gun, Lick, and Sharpen.
I send Popeye out against Bird Keeper Peter just before Union Cave, and she levels up to 15, where she learns Mach Punch.
Let's see what pokemon are in here. Onix can also be caught here, but there's also new pokemon such as this Drowzee.
Drowzee, the Seal Pokémon
Type: Water
Pokedex: They once lived in colder oceans, but many have migrated downwards in hopes of finding more food and mates.
I think this is actually the first water type we encounter in the wild? I go ahead and catch it.
I encountered this Drowzee by walking around, but with fishing you can also find Drowzee (and Shellder) here.
I don't remember if this encounter was skippable in the original. Looking at some maps, I think it was in Crystal, but not in Gold/Silver.
The Hiker just has an Onix. The next Hiker, Russell, leads with a Diglett.
Diglett, the Stalagmite Pokémon
Type: Rock
Pokedex: They periodically peep out of the ground in caves, but are cautious to avoid jabbing cavers' feet.
Russell also has a Zubat and another Diglett.
Maship grows to level 13 and learns Synthesis.
After this battle, a wild Diglett pops out, so I catch it.
Further south, Firebreather Bill sends out the Bug/Electric Ledyba, strange. He also has a Scyther.
Woah.
Scyther, the Fire Ant Pokémon
Type: Bug/Fire
Pokedex: Its sting is incredibly painful but it will only use it if it can't ward off its enemy with its limbs.
Better hope you don't accidentally sit in this pokemon's nest if you go for a picnic.
Strange, after defeat Bill tells me there's strange roars from the depth of the cave on weekends.
Pokemaniac Larry here has a Slowpoke.
Slowpoke, the Plug Pokémon
Type: Electric
Pokedex: Weak electric shocks run from its tail. It is very energetic but gets tired out easily.
What, are they selling its tail as an extension cord?? No, wait, the guy claimed it was tasty and nutritious. Hm.
...Larry tells me there's roars from the depth of the cave on Fridays. Huh. I guess we'll find out when I come back with Surf.
Downstairs, I find TM39, Swift. A 60 base power move that never misses. Quite useful. Maship can't learn it but I immediately teach it to the four other pokemon in my party, overwriting status moves I'll never use anyway.
I make one mistake though, I pressed A too fast on Popeye and accidentally overwrite Arm Thrust with Swift. Not worth resetting to my last save, since Popeye still knows Mach Punch.
Firebreather Ray sends out Dunsparce. What's this?
Dunsparce, the Boiler Pokémon
Type: Steel/Fire
Pokedex: People have used DUNSPARCE as a power source for ages. Its flame never dies out but its shell is cool.
After defeating him, Ray admits that his Dunsparce keeps this cave lit up.
Made it out.
There's a rare POKEMON called SCYTHER here. Scientists once thought it was related to another POKEMON called SCIZOR, but they are in fact two different species.
It's true, Scyther does not evolve to Scizor in this game.
Not just Scyther here, apparently.
Mankey, the Weed Pokemon
Type: Grass
Pokedex: Fields they form large communities in take on a bitter scent. They often fly away without control.
No, this is not Pokedex #420.
I try to catch Mankey, but it refuses to stay in its ball, even when I try a found Great Ball. When I try to lower its HP further I accidentally knock it out. Oh well. I spend a few minutes looking for another but I mostly find Venonat and Sentret. I'll come back later if I have to.
The last hiker before Azalea has nothing new.
So, let's call it a d... huh?
A few steps after setting foot in Azalea, Togepi hatches.
Togepi, the Egg Pokémon
Type: Ground
Pokedex: It rarely moves much due to its vision being obfuscated. It manages to avoid harm this way.
Togepi's menu sprite is actually the regular egg sprite twitching back and forth. At level 5, it only knows Tackle.
With that, let's really end it here.
Remember, I will keep taking suggestions for team composition and nicknames. Especially now that the egg has hatched, so I have space for six pokemon again.
Progress:
- Pokemon seen: 32/433 (7.39%)