Best Pokemon Games For A Nuzlocke Challenge

You probably know what the Nuzlocke challenge is all about, but if not, then here’s a little refresher. Anyway, when you do plan on doing a Nuzlocke challenge, you need to find a game that can fit the bill.

While any of the main games can be eligible for a Nuzlocke run, you may want to think about which one. They say that you should start with games that you are familiar with to get a good lead.

Also check: 5 Nuzlocke Tips When You Do the Nuzlocke Challenge

Recommended Pokemon Games If You Want To Do Nuzlocke

Here are some of the best Pokemon games for a Nuzlocke challenge when you have the persistence to do so. We’ll also include a few ROM hacks jus to make it a bit interesting.

01) Pokemon Red, Blue, and Green

The Generation I games can be exciting, and you can add Yellow as well if you want, but it is recommended to have Red, Blue, and Green.

The thing about Generation I is that it has a good balance of Pokemon that you can make for your roster. The problem lies with the fact that the Generation I games were the infant stages of the Pokemon games.

A little bit of RNG can play a role in your Nuzlocke runs. In cases where your enemy can do instant and lucky crits, then it’s all over for your Pokemon and even your run. The other thing is that the Elite Four can be a pain to beat in the game adding a nice challenge.

02) Pokemon Sun and Moon

If you really want a challenge, then Sun and Moon is something that you can partake. The game itself has a nice challenge, but going Nuzlocke on it is like traversing through a pool of quicksand. Even a lot of people say that these aren’t the ideal games to start with a Nuzlocke challenge.

It is ideal to start with these games after you’ve done a few other games. Pokemon Sun and Moon The games also have hard trials where you need to rely on certain Pokemon to complete, and you can’t do that easily with Nuzlocke.

If you do like to punish yourself, then these are some of the best Pokemon games for a Nuzlocke challenge for a difficult time.

03) Pokemon Platinum

Platinum is a mixture of easy and heavy challenges. The thing that makes Platinum a bit good is that you have a huge variety of Pokemon to catch and use.

The game also gives you ample time to prepare for the later challenges. The problem with Platinum is that the experience grind can be a drag later on because you need to level up your Pokemon.

Don’t forget about the Elite Four and Cynthia as well can be a real challenge later on. There are also those tough boss battles that happen on a whim.

04) Pokemon Black and White

People say that the easiest games to Nuzlocke are Black and White. You can even put Black 2 and White 2 there, but the first ones are allegedly easy. Then again, easy doesn’t always mean that its the same easy as you would think.

Think of it as a less stressful session of Nuzlocke gaming as these games can be a bit easier to run. The Gym Leaders can also be a breeze, and the Elite Four aren’t as frustrating as the older games.

05) Pokemon Emerald

A lot of people say that Emerald is probably the best game to do speed runs and Nuzlocke challenges. Then again, these are just opinions but its undeniable that Emerald is a good game.

You get a good variety of Pokemon and the game offers a lot of opportunities for you to prepare and get stronger. The Gym Leaders, Elite Four, and Champion do offer a good challenge but it doesn’t go overboard making you hate the challenge altogether.

If you are also brave enough to venture the Battle Frontier, then that can be a good added challenge for you unless you just want to end the main game.

Notable ROM hacks that can be good for a Nuzlocke Challenge

There are a lot of ROM hacks out there that have a Nuzlocke Mode. This allows you to play the game with the rules in place. This means that you can’t cheat your way as your Pokemon will really die and some even go so far to delete your file when you get a game over.

A few good examples are Pokemon Nameless Fire Red Project and Pokemon Blood and Tears. Both of these games revolve around Red with the Fire Red Project namely on Pokemon Fire Red. Blood and Tears do have a built-in Nuzlocke challenge.

Flora Sky is another ROM hack that is good for a challenge. It uses Emerald as the base and it offers a lot of Pokemon that you can catch and train. The game itself is fun and it can provide a good challenge but not to a point where you get angry.

Polished Crystal uses Crystal as the base and it also has a built-in Nuzlocke mode. This one is a bit hard to play in Nuzlocke challenge but that’s the point for some people where they want to get a challenge.

In Closing

There are a lot of other good ROM hacks out there to play. Keep in mind that there are a ton of them and that doesn’t include fanmade games as well. These are just some of the best Pokemon games for a Nuzlocke challenge. Just be mindful that doing a Nuzlocke challenge doesn’t mean that it has to be hard because it can also be fun.