Two days ago I finished my first Pokémon Nuzlocke, using an original cartridge of Pokémon Yellow that I acquired in October. Not only was it my first Nuzlocke, but it was my first time playing any Pokémon game earlier than generation three, since I started out playing remakes of generation one and two games two years ago.

I started out playing it on a green Game Boy Pocket that I reacquired last year (I had one for Christmas in 1997, but it got lost along the way), but then I also got a copy of Pokémon Stadium and a Transfer Pak so that I could play it on my television. One major benefit of playing it that way is that the N64 cartridge can store 100 items, and it also makes it much easier to move Pokémon and items between boxes. Toward the end, I started playing the game on my Game Boy Operator so that I could accrue some points on my Retroachievements profile.

I decided to add two optional rules to my Nuzlocke, one that makes it a little easier and one that makes it a little harder. The easier one is the duplicate clause, which allowed me to plan out better what Pokémon I wanted to catch in each area to use at certain points in the game. The harder optional rule was the level cap, which forced me to not over level for gym leaders and the Elite Four. I include at the end of this post my log that details who I captured where and who defeated each opponent.

I was very careful and meticulous with my planning, and I made heavy use of a calculator web site to make sure I could defeat every opponent without any of my Pokémon fainting, since I think that is the main purpose of a Nuzlocke. I noticed that a lot of people who post their Nuzlocke results on Reddit frequently have many fainted Pokémon, so I don’t know if that is because they are not using calculators to make it more of a challenge are are just glib in their approach. Overall it took me 65 hours to finish the game, since I spent a lot of time leveling up new Pokémon at multiple points in my progression.

I started my team at level 56 when I began challenging the Elite Four, but I wanted to be extra careful, so I brought along all the rare candies I had picked up in the game. When I got to Lance, I jumped my Lapras up to 61 to ensure that it could one-shot his Dragonite, and I jumped it up to 64 so that it could steamroll the rival champion’s team. I was very stressed while preparing, but I went through it so easily with barely any pain while still respecting level caps.

I had a really good time with the game, and it made me want to immediately go out and get a copy of Pokémon Blue so that I could continue building on my generation one experience. However, I have some other games that are partially finished that I need to buckle down and complete, including Pokémon Legends Z-A, which I started in January. It speaks to how good these original games are that it is hard for me to go back and play newer games like the one just mentioned.

Eventually, I do want to get copies of Red and Blue so that I can complete them all on Retroachievements as well as work on my origin dex that I will eventually send to Pokémon Home. When I am completely finished with generation one, I want to do a Nuzlocke of Pokémon Crystal. However, I may also skip ahead and do a Nuzlocke of Pokémon Emerald, since I want to finally get started on a ribbon master with my Shadow Snorlax from Pokémon XD.

[Note: all icons below borrowed from Bulbapedia]

Starter, gifted Chu the Pikachu
Route 1, encountered and captured Pi the Pidgey
Route 2, encountered and captured Cate the Rattata
Viridian Forest, encountered and captured Marge the Metapod
Route 22, encountered and captured Primus the Mankey
Pewter Gym, challenged and defeated Brock with Marge the Butterfree

Route 3, encountered and captured Zero the Spearow
Mt. Moon, encountered and captured Vlad the Zubat
Route 4, encountered and captured Koufax the Sandshrew
Cerulean City, gifted Ivy the Bulbasaur
Cerulean Gym, challenged and defeated Misty with Ivy the Ivysaur and Chu the Pikachu

Route 5, encountered and captured Wiggles the Jigglypuff
Route 6, encountered an Abra, but it ran away
Vermilion City, encountered and captured Poseidon the Magikarp
Vermilion Gym, challenged and defeated Lt. Surge with Koufax the Sandslash

Route 11, encountered and captured Hypo the Drowzee
Diglett’s Cave, encountered and captured Digs the Diglett
Route 9, encountered and captured Nido the Nidoran♂
Rock Tunnel, encountered and captured Golem II the Geodude
Celadon City, gifted Spike the Eevee
Celadon Gym, challenged and defeated Erika with Zero the Fearow and Hypo the Hypno

Pokémon Tower, encountered and captured Vincent the Gastly
Route 16, encountered and captured Totoro the Snorlax
Fuschia Gym, challenged and defeated Koga with Hypo the Hypno

Safari Zone, encountered a Dragonair, but it ran away
Fuschia City, encountered and captured Blanche the Goldeen
Route 19, encountered and captured Kermit the Poliwag
Route 12, encountered and captured Brosef the Slowpoke
Route 25, encountered and captured Clipper the Kingler
Route 10, encountered and captured Hatori the Horsea
Route 13, encountered and captured Vavi the Tentacool
Pallet Town, encountered and captured Yu the Staryu
Route 17, encountered and captured Muscles the Shellder
Route 18, encountered and captured Sesame the Doduo
Seafoam Islands, encountered and captured The Gong the Dewgong
Power Plant, encountered a Grimer, but it fainted
Saffron City, gifted Blue the Lapras
Saffron Gym, challenged and defeated Sabrina with Blue the Lapras and Hypo the Hypno

Cinnabar Island, resurrected Rocky the Aerodactyl
Pokémon Mansion, encountered and captured Puck the Grimer
Cinnabar Gym, challenged and defeated Blaine with Koufax the Sandslash and Blue the Lapras

Viridian Gym, challenged and defeated Giovanni with Blue the Lapras and Koufax the Sandslash

Victory Road, encountered and captured Annika the Onix

Indigo League, challenged and defeated Lorelei with Spike the Jolteon and Blue the Lapras

Indigo League, challenged and defeated Bruno with Blue the Lapras and Hypo the Hypno

Indigo League, challenged and defeated Agatha with Hypo the Hypno and Spike the Jolteon

Indigo League, challenged and defeated Lance with Spike the Jolteon, Koufax the Sandlash, and Blue the Lapras

Indigo League, challenged and defeated Blue with Blue the Lapras and Koufax the Sandslash

Indigo League, entered the Hall of Fame with Koufax the Sandslash, Ivy the Venusaur, Hypo the Hypno, Spike the Jolteon, Yu the Starmie, and Blue the Lapras