In this month’s EXP share we’ve been invited to discuss an obstacle that we eventually overcame in a game. My obstacle was easy to choose. The first time I defeated the elite 4 in Pokémon.
I played Pokémon from the start of the series, first blue then silver. Next sapphire and then pearl. However I always got to the same point and had never finished a game, the final challenge, the elite 4. (I am aware now that the elite 4 was more like the penultimate challenge but growing up it was the final challenge in my mind.)
The elite 4 was the ultimate challenge. Back-to-back battles with no way to change your team in between. To defeat them you’d need a perfect team. Pokémon that could win against a vast range of opponents. I tried and failed on many occasions.
Several years passed and I decided to revisited my favourite of the games – Pokémon Silver. Sadly, due to an issue with the internal battery my save was gone and it would no longer save new games. I decided instead to buy the remake HeartGold. Which was to become my favourite Pokémon game.
Now generation 2 games (and their remakes) were a little different in that the elite 4 wasn’t actually anywhere near the end of the game. Defeat them and the whole of the generation 1 area would open up. I was determined that this time I would do it, I would defeat the elite 4.
It took several attempts. Lots of restarting. More tweaks to my team. Eventually I won. I had beaten the elite 4. I had overcome one of my major gaming obstacles. The elite 4 was no longer the barrier I’d never break, I’d done it.
Board Musings 