SGDQ 2022's best run yet was thanks to a chaotic Pokemon Emerald randomiser

gamesradar.com:

Summer Games Done Quick’s most entertaining run yet involves a truly chaotic Pokemon Emerald randomiser, and it’s well worth your time checking it out.

Speedrunners ‘Adef (opens in new tab)’, ‘360Chrism (opens in new tab)’, ‘Keizaron (opens in new tab)’, and ‘Shenanigans (opens in new tab)’ contributed to this year’s Summer Games Done Quick with a Pokemon Emerald randomiser run that saw their precious ‘mons evolve into something entirely random after every level – events kicked off with Sun Pokemon Solrock becoming the Jackal-like Ludicolo, for example. Every enemy encounter and item was also mixed up – aside from berry trees – making the challenge more about adaptability than carrying out something entirely pre-planned. 

There was a set of self-implied rules to mix things up, too –  the team only used one Pokemon to avoid capturing another that’s more situational, and each speedrunner passed the controller down the line every time their Pokemon evolved. 

While there are many clips worth checking out at Summer Games Done Quick, this one is a good gateway run as the random situations that arise are endlessly amusing. The streamers often decide to avoid fighting their rival or a specific gym leader on the fly if an evolution doesn’t go their way. A few times, a change does go their way, but then they accidentally run into a random trainer battle and evolve their Pokemon into something less than fancied – at one point, the team loses a Ho Oh to a Jigglypuff. 

Between the goofs, you’ve also got four knowledgeable Pokemon fans talking through their decisions and discussing various facts about the game, making the watch educational.

The team also managed to raise a good bit of money for charity, too. The total sum just