Pokemon with Special Moves
Quick: what was the first standalone game that allowed you to wield a Pokemon with a unique attack? If you hastily responded with gen 1’s surfing/flying Pikachu, you get partial credit. Remember, gaining these illustrious abilities required fulfilling challenges in Pokemon Stadium, attending obscure Japanese events, or a ritual sacrifice that we dare not speak of. In actuality, your first opportunity to acquire a special Pokemon without outside assistance was in Crystal. At the daycare, the player will be given an odd egg. Hatching it not only reveals a baby Pokemon with a higher chance of being shiny than usual, but one that has Dizzy Punch. This is particularly significant, as it is the only way that these creatures can learn the move. As such, you may find yourself soft resetting in annoyance when that stupid Smoochum rears its ugly head for the fifth time.
Another less chaotic instance of this is in the Dragon’s Den, where you can answer a short quiz to be given a Dratini. The questions all challenge your decency as a human being (do you prefer strong or weak Pokemon, what is your strategy for victory, did you vote Republican, etc.). Answering correctly will gift you with an extreme speed Dratini, a fantastic priority move that capitalizes on the serpent’s beefy attack stat. Failure to satisfy the conditions will result in a Dratini that has boring old leer, instead. Have you ever stopped to think about the implications of that? If you are deemed to be a dreadful person, this Pokemon will literally stare at you in disdain. What a chilling fate! Into the box with you, judgmental worm.
