By Jeremy Sheer
Imagine you are having a Pokémon battle. You throw out Dialga. Your opponent throws out a tyranitar. ‘This should be an easy win for me,’ you think. You command Dialga to use Roar of Time. However, the move only cuts Tyranitar’s HP down by 5. ‘What in the world?’ you think to yourself. Tyranitar is then is commanded to use Crunch – only this time, Crunch knocks out your Dialga in one shot. How can this be?
Welcome to the world of hacking! ‘Hacking,’ in the world of Pokémon, is to manipulate or change certain parts of the game by using third-party software like Action Replay, Gameshark, Pokesav, which are not endorsed by Nintendo.
Hacking in Pokémon has been around since the start of the series. But when Diamond and Pearl allowed players to battle and trade pokémon online, the new online features lost some of their appeal because of hacking. Many trainers believe hacking is fine. “You’re not hurting anybody,” they say. In reality, hacking can ruin the enjoyment and replay value of the game.
Many hackers also claim that if you use an ‘über’ pokémon, they will have a fit or stop playing the game. Übers are more legitimate than hacked pokémon, since they are endorsed by Nintendo, but the company will not allow them in tournaments. Hacking has left many fans frustrated because they are beaten easily when their opponent doesn’t deserve to win.
I think training without cheats and hard work is the true way to play Pokémon. If you need an item or you are a masterball short, this is where trading comes in. One of your friends or someone you know may have an extra item you want, so they can attach it to a pokémon they trade you.
What hackers don’t know is Nintendo has warrantees on their games and hardware. If you accidentally break or damage a game or console, there is a toll free number in the product’s instruction booklet you can call to get it replaced. However, If you use an illegal gaming device to manipulate your game or console in any way, which also includes taking it apart, this will void the product’s warranty and eliminate any chance of replacing it.
I myself have been cheated out of a victory by a hacked pokémon. I was using an alakazam with its speed maxed out at 372 (it took me forever to get it that high). I was battling a tyranitar, which has a max speed of 243 (if you use a choice scarf, it goes to 284). But the tyranitar was somehow faster than my alakazam and knocked it out with one shot using Crunch.
This leaves the hard working gamer at a huge disadvantage and takes much of the fun out of playing. If you really need something or really want to be a great trainer, my advice is to work hard or ask one of your fellow trainers for help by trading with you for items you want. Pokémon is supposed to be fun. When battling a hacker, you’re left with a sour taste in your mouth. Some do it because they want to be the best. Egos sometimes get in the way of playing the game, but it’s only a game. If you are really good enough, you can knock out an über with an attack it’s weak to. Telling people, “No übers,” and then hacking and winning leaves you at a loss. I think telling people, “I’m not good enough, so I need to take away all the challenge of the game,” is stupid. Since when was pokémon challenge-free? Games are supposed to be challenging and encourage players to work at getting better. Online games have admins who monitor servers and make sure they are hack free. Nintendo is slowly working toward this goal.
If you are hacker, make sure you are not using your hacked pokémon when battling a legit trainer. How would you feel if the A.I. trainers or gym leaders used hacked pokémon, making it impossible to beat the game? Pokémon trainers should play without using hacked pokémon so they are battling on equal ground. Otherwise, you’re not playing Pokémon, you’re being a cyber bully. You’re defeating the purpose of climbing your way to the title of “Pokémon Master.”
