9 Ways to Break a Pokémon Game

Summary — 9 ways to “break” (make trivially easy) a Pokémon playthrough

Overview

The video lists nine methods (ordered from least to most ridiculous) for obtaining massively overpowered Pokémon or otherwise trivializing a run without external hardware hacks or trading between saves. Many methods exploit built-in mechanics, items, DLC modes, or glitches.

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1) Early Nidoking in Gen 1 (Red/Blue/Yellow) — speedrun trick

• How:
  • Catch a male Nidoran on Route 22.
  • Evolve to Nidorino (Lv. 16).
  • Get a Moon Stone in Mt. Moon and evolve to Nidoking early.
• Tips:
  • Nidoking has strong base stats but learns few level-up moves; teach it TMs aggressively.
  • In Gen 1 you can buy TM07 (Horn Drill) in Celadon. Combine Horn Drill with an X Accuracy item (in Gen 1 this bypasses accuracy checks) to guarantee OHKO if faster than the foe.
• Result: A very early game sweeper that trivializes many fights (use Earthquake vs Ghost types).

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2) SOS-chaining to get an evolved/pseudo-legend in Sun/Moon

• How: Use SOS battles in Alola to chain wild calls until an ally appears that is an evolved form (some species can call evolved Pokémon). Example: a low chance to get an early Salamence on Route 3.
• Tip: Odds can be low; persistence is required.
• Result: You can catch essentially legendary-tier Pokémon very early.

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3) Poké Ball Plus Mew (Let’s Go Pikachu/Eevee)

• How: The Poké Ball Plus accessory could deposit a Mew into your Let’s Go save on first use.
• Caveats:
  • One-time per device and required buying a $50 accessory; finding an unused one now is unlikely.
  • That Mew (BST 600) can learn any TM and is very powerful in Kanto.
• Bonus: The Mew could be transferred into Sword/Shield if you did so.

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4) Floroma Town NPC gifts in Brilliant Diamond/Shining Pearl

• How: If your Switch has Let’s Go save data, an NPC in Floroma Town gives you a level-1 Mew after one badge. If you have Sword/Shield save data, the man gives you a Jirachi.
• Result: Two mythicals very early in BDSP — both obey and are powerful (Mew can learn TMs; Jirachi has many resistances).

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5) Dream Radar → Black 2/White 2 legendary transfers

• How: Pokémon Dream Radar (3DS) can catch Therian forms of Tornadus/Thundurus/Landorus and transfer them into Black 2/White 2. If transferred before starting the game, they scale to low levels (Lv. 5 if you have no badges) and carry your OT.
• Result: Start Black 2/White 2 with up to three top-tier legendaries that obey you, effectively trivializing the run.
• Note: Dream Radar could also snag Gen 4 box-art legendaries if you own the cartridges; the video noted uncertainty about National Dex requirements for transfers.

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6) Chansey XP in Let’s Go (catch-combo + co-op sync throws)

• How: Build a catch combo on Chansey at Mt. Moon (catch combo ~11) so it spawns frequently. Use co-op catching (two Joy‑Cons synced in the grip) for synchronized throws that give extra XP.
• Tips: Bring many Great Balls/lures, aim for Excellent throws, and sync both Joy‑Cons in the grip for the synchronized bonus.
• Result: Massive experience gains from catching Chansey can raise an entire early team from ~Lv. 5–11 to mid/high 40s–50s within about an hour.

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7) Scarlet & Violet Blissey “sandwich” exploit (credit: Philly Beats)

• How (adapted from Philly Beats):
  • After getting your ride Pokémon, make a ham sandwich (cheap ingredients in West Mesa Goza) to set encounters that spawn Chansey/Blissey at low levels.
  • Fight Blissey in regular battles (not auto) with a strong Fighting-type (e.g., Makuhita → Hariyama) to gain huge XP early.
• Tips:
  • Don’t use auto-battle.
  • Start with a strong Fighting-type that can learn Bulk Up, tank hits, and reliably damage Blissey.
  • A 30-minute sandwich session can massively overlevel your team before any badges.
• Result: Rapidly overleveled team without badges.

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8) Dynamax Adventures (Sword & Shield Crown Tundra DLC)

• How: In Crown Tundra’s Dynamax Adventures you progress through raid chains using rentals; the final boss is always a legendary and is guaranteed to be caught if you win. The kept Pokémon is at least Lv. 65, and the first boss you face can be Lv. 70.
• Tips: Repeat runs to collect multiple high-level legendaries. Caught Pokémon have your OT so they obey immediately.
• Result: Start a fresh game with a Lv. 65+ legendary that trivializes early progression; speedrunners use this for fast runs.

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9) Gen 1 level-1 → level-100 unsigned-integer glitch (Red/Blue/Yellow)

• Overview: A glitch involving a poisoned Charmander, precise timing of a wild encounter and a trainer trigger, then exploiting the game’s experience math for the medium-slow growth group. An unsigned-integer wrap causes a level-1 Pokémon to jump to level 100 after minimal XP.
• High-level steps:
  1. Start with Charmander (must know Growl and be able to be poisoned).
  2. Avoid fighting your rival west of Viridian and don’t progress past the final trainer in Viridian Forest.
  3. Get Charmander poisoned (e.g., from Weedle).
  4. Reset until a poison-frame and a wild encounter trigger simultaneously in front of the final Viridian Forest trainer.
  5. Intentionally lose to the wild Pokémon (poison causes faint) and black out just as the trainer is about to fight you; return to the Pokémon Center with an odd choice prompt.
  6. Choose a species from the medium-slow experience group whose species ID and mechanics will produce the desired result (practical results include Nidoking via the Nidoran path, Gengar, Ivysaur).
  7. Growl the appropriate wild opponent down a specific number of times (timing/species dependent), catch the resulting level‑1 Pokémon (only use Poké Balls; avoid attacking), then give it a tiny amount of XP via a single battle (switch-training).
• Result: The level‑1 Pokémon’s XP value overflows and it becomes level 100 immediately, letting you start with a Lv. 100 Pokémon pre-badge.
• Notes: The method differs slightly in Yellow. This is a glitch and is not allowed in glitchless speedruns.

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Final notes / practical advice

• Many methods require time, RNG persistence, or one-off accessories/DLC. Some are straightforward (Dynamax Adventures, Poké Ball Plus if available), others are patience/skill based (SOS chaining, Let’s Go Chansey), and some are finicky glitches (Gen 1 level‑1 → 100).
• If you want a strong but not broken early start, consider using early pseudo‑legendaries or planned XP grinding rather than glitches that remove all challenge.

Comedic interjection from the transcript: “Grunty B.”

Sources / gamers featured

• Philly Beats (credited for the Scarlet & Violet Blissey / sandwich method)
• The speedrunning community (referenced for Gen 1 Nidoking and Dynamax Adventures usage)