Pokemon Crystal Part #32 - Edge of the Map (HGSS)

Part 32: Edge of the Map (HGSS)

Update 25: Edge of the Map (HGSS)

Now that we've healed Amphy, we can head through the Cliff Edge Gate and go to a new area. There's nothing in this "cave" for us right now, but you can guess when we'll be coming back.

Route 47

I would seriously suggest clicking that music link. While the routes on the way to the Safari Zone aren't particularly notable, it's still a cool area that is a contrast to anything other routes in the game.

: But battles are battles, so let's go!

New route does mean new trainers. I will be going over everything about this route like I would do in Crystal, so if we see any new Pokemon, I'll be showing them. But I'm not catching anything, I'm not crazy.

This area definitely makes use of the DS's 3D effects and it's pretty damn cool.

"Are you the same way?"

I hate camping.

Uh... bye then?

For whatever reason, Cliff Cave has the same music as Route 47. Not that I'm complaining, really.

I wouldn't be an LPer if I didn't go every way. So we'll head down first.

New Pokemon, bitches! While there's nothing technically "new", you can find some Pokemon in these areas way before you could catch them in GSC.

Most notable is Steelix as Gen 4 is the first time you could catch it in the wild, allowing you to save a Metal Coat. Not that it really mattered as Gold and Silver are the only Johto games where you can only obtain one. It's pretty rare at a 2% encounter rate, so I was quite surprised I found one so quickly.

Which is convenient, as it's our fifth team member. Nice!

It's pretty snazzy, it's not very often you actually get a chance to use Pokemon like this. I'm sure it'll be a good choice, especially with that insane Defense. It's alright Attack is also pretty nice.

This is also the only way to get a Misdreavus way before the end of the game. Unfortunately, you have to wait until the postgame to evolve it, as the Dusk Stone is a postgame Pokeathlon shop item.

Now on the lower area of the route, we can Surf around and find some new things. I didn't remember at the time, but you can catch Seel here, much earlier than in Gen 2.

I'll also be showing off new hidden items. In this instance, it was a Pearl.

However, there's nowhere else we can really go. Not for a while at least.

There's nothing else really notable about Cliff Cave. The encounter rates change each floor, but we've found all the "new" Pokemon.

Alright, it's SolidSnake's debut battle.

This was a bad idea.

Please excuse these sweet skills, just can't help it.

You're unusually strong, they're a nasty combination.

Let's, uh, go back and heal.

With my steel snake behind me, nothing will get it our way!

Hah, funny. That sign indicates we're pretty close, though the Safari Zone is a lot more than just a few paces away, bah.

"the ocean."

Ugh, couples.

Interesting.

Hmm.

Everyone is so eager to see the back of me, it's weird.

Route 48 is pretty short, only really containing this patch of grass. And it has the same music as Route 47. Stiiiiiill not complaining.

Pick up a lone gold ball and let's see what new Pokemon we can find in this grass.

All of these Pokemon are obtainable here much earlier than normal. Especially Diglett, which is postgame otherwise.

Safari Zone Gate

Ah, we've finally made it. This is kind of like a small town with some shops and a Pokemon Center. And of course, the Safari Zone.

: Just a minute... .................. Welcome! What do you need?

This woman actually has a really good selection, having both Dusk and Quick Balls, excellent balls to catch Pokemon with. She also sells Nest Balls and Air Mail. While the whole beginning set up is cute, this is a new location with new shops after all, she says it every time you talk to her, which can get obnoxious.

This guy sells the EV drinks and, like the girl, says his bit every time, which quickly loses its charm. Thankfully, there are other places that sell the same selection.

Three hidden Tinymushrooms around here, because why not.

"the wild!"

Let's go in and have a look.

: This is a brand-new Safari Zone. By the way... I just had an idea. Would you like to take the Owner Aptitude Test?

Uh, I guess...

"It's very easy."

: All you have to do is catch one GEODUDE at the Safari and show it to me. They are in the grass closest to the entrance. It shouldn't take long before you catch one. Good luck!

On the surface, this Safari Zone seems pretty basic and like the ones before it, but it has a few unique aspects to it, as we'll see later.

: For just $500, you can play the Safari Game. You can roam the wide-open Safari Zone and catch whatever you like. Would you like to play?

Let's see what this place is like.

: We'll call for you when you run out of Safari Balls. Well, I hope you enjoy it! Go, and have fun!

Safari Zone

So the first notable thing is that we don't have a step counter. You can spend as much time roaming around the Safari as you want. The only limit is your 30 balls. Next notable thing is how the Safari Zone is divided up into six areas, all easily accessible. They are the Plains, Swamp, Meadow, Wetland, Peak, Forest, Wasteland, Savannah, Marshland and Mountain. These are the default areas, with Peak being the area you always visit first and Desert and Rocky Beach being unavailable initially. Only six are available initially, in a combination of 10 default layouts.

Right now, before we can change anything about this Safari Zone, we can already catch 61 different Pokemon, including Pokemon that you wouldn't normally be able to get for a long time, such as Kangaskhan, Larvitar, Grimer, Murkrow, Mr. Mime, Lickitung and Clefairy. You can get all of those Pokemon right now if you wanted to, so long as the areas are in your default setup. And there's plenty more later. Like double the original amount, it's insane.

So the Geodude has been found, let's go over how you catch Pokemon this time around. Like with Sinnoh's Great Marsh, you can throw mud, bait or a Safari Ball. The Safari Ball, as per usual, has a modifier of x1.5. You're able to further modify the catch rate of a Pokemon by throwing either mud or bait. For those that don't want to have a load of words thrown at them, you can read up on it here. If you want a nice clear table of all the Pokemon you can find in the Safari Zone, then you can find that here.

Hehe, usually the best way to catch Pokemon in this area is to just throw the ball, as it's hard enough trying to find the Pokemon you want to catch without giving it an inflated chance to run away. Because the modifiers use the stat stage formula, it means that the numbers get pretty big pretty quickly, so it can become an all or nothing kind of thing. Hey, maybe you like that.

But it's a Geodude, it's simple enough. One more thing I should note is the Pokemon encounter tables. There are ten slots for encounters in each zone with a 10% chance given to each, though if there's less than 10 Pokemon then some Pokemon will be giving more slots and make them more common. This is pretty damn useful and ensures that every Pokemon in the Safari has a minumum 10% encounter rate, which is fantastic.

Safari Zone Gate

Aye, I'm not interested in any of the Pokemon we can find in there, despite the sheer amount we can catch. We also need to put the Geodude in our party's first slot to complete the challenge.

: Please return any Safari Balls you may have remaining. Did you have fun? Please come again!

: You've passed the first test. .................. Huh? Didn't I tell you that there are two tests? That's right! Becoming an owner is not that easy. The second test is... Well, I am still preparing for it. I will let you know once it's ready. You need to wait just a little. I will call you with the Pokégear.

We'll be coming back later to do the second test, but for now, it's time to go back around the region and do some fun stuff with HMs and that.

Pokemon Center

And I remembered that you can do this once you get the... first badge? Or at least when you reach Violet City.

: First, I need to give you this.

: Once registered, you may link with those friends over Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection to trade Pokémon, battle and so on. I hope you enjoy using Nintendo WFC!

Yeah... I'll have a blast...

Cherrygrove City

We're able to Surf on this pond in HGSS, but this creates an interesting oversight. The encounter table while Surfing in Cherrygrove is the Ocean one, like in GSC, but the table on Route 30 is the Pond one, meaning you get different encounters while surfing and fishing just one tile away! Crazy.

We can now go past this Strength boulder in Dark Cave, but the area past that is the same as the area past the smashable rock in GSC, level scale and all. So yeah, I don't know why they made it a Strength boulder in the remakes.

Ruins of Alph

Let's head back to the Ruins of Alph to complete the last of the puzzles, since Union Cave and the Lapras area doesn't have anything different about it. The back rooms have the same criteria, so while we could enter into the Water room, since we can buy a Water Stone from the Pokeathlon on a Wednesday... I can't be fucked, so we'll come back to these later.

Alright, the Ho-oh puzzle isn't too bad, as the edge pieces are easy enough to figure out. The clearer details of the remakes means we can make out the feathers better!

Simple enough. More Unown unlocked.

Next up is Aerodactyl. Most of it is filled in, so it shouldn't be too bad.

That's three puzzles done, so let's head into the second back room.

Flash. Ahhhhhhhaaaahhhhhh.

Saviour of the item balls!

Last puzzle let's go.

It's a real doozy, though rotating all the spirals on the shell might be a bit tricky. Maybe I'm just really bad at these.

And that's all 26 Unown milling around. Like with Crystal, I'll be catching all of these later. I should be able to fit everything to do with the Ruins of Alph into one last update.