Kristen

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Monday Memories: AOL Instant Messenger

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Double Jump Kris MiiHappy Monday, everyone!

We’re going back to the past in regards to today’s post. AOL’s instant messenger was alive from May 1997 to December 2017, and I remember using it so often to chat with friends after school during our early high school years.

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Video games have always been a major source of inspiration for me. I started writing due to the Legend of Zelda. I started drawing due to Pokemon. Then there was a good friend and the Super Smash Bros. franchise helping me discover my passion of storytelling through the use of AOL instant messenger.

A couple of weeks ago, I was hanging out in Jett’s Stardew Valley stream and the chat went off on a tangent about AOL instant messenger and reminiscing about the good ol’ days of the Internet. Back near the end of middle school and for a couple of years in high school, my best friend and I tended to end our nights after homework chatting with each other about our school classes.

Somehow those AIM chats also evolved into role-playing with my friend taking on the roles of some of her favorite movie characters — like Professor Snape from Harry Potter and James Bond — and me playing some favorite video game characters, such as a multitude of fighters from Super Smash Bros. Melee, since that was the main game we played at the time.

That was actually the “setting” of our game. This sounds ridiculous as I type it out, but our AIM chat room was a “common room” set in between my friend’s boarding house for her favorite movie characters and the Super Smash Bros. manor. Not only would my friend and I talk, but we’d use different colored text to indicate what other characters were talking as well. We even had imaginary pets join our houses at some point because apparently we didn’t have enough characters clamoring for our attention.

With these characters, we went on adventures, crafting stories such as heading to a wedding venue for a couple of movie characters to get hitched to going to Hyrule to help defeat Dark Link. Dark Link in turn ended up being invited to the Smash Mansion, partnering with one of my original characters and turning into a pair of character archetypes that I use all the time in my novels now.

Creating these stories with each other helped us navigate through the middle school and high school transitions, and it was just a lot of fun to goof off with each other like that and virtually explore unknown worlds together.

Unfortunately, during the last couple of years of high school, our AIM conversations started to fizzle out with the need for jobs and filling out college applications. We grew up and moved on from our joint stories, but I still have the majority of our AIM conversations saved in an old flash drive. It’s nice to go back for a little spark of inspiration or just to reminisce again.

Do you remember AOL Instant Messenger? Let me know in the comments below! If you liked this post, please share it around.

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Friday Favorites: New Horizons Wish List

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Double Jump Kris MiiHappy Friday everyone!

I’m still enjoying my time in Animal Crossing: New Horizons for the most part. There are definitely some improvements that could be made, especially to the crafting system, that I would like to see in future patches, though. This is my wish list for improvements to the game that I hope to one day see.

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Weapon Durability Indicator

I actually like the crafting aspect in New Horizons. However, I would like an indication as to when my tools are about to break. Even a little hint, a pop-up bubble mentioning that the tool is feeling brittle or “flimsy,” would be nice. While eventually my island will have more bridges and such to connect the different parts of the island together, it is annoying to start searching further away from my workbench only for my tools to break without warning.

Craft/Redeem Miles In Bulk

I know I’m not the only one who wants this patched into the game. Crafting is great, but why is there no option yet to craft two or three fishing rods at a time? Why are we only able to create one at a time even when we clearly have enough materials to craft multiple tools and items? On that note, it is a little tedious to have to buy one Nook Mile ticket at a time. I would like the option to buy those in bulk, if you have enough miles, please.

“Preferred” Mystery Islands

The mystery island tours can be fun, but I have found myself going on multiple ones due to being disappointed at where I first landed. I’ve found myself at similar islands, and I understand the mystery islands are probably recycling several of the same types, that do not have the resources I was looking for and ended up racing back to my island to get another Nook Miles ticket to try again. Aside from possibly having the option to go from one mystery tour straight to another — if you have the proper amount of Nook Miles tickets in your inventory — I would also like a little bit of a choice as to where you end up. For instance, if Orville asks what kind of island I’m looking for, I can say one with fruit trees or plenty of rocks or long rivers. Having “no preference” as a response can keep islands more random.

“Write” DIY Recipes

Collecting DIY recipes is great and being able to mail and swap items with friends is awesome, but I would love to be able to “write” DIY recipes to send to friends. They can send me an item, sure, but I would prefer the actual DIY recipe so I can always make the item if need be. I have no idea how many DIY recipes there are in the game, either. I think it would be another nice way for others to connect by sharing DIY recipes with each other.

What features and mechanics do you wish were in Animal Crossing: New Horizons? Let me know in the comments below! If you liked this post, please share it around.

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High Hopes (A Shield Nuzlocke): Chapter 5

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Double Jump Kris MiiHappy Monday, everyone!

This is chapter five of my Nuzlocke, a little shorter than previous chapters, but the ending seemed fitting. If you missed the first chapter or want to be reminded of the rules, feel free to go back to that post. Or, if you missed chapter four, that post is right here. Hope you enjoy this piece!

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Chapter 5:

I felt like I was going to throw up.

I thought I would be fine with all this. We registered as Gym Challengers, got to the hotel, and even helped out the hotel by defeating this really weird group of people that called themselves Team Yell in a Pokemon battle. After Hop and I defeated them, another Gym Challenger introduced herself to us as she berated the group and apologized for Team Yell.

At first glance, Marnie seemed like me. From a small town, not quite sure of her place in the world just yet, but she surprisingly had a fanclub already. She seemed nice at first glance, but I was wary of her. What had she done in her life already to warrant a fanclub? Team Yell wasn’t the most orthodox fanclub, I’ll admit, but they were there just the same with banners of Marnie’s face plastered on them.

Hop thought it was great. She was another potential rival for him to beat to the Champion status, after all. Marnie gave him a crooked smile, humoring him, before we all went on our way the next morning to the opening ceremony.

Cue me almost getting sick.

I knew there would be plenty of pomp and circumstance about the Gym Challenge. It’s what the Galar region lives for. I knew there would be a gaggle of us challengers on the field in the stadium. I knew Chairman Rose would be there to give a speech. I knew the gym leaders — well, most of them — would show up.

I was not prepared for it at all.

“Kris, isn’t this great?” Hop shouted at me above the cheering crowds. If not for him at my side, I would have turned around and retreated.

Hop was beaming and waving to those in the stands, and he couldn’t keep still even as a hush fell around us when the gym leaders sauntered in. I stuck close, my friend helping to keep me grounded as the flowery speeches began.

The opening ceremony couldn’t end soon enough. All of the celebration just for the beginning of the competition made my head spin and I wasn’t sure what it would be like whenever the Gym Challenge began to wind down.

Yet, while I was ready to go back to the hotel or the Pokemon Center to decompress for the rest of the day after the ceremony, Hop was more than ready to keep going.

“The first gym is in Turffield,” Hop said, his voice still a little louder than normal — somehow — because he didn’t quite realize we were out of the stadium yet. His Rotom Pokedex up hovering in front of our faces with the map app open. “We just go through Route 3 then the Galar Mine, then a short trip through Route 4 to reach Turffield. Easy-peasy.”

“Hopâ€Ĥ” I paused him before we reached the edge of Motostoke. “You realize this is the farthest we’ve ever been from home?”

“Yeah, it is,” he said, the wattage of his grin dimming just a bit. “But that’s what makes it so exciting. We’re exploring the world with so many other people and Pokemon. What, are you worried?”

“Yes,” I admitted. “You’re cut out for this, but I’m not sure about me.”

“Lee wouldn’t have endorsed you if we thought otherwise,” Hop said. He moved the map app on his phone and added, “The first three gyms are Turffield, Hulbury, and Motostoke. It’s like a circle. With your bond withâ€Ĥ well, Bond”–I rolled my eyes as Hop grinned and continued–”and the awesome way you’ve battled so far, I think you’re going to be great at the gym challenge.”

“I’ve only really battled you,” I pointed out.

“And Team Yell.”

“With you.”

“Still.” Hop would not be deterred. “You’ve a full team of Pokemon already, too, don’t you? And we’ve crossed the Wild Area without any trouble. I think you should give this a go. See how you feel when we get back to Motostoke after getting the first two badges, yeah?

“Not gonna lie, Mum gave me an earful about being safe while on this journey,” Hop continued. “I know I’m really excited about this whole thing, but I am aware that it’s not going to be easy. It’s why I’m glad you’re doing this too. You got the whole level-head-on-your-shoulders thing going on. Because of that level head, though”–he poked my forehead–”I’m worried you’re going to miss out on a lot of things. You don’t want to stay in Postwick forever, do you?”

“I suppose not,” I said. I took a deep breath. “Alright. Two badges, at least. I’m just going to visit the Pokemon Center once more before heading to Turffield, make sure I’m stocked up on medicines.”

Hop grinned. “Perfect! I’ll meet you there.”

“Be careful,” I called as Hop raced off. He waved backwards and I watched until I couldn’t see him anymore.

Two badges. I could do that. My team would be just fine. We had a diverse group, and everyone was growing well enough that we’d be okay. Pokemon training was a tough but supposedly rewarding career. Everything would turn out fine.

At least, so I thought until Posie died.

Current Team: Bond the Sobble, Piccolo the Dottler, Ryder the Rookidee, Posie the Bunnelby, Freya the Oddish, Everest the Delibird
Body Count: 1

Who is your favorite Galar gym leader? Let me know in the comments below! If you liked this post, please share it around.

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Flashback Friday: Fire Emblem

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Double Jump Kris MiiHappy Friday, everyone!

These past few months have been spent trying to find comfort with some favorite games, both old and new alike. While I haven’t found Animal Crossing New Horizons to be too bad so far, I’m finding myself drawn right back to some old favorites.

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When Super Smash Bros. Melee first became a thing, there were a couple of Japanese-speaking characters that rose in popularity. Marth was a favorite fighter of mine and Roy was Rachel’s, with me favoring the speedier characters and Rachel enjoying the stronger attacks Roy had (and fire). Meeting these characters in Melee made me interested enough to find our more about the games they came from.

Fire Emblem was a series that used to be only available in Japan because of the difficulty level. Being a grid- and turn-based strategy game that pit two armies created with characters of various fantasy classes that included permanent death for fallen units, it wasn’t a series that I would have picked up myself had I not been intrigued by Marth and Roy. Sacred Stones was my first Fire Emblem game — I distinctly remember finding it amid Toys R’ Us’s much smaller video game section at the time — and it hooked me onto the series.

I was still interested in playing the installments that touched upon Roy’s and Marth’s history, but considering not many of the Fire Emblem games had been localized in the west, Sacred Stones was my best option at the time. The game simply titled Fire Emblem in North America existed, of course, but it was a difficult game to find.

Against all odds, my parents found a used copy of Fire Emblem but, unfortunately, the game’s internal battery was dead, not allowing me to save any of my progress. Years later, the game became available on the Wii U’s virtual console and I had restarted the game while waiting until Rachel and I could get a Nintendo Switch. It was great to go back to the game, but once we did get a Switch about a month later, I forgot about it.

My love affair with the Fire Emblem series has not waned, especially with me still putting hours into Three Houses. Considering how much I enjoy the series, I’ve realized that there are a couple of Fire Emblem games — aside from Three Houses — that I still need to finish. It may be time to turn my Wii U on again and finally finish Fire Emblem.

Have you played Fire Emblem? Let me know in the comments below! If you liked this post, please share it around.

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Consume More, Create More

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Double Jump Kris MiiHappy Monday, everyone!

How do you find inspiration to be creative? Do you just go with it, write until something that you like appears on the paper? Do you do detailed outlines before diving into a bigger project? What sparks you?

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Within the past year, I started writing on Medium. The past month or so, due to the state of the world at this time, the site hasn’t seen any new articles from me and I’m planning on getting back into it at some point. Still, it was an interesting site where you could write about nearly whatever you want and, if it’s good enough, it could be curated and distributed to a wider audience. It was the type of site that didn’t look too bad whenever there was downtime at my office and I was browsing the internet.

Anyway, a while ago, there was an article I read that left a bit of a sour taste in my mouth. I don’t remember it all too well, other than the author was proud of himself for consuming less and creating more. That sounds great and I’m glad the author was able to do that, but he was talking specifically about stepping away from video games.

Which, again, is great for the guy if that’s his goals for a healthy life. I’m not knocking that. What I am knocking is the fact that he separated video games from being part of a creative lifestyle. He “consumed” video games, taking them at the surface level, rather than allowing them to mingle with his creativity. Only by slowing down and ultimately stopping his gaming habits did he feel he was able to really embrace his creativity.

Hey, good for him if that worked out. Video games, at their core, are designed for entertainment. If that’s what he got out of them, enjoying them only in the moment only to later consider them as something that ate away at his time, that’s not a bad thing. However, to someone like me, I found his opinion a bit insulting.

Video games walk hand-in-hand with my creativity. Imagine me gesturing wildly to this blog, for example, and the amazing friends I’ve met due to it. Let me open up one of my many novel drafts that started based on a “What if?” question from some video game or other. Old sketchbooks are full of drawings of Pokemon, Sonic the Hedgehog characters, Legend of Zelda fanmade characters. Text role-playing back on AOL instant messenger with my best friend — me taking on the role of several Nintendo characters while she took up the mantle of her favorite movie characters — started me on the path of writing and I never looked back.

Video games are, to me, more than just a fun piece of entertainment used to whittle away the hours. My creativity is constantly inspired by the stories, the art styles, the music of some of my favorite games. I’ve learned about character arcs and designs ever since I first picked up Super Mario RPG for the SNES.

Creativity can be found anywhere and, yes, people are going to find different sources for their inspiration. I’m glad that the original guy on Medium was able to figure out his own well of creativity, but to suggest that others “consume less” is detrimental to creativity itself.

Consume all the art, including video games. Open your mind, form questions, share your opinions, try your hand at said art. Consume more, create more. That’s what I did with that guy’s article, after all.

How do video games help your creativity? Let me know in the comments below! If you liked this post, please share it around.

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First Impressions: Animal Crossing New Horizons

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Double Jump Kris MiiHappy Friday, everyone!

I’m a month late to the party, but I did recently buy and download Animal Crossing New Horizons for myself to see if all the hype around the game lived up to my expectations. So far, it’s not that bad at all.

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The Animal Crossing franchise has always been associated with Rachel more than me. When it comes to laid-back, slice-of-life simulation games, I leaned more towards the Harvest Moon series and, now, Stardew Valley. Ever since the first GameCube Animal Crossing game, it wasn’t something that was for me.

I never minded the games. I’ve tried my hand at a few of them, like the original and New Leaf for the 3DS. The original had been cute, a novelty, with the villagers roaming around and being able to share a town with other people in the family was interesting. Rachel and I used to send each other the occasional letter and it was always amusing to hear the animal villagers ask us about each other. Yet, the idea of collecting bugs and fish in order to dwindle your debt just to expand your house for a collection of random items wasn’t my cup of tea.

Rachel has always been the collector. It’s one reason why she enjoyed Super Mario Odyssey more than I did, despite the game’s praise. It didn’t impress me as much as all the critics claimed it would. While collecting would always be a staple in the Animal Crossing series, having something other to focus on was one reason why I thought maybe I wouldn’t mind New Leaf that much.

For a while, New Leaf was fun. Being the mayor of the town and having a few ways to improve the place gave me a few more goals, but I didn’t continue playing it much after the challenge Rachel and I had given each other that enticed me to play it in the first place. Still, I made an effort, but even in my conclusion post for that challenge, I mention how I will leave the Switch version of Animal Crossing to Rachel.

Within this past week, I caved and bought New Horizons for my Switch Lite. I’m not even a week into the game and I’m already enjoying it more than the previous installments that I’ve tried. I’m quite conscious that this could be due to “shiny new game,” but there are plenty of mechanics that I don’t mind.

The crafting is fun, although I would love some sort of durability indicator to let me know when my fishing rod and the like are going to poof out of existence. It allows me to strategize, figure out which of my supplies I’m going to use to craft tools or if I should save them for something else and just buy the flimsy versions of the tools from Nook’s Cranny as a temporary fix. DIY recipes is also a type of collection I can get behind, especially since I also just unlocked the customization feature. Here’s hoping there’s more to the customization rather than just changing the crafted items’ colors.

The Nook Miles is an interesting mechanic as well, and I’m rather amused at Tom Nook having his own brand in the shopping network. Earning Nook Miles allows me to have goals while working towards them at my own pace, something that I enjoy in games like Harvest Moon and Stardew Valley. There’s always something to strive for on the horizon, but there’s no rush to get there.

The other main aspect about this game that I like is the co-op modes, both locally and online. Considering I’m not far into the game at all, I haven’t yet had the chance to visit anyone’s islands or have anyone come to my own little place — no, not even Rachel — but seeing how excited everyone else is about it, I’m looking forward to it. I would just like to make my island a little more presentable before opening it to others, haha!

Honestly, what really changed my mind about getting the game was watching and listening to Rachel as she spontaneously joined Jett from In Third Person on his island to try to tag-team the fishing tourney together for more points.

I’m still a new kid to this franchise and, even though I’ve only been playing for a handful of days — and even some of those days were just for an hour or so at night — I’m hopeful that I’ll continue to enjoy New Horizons for a little while longer.

How are you enjoying New Horizons? Any game that made you change your mind about a franchise? Let me know in the comments below! If you liked this post, please share it around.

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What Kind of Escapist Are You?

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Double Jump Kris MiiHappy Monday, everyone!

Despite how low-key this past Easter weekend has been compared to previous years, it was still a nice couple of days. We mainly relaxed with our immediate family, had some good food courtesy of Mom baking up a storm, and played video games to escape from the outside world.

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Aside from the sheer fun factor and trying to increase your skillset and reflexes, many people play video games to escape from reality. Due to the current state of the world, there is no better time to become a gamer. Indeed, I’m pleased with still seeing all of the Animal Crossing New Horizons tweets that grace Double Jump’s Twitter feed rather than the current news.

While I did download and start playing New Horizons this past weekend to see if I would enjoy it more than the previous versions of the game — because, honestly, Animal Crossing is more of Rachel’s franchise while I was always into Harvest Moon and Stardew Valley — I did start thinking about what other kinds of games I tended to reach for whenever I needed a break from the world. There are different kinds of “escapists” out there when it comes to gaming, after all. What kind are you?

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escapistbotw

Hero

When the world is going to Hell in a hand basket, sometimes you need a good game where you are the one saving the world. Playing the role of hero helps you to feel like you’re saving something, even if the effect is more so on your psyche rather than the real world. Strategy and adventure games like the Fire Emblem and Legend of Zelda series have the Good Guys versus Bad Guys — even if some of them are a little blurred around the edges — theme that allow you to become the hero of someone’s world.

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escapistsv

Creator

Playing the role of God and creating your own world, forging relationships, perhaps even modifying the physical land as you see fit is probably the most popular kind of escapist games out there. The popularity of simulation games like Animal Crossing and Stardew Valley are testament to that. You can create your own goals and ensure that your world will be happy and successful. Having delightful virtual neighbors is a bonus, but it’s even better when you have an online multiplayer mode so your friends and you can create together.

escapistdoom
escapistfort

Chaotic

On the flipside, perhaps you just want to vent in a safe environment. Shooter and war games like DOOM Eternal and Fortnite — even if they have entirely different aesthetics — gives players who want to taste a little destruction a place where they can do so. Rage in virtual worlds to help ease your mind and soul when they get too focused on the real world.

escapistlayton
escapisttetris

Tricksters

Puzzle games are fantastic for zoning out of the real world and zoning in on immediate problems. The Professor Layton series and games like Tetris 99 give you something to focus on in the moment and, when you complete a difficult puzzle or knock out that last rival, gives your brain some of that sweet dopamine. When you start to feel impatient with the real world news around you, try your patience at a puzzle game.

Of course, these are just my thoughts and made-up definitions. Still, it was interesting to think about. Personally, I tend to lean towards games that allow me to be the hero, what with me returning to Fire Emblem: Three Houses, while also having spent plenty of time with simulation games like Stardew Valley and giving New Horizons a try.

What kind of escapist are you? Did I miss any? Let me know in the comments below! If you liked this post, please share it around.

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Friday Favorites: Rune Factory 4 NPC Characters

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Double Jump Kris MiiHappy Friday everyone!

Rune Factory 4 Special Edition was released for the Nintendo Switch a couple of months ago. I have the game for the 3DS and I enjoyed it enough to justify buying it again for the Switch. It was great to re-meet some of the colorful characters in the game! This Friday Favorites is dedicated to my favorite NPCs in the game.

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Illuminata

I adore Illuminata’s design! I want her hat. Aside from her design, she has a fun personality. Running the flower shop as her day job but being a detective at heart, her mind is always on the move. I always found it fun to run around with her trying to solve nonexistent cases, especially when she refers to your character as her “Watson.”

Bado

Bado amuses the hell out of me. The resident blacksmith, he looks like one of the strongest guys around, but he’s also one of the laziest. There is plenty of evidence that proves he would go out of his way to give anyone a hand that needs it, but it was always a bonus if he could make an easy paycheck.

Blossom

I always seem to have a soft spot for the older characters of games (like Evelyn in Stardew Valley and Wendy Oldbag in the Ace Attorney games). Blossom is no exception. The sweet old lady makes the town feel just a little more homey, and I enjoy her relationship with Doug, especially when she scolds him for his recklessness when she used to be just as reckless!

Volkanon

Butler characters are always cool. Alfred Pennyworth, anyway? Volkanon is an excellent butler, being an expert in all sorts of areas, while never being afraid to show a more tender side to those he cares about, complete with manly tears.

Have you played Rune Factory 4? Let me know in the comments below! If you liked this post, please share it around.

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Don’t Read the Comments

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Double Jump Kris MiiHappy Monday, everyone!

This post was actually an idea about a month or so ago. I figured that now is as good of a time as any to hit “publish” and share my thoughts on a piece of advice that is generally given to every content creator on the Internet.

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Published near the end of this past January, “Don’t Read the Comments” by Eric Smith is a story about navigating the harsh online world of harassment and doxxing while also showcasing how beautiful online friendships can be. It was a decent, cute story. There will be no spoilers here, and I hope there will be no spoilers in the comments.

As bloggers, comments are our main way of interacting with readers. However, don’t read the comments is a common piece of advice for those who put themselves out on the Internet, mainly while streaming or on YouTube. Let’s be real, everyone reads the comments. So why does that piece of advice — to ignore the comments, to be blissfully ignorant of them — stand out?

The advice at its simplest is to prevent your feelings from being hurt. Don’t engage with the trolls. They’re looking for a rise out of you. Just ignore them. They’ll get bored eventually.

Sounds a lot like the advice you give your kid on the playground when someone else’s spawn makes fun of your kid’s shirt, doesn’t it?

don't read the comments
There used to be a Twitter account dedicated to this.

Giving the human race the benefit of the doubt, the majority of people in the comments and reply sections are polite, courteous, perhaps interested in healthy debate, and it’s one of the best ways for people to communicate and reach out on the Internet. But then there are those trolls, people who argue for the sake of arguing and wish to use their words to hurt the author. Most of the time, it seems to “merely” be online. Yet, other times, it’s physical threats.

Gamergate, a movement that literally forced women gaming journalists and developers out of their homes due to rape and death threats. Bianca Devins’ murder just last year. Check out all the angry, anti-feminist tweets from boys complaining about women-driven movies like Captain Marvel, Wonder Woman, and Birds of Prey. As a woman, this is what I mainly see, and I know that people who identify as anything other than female are not safe from disparaging comments either.

With all that said, it just highlights even more how thoughtful and kind comments can make a creator’s day. Mental health awareness is more prevalent than ever, and it is not a coincidence that this awareness has risen in accordance with how much of our lives is spent online. While negativity stays with us much longer than positive interactions, since our brains are wired to do so — it is one of the many reasons our brain alerts us to danger, to try to keep us out of harm’s way, but it can still suck — a positive comment or helpful critique allows us to retrain our brain to pump out endorphins.

So, since everyone reads the comments, try to be that person that is helpful to the creator. We’re all fighting our own battles.

Let me know what you think of this post in the comments below for irony’s sake! If you liked this post, please share it around.

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Friday Favorites: Fighting-Type Pokemon

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Double Jump Kris MiiHappy Friday everyone!

Considering how some of my favorite types of attacks in Pokemon are more physical than special, it’s a bit of a wonder why I don’t think of Fighting-types more often. Nevertheless, I do have a few favorites!

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Lucario

Probably one of the first Fighting-type Pokemon that I included on one of my main teams, Lucario was a great asset. Perhaps he’s a bit overused, but I enjoyed having the Pokemon on my team.

Gallade

Gallade’s design is awesome — especially his Mega evolution design — and I enjoy the dual psychic and fighting typing Gallade has. It was a challenge to balance out his attacks to accommodate both types, but I always had fun with both him and my Gardevoir in double battles.

Chesnaught

I always pick the grass starter in Pokemon games, and X and Y were no exceptions. Chespin and its evolutions were, probably, the least popular design-wise when it came to the starters, but I was pleased with Chesnaught and its power.

Clobbopus

This little Pokemon made me laugh when I first saw it. Considering it investigates stuff by punching them and it has the intelligence level of a toddler, the very existence of Clobbopus makes my day.

Falinks

I didn’t know what the heck this thing was when I first saw it, but when I was able to battle it, I was quite amused at the Pokemon’s little individual units marching together. Its signature move — No Retreat — is pretty cool, too. Aside from raising all of its stats, it’s reminiscent of a desperate last stand in a battle. Never give up, never surrender!

What are your favorite Fighting-type Pokemon? Let me know in the comments below! If you liked this post, please share it around.

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