Glitches, glitches everywhere
In a race that will no doubt change the moment I write this post, speedrunner Werster, utilizing efforts from the tireless Pokemon community, managed to clear Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl in 23:13. That’s 23 minutes, 13 seconds. It’s a Pokemon BDSP speedrun alright.
I know what you’re thinking: yes, this is an any% run! In short, players can use any means necessary within the confines of the game’s code to accomplish their goal of reaching the credit sequence. So in this case, they managed to warp all over the map with a Turtwig starter (which can be any of the three), skip through all the required trainer battles, and skip the Elite Four.
The Pokemon BDSP speedrun basically starts around five minutes in. They need to laboriously complete the tutorial/intro first, get their starter, and then they can start warping all over the map. That includes saving then shutting down the game right as the save completes; then going back in and loading that save. The main points of interest for the current any% speedrun route include getting the old rod, then buying a doll, then dying in battle and respawning at a center, then hitting the end. The speed in which some of these runners hit these glitches via menus is incredible.
One of the best parts of this particular video is how Werster talks everyone through the methods, so you can try and join in yourself. Once everything is good and cleared, they also muse on ways in which runs can be improved. So if you’re a hardcore Diamond and Pearl enthusiast, it’s worth checking out.
Werster believes the next barrier is 22 minutes, but to slim it down to 20 minutes would require new methods, including “optimized menu time.” Good luck! Getting into the Pokemon speedrun scene can be competitive.
