Gen 3 Confirmed, At Least for Twitch Plays Pokémon

Twitch Plays Pokémon is on course for the Hoenn region, according to an interview with the creator on Escapist. At the time of this article’s posting, AJ is being steered back up Mt Silver for a rematch with Red, whose team has been altered to match the Hall of Fame team of TPP's Red. What changes are in store for this crowdsourced gaming phenomenon, and will Emerald continue to pull the same big numbers as its predecessors? The answer to both of these questions seems to be: We’ll just have to wait and find out.

The big news here is that Pokémon Emerald will, in fact, be streamed on Twitch. It’s unknown whether or not there will be a pause shorter or longer than last time’s, but we now know that Generation 3 is definitely down the pike. Unfortunately, it’s widely held that the Generation 3 games are somehow lesser than the “original” two, so it’s refreshing to hear that the series will continue to be active for real, dedicated Pokémon fans. TPP’s creator hinted in the interview about tweaking the input system for the new game, stating as well that he was “giving consideration to” inserting additional elements such as randomizers or upping the game’s difficulty.

“Generation 3 introduced us to double battles.”

Generation 3 introduced us to double battles, a feature that could give Twitch players some trouble, but nothing unprecedentedly hard given the difficulties they’ve already powered through. The Hoenn region’s ample water routes could be frustrating for some, and the puzzle to climb Sky Pillar to reach Rayquaza would likely prove impossible for the stream to conquer in its current format. But, in the end, I have faith in the mob. They’ve entered the Hall of Fame and bested Team Rocket twice, captured and raised Zapdos, and soon enough will have beaten even their own team in battle. What chance do Team Aqua and Magma stand?

What specific points in Emerald do you look forward to seeing TPP take on? Any particular tough spots I’ve forgotten? Let me know in the comments!