[DizzyDoo]

There is also a physical USB cheat/hack/mod[0] that you can plug into your Switch that lets you automatically farm eggs, move you about automatically to hatch eggs, and then release entire boxes of Pokemon you don't need[1]. It's like factory farming Pokemon! There's support for other games and even other game console controllers too, it's an interesting device.

For Pokemon I think it's more interesting than simply memory hacking your save file and altering the Effort Values of the Pokemon, which is the simple way to go about this, though a bit boring and as I understand it very widespread if you battle online.

[0] - https://collectiveminds-ca.myshopify.com/collections/nintend... [1] - https://www.switch-up.ca/pokemon-sword-and-shield-mode

[lewdev]

Interesting; the modern Game Genie

[ethbr0]

The wrinkle about "modern Game Genie" is that when the original debuted, there were no microtransactions.

Now, hastening grind runs directly counter to most(?) game revenue models.

Interesting times!

[lapetitejort]

The Nintendo Help Line could be argued to be a microtransaction. However, callers talked to knowledgeable players who had the game in front of them, with maps, boss strategies, etc, available.

[lcnPylGDnU4H9OF]

Even if I'm convinced it's a microtransaction I'm not convinced that it was a significant portion of game revenue.

[Natsu]

You could also send them a letter for free. The local rental place didn't have the manual for Wizardry and it's not exactly clear what many of the spells in the game do, since they have names like halito, mahalito, dios, badios, etc.

Nintendo sent me a letter explaining what this all did back in the day.

[msla]

Don't forget Nintendo Power magazine, with all of the "helpful" (read: all-but-required sometimes) walkthroughs and tips!

[pxmpxm]

Probably a stupid question, but to what end?

[DizzyDoo]

There's lots of reasons people 'cheat' in games. In this case it might be:

• You enjoy playing Pokemon but you don't want to or cannot find the time to grind out the few hours of leveling up you need to progress, or to find your specific favourite handful of Pokemon, so you use a device like this to save yourself some time.

• You want to succeed in the competitive space (yes, competitive Pokemon is a thing[0] and is ongoing right now in fact[1]) and you don't want to grind for Pokemon with specific Effort Values, which are the randomly generated numbers that effect how strong your Pokemon attacks are. So you use a device like this, though probably altering a save file would be just as easy and not detectable by Game Freak/The Pokemon Company.

• You don't really care about Pokemon, but you know you can sell Pokemon on eBay[2], so you automate it with a device like this.

[0] - https://www.pokemon.com/us/play-pokemon/pokemon-events/pokem...

[1] - https://worlds.pokemon.com/en-us/

[2] - https://www.ebay.ca/itm/225598189077

[moehm]

> You want to succeed in the competitive space (yes, competitive Pokemon is a thing[0] [...] and you don't want to grind for Pokemon with specific Effort Values [...]

I just want to point out, if you're like me and sometimes enjoy competitive Pokemon without grinding, cheating, playing the story or even owning a device, you can play online a simulator, from which every possible, grindable setting is just a click away. [0]

It's pretty popular, with it's own Elo, tournaments, online community etc. It's pretty fun, I can recommend it.

[0] https://play.pokemonshowdown.com/

[spicebox]

> You don't really care about Pokemon, but you know you can sell Pokemon on eBay[2], so you automate it with a device like this.

People who are selling Pokémon on eBay are probably just hacking them in rather than going through the trouble of using a device like this to obtain them “legitimately”

[Aromasin]

Many people play competitive pokemon. Pokemom randomly generate with different "IVs", meaning different attack/defence/speed/etcs. To get "perfect IVs" takes hours if not days of searching. Many automate this process as all they're interested in is the competitive game; not catching/hatching the perfect pokemon.

[Cu3PO42]

I've built something similar close to ten years ago for Generation 6 Pokemon games on the 3DS. At the time that meant soldering to a bunch of test points to send inputs.

Why? Mostly because it was fun and a good learning expereince. I barely used the Pokémon I obtained, but I did use them to build a competitive team.

[brirec]

This is basically an open source version of that, which uses Bluetooth rather than USB

[DizzyDoo]

I... guess, if you're only looking at the outcome (boxes of caught Pokemon) it is similar?

But the linked post describes a Raspberry Pi + Capture Card + OpenCV solution that is scanning the screen to detect when Shiny Pokemon are found, which is much more involved.

The $30 'Switch Up' device I linked to seems to operate only on emulating button inputs. Like, you can record and playback a macro.

[delecti]

I would argue that this is actually closer to an open source version of asking an older sibling for help. Or maybe, depending on how you view it, like tricking your younger sibling into doing the boring part for you.