Glitch: Difference between revisions

'''Glitches''', also known as '''bugs''', are unintended behavior in software like the [[Pokémon games]]. They can be triggered from mistakes within the game's code or by exploits that were not anticipated by the programmers, thus causing the game to react unexpectedly. Resulting issues may range from benign (such as graphical and audio distortions or wrong effects of in-game elements) to hazardous (such as corruption or deletion of data).

Glitch Pokémon are the result of any bug that causes a game to read special-purpose data or data outside of its internal Pokémon definition list as a Pokémon definition. For example, [[MissingNo.]]'s base stats are taken from the parties of several {{tc|Biker|Bikers}}.

===Glitch moves===

A glitch [[move]] is a move not intended to be part of the game, but can be accessed through the use of glitches or cheating device. In [[Generation I]], many glitch moves are named after TMs or HMs; TMs numbered {{m|TM01|01}} to {{m|TM55|55}} and HMs numbered {{m|HM01|01}} to {{m|HM05|05}} exist as moves; however, some have {{m|--|no name}} or {{m|Super Glitch|glitched, unreadable names}}. Some glitch moves are of known glitch types, but others have either no readable type or an unknown type. Usually, only glitch Pokémon will learn glitch moves.

One way of teaching a Pokémon in Generation I a glitch move is with a Pokémon that can evolve by trading. This can be achieved by trading a trade evolution Pokémon from a Generation I game to a Generation II, at a level where its evolved form will learn a move not in Generation I. Trading the Pokémon back to the Generation I game will cause the move to become a glitch move. For example, trading a level 48 {{p|Haunter}} from {{game3|Red and Blue|Pokémon Red|s}} to {{game3|Gold and Silver|Pokémon Gold|s}} will make the Haunter evolve into {{p|Gengar}}. Since it is level 48, it will learn {{m|Mean Look}}. If it is then traded back to Pokémon Red, it will still have the move, but the game won't recognize it properly since it is a Generation II move, so will become {{m|TM12}}.

 

===Glitch types===

There are many different glitch types that happen to be the types of several glitch Pokémon and moves. The majority of them are used for very few Pokémon or moves. A famous glitch type is the unique {{type|Bird}}, which is a leftover type thought to be a beta version of the {{type|Flying}}. All other glitch types are simply other data read as a type name. Glitch types typically do not have any weaknesses, resistances, or immunities.

===Glitch locations===

There are several locations which can only be reached by means of glitches or hacks. One of the most well known of these is the [[Glitch City]]. Other examples of these are areas in the [[Sevii Islands]] that are retrievable via their [[index number]] pointer, however, do not have any other data. [[Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen beta#Sevii Isles|Sevii Isles 8 and 9]] are the only index number areas which have actual map data. There are also other beta locations such as [[Pokémon Gold and Silver beta|the unused Safari Zone]].

===Glitch items===

Placeholder items are often left in the game's code to prevent it from crashing if the data is accessed, such as the [[Teru-sama]] item in [[Generation II]]. Likewise, other generations have placeholder items, with most appearing at the end of the item list, though a few, likely removed during development, appear in the middle.

Often, placeholder items change into real items ([[Key Items]] or otherwise) in later games of a generation. The [[GS Ball]], [[Clear Bell]], and {{key|II|Egg Ticket}}, which only appear in {{game|Crystal}}, are programmed into the games' [[List of items by index number (Generation II)|internal list]] where Teru-samas existed in {{game|Gold and Silver|s}}, and will, if they are hacked to be held by a Pokémon being traded to the earlier games, transform.

Thus, glitch items that become real items from a later game only appear in [[Generation II]] and [[Generation IV]], as all items not present in {{game|Ruby and Sapphire|s}} that were reintroduced in {{game|FireRed and LeafGreen|s}} and newly introduced in {{game|Emerald}} appear at the end of the list. They would cause a copy of Ruby or Sapphire to crash when it is selected, as they are beyond its item list. Generation II is the only generation in which all new items replace glitch items in the middle of the item list, thus not causing a permanent problem if transferred, as the {{DL|Legendary artifacts|Griseous Orb}} is the only item in Generation IV that is programmed at the same index number that a glitch item is present at in {{game|Diamond and Pearl|s}}, while the other items introduced in {{game|Platinum}} and reintroduced in {{game|HeartGold and SoulSilver|s}} are after the end of the Diamond and Pearl list, and thus crash the game if the glitch item in their place is selected in a game they do not exist in.

===Glitch Trainers===

[[Glitch Trainer]]s have been known to occur in [[Generation I]] and [[Generation II]]. They, like glitch Pokémon, result from the game reading trainer or party information from an area in the game code that does not contain that information.