Is My "Crystal" Game Busted?

[Starry Might]

Recently, my Dad won "Pokemon Crystal" on eBay, and I got it yesterday. I'm playing it right now, in fact!

Unfortunately, I'm worried it's corrupt somehow. When we checked the game before my Dad replaced the battery (which we did to insure that it won't die anytime soon), it suddenly froze! We're thinking that there's a connection problem with it and the GBA SP, but it's fine now. (I'm playing it outside my GBA case, and I'm not touching the cart.)

But that's something else entirely. Why I'm asking this is because my Pokemon won't eat the Berries that I have them hold when their Hit Points drop below the threshold. I first noticed this earlier today when I battled the Rival in Cherrygrove City.

So, what do you think?

EDIT: What the...I just ran into a wild Pidgey with my Sentret, and I tried to run, but I couldn't escape! BUT, after the third time the wild Pidgey tackled Sentret, the latter ate his held Berry! (I then switched to Chikorita and got away.) What's going on?

[Number1ChanseyFan]

Meh, I have no idea, but that doesn't sound good/right. Maybe try restarting the game and see if that works... And are you sure that everything went ok while changing the battery? Is there a chance that something may have been bumped or something? But yeah, I really don't know... sorry I couldn't be more helpful, but that stuff that you described definitely doesn't sound right!!

[mr_pikachu]

Yeah, I'm with Christen on this one; something sounds screwy. And I agree with what she kind of implied; changing your battery may have been a risky move if it wasn't yet dead. After all, most of the problems with batteries dying involve an inability to save continued progress. As far as I know, it doesn't always kill past data... I don't even think it usually affects what's already been saved. You'd just have to swap batteries at that point before continuing gameplay.

Restarting may be your best bet, assuming you're early in the game - if you've blasted through seven or so badges, you may not want to do that. Aside from that, make sure you are in fact below the "berry threshold" when the Pokemon should be chowing down. (It sounds that way from what you described, but it doesn't hurt to double-check. I seem to remember screaming "eat the damn berry!" at my Pokemon more than once in GSC, so... yeah.)

Aside from that... hrm. If it still doesn't work, it unfortunately sounds like a busted cart. That'd be a lot harder to manage, aside from buying a different cartridge.

I will say that this very well could have nothing to do with the battery switch. After all, you encountered problems before ever touching it, so it makes sense that other things might be wrong as well. If anything, it's a reminder about the risks of eBay. It's the ultimate pawn shop for devices that are on their last legs.


EDIT: I know I've said it before, but that avatar is awesome. It just needed to be said again.

[SupremeChampion]

hmm.. well if you say everything is fine now, thats always good haha. i mean, maybe you might not have been connected completely, thats always a possibility. maybe the game needs to be cleaned. what i mean is, the slot where you connect your game to your GB might be a little dusty/dirty and in need of cleaning. but, like Mr. pikachu and #1CF said, the game might just be old and possibly busted. i hope that isn't the case, but if it is your best recourse would be to buy another crystal game, preferably from a store. good luck!

~The Italian Stallion

[Starry Might]

Aside from that, make sure you are in fact below the "berry threshold" when the Pokemon should be chowing down. (It sounds that way from what you described, but it doesn't hurt to double-check. I seem to remember screaming "eat the damn berry!" at my Pokemon more than once in GSC, so... yeah.)

What's the Berry threshold, exactly? (The last couple times I tested it, I had my Caterpie hold a berry and intentionally allowed a wild Hoothoot to put her into the yellow, at which point she promptly ate the Berry.)

The first time I had a problem, my Chikorita was put into the red by a Critical Hit by my rival's Cyndaquil, but I eked out a victory and went up a level (I think), anyway. Anyhoo, my Chikorita DIDN'T eat his Berry. But you know what? After the fight, when I checked on him, HIS HEALTH WAS FULL! WTH?!

Anyhow, I started it over and let my Dad have it to play and see what he thinks.

Oh, and we haven't had a lock-up problem since around noon, actually. (That last time, I was pushing the cartridge a bit to make sure it was seated during the load-up, and it froze at the Ditto that turns into the Game Freak logo.)

EDIT: I know I've said it before, but that avatar is awesome. It just needed to be said again.

Thanks!

[mr_pikachu]

What the... yeah, that definitely sounds seriously messed-up. I assume the Berry wouldn't have brought Chikorita to full health even if it had been eaten... very, very strange. Sounds like the game isn't recognizing Pokemon HP levels properly. That would explain why Chikorita didn't eat the Berry and why it magically had full health after the battle.

As for the "berry threshold," I'm having a surprisingly hard time finding data on it, actually. I would assume it's somewhere between 25% and 50% HP, although it may vary depending on the specific item and the Pokemon holding it. (Imagine giving a Lv. 3 Rattata a Gold Berry... if it used the fruit while at 50% health, you'd likely be furious at it for being wasteful.) If your Pokemon was in the red, though, it probably should have used the item... and it definitely shouldn't have been healed without using it.

(Related question: Did you finish the battle with your rival in the same turn as the critical hit? If so, that might explain why the Berry wasn't used. My memory of the action order is rusty, but use of a healing item might be restricted to the "between turns" phase in GSC.)

[ssj4supernerd]

Who the fuck touches his/her game cartridge while the game is busy. Press in your game cartridge as firmly as you can, and then turn your game on, not the other way around. Otherwise, the game will surely freeze.


Dont know bout the HP thing tho.

[Starry Might]

What the... yeah, that definitely sounds seriously messed-up. I assume the Berry wouldn't have brought Chikorita to full health even if it had been eaten... very, very strange. Sounds like the game isn't recognizing Pokemon HP levels properly. That would explain why Chikorita didn't eat the Berry and why it magically had full health after the battle.

Yeah...I actually started a new game on the "Crystal" earlier, and when I did the Rival fight, my Chikorita didn't eat the Berry when the Cyndaquil put him into the yellow.

I saved before the fight, so I turned it off, turned it on again, did the fight, and the same thing happened.

As for the "berry threshold," I'm having a surprisingly hard time finding data on it, actually. I would assume it's somewhere between 25% and 50% HP, although it may vary depending on the specific item and the Pokemon holding it. (Imagine giving a Lv. 3 Rattata a Gold Berry... if it used the fruit while at 50% health, you'd likely be furious at it for being wasteful.) If your Pokemon was in the red, though, it probably should have used the item... and it definitely shouldn't have been healed without using it.

Yeah.

(Related question: Did you finish the battle with your rival in the same turn as the critical hit? If so, that might explain why the Berry wasn't used. My memory of the action order is rusty, but use of a healing item might be restricted to the "between turns" phase in GSC.)

Actually, yes...in all three cases, my Chikorita KO'd my Rival's Cyndaquil after he got wounded enough to technically use a Berry (the first two times I had the glitch, the Cyndaquil got a Critical Hit...not the third time, though).

BUT, that doesn't explain why in my "Gold" (which was dead for quite awhile but recently revitalized when my Dad replaced the battery ), my Cyndaquil ate his Berry when my Rival's Totodile put him in the yellow, though. (EDIT: Actually, I can't remember now if my Cyndaquil finished the fight right after that. :-/)

EDIT #2: Actually, there might be something to what you said. I just tested it again, and during the fight, my Chikorita used the Berry properly! Cyndaquil DIDN'T get knocked out that same turn. My Chikorita was at full health after the fight, though.

Before I say anymore, I want to ask: Is it illegal to talk about ROMs on the Forums (just talking about 'em, NOT telling people how to get 'em or providing 'em).

[Starry Might]

Thanks, anyway.

I'm now thinking the problem with the connection to the GBA may have been my fault (i.e. didn't have it all the way in properly). Earlier, I played it a bit with the GBA in its carrying case, and it was okay.

I'll keep playing it and see how it goes. I'm still open to answers (if any), though!