How two Pokemon Go players completed a two-year Gen 1 excellent throw challenge with strategic tips
The Epic Two-Year Pokemon Go Challenge
Two dedicated Pokemon Go enthusiasts embarked on an unprecedented gaming marathon that would test their skills and patience for over 730 days. Their mission: land perfect excellent throws on every single one of the original 150 Kanto region Pokemon.
What began as a casual challenge between friends transformed into an epic two-year quest requiring exceptional throwing precision and unwavering determination against Pokemon Go’s evolving spawn mechanics.
With more than 700 creatures now available in Niantic’s augmented reality phenomenon, the original 150 Kanto Pokemon represent the foundational collection that started the global franchise. These range from common early-game encounters to legendary beasts that demand perfect timing and skill to capture effectively.
Serious Pokemon Go players frequently create custom rule sets to elevate their gameplay beyond standard mechanics. These self-imposed challenges range from no-catch leveling strategies to region-specific completion quests that transform ordinary gameplay into extraordinary personal achievements requiring months of dedicated effort.
The Grueling Two-Year Journey
On August 24, 2020, Reddit user Amazing-Matter-2832 initiated this ambitious excellent throw challenge alongside their training partner. Neither anticipated this seemingly straightforward task would consume more than 24 months of persistent effort across multiple game seasons and biome rotations.
By September 2, 2022, the determined duo would proudly announce their completion on TheSilphRoad subreddit. Collaborating with friend Nams, they successfully executed flawless excellent throws on all 150 original Generation 1 Pokemon, documenting each achievement with meticulous precision.
The trainers revealed that approximately 80% of their challenge concluded within the initial ten-month period. By June 24, 2021, only five elusive Pokemon remained on their checklist. Three months later, that number narrowed dramatically to a single stubborn holdout: the notoriously difficult Dugtrio.
For the subsequent twelve months, both players maintained constant communication about Dugtrio sightings, desperately hoping Niantic would reintroduce the three-headed ground type to regular spawn rotations. Their persistence finally paid off when the developer responded to community spawning needs nearly a full year after their previous excellent throw milestone.
With the September 1 launch of Season of Light, Dugtrio reentered the wild spawn pool, enabling Amazing-Matter and Nams to conclusively finish their marathon challenge. Their celebration included creating a commemorative montage synchronizing all 150 excellent throws with the iconic ‘Pokerap’ from the animated series, perfectly memorializing their extraordinary accomplishment.
Excellent Throw Mastery Techniques
Mastering excellent throws requires understanding several advanced techniques that separate casual players from throwing experts. The circle lock method proves essential for consistent excellent throws on difficult Pokemon.
To execute the circle lock: wait until the colored capture circle reaches excellent size, then hold the Pokeball until the circle maintains that size. When the Pokemon attacks, spin your curveball and release during the attack animation when the circle cannot change size. This guarantees your throw lands within the predetermined circle dimensions.
Timing varies significantly between Pokemon species. Larger Pokemon like Snorlax and Onix provide generous excellent throw windows, while smaller targets like Pikachu and Diglett demand precise timing and smaller circle accuracy. Fast-moving Pokemon require anticipating their movement patterns and leading your throws accordingly.
Advanced players should practice on common spawns to build muscle memory before attempting rare encounters. Community Day events offer perfect opportunities to master specific Pokemon’s throwing mechanics through repeated encounters over several hours.
Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
Many players undermine their excellent throw attempts through predictable errors that become magnified during extended challenges. Understanding these pitfalls dramatically improves success rates.
Premature throwing represents the most frequent mistake. Impatient trainers often release their curveballs before the attack animation completes, resulting in missed circle locks. Always wait for the full attack cycle before executing your throw.
Circle size mismanagement causes consistent underperformance. Players frequently underestimate the excellent throw circle dimensions for smaller Pokemon or overcompensate with unnecessarily large circles on easier targets. Practice with common spawns to calibrate your circle size recognition.
Underestimating patience requirements leads to abandoned challenges. The Dugtrio scenario demonstrates how spawn rotations can create extended waiting periods. Successful challenge completion requires accepting that some Pokemon may not appear for months regardless of skill level.
Resource management errors include wasting premium balls on practice throws or attempting difficult excellent throws without appropriate berry support. Always stockpile resources during easier periods for challenging encounters.
Advanced Optimization Strategies
Seasoned Pokemon Go players can optimize their excellent throw challenges through strategic planning and systematic execution. These advanced approaches minimize completion time and frustration.
Event planning proves crucial for encountering rare Pokemon. Track upcoming events through official announcements and community resources. Spotlight Hours, Community Days, and seasonal rotations often feature otherwise uncommon Pokemon, providing limited windows for excellent throw attempts.
Create a detailed tracking system documenting your progress. Note which Pokemon require excellent throws, their difficulty levels, and optimal throwing strategies. Digital spreadsheets or dedicated Pokemon Go tracking apps help maintain organization across extended challenges.
Resource stockpiling becomes essential during waiting periods. Accumulate Pokeballs, berries, and other resources during easier phases to ensure preparedness when rare Pokemon finally appear. Never attempt difficult excellent throws without golden razz berries or silver pinap berries available.
Collaborate with local communities to share spawn information. The original challengers maintained constant communication about Dugtrio sightings, demonstrating how community networks can significantly reduce completion time.
Future Challenges and Community Impact
Although not part of their original challenge parameters, the extended timeline allowed both trainers to pursue special variant Pokemon hunting. They actively searched for specific Shiny and Shadow Pokemon throughout their journey, adding supplementary objectives that enhanced their overall gaming experience.
The challengers concluded their announcement by revealing plans for an even more ambitious sequel project. Once they successfully collect every available Kanto region Shiny Pokemon, they intend to launch version two of their excellent throw challenge, applying hard-won lessons from their initial marathon endeavor.
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This extraordinary challenge demonstrates how self-imposed objectives can transform mobile gaming into meaningful long-term pursuits. Their achievement inspires the broader Pokemon Go community to create personalized challenges that extend beyond standard gameplay mechanics, fostering deeper engagement with the augmented reality experience.
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