Bug-Catching Contest glitch
The Bug-Catching Contest glitch (Japanese: 虫取りバグ Bug-Catching Bug) is a glitch found in both versions 1.0 and 1.1 of the Japanese releases of Pokémon Gold and Silver. The glitch was fixed in the international releases and in all versions of Pokémon Crystal.
Returning to Bug-Catching Contest
The Bug-Catching Contest is treated as still ongoing if the player uses Fly or Teleport to leave the National Park during the contest. If the player returns and enters the National Park gate, the contest attendant will ask if they are leaving early. Answering はい yes will properly end the contest, while answering いいえ no will send the player back to the park to continue with the contest.
Copying Pokémon data
This glitch can be used to copy Pokémon data. While this is similar to the cloning glitches, this glitch does not allow for a perfect copy of any Pokémon. It instead copies the Pokémon data structure of one Pokémon, including factors such as the name, experience, level and DVs of the Pokémon but with one half of the data belonging to another Pokémon.
This method can be used to generate Shiny Pokémon as these glitch Pokémon will be Shiny if the sixth Pokémon in the party was Shiny.
Method
Before attempting the glitch, the player must have six Pokémon in the party, one of which must be able to use Fly or Teleport in the overworld.
Note that while the glitch can still be performed with three to five Pokémon in the party, data for the new Pokémon may be copied from data previously created by the glitch instead of from the sixth Pokémon in the party.
- Step 1: the player must position the Pokémon that knows Fly or Teleport in the first slot of the party, the Pokémon whose species is to be copied in the second slot, and the Pokémon whose data is to be copied in the sixth slot
- Step 2: all of the Pokémon in the party must be deposited into the Pokémon Storage System except for the first two (starting with the third Pokémon in the party and ending in the sixth one)
- Step 3: enter the Bug-Catching Contest on a Tuesday, Thursday, or Saturday. Once in the contest, the player must proceed to the front or side exits
- Step 4: when asked about quitting the contest, the player must reply with いいえ no, then use Fly or Teleport to leave the National Park
- Step 5: deposit the second Pokémon in the party into the Pokémon Storage System
- Step 6: save the game and reboot
- Step 7: return to the National Park and talk to the guard at the front or side entrances and then quit the contest (if the player has walked through the front entrance, they will walk down through the carpet and outside of the map)
After the results of the contest are announced, the player will receive a copy of the sixth Pokémon in the party with the species of the second Pokémon. The player can now withdraw the original Pokémon that was placed second in the party during Step 1 from the Pokémon Storage System.
Result
Performing this glitch will cause a new Pokémon to appear in the party that is of the same species as the Pokémon that was in the second slot while performing the glitch. The remaining data for the new Pokémon will be copied from the Pokémon which was placed sixth in the party; this includes its name, gender, type(s), sprites, current moves, stats and DVs.
If the Pokémon evolves, it will have the correct name, sprites, and stats for its species but if the player deposits the Pokémon in the Pokémon Day Care, it will revert to the species it was prior to the glitch.
Since DVs are copied from the Pokémon that was placed sixth in the party to the new Pokémon data, it will be Shiny if that Pokémon was Shiny.
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