I didn't see a thread about this, but god damn if this isn't more addicting than the contests (musicals don't even fucking count as a side game, let's face it) ever were. You actually have to get good at the games to unlock each room in turn, which is the main component of said ability to addict.
Feel free to share tips, tricks, lineups, Aprijuice mixes, possibly even some personal records. My records are from back before BW came out, when I apparently knew what I was doing in these things. Pokeathlon FOREVER!!
Okay, my records:
Course Records
Speed: 543 with Suicune, Raikou and Mewtwo (137, 150, 196, +60)
Power: 553 with Registeel, Groudon and Regirock (160, 177, 155 +61)
Skill: 527 with Suicune, Sandshrew and Magmar (192, 145, 120 +70)
Stamina: 565 with Lugia, Mewtwo and Raikou (200, 195, 131 +39)
Jump: 484 with Ho-oh, Zubat and Togekiss (141, 132, 133 +78)
Event Records
Hurdle Dash: 78.7 seconds/146 total (Suicune, Mewtwo, Jirachi)
Pennant Capture: 51 flags/153 total (Rattata, Lugia, Raikou)
Circle Push: 61 points/183 total (Kangaskhan, Snorlax, Lugia)
Block Smash: 160 pieces/160 total (Registeel, Groudon, Regirock)
Disc Catch: 90 points/135 total (Suicune, Lugia, Jirachi)
Lamp Jump: 545 points/155 total (Zubat, Ho-oh, Lugia)
Relay Run: 20.4 laps/200 total (Suicune, Mewtwo, Jirachi)
Ring Drop: 200 points/200 total (Lugia, Mewtwo, Clefairy)
Snow Throw: 75 hits/200 total (Registeel, Regirock, Groudon)
Goal Roll: 13 points/165 total (Snorlax, Mewtwo, Jirachi)
Some things I do remember:
-The highest possible Circle Push score is 66, for a maximum event score of 198. (thanks Dark Ray and Wyrms Eye!)
-You can't score more than 200 points in a given event.
-Stamina factors into how long it takes your Pokemon to recover after crashing into an obstacle or each other, which is important to some extent in every event. Don't skimp on that stat!
-In Snow Throw, prioritize hitting the team to your left, as they're the easiest targets. A flick of the stylus upward will send the ball in their general direction: Skill is what gauges the speed of the throw.
-There is a pattern to the hurdles. Given three Pokemon of the same speed rating with the same amount of speed boosts, they will encounter hurdles in a certain order except for about halfway in, when the order is reversed. Trying and failing to adjust to this switcheroo can kill many a good run, so don't go overboard with the precisely timed jumps early on in order to give yourself time to react to that. There is a bonus for not hitting any hurdles!
-Have a Pokemon with good speed in the third slot when doing the Jump Course. For Disc Catch, that Pokemon will start in the back row, where catches are worth more points, and high speed will let it get to where it needs to go.
-There are different layouts for the relay and flag courses, and some are definitely more challenging to do well on than others. You can score many fine victories by having a general idea of the different obstacle patterns and how to efficiently move around on each one.
-I never really had much of an issue with winning Ring Drop, but if you slide the stylus over a Pokemon after tapping it to have it jump into the air, it will move in midair before coming down.
-Holy shit, Goal Roll is HARD. One strategy mentioned in the game is to keep one Pokemon back as a defender, one attacking the goal you want to score at and one in the middle for flexibility. Given the size of the field and the fact that there are twelve mons attacking four goals running around it (and two balls after a certain period of time, including gold balls that score 2 points when they're kicked in!), the game quickly degrades into total chaos.
-Teams of legendary Pokemon with good all-around stats may net low Challenge Bonuses, but they have the best chance of snagging individual bonuses. If multiple Pokemon are tied for the honor of getting an individual bonus, they all get it, so this just might give you the edge you need in the final tally.
-Apparently Whitney is not only a talented Gym Leader, she's also a formidable enough Pokeathlete that she's available as an opponent in the higher-level contests. Talk to the woman on the left to gain access to this higher tier of opposition...the prize for winning is 300 athlete points instead of the normal 100.
Feel free to share tips, tricks, lineups, Aprijuice mixes, possibly even some personal records. My records are from back before BW came out, when I apparently knew what I was doing in these things. Pokeathlon FOREVER!!
Okay, my records:
Course Records
Speed: 543 with Suicune, Raikou and Mewtwo (137, 150, 196, +60)
Power: 553 with Registeel, Groudon and Regirock (160, 177, 155 +61)
Skill: 527 with Suicune, Sandshrew and Magmar (192, 145, 120 +70)
Stamina: 565 with Lugia, Mewtwo and Raikou (200, 195, 131 +39)
Jump: 484 with Ho-oh, Zubat and Togekiss (141, 132, 133 +78)
Event Records
Hurdle Dash: 78.7 seconds/146 total (Suicune, Mewtwo, Jirachi)
Pennant Capture: 51 flags/153 total (Rattata, Lugia, Raikou)
Circle Push: 61 points/183 total (Kangaskhan, Snorlax, Lugia)
Block Smash: 160 pieces/160 total (Registeel, Groudon, Regirock)
Disc Catch: 90 points/135 total (Suicune, Lugia, Jirachi)
Lamp Jump: 545 points/155 total (Zubat, Ho-oh, Lugia)
Relay Run: 20.4 laps/200 total (Suicune, Mewtwo, Jirachi)
Ring Drop: 200 points/200 total (Lugia, Mewtwo, Clefairy)
Snow Throw: 75 hits/200 total (Registeel, Regirock, Groudon)
Goal Roll: 13 points/165 total (Snorlax, Mewtwo, Jirachi)
Some things I do remember:
-The highest possible Circle Push score is 66, for a maximum event score of 198. (thanks Dark Ray and Wyrms Eye!)
-You can't score more than 200 points in a given event.
-Stamina factors into how long it takes your Pokemon to recover after crashing into an obstacle or each other, which is important to some extent in every event. Don't skimp on that stat!
-In Snow Throw, prioritize hitting the team to your left, as they're the easiest targets. A flick of the stylus upward will send the ball in their general direction: Skill is what gauges the speed of the throw.
-There is a pattern to the hurdles. Given three Pokemon of the same speed rating with the same amount of speed boosts, they will encounter hurdles in a certain order except for about halfway in, when the order is reversed. Trying and failing to adjust to this switcheroo can kill many a good run, so don't go overboard with the precisely timed jumps early on in order to give yourself time to react to that. There is a bonus for not hitting any hurdles!
-Have a Pokemon with good speed in the third slot when doing the Jump Course. For Disc Catch, that Pokemon will start in the back row, where catches are worth more points, and high speed will let it get to where it needs to go.
-There are different layouts for the relay and flag courses, and some are definitely more challenging to do well on than others. You can score many fine victories by having a general idea of the different obstacle patterns and how to efficiently move around on each one.
-I never really had much of an issue with winning Ring Drop, but if you slide the stylus over a Pokemon after tapping it to have it jump into the air, it will move in midair before coming down.
-Holy shit, Goal Roll is HARD. One strategy mentioned in the game is to keep one Pokemon back as a defender, one attacking the goal you want to score at and one in the middle for flexibility. Given the size of the field and the fact that there are twelve mons attacking four goals running around it (and two balls after a certain period of time, including gold balls that score 2 points when they're kicked in!), the game quickly degrades into total chaos.
-Teams of legendary Pokemon with good all-around stats may net low Challenge Bonuses, but they have the best chance of snagging individual bonuses. If multiple Pokemon are tied for the honor of getting an individual bonus, they all get it, so this just might give you the edge you need in the final tally.
-Apparently Whitney is not only a talented Gym Leader, she's also a formidable enough Pokeathlete that she's available as an opponent in the higher-level contests. Talk to the woman on the left to gain access to this higher tier of opposition...the prize for winning is 300 athlete points instead of the normal 100.