While that might sound hard for a normal Pokémon Platinum playthrough, it’s pretty much hell for a Nuzlocke run. This means that players will have to build their parties on the go, with little time for preparation or even strategy.
Everything from a level 100 Lugia to a level 1 Magikarp could be the first Pokémon you find in the wild. The Randomizer, much like the popular Universal Pokémon Randomizer, mixes all the content in Pokémon Platinum and gives players no clue of what they’re going to get. Imagine not knowing what level or species the first Pokémon of every area is going to be. The Pokémon Platinum Randomizer adds an extra layer of uncertainty to any Nuzlocke challenge run, making them all the more unpredictable and difficult. Now, what does a Randomizer have to do with Nuzlocke runs? Everything, actually. A Nuzlocke run is essentially a permadeath mode for Pokémon, giving veteran players of the franchise a taste of what playing a Fire Emblem game is like for a change. Some players have also taken to naming each Pokémon they catch as a third rule, but this has no bearing on the actual gameplay. If a Pokémon faints, they’re considered lost and must be released via a PC.Players may only catch the first Pokémon they encounter in a new area.
This challenge, originally created for Pokémon Ruby, involves handicapping yourself to a maximum degree, punishing players severely for any and all mistakes during battles. Veteran Pokémon Platinum players, or players from any other Pokémon game for that matter, must certainly have heard of Nuzlocke runs.