Editor’s Note
This article highlights a high-level speedrun achievement in “Pokémon Emerald,” where a former world #1 player secured the second-fastest glitchless clear time through advanced techniques like RNG manipulation.
A former world #1 player has demonstrated a serious playthrough in a Real-Time Attack (RTA) aiming for the fastest clear of ‘Pokémon Emerald’ without using glitches.
By employing various advanced techniques such as RNG manipulation and recreating specific situations for each Pokémon’s individual values (IVs), they achieved a clear time of approximately 2 hours and 30 minutes.
This speedrun was the world’s second-fastest record at the time and continues to be highly regarded on international record-keeping sites.
The video features a challenge in the “Any%-Glitchless” category for the Game Boy Advance classic ‘Pokémon Emerald’.
While the Any% category focuses solely on reaching the end credits as fast as possible, this RTA run strictly prohibits the use of any glitches, aiming for the fastest clear using only the game’s intended mechanics.
RNG manipulation is permitted in this category, and the run utilizes it extensively to reach the ending in just about 2.5 hours.
The record showcased was achieved in March 2021 and was the world record at that time. Although it has since been surpassed (as of September 2025), it still holds the world’s second-place position on international speedrun leaderboards.
The video, commented by the runner themselves, details the techniques used to clear a game that typically takes over 20 hours in just 2.5 hours.
The run involves resetting the game just before choosing a starter Pokémon, timing the selection of Mudkip to secure one with strong IVs and to recreate a situation where the rival’s Zigzagoon can be defeated with two Tackle attacks.
This use of RNG for situation recreation continues, with techniques shown to avoid wild Pokémon encounters entirely on the route to the first rival battle by observing NPC movement patterns and adjusting walking paths through grass.
Part 2 of the video shows precise execution for reliable Pokémon capture, involving dashing through specific grass patches, walking before certain trainers, and throwing Poké Balls at exact timings.
Beyond these, the run features techniques to minimize encounters and navigate dark caves without using Flash.
Battles against Gym Leaders and rivals have a significant luck factor, and the video includes moments where the player prays for fortune to be on their side.
This completed RTA, which held the world record for four years, showcases a multitude of deep gameplay techniques.