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-2020 was a fun speed year. Branched myself out into a lot of categories that I just enjoy a lot. Ended with all the main category Pokemon WRs I care about too (Gen 4 + B2W2), so I feel in a very good place at the moment.
+The end of the year means reflecting on what really matters, what PBs were achieved in year. So, here are my PB's from 2021, listed in chronological order:
 
-There's no doubt that All Gold Prints was the run of the year. On a technical standpoint, I think it's without a doubt the best impressive run I've ever done. There's now very few big projects left on my list that I feel I need to accomplish in speedrunning.
+Pokemon Heart Gold
 Caterpie+ Alt Main in 4:16:21 | Run: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dxOOLEbqVRk
 The first Alt Main of the year, Caterpie+ was a fantastic journey and one of my favs to run. Really pleased with how the routing turned out for this one, is a good watch imo.
-Without further ado, here are my PB's from 2020, listed in chronological order:
+
 Sonic 1 2013
-Pokemon White 2
+Tails in 12:33 | Run: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KcSRMA1O4QI
-Challenge Mode in 3:14:41 | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VpPI6ep7Dbk
+This run was fun, and I've really enjoyed putting some time into the 2013 remakes over the past couple of years. However it must be said, the absolutely petulant actions of the previous record holder after this is still something that has absolutely soured the experience for me, and has definitely solidified my decision to not directly interact with the Sonic community while they are still around. Truly sad stuff.
-Started off with a very nice run. I've always preferred Challenge Mode. It takes about 3 minutes more, but is just way more interesting in the fights you get. This run was really good, and would be very hard to beat.
+
 Pokemon Stadium 2
-Pokemon White 2
+Round 2 Challenge Cups in 2:37:42 | Run: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mWPqIE7UqQ8
-Any% in 3:12:35 | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vSD2-cvYpNo
+Challenge Cups is always is a 'break' category that I use as a buffer between routing more serious categories. It's always a bit of crazy fun, but because every run is so different it doesn't need any planning, so it's great for a pickup and play. Manged to get 1 PB this year, decent chance these will keep coming, because I do still like using this intermittently.
-So when I got the over Challenge Mode PB, it was actually *better* than my Normal Mode PB. I figured I had to go back and correct that at least. Ended up getting what's still the record. But this run definitely has more leeway, it's actually ridiculous no one has a 3:11 here yet.
+
 Pokemon Platinum
 Manipless in 4:04:22 | Run: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pVbP6Z22PF4
-Alt Main Poke: Bidoof+ in 4:06:34 | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kBhOXDJwc60
+Manipless as a category has taken off more for HG/SS, but it did spill over into Platinum a bit too. I went into this race blind, with no idea what I was going to do, and ended up actually using Kazza for the run. It's by far not the best option (Infernape / Empoleon are better for a "best" time), but this run is *still* actually the best race time so far, which is pretty damn cool.
-This started my charge on Alt Main Pokes. My love of routing is basically endless, but the longer you play the main categories, the less routing there is to do. So looking at Alt Main Pokes I think was inevitable for me at some point. And boy has it been fun. This is one of the alt runs I may return to at some stage, because the run itself was probably the worst of the bunch while I just wanted to push through and finish one.
+
 Pokemon Heart Gold
-Pokemon Stadium 2
+Rocky Alt Main in 4:42:09 | Run: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tgsvG9ZkeOQ
-All Challenge Cups in 4:50:29 | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AnacWbD1ROA
+Oh Rocky... by far the *worst* Alt Main I've done so far, but that doesn't mean the least fun. Everyone loves Rocky, there's nothing else to say without telling you to watch the run.
-This run has proved an excellent "bridge run", where in between routing run runs and new categories, I can just switch on the N64 and play this category. It's very fun, requires no pre-preparation, and is also not easy. I'm sure I'll beat this run at some stage as I continue to use it as a bridge, but I love that I've discovered it.
+
 Pokemon White 2
 Baton Pass in 4:07:28 | Run: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QXko-5TqSEE
-Alt Main Poke: Dratini+ in 4:15:04 | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NPzCo_eC8oM
+This might be the most fun category I routed and ran this year. "Baton Pass" is a category where you use different Pokemon for every "Main" fight, those being Gym Leaders, E4/Champ, and Ghetsis. Which leads to some great fun, as which Pokes you use actually vary every run depending on what you encounter and catch. Was really fun to do a few times, and wouldn't mind doing it more again in the future.
-The next Alt Main I took on, this run was much better.
+
 Pokemon Heart Gold
-Pokemon Fire Red
+Kenya Alt Main in 4:10:17 | Run: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HvdNeoOlxIg
-Alt Main Poke: CH'DING in 2:31:16 | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UUFiutRAL6c
+Another Alt Main, one we did as a race actually. Did a second race of it too, which is where this PB is from, because basically everyone had an invalid run from the first race by accident. This is probably the least optimised of my Alt Mains because it was done in a race rather than during attempts, so I might come back and improve this one in the future. Was very fun as a race though, one of the best races of all time.
-After I decided to do Alt Mains, I went looking to other games to see if I could get some mileage out of them. Fire Red has been a very dead game to me for a while because of the allowance of programs that make the run real shit. But the traded mons don't need any of that, so it opened me up to a great Alt Mon - Farfetch'd! He goes a bit better than I thought too, was a fun time.
+
 Pokemon Soul Silver
-Sonic the Fighters
+Any% Glitchless in 3:33:08 | Run: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S97OXASdYZ4
-Sonic in 3'01'01 | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OyXKfoT1oSE
+This was the only "Main" category Pokemon PB I got this year. Which is not a huge surprised, HG/SS is just my game, so of all the games I can still bare to grind out, it's gonna be this one. And while I did manage to improve the record here, I'm sure I'll improve it further again in the future too.
-Almost an exactly yearly tradition is someone coming to this game and beating one (or in this case, two) of my times here. I deliberately don't improve them too much to encourage competition this way, as it fuels as a good motivation for this game. Enjoyed coming back and getting the records back, but especially Sonic.
+
 Pokemon Heart Gold
-Sonic the Fighters
+Manipless in 3:46:29 | Run: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KNBNgFZcLUw
-Tails in 4'09'41 | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ehIfMqkXcY8
+This category has probably been the best thing that has happened to the Pokemon speedrun community over the past 13 months. It's such a great race category, and super inviting to new runners. And that's been proven, as we've seen quite a number of runners take up the category, participate in the races, and several of them getting into the community further and moving onto other categories too.
-Tails is basically Sonic-Lite and is probably my least favourite character to play.
+For me, it's purely been a race category, and my PB is just the best run I got in a race where I never reset or quit. As evidenced by the fact that in this PB, I lose the very first fight lmao.
 
-WarioWare Inc
+Most importantly in regards to this category, it took off so much that we actually had a tournament of it, that finished just 2 weeks ago. And I was lucky enough to win that, will be flaunting pictures with my trophy once I pick it up in a few days.
-All Stages in 40:32 | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gjaNaeuiXt8
+
-I'll be honest, I don't even remember doing this run, haha. All Stages is just a continuation of Any% (which is 29 or so minutes long), so I just came back and did a quick run so it had a reasonable run on the leaderboard.
+Sonic 2 2013
 Sonic in 16:31 | Run: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hjIojdk5BWE
-Pokemon Pearl
+Had a lot of fun with Sonic 2 2013 this year. Really showed me how much I like this version of the game, and how much I can enjoy Sonic games when I can just sit with them by myself and work on new stuff myself. Will probably improve more in future, because this game is just fun.
-Any% in 57:06 | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yL6yu3FOFlU
+
-This was the Gen 4 main series category WR I expected I lose first, and it was. But I always thought due to it's grindy nature that I wouldn't return to beat it back. But I was wrong, because I ended up bridge the gap not on grinding, but on routing. Found a new path and different approach to items and such (no marts) that allowed me to cut off enough time in routing to get the record back.
+Sonic 2 2013
 Best Ending in 36:51 | Run: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pPdDpfN1XTw
 Moved on to some more categories for this game I had so much fun with it. Getting All the Emeralds was fun to route and do, the Special Stages are cool in this game and you get some good use out of Super too. But optimising it is a bit of a bore because of how long the Special Stages do take themselves. Which leads straight into...
-Any% Glitchless in 3:40:01 | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qbv7Bu7D1-k
+
-This run...I can't even describe it. It's astounding to me that a main category in a main series Pokemon game has the runner just pickup the Hail TM for no reason. Definitely the most hilariously cooked run of all time that just somehow got through.
+Sonic 2 2013
 New Game+ in 15:56 | Run: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V72uGImuQ3k
 Probably my favourite category, maybe in any Sonic game. Being able to start with the Emeralds gives you straight access to Super, who is really fun to use in this game. Got a pretty decent run really quickly here, but I'm sure I'll come back and have some more fun with this in the future when I come back to the game.
-Alt Main Poke: Dunsparce in 4:19:02 | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_2pel5pZD30
+
-Maybe the most fun Alt I've done so far - Dunsparce has all the right characteristics for an Alt Main. Fun, has novelty value, acquired very early, not that great in battle but still serviceable enough at all point of the game to make it through without grinding. Loved it.
+Pokemon White 2
 Complete PWT in 9:46:21 | Run: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qUeKiTmmK9w
 Without a doubt the most expansive category I routed this year. Akin to the Battle Frontier runs on Gen 3/4, and took a similar amount of routing time. This is a speedrun I've wanted to do for many many years, and finally piecing it all together was without a doubt the most satisfying run of this year. So many variables to solve, and the run itself is so, so fun. I might actually come back and do this again in the future, because it really is brilliant.
-Alt Main Poke: Starly+ in 3:47:59 | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NJ3sFwsB13s
+
 Pokemon Shining Pearl
 any% in 17:17 | Run: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NkiRNzmEz2o
-Sonic Megamix
+This run itself probably isn't very special at all, but what it represents is something quite beautiful. The two weeks after this game came out were by far the most fun I've ever had with a new game. Breaking the game apart with a bunch of maybe 3 dozen people rotating through Discord calls with new discoveries and ideas, and doing a new run with a new route every single day was just phenomenal. A truly special experience I won't ever forget.
-Mighty in 21:52 | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QBw_ASOC6nY
+
-While I'd done a reasonable run with Sonic/Tails/Shadow, there were still 2 chars I hadn't taken seriously in this game yet. But now they are both done, and I can probably bid farewell to what has been a fun journey with game.
+
 4 Trainer Star in 6:29:01 | Run: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HpVny5EdczM
-Sonic Megamix
+And finally, a Trainer Star run. Another type of run I've wanted to do for many, many years. But the game I'd marked for it (Emerald) I was originally planning to do with glitches to get them all, but then the glitches became too powerful that it was broken and boring. But HG/SS once again provides a great run for this category, and this run itself was great, had so many clutch moments. Satisfied with this one
-Knuckles in 23:24 | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lM_UlU67C78
+
-Knuckles definitely the hardest character in this game. After finishing with him, and now getting a more reasonable run with all the characters, I doubt I'll return to this game again.
+Pokemon Fire Red
 Trainer Tower in 4:07:17 | Run: https://www.twitch.tv/videos/1248239040
 The final run of the year I've snuck in. Nice to find another way to play and have fun with Fire Red, always loved the 60 Poke requirement in a speedrun setting, so getting a way to get that into a run with a different completionist finish was great. And the way it works is certainly a bit of a comical surprise too, so pretty fun!
-Battle Factory - Open Level Gold, No Manip in 2:11:59 | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ghFoc99d4wc
+
 --
 
-All Gold Prints in 10:31:59 | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uo_59YiIFPk
+And here are my marathon runs from 2021:
 
 AusSpeedruns - ASM 2021:
-Alt Main Poke: Chikorita+ in 4:01:56 | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qgKRIowMxHY
+Pokemon Heart Gold - Manipless race with JT | Run: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hZ_qxlnXDG8
 
-Pokemon Stadium
+Sonic 2 2013 - Sonic | Run: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-E6By9B8FSE
-Complete the Game in 19:41:57 | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6g-V7prG9zA
+
 Pax Aus 2021:
 Pokemon White 2 - Complete PWT | Run: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RPyLJ7Lsufs
-Alt Main Poke: Mareep+ in 3:44:54 | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cLYW1Ew4TcI
+
 All 3 of these runs were great fun, and really happy with how they all went. The PWT run in particular was incredible, not just because of doing a 10 hour marathon run, but how it went was actually amazing to get it back under estimate was so good.
 
-Any% Glitchless in 3:34:28 | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z0MuYWEa6VE
+
 
 And then of course the huge amount of IL stuff that I always do, but won't post it all here because there's just so much of it.
-Manipless in 3:54:17 | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-9j5RXrRlEA#t=13m
+So that was 2021. More fun ahead in 2022!