Match the Signature Move (Gen I) Quiz

Answer: Super Fang

The Raticate line is the only one that can learn this incredibly situational move. If Super Fang hits an opponent, it will do exactly half the opponent's current HP as damage, rounded down. As a result, this can be a very strong move if facing a very defensive Pokemon with full health, but close to useless if facing a weak or very low-health Pokemon.

The Raticate line has another signature move, Hyper Fang.

Answer: Spore

This move has 100% accuracy (disregarding the notorious Generation I miss, of course) in Generation I, and continues to be the only sleep move with such high accuracy even decades after the release of "Pokemon Red and Blue". Given that no other Pokemon were themed around mushrooms in the first generation, the Bug/Grass Paras and its evolution Parasect are the only two Pokemon that can use it.

It is perhaps fitting that these two Pokemon are so weak, because such a powerful move would be devastating in the hands of stronger Pokemon.

Answer: Kinesis

As far as signature moves go, this is one of the worst ones. The move lowers the opponent's accuracy, but doesn't hit with nearly the same consistency as Flash, an HM move that the Psychic-type Alakazam and its evolutionary relatives, Abra, and Kadabra, can learn easily.

However, Alakazam's destructive power in Generation I did not need any further buffs, and while this is a poor choice of signature move, it does not reduce its viability competitively in any tangible way.

Answer: Night Shade

The Ghost-Poison Gengar will rarely utilize this move competitively, but its evolutionary line's signature move can have some niche applications. Both Gastly and Haunter, Gengar's pre-evolutions, can use this move early on in the game to bring down defensive Pokemon, because Night Shade reduces the opponent's health by the attacker's level.

It does not take into account defensive or attacking stats.

Answer: Crabhammer

The move is very similar to the free HM move Surf which is widely regarded as the only viable competitive HM to use in the first Generation. However, due to Generation I's critical hit mechanics, the Water-type Krabby and Kingler's signature move will result in a critical hit more often than not.

The second generation would correct the critical hit mechanics to nerf moves exactly like this one.

Answer: Bone Club

The Ground-type Pokemon and its first stage, Cubone are central to the story as the player visits a graveyard where the ghost of a mother Marowak is looking over its son. Both Ground-type Pokemon share this signature Ground-type move, as well Bonemerang.

Answer: Hi Jump Kick

The kicking fighting-type monster has three signature moves in the first generation: Jump Kick, Hi Jump Kick, and Rolling Kick. The etymology of Hitmonlee derives from "Hitting Monster Bruce Lee" while its punching counterpart Hitmonchan derives from "Hitting Monster Jackie Chan".

Answer: Lovely Kiss

The normal type move can only be used by Jynx, an Ice/Psychic type Pokemon that is also the only Pokemon in the first generation aside from Hitmonchan that can learn Ice Punch. Lovely Kiss will put the opponent to sleep with 75% accuracy.

Answer: Splash

The notoriously powerful Water/Flying type does not resemble its weak Water-type first stage Magikarp in any tangible way, but it does inherit this exceptionally useless move, Splash, even though it has no reason to use it. The effects of Splash are best illustrated with the sentence "No effect!" right after it's used.

Answer: Twinneedle

Alongside Pin Missile and Leech Life, this is one of three damaging Bug-type moves introduced in the first generation. Neither Weedle or Kakuna, Beedrill's first and second stages respectively, can learn this move - no matter how high their level gets, they will not be able to learn it unless they have evolved into a Beedrill.