How to Unlock Every Legendary and Mythical Pokémon in Pokémon Pokopia

Spoiler warning: this guide covers important requests, Dream Islands, the Bubbly Basin DLC and several late-game discoveries.

Pokémon Pokopia includes 14 legendary and mythical Pokémon. Some can become island residents, while others only appear as visitors or register in the Pokédex. These rare Pokémon also provide a larger Environment Level boost, making them useful additions to carefully planned habitats.

For broader island-building advice, RETROCADE readers can also consult our arcade and gaming blog and arcade machine buying guide.

Kyogre

Finish the “Yawn up a Storm!” important request to register Kyogre in the Pokédex. Kyogre may later call from the water and bring rain to different areas, but it cannot move in as a regular resident.

Raikou, Entei and Suicune

Raikou is added to the Pokédex after the “Brighten Things Up!” request, but all three legendary beasts can become residents when discovered on the right Dream Islands:

• Raikou: Ocean Dream Island, reached with the Pikachu doll. Look for a cave room enclosed by metal blocks.
• Entei: Volcanic Dream Island, reached with the Arcanine doll. Its room is surrounded by lava rocks.
• Suicune: Wasteland Dream Island, reached with the Eevee doll. Its room is made from ice.

Search the deeper caves and watch for cracked, breakable brown rocks. Their presence is encouraging but does not guarantee that the cave leads to a legendary Pokémon. The Pokédex can help: set registration to “all” and location to “in this area”. A Pokémon on the current Dream Island appears as a question mark, unless the story has already registered it.

Dream Island visits are limited to one per day, and these encounters can be very rare. Ditto and Substitute dolls can send you to random islands; the specific dolls above are better when targeting one beast. Time travel is another option if you want to make repeated attempts.

Volcanion

Complete “Time to Party!” to register Volcanion. To recruit it, repeat the party in Rocky Ridges and launch a firework during the celebration.

1. Buy another cooking pot from the PC shop for 100 coins.
2. Place it where the original Rocky Ridges party took place.
3. Add 15 Leppa Berries, 15 wheat, 15 beans and 5 honey.
4. Bring Chef Dente and four other Pokémon to help cook.
5. Raise the mood to 100 with decorations or Pokémon that have the Hype specialty.
6. Cook the curry and wait about seven minutes.
7. Begin the party once the curry is ready.
8. Craft a cannon using 1 iron ingot, 1 lumber and 1 vine rope, then load a firework made from 1 Pokémetal, 1 sturdy stick, 1 glowing stone and 1 paint.
9. Fire the cannon during the party. Volcanion should appear and can then follow you into a house or habitat.

Articuno, Zapdos and Moltres

The three legendary birds appear when you construct their enormous building kits. The kits are found on pedestals in Palette Town. Place each kit in a suitable open area before building: the finished structures are huge and cannot be moved normally. Relocating one later requires demolishing it block by block.

• Articuno — Freezing Chambers: 50 stone, 50 ice, 10 crystals and 10 Pokémetal. The ice can be found through the waterfall beneath the kit. You also need 1 Build Pokémon, 1 Water Pokémon, 1 Fly Pokémon, 1 Crush Pokémon and 11 other Pokémon.
• Zapdos — Abandoned Power Plant: 50 copper ingots, 50 iron ingots, 50 sea glass fragments, 50 bricks and 10 Pokémetal. You need 1 Build Pokémon, 1 Generate Pokémon, 1 Fly Pokémon, 1 Crush Pokémon and 11 other Pokémon.
• Moltres — Altar of Flame: 50 copper ingots, 50 gold ingots, 50 lava stone and 10 Pokémetal. You need 1 Build Pokémon, 1 Burn Pokémon, 1 Fly Pokémon, 1 Crush Pokémon and 11 other Pokémon.

These buildings are not habitats. Entering the completed structure registers the relevant bird, but the Pokémon remains homeless until you provide a house or habitat.

Lugia

After registering Articuno, Zapdos and Moltres, you learn the Tidal Bell recipe. Craft it with 5 rare Pokémetal and 5 Silver Feathers, then ring it while Lugia is flying overhead. Lugia will descend and register in the Pokédex, but it does not become a conventional island resident.

Lugia is easier to spot during cloudy or rainy weather. A Rain Dance site habitat can change the weather and improve your chances.

Ho-oh

Register Suicune, Raikou and Entei to unlock the Clear Bell recipe. The bell requires 5 rare Pokémetal and 5 Rainbow Feathers. Ring it while Ho-oh is flying nearby to bring the legendary Pokémon down for a conversation and Pokédex registration.

Ho-oh is most likely to appear under sunny or clear skies, including clear conditions at night. A Sunny Day site habitat can help create the required weather. Serebii.net’s legendary Pokémon reference also lists these bell requirements.

Mewtwo

Complete “Rebuild the Huge Building!” before searching for Mewtwo. It appears in a cave on a Sky Dream Island, which you can target with a Dragonite doll. Ditto and Substitute dolls may also take you there at random.

Look for an industrial-looking section inside the cave. Mewtwo’s appearance is random, so finding the correct island and cave may take several attempts.

Mew

Mew becomes available after you find every mysterious slate and place them in the Unown shrine beneath the Withered Wasteland. Reach the shrine by breaking through the sandstone wall northeast of the Withered Wasteland Pokémon Center.

Phione

Phione is exclusive to the Bubbly Basin DLC’s Dream Island. The Starmie doll, obtained during the DLC story, provides access. Swim around the central island and search for cave entrances. Phione is inside underwater ruins made from bricks and red moss, with the exact cave encounter remaining random.

Manaphy

In the Bubbly Basin DLC, Manaphy joins your island after you clear the main story and finish the “Build the beautiful building!” request. You must first find the Starmie doll and the ocean doors needed for the construction.

The palace is not a true habitat or house, despite Manaphy sleeping there. Move Manaphy into a proper home or habitat, otherwise the Environment Level screen will still mark it as homeless.

Quick checklist for rare Pokémon

• Complete the important requests linked to Kyogre, Raikou, Volcanion and Mewtwo.
• Use targeted Dream Island dolls when hunting Raikou, Entei, Suicune or Mewtwo.
• Check the Pokédex filters before leaving a Dream Island.
• Plan enough open space for the legendary bird building kits.
• Remember that registration does not always mean the Pokémon can become a resident.
• For more hands-on gaming projects, browse RETROCADE’s DIY arcade kits and arcade parts.