Pokémon Pokopia’s first major paid DLC, Bubbly Basin, has been available for less than a week, yet players have already discovered a way to remove almost all the water from its mostly submerged new region. The result is a surprisingly practical stretch of dry land for land-based Pokémon—and potentially bad news for the area’s water types.
A Reddit player shared screenshots of the altered area, calling it Bubble-less Basin. The method leaves only four water sources behind. Comments suggest those remaining pools are located in quest-related areas, including the sound stage and the watermelon patch. They may become removable once their associated quests are finished.
How Pokémon react to a waterless Basin
The experiment raises an obvious question: what happens to fish and other water-type Pokémon when the ocean disappears? The answer appears to be more forgiving than expected. Several distinctly aquatic Pokémon were moved onto the exposed land in-game, and they seemed perfectly comfortable there.
The reverse test produced a different result. Water types such as Magikarp, even when they were not native to Bubbly Basin, appeared to enjoy being underwater. Land-based Pokémon placed beneath the surface, however, reacted badly and quickly left rather than attempting to swim.
Snorlax could not be tested properly because it apparently would not fit inside the submarine and failed to spawn. Magby responded in the same way as Flareon, suggesting that the game’s reactions may be tied to a Pokémon’s suitability for the environment rather than simply its type.
A familiar Pokémon rule with a new twist
This behaviour fits Pokémon’s long-running, sometimes inconsistent approach to environmental survival. Since the first generation, creatures such as Goldeen and Magikarp have been usable on land, or at least sent into ordinary battles without major difficulty.
Underwater exploration became part of the series in Generation 3, but the games did not introduce underwater battles or suggest that many Pokémon beyond particular water types could comfortably survive at depth. Bubbly Basin turns that old distinction into a sandbox experiment.
For players who want to keep land-based Pokémon in the region, draining the ocean is one solution. Another builder created an underwater tunnel for Pokémon that cannot breathe below the surface, making the creatures look as if they are visiting an ocean park on a school excursion. The project was shared by somnus / dain on August 9, 2026.
These creative builds highlight the appeal of player-led experimentation in modern sandbox games. For more gaming and arcade news, RETROCADE covers the ideas and machines shaping interactive entertainment. If you are planning your own home setup, our arcade machine buying guide can help with the practical decisions, while arcade cabinets provide a more traditional way to enjoy games at home.
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