Pokemon Legends: Arceus continues to dominate my gaming choices and with the amount of time I’ve invested, I’ve got some tips and secrets to share with you now. Some of these may be considered spoilers, so I’ll start with the non-spoiler tips and then put another warning before we get into spoiler territory. If you’re playing this game, you may already know some of this, but these are the things I think are worth highlighting.

1. Your house location

Okay, this may seem dumb, but I can’t tell you how many times I ran around Jubilife Village wondering where the heck my house is. While there are other places you can go to collect your items or Pokemon, the one thing you really need this for is to change the time of day. Some quests can only be completed under specific conditions and resting is a must! Instead of running around into every house hoping it is yours, just look for the Galaxy Hall. Your house is right next to the Ginkgo Guild Cart and I now realize there is a marker on your map indicating the location. Whoops!

2. You can break the big rocks

Another dumb ah-ha moment is that the towering boulders you encounter with cracks in them can be broken. Well, I figured they can be broken; I just thought it may require one of those special Pokemon you call with a flute. This isn’t the case. Like any resource in the world, all you have to do is throw your Pokemon at it and they will go to work. Secret passages and hidden locations can be explored at any time!

3. Alphas are bigger than other Pokemon and may randomly appear

The size of the alphas you encounter is not just a condition that wears off once you capture your foe. Alphas are larger than other Pokemon and retain their size after being caught (although I’m not sure they are actually stronger than other Pokemon even though they are labeled as alphas). While some alphas will always spawn in specific locations, others can randomly appear in different areas. I had an experience where I battled and caught an alpha Roserade. Within seconds of catching it, an alpha Honchkrow spawned in the exact same location (I caught it too!). One of the random alpha spawns that excited me most was found in a Space Time Distortion.

4. Camp the Space Time Distortions

On that note, the second you see a notice that a Space Time Distortion is appearing, get over to it! They don’t last long so you want to maximize the amount of time you spend in them. Rare items and unique Pokemon spawn in these. Bring LOTS of pokeballs (the higher quality, the better), LOTS of potions, and LOTS of revives. You’ll find yourself squaring off with 3 Pokemon at a time in many cases and it can be a lot. Depending on the zone it is in, you may find some unique Pokemon you won’t find anywhere else in the game. Also, keep in mind that after beating the game, there may be even more Pokemon you previously didn’t have access to in any zone.

5. You can catch the Pokemon flying overhead

Have you ever been walking around in a zone and noticed a Pokemon flying high in the sky? Did you know you can catch them? I’ve seen a few Pokemon soaring above me and I’ve launched pokeballs at them with no luck. There are specific pokeballs you can use to capture those Pokemon, but it takes a bit of practice. I’ve only caught one and it happened so randomly that I started to pan away because I just did not expect my shot to land.

6. You can let all of your Pokemon out of their balls at once

This is something I love just because I like seeing my Pokemon. I knew I could take out one and interact with it, but I also recently learned you can take your whole party out at once. This doesn’t do anything for the gameplay, but it is a cool thing to see your Pokemon side-by-side. In this next photo, you can clearly see that alpha sizes make for a big difference. My alpha Umbreon is much larger than all of the other Eevee evolutions.

7. Connect to the Internet and find lost items

There may inevitably come a time where you black out in the world. While you will be rescued, you will lose items that you cannot recover on your own. Luckily, if you connect your game to the Internet, a good samaritan can find your satchel and mail it back to you. You are incentivized to find and return items to other players because you’ll receive a reward plus Merit Points (MPs) which can be spent at a special vendor. The vendor who accepts MPs can be found in Jubilife Village and she sells special items you won’t readily find elsewhere. Thanks for finding my stuff, Hirona!

Now here is where I tell you things get kind of spoiler-ish. This is your opportunity to close out of this post and scroll away… Last warning… SPOILERS AHEAD!

8. You can get all of the starters

When you first arrive in this world, you pick your starter like in any other Pokemon game. In past games, it could be a big decision because you had no opportunity to find them elsewhere in the game. Well, in Pokemon Legends: Arceus, all starters are available to you. After beating the game, you can return to the professor in Galaxy Hall and take the other two Pokemon who have been hanging out in his office. You also can find them in Space Time Distortions after beating the game.

9. You can get both of the story-focused legendaries

Towards the end of the game, you have to choose either the leader of the Diamond or Pearl clan to accompany you through the final stages of the story. Who you choose determines which legendary Pokemon you face off with at the end. Even though it feels like a big decision, you actually end up having access to both legendaries in the end, so don’t dwell for too long. You’ll end up having both Dialga and Palkia on your side.

10. The solution to the Sea’s Legend Quest

Quest #66 The Sea’s Legend will leave you baffled and there isn’t a way to figure out the solution in-game. The solution is found in the library of another Pokemon game, so I am going to post it here for you. In order to find this legendary Pokemon, you must first have Mantyke, Buizel, and Overqwil in your party. While Mantyke and Buizel can be found roaming around, Overqwil can be obtained by catching a Qwilfish, reaching level 20, and using the attack Barb Barrage 20 times in the Strong Style. Once you have all three in your party, head to the Cobalt Coastlands during the Evening.

You’ll want to then swim through this horned formation. If all of these requirements are done, you’ll get a pop-up on your screen of a Pokemon calling out. Next, you’ll head to Seadside Hollow. Inside, you’ll find the legendary Pokemon you are seeking. Be careful. There are four inside and you’ll want to be careful not to knock them all out!

And that’s it! While I’ve finished the story, there’s still a lot of legendary Pokemon to search for. Are you playing Pokemon Legends: Arceus? Did any of these suggestions help you? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below!