How to Unlock Bubbly Basin in Pokopia
How to enter Bubbly Basin in Pokopia: Tangrowth, Manaphy's 5 Seaweed request, Popplio, and the west-side underwater gate in Bleak Beach.
Quick answer
To unlock Bubbly Basin, buying the Expansion Pass is not enough. The official Expansion and Update pages say you also need to finish the “Raise the environment level!” request in **Bleak Beach, know Surf, have the ability to jump, and then learn Dive from the free Version 2.0** update.
If you are still deciding whether to buy at all, use the broader Pokopia DLC guide. This page assumes you want the exact unlock path.
Confirmed unlock checklist
Use this as the shortest reliable checklist right now:
| Step | What to confirm | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Expansion Pass purchased | Bubbly Basin itself is paid DLC |
| 2 | Bleak Beach request completed | Officially named prerequisite |
| 3 | Surf learned | Required movement step before Dive |
| 4 | Jump ability available | Official Update page includes it |
| 5 | Version 2.0 installed | Dive comes from the free update |
| 6 | Dive learned | Required to enter the underwater town |
Exact route from Bleak Beach
After the checklist above is complete, follow this route:
- Go to the Bleak Beach Pokémon Center and talk to Professor Tangrowth beside it.
- Follow the request marker to the new small island. Give Manaphy 5 Seaweed to learn Dive.
- Return to the Bleak Beach Pokémon Center and talk to Popplio. The gate will not open before this conversation.
- Enter the water beside or behind the Pokémon Center, pass north of the diner area, and continue toward the far west edge of the map.
- Dive beneath the underwater hill, follow the ruined passage, and use the scanner on the gate.
The Manaphy island and the Bubbly Basin gate are two different stops: the island teaches Dive, while the west-side underwater gate is the town entrance.
Why buying the pass alone does not work
The official pages are unusually clear here: Bubbly Basin depends on both the paid DLC and the free movement update.
That means there are two separate gates:
- Paid gate: own the Expansion Pass
- Progress gate: finish the required request and learn Dive
If either side is missing, Bubbly Basin still will not open.
Do I need Dive before Bubbly Basin opens?
Yes. The official Expansion page says you need the newly added move Dive included in the free update. The official Update page says Dive itself also depends on:
- the Bleak Beach “Raise the environment level!” request
- Surf
- the ability to jump
If you only want the movement side, use the focused Pokopia Dive update guide.
If Bubbly Basin still will not open
Check the two gates separately:
- Software and ownership: manually check for Version 2.0, confirm the purchasing Nintendo Account, and verify the Expansion Pass Virtual Game Card or online license is loaded on this console.
- Save progress: finish the Bleak Beach request, confirm Surf and jumping, then speak with Manaphy again if Dive did not register.
If the game still shows a purchase gate after both checks, use Nintendo's DLC access troubleshooting rather than buying the pass again.
FAQ
How do you unlock Bubbly Basin in Pokopia?
Buy the Expansion Pass, complete the Bleak Beach environment-level request, have Surf plus the ability to jump, install Version 2.0, and learn Dive.
Why can't I enter Bubbly Basin after buying the Expansion Pass?
Because the pass is only one gate. You still need Version 2.0, the required save progress, Manaphy's Dive route, and the Popplio entrance sequence. Also verify that the account or license that owns the DLC is active on this console.
Do I need Dive to reach Bubbly Basin?
Yes. The official pages explicitly tie Bubbly Basin access to the new Dive move.