The Cave (which many players simply call the cavern) is the fifth course. The ZERO-ONE flies here on its jets, through a big dark cavity where cries echo. Thirteen species can be photographed, mostly Pokémon that are nocturnal or Poison-type. Swarms of Zubat flutter everywhere, and the local Jigglypuff are being harassed by Koffing. The Cave is also a course full of surprises: a Bulbasaur is not what it seems, a Pikachu gets carried off by a Zubat, and an icy egg is waiting for the right music.
Access and unlocking
The Cave opens through the secret exit of the River: the camouflaged Porygon that jumps onto the red button. To move on to the Valley afterwards, you must have photographed 40 different species in the previous courses, Cave included (Serebii and a RetroAchievements guide more simply say to finish the Cave). The Cave’s Pokémon Sign, for its part, is within reach of your camera without any particular item.
The thirteen species
| Pokémon | Where and how | Useful item |
|---|---|---|
| Zubat | A few fly past right from the start. Another, far into the Cave, flies off carrying a Pikachu. More come back at the end. | Pester Ball (to make it drop Pikachu) |
| Grimer | Openings in the walls near the start reveal Grimer. A Fluffruit makes them turn around. Photograph the first two: two more appear, one on a platform below, the other on the left. | Fluffruit |
| Muk | A Grimer hit by three Pester Balls evolves. | Pester Ball (three, spaced out) |
| Bulbasaur | A few are sitting on a ledge on the right. They are actually disguised Ditto, but a photo taken before the reveal counts as Bulbasaur for the Report. | None |
| Ditto | A Bulbasaur hit by a Pester Ball transforms and returns to its true form. They also react to Fluffruit. | Pester Ball, Fluffruit |
| Koffing | Three Koffing are each harassing a Jigglypuff. They leave when hit by a Pester Ball. | Pester Ball |
| Jigglypuff | Three in all, each carried off by a Koffing. Rescuing all three by hitting each Koffing makes three Jigglypuff appear on the stage, right at the end, on the right. | Pester Ball |
| Weepinbell | It floats around a pool, halfway through the course. | Pester Ball (to knock it into the water) |
| Victreebel | Push the Weepinbell into the water: it evolves. Its furious expression earns good points. | Pester Ball |
| Jynx | Two Jynx prowl around a big frozen egg, near the end. The Poké Flute wakes them up and they start a magical dance. | Poké Flute |
| Articuno | Jynx’s dance makes the egg hatch. The bird flies off, then comes back in the final stretch, heading toward Todd. | Poké Flute |
| Magikarp | An item thrown into the water can make one jump out. | Fluffruit or Pester Ball |
| Pikachu | Captured by a Zubat, a little after the Weepinbell. | Pester Ball (to free it) |
The three special poses
Pikachu with balloons
A Zubat carries off a Pikachu. Hit it with a Pester Ball: it drops its burden and Pikachu falls. But a bunch of balloons appears and softens the fall. Photograph it as it floats toward the ground: the shot earns a lot of points.
Pikachu on Articuno
If you have rescued Pikachu and then hatched Articuno, a second show awaits you near the exit: the ice bird rushes toward Todd with Pikachu on its back. Our old walkthrough advised never taking your eyes off Articuno, even when it disappears. Serebii notes that this shot is worth a lot of points.
The Jigglypuff concert
Each Koffing you hit frees a Jigglypuff, which flies off toward the stage set up at the far end of the Cave. At the end of the course, the lead singer sings the Jigglypuff song known from the anime. For the most points, rescue all three Jigglypuff: they all end up together on the stage.
The Cave’s evolutions
- Grimer into Muk. Photograph the first two Grimer so that a third appears a little further on. That is the one to hit with three Pester Balls. Each time, let the happy dance finish before throwing the next one.
- Weepinbell into Victreebel. It floats above a pond; push it in with a Pester Ball.
Jynx, the egg and Articuno
Near the end, two Jynx stand motionless next to a big icy egg. Play the Poké Flute: they wake up and start dancing, and the egg hatches. Articuno comes out and soars away. It will come back toward you in the last part of the course, which gives you a second chance to photograph it. It is the last of the three legendary birds to be met, after Zapdos in the Tunnel and Moltres in the Volcano.
The Pokémon Sign: the Mewtwo Constellation
In the Cave’s third chamber, large crystals sparkle in the darkness like stars. On screen, there is nothing remarkable about them. But when you photograph them, on development you get a ghostly aurora whose shape recalls Mewtwo. Professor Oak will name it the Mewtwo Constellation. To spot it, look behind you as you approach the pools of water, just when the Koffing are chasing the Jigglypuff. No item is needed, but the result only appears once the photo is developed: it is best to take several.
Continuing the guide
The next course is the Valley, a whitewater descent that hides Professor Oak’s cabin. The special poses of all the courses are gathered on the special photos page.
