Super Mystery Dungeon keeps the heart of the series: randomly generated dungeon floors, explored square by square and turn by turn. It adds several mechanics, from Link Moves to Looplets and Mega Evolutions. This page presents them, along with the continents, towns and places worth knowing.
Battle mechanics
Link Moves
Team attacks are now officially called Link Moves. They combine the moves of the group’s members into a single, very powerful action. According to our original guide, they ignore the enemy’s resistances, which makes them valuable against bosses.
Mega Evolution and Primal Reversion
For the first time in the series, Pokémon can Mega Evolve, and Kyogre and Groudon can undergo Primal Reversion. They go through Transcendence mode, triggered by an Emera. Pokémon without a Mega Evolution also gain power in this mode. A Mega Evolved Pokémon is stronger, changes Ability and can even destroy walls.
Mind Control
This new status condition hits a Pokémon that is already asleep and is hit by another sleep move, such as Hypnosis or Sleep Powder. For one turn, it uses its items and moves at random.
Ranged attacks
Some moves, such as Ember, now hit enemies from a distance. Speed has a greater influence on accuracy.
Looplets and Emeras
Looplets replace the scarves and bands of earlier games. Instead of a single fixed effect, a Looplet can hold up to eight Emeras, gems with stackable effects. They also replace some of the IQ skills.
- Finding an Emera: it appears on the ground with a number, which shows how many actions remain before it implodes. Quickly send a Pokémon to pick it up.
- Dust: an Emera that implodes leaves dust behind. Gathered in sufficient quantity, it re-forms into a new Emera.
- Duration: an Emera placed in a Looplet only lasts for the current dungeon.
The effects range from the accuracy of Link Moves to protection against burns or confusion. The original list is in Looplets.
Items
- Branches are thrown like seeds, but hit the target even when it is not lined up.
- The bracelet holds lapis, small stones that boost a stat for the duration of the dungeon.
- Apples are essential: hunger is back in every dungeon.
The continents
The world is divided into several continents, linked by Lapras Voyages from the pier in Lively Town. Each has its own town, shops and dungeons, unlocked by the story, ranks or connections.
| Place | Key points |
|---|---|
| Serene Village | The starting village, with its school and the hill with the big tree. |
| Lively Town | The HQ of the Expedition Society, the market and the pier for Lapras Voyages. |
| Windmill Town | The town of the Wind Land, with its windmills. |
| The Tree of Life | Xerneas’s domain, where you evolve your Pokémon after the story. |
Our original guide The Six Continents and the Sea details the dungeons of each continent. Its provisional names date from before the European release.
Services
Towns include the Kecleon Shop, the Hawlucha Dojo, cafés, stores and Latias’s training. The Meowth Theater let you watch videos until CineMeowth was shut down in 2017, and the Jukebox let you listen to the music again (see Meowth Theater and Jukebox). Pelipper Island, accessible from the main menu, brings together password-based rescue between players, StreetPass and SpotPass.
A summary of all the new features is in our original guide Gameplay Changes.
