In Pokémon Pokopia, preparing and consuming specific food items is key to enhancing your character's abilities, from expanding the range of Water Gun to smashing through tougher obstacles with Rock Smash. Different recipes upgrade distinct skills, making a varied diet essential for tackling any challenge.
Cooking is unlocked after completing the "Yawn up a Storm!" request in the Withered Wasteland, granting access to Rocky Ridges. Shortly after arriving in Rocky Ridges and before commencing the "Time to Party!" request, players will meet Chef Dente, a Greedent. After repairing the PC near the Pokémon Center, Chef Dente will guide players through several basic recipes in an abandoned kitchen, initiating the cooking system.
Bubbly Basin DLC Additions
The Bubbly Basin DLC introduces smoothie-making and new variations of existing food types. To unlock smoothie creation, players must find and speak with Mudkip in the Bubbly Basin when it has a specific request. This request typically appears after rebuilding the Pokémon Center in the area. Smoothies, which use watermelon as a primary ingredient and require a blender, enhance the Surf ability, allowing for faster underwater movement and vertical traversal.
Skill Upgrades Through Cuisine
Leafage Enhancement (Salads)
Salads, which use leaves as the primary ingredient and are prepared using a cutting board, upgrade the Leafage skill. This improved ability allows for the creation of larger grassy areas and the summoning of moss, duckweed, and vines on appropriate surfaces. Basic salads require no additional ingredients, while variations like Leppa salad, Seaweed salad, and Shredded salad add specific berries, seaweed, or require Pokémon with a Chop specialty.
Cut Skill Boost (Bread)
Bread, made in a bread oven with wheat as the primary ingredient, enhances the Cut ability. Players can use their upgraded Cut to clear larger areas more effectively and break through obstacles such as metal fencing. Simple bread requires no extra components, but recipes like Leppa bread, Carrot bread, and Fluffy bread incorporate specific berries or require Pokémon with Recycle or Water specialties. The DLC introduces Watermelon bread.
Rock Smash Power-Up (Hamburger Steaks)
Hamburger steaks, primarily made with beans and prepared with a frying pan, boost the Rock Smash skill. This allows players to break harder materials like iron ore, gold ore, and Pokémetal blocks. Simple hamburger steaks are basic, but additions like Mushroom hamburger steak, Tomato hamburger steak, and potato hamburger steak use specific ingredients. The DLC's Explosive hamburger steak requires sea grapes, chili sauce, and a Pokémon with an Explode specialty.
Water Gun Improvement (Soups)
Soups, which use fresh water as the primary ingredient and are made in a pot, enhance the Water Gun skill for a wider watering range. The ability to make soup is typically learned after completing the "Time to Party!" request from Chef Dente, though it may appear earlier under certain conditions. Fresh water can be obtained from vending machines or purchased in sets from the PC shop. Basic soup requires no additional ingredients, but variations like Seaweed soup and Mushroom soup incorporate these items, while Electrifying soup and Popping soup (DLC) require Pokémon with specific specialties.
Surf Upgrade (Smoothies - DLC)
Smoothies, exclusive to the Bubbly Basin DLC, utilize watermelon as a primary ingredient and require a blender. Drinking them significantly improves the Surf ability, enabling faster underwater travel and direct vertical movement with the L and R buttons. Simple watermelon smoothies require no extra ingredients, but Sea grape smoothie, Leppa smoothie, and others incorporate specific items or require Pokémon with specialties like Burn or Soda Pop.