Bubbly Basin, the initial area accessible with the Pokémon Pokopia Expansion Pass, requires players to purchase the DLC to explore its underwater environment. A walkthrough is available to guide players through the area's progression, beginning with locating the Pokémon Center and increasing the town's Environment Level.
To begin in Bubbly Basin, players should first follow Popplio to the town's center and speak with them. The next objective involves raising the area's Environment Level to three by establishing habitats and discovering new Pokémon. Before embarking on this task, it is advisable to locate the Pokémon Center. This can be achieved by proceeding through a nearby passage that reveals the ruined Pokémon Center and a functional PC.
Finding the Pokémon Center will unlock the 'Rebuild the Pokémon Center' Important Request for Bubbly Basin. Players may also wish to establish a base for fast travel by rebuilding their own home. Once the Environment Level reaches three, players should return to Popplio and speak with them again to initiate the 'Build the beautiful building' Important Request.
To rebuild the Bubbly Basin Pokémon Center, players need to purchase a rebuilding kit from the PC for 1,000 Life Coins. The required materials include 25 Star-spotted Rocks, 5 Shiny Pearls, 10 Seashells, and 10 Sea Glass Fragments. At least one Pokémon with a Build Speciality and one with a Bulldoze Speciality are also necessary. The rebuilding process takes until the next day to complete.
Upon completing the rebuilding of the Pokémon Center and the 'Build the beautiful building' Important Request, Professor Tangrowth will contact the player, unlocking the 'Raise the Environment Level' Important Request. This task requires increasing the area's Environment Level to five. The most effective method for accomplishing this is to attract as many Pokémon as possible to Bubbly Basin, as their presence will naturally enhance the overall Environment Level, even if individual Pokémon do not possess high Environment Levels.
After fulfilling all the critical objectives within Bubbly Basin, players are granted freedom to further customize the area and continue exploration. The region offers opportunities to discover new Pokémon, uncover various items, and delve into the ocean's depths. Players are also reminded of the ongoing goal to reach Environment Level 10 within Bubbly Basin, transforming it into a personal underwater sanctuary. Resources such as the Pokédex, Habitat Dex, and a Portal Pod explainer are available to assist players in their endeavors within Bubbly Basin.