Pokemon Pokopia Bubbly Basin DLC delivers new underwater gameplay and construction tools for fans.
The first wave of Pokemon Pokopia’s Expansion Pass, priced at $34.99, adds Bubbly Basin — an almost entirely submerged area — and arrives alongside a free update that addresses a broad set of bugs and quality-of-life issues from the base game.
For Nintendo Switch players who invested in the base experience, the new content substantially expands building and exploration options.
Developers positioned Bubbly Basin as the Expansion Pass’s opening wave and bundled it with a patch that improves core systems.
In plain terms: the team has shipped immediate fixes and meaningful gameplay tweaks to improve stability and usability across the game.
Underwater mechanics and building
Bubbly Basin is distinctive because it enables sustained underwater exploration and construction.
Ditto can now use Dive to generate an air bubble, allowing it to swim and act beneath the surface for extended periods where previously Ditto would drown after a few seconds.
The update also lets players hold ZL to hold horizontal position midwater, similar to existing transforms such as Magnemite.
Magnemite and Graveler function underwater as well, broadening creative options.
Lapras receives an upgrade to Surf via a newly added smoothie that enables upward-curving block destruction, which changes how vertical layouts are handled.
Quality-of-life changes
The free update that launched with Bubbly Basin includes several convenience improvements across all owners, not just DLC purchasers.
Players can cancel Magnet Rise without an extra confirmation prompt, Graveler can inhale and destroy overworld items like boulders, Smearguru can paint multiple items in a single conversation, Professor Tangrowth can appraise multiple relics at once, and the game now permits twice as many power generators per world.
These system-level changes streamline building and inventory workflows.
New content and Pokémon
Bubbly Basin introduces roughly 50 new Pokémon to discover, including the Popplio line, Dhelmise, Frillish, and other water-leaning species.
The DLC also adds a range of decorative items and construction kits — from lampions and pearl streetlights to ornate house kits, large treasure chests, marine furniture, and a portal pod that functions like a portable storage hub.
Two new Legendary Pokémon are included in the wave’s additions, and the main DLC story runs about five hours, with ample optional exploration and habitat-building that can extend playtime significantly.
Presentation and value
The area’s calm underwater piano theme and new visual assets make Bubbly Basin one of the more atmospheric zones alongside Sparkling Skylands.
For players who enjoyed Pokemon Pokopia’s creative building loop, the Expansion Pass provides additional variety and mechanical depth.
The first wave’s combination of a new area, dozens of Pokémon, and a sweeping quality-of-life update makes it a substantial launch for the $34.99 Expansion Pass.
Additional waves are scheduled, with cosmetics and further additions planned in later updates.
Bottom line
Bubbly Basin expands Pokemon Pokopia’s core construction and exploration systems, especially for underwater design, while the accompanying free patch improves the overall game.
For players on Nintendo Switch who enjoy building habitats and collecting Pokémon, this DLC represents meaningful new content and improved usability.
The first wave of Pokemon Pokopia’s Expansion Pass, priced at $34.99, adds Bubbly Basin — an almost entirely submerged area — and arrives alongside a free update that addresses a broad set of bugs and quality-of-life issues from the base game.
For Nintendo Switch players who invested in the base experience, the new content substantially expands building and exploration options.
Developers positioned Bubbly Basin as the Expansion Pass’s opening wave and bundled it with a patch that improves core systems.
In plain terms: the team has shipped immediate fixes and meaningful gameplay tweaks to improve stability and usability across the game.
Underwater mechanics and building
Bubbly Basin is distinctive because it enables sustained underwater exploration and construction.
Ditto can now use Dive to generate an air bubble, allowing it to swim and act beneath the surface for extended periods where previously Ditto would drown after a few seconds.
The update also lets players hold ZL to hold horizontal position midwater, similar to existing transforms such as Magnemite.
Magnemite and Graveler function underwater as well, broadening creative options.
Lapras receives an upgrade to Surf via a newly added smoothie that enables upward-curving block destruction, which changes how vertical layouts are handled.
Quality-of-life changes
The free update that launched with Bubbly Basin includes several convenience improvements across all owners, not just DLC purchasers.
Players can cancel Magnet Rise without an extra confirmation prompt, Graveler can inhale and destroy overworld items like boulders, Smearguru can paint multiple items in a single conversation, Professor Tangrowth can appraise multiple relics at once, and the game now permits twice as many power generators per world.
These system-level changes streamline building and inventory workflows.
New content and Pokémon
Bubbly Basin introduces roughly 50 new Pokémon to discover, including the Popplio line, Dhelmise, Frillish, and other water-leaning species.
The DLC also adds a range of decorative items and construction kits — from lampions and pearl streetlights to ornate house kits, large treasure chests, marine furniture, and a portal pod that functions like a portable storage hub.
Two new Legendary Pokémon are included in the wave’s additions, and the main DLC story runs about five hours, with ample optional exploration and habitat-building that can extend playtime significantly.
Presentation and value
The area’s calm underwater piano theme and new visual assets make Bubbly Basin one of the more atmospheric zones alongside Sparkling Skylands.
For players who enjoyed Pokemon Pokopia’s creative building loop, the Expansion Pass provides additional variety and mechanical depth.
The first wave’s combination of a new area, dozens of Pokémon, and a sweeping quality-of-life update makes it a substantial launch for the $34.99 Expansion Pass.
Additional waves are scheduled, with cosmetics and further additions planned in later updates.
Bottom line
Bubbly Basin expands Pokemon Pokopia’s core construction and exploration systems, especially for underwater design, while the accompanying free patch improves the overall game.
For players on Nintendo Switch who enjoy building habitats and collecting Pokémon, this DLC represents meaningful new content and improved usability.
