Pokemon Mystery Dungeon Red Rescue Team: Beginner’s guide

The Mystery Dungeon series is one of the most beloved Pokemon spin-off sagas in the franchise, and the very first entry Red Rescue Team is now available for Nintendo Switch users to play.

If you’re getting into the game for the first time, it’s a lot of fun but can be surprisingly complex. It’s the perfect introduction to the Mystery Dungeon series, rivaling remake Mystery Dungeon DX, but getting to grips with the controls and in-game systems can take a minute.

Here, we’ve gathered everything you need to know as a first-time Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Red Rescue Team player, looking at everything from commonly missed menu tricks to tips for making combat more enjoyable.

Pick your Partner Pokemon wisely

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Having the right Partner Pokemon by your side can make a world of difference when playing through a Mystery Dungeon title.

It’s wise to pick a Partner that covers your own weaknesses when starting the game for the first time. For example, if you are playing as a Water-type Pokemon, picking a Fire-type Pokemon helps to make your team better balanced and ready to take on different types.

Type weaknesses and resistances apply in the series, meaning if you and your Partner have the same type, you may be setting yourself up for a difficult run.

Spend a minute looking over the controls

Whether you’re playing Pokemon Mystery Dungeon Red Rescue Team on the original console or through the Switch’s online subscription, the controls can take a minute to get used to.

The game uses a grid system to move and determine positioning. When you’re fighting an enemy in a Dungeon, you need to have a good understanding of where your character is, how many squares your attack can cover, and whether you’re facing the right direction.

It might sound obvious, but trying to attack from a diagonal angle or using an ability from two squares away instead of one can lead to you wasting your turn.

When you head into your first Dungeon, experiment with the movement options. Sprinting and recovering health are a little clunky, and the first Tiny Woods encounter is the perfect time to get used to these mechanics.

Make sure to review your move list, too. Every Pokemon has access to different moves based on their type and evolutionary chain, and it’s worth seeing if you have any stat-altering moves to go alongside your standard attacks.

The standard attack (pressing A) will deal a modest amount of damage, but you can assign a move from your list as ‘set’, meaning you can access it quickly during a battle. Without set moves, you’ll need to open your move list every time which can be time-consuming.

To set a move, open up the menu while in a Dungeon and head to your move list. Then, use Select/Minus to assign the set move. Now, you’ll be able to use the set move quickly by hitting L and then A.

Be mindful of the move’s PP and keep an eye out for Elixirs to restore PP.

Keep an eye on your Toolbox

During your first run, you won’t be able to make it too far without a good supply of items, so make sure to keep tabs on your Toolbox and pick up valuable items as you go.

Berries are important as they can restore HP or remove status conditions, and Orbs and Gravelrocks can be incredibly useful, too. Orbs can help with everything from combat to easy movement, and Gravelrocks can assist in taking down enemies from far away.

Giving Gravelrocks to an ally to snipe enemies can be useful, but it’s worth noting that they can miss and they can hit you instead. It’s worth having one Rescue Team member with a Gravelrock stack in a boss battle, though, to get extra damage in quickly.

There is a finite amount of storage up for grabs and you will lose items if your party is wiped out during a run. Make use of the Bank in Pokemon Square to avoid any crucial losses and stock up if you’re heading out to a new boss battle for the first time.

Take advantage of the Linking system

The Linking system is one of the most underappreciated mechanics in the Mystery Dungeons series, and it’s easy to miss if you’ve never played before.

Linking ties multiple moves together, so when you use the first move in a list, they all happen one after the other. For example, you could tie together Growl, Scratch, and Ember, to get an attack drop right off the bat in a fight.

It’s an effective way to maximize your damage output and can help mitigate any enemy stat changes efficiently.

If you want to access the Linking system, the easiest way to do this is to head to Gulpin’s stall in Pokemon Square. Here, you can create move chains quickly and easily, in return for a small payment.

It’s also possible to find a Link Box when exploring Dungeons or shopping with Kecleon, too, although this is somewhat rare. The Link Box functions essentially the same as Gulpin’s stall, but it allows you to sort Linking while out and about instead of just in Pokemon Square.

Pick up recruits as soon as you can

Spike Chunsoft

The key to success in any Pokemon Mystery Dungeon game is having a solid team that can counter all upcoming enemies, and Red Rescue Team is no different. Having a wide variety of recruits to pick from when preparing for a boss battle is essential for survival and for making the game more fun, too.

In the same manner as the mainline Pokemon games, type advantages and disadvantages are worth being mindful of.

Even if you don’t know which bosses are coming up and you’re doing a blind run, the Dungeon itself and inhabitants within will help to give you an indication of what to expect. Pay attention to the types you come across during the first few floors.

When you do recruit new Rescue Team members, make sure to check out their move set and give them a handy item.

Pokemon Mystery Dungeon Red Rescue Team is a game that increases steadily in difficulty as you play through it, but with the right items, allies, and moves, you’ll be able to breeze through and see the game’s story unfold.

If you find yourself hitting a wall in the main story, take an in-game day or two to level up, pick up new items, and find your footing. There are no time-urgent missions (despite what the story might tell you) so you can dedicate a good chunk of time to preparing for a fight and leveling up.

To hit the ground running, make sure to check out our guide to recruiting new Rescue Team members, including how to add Legendary Pokemon to your team. Some Pokemon are trickier to recruit than others, especially when it comes to iconic Legendaries in the late-game.