36: Everything Else

36: Everything Else

A number of paths are now open to you that were either closed before or did not exist in the game yet, so in spite of the big sign that you were just shown that says "The End" you are only really just getting started with the parts of the game that happen after you have won the crown and become the Hoenn League Champion.

While this guide does not cover all of that, I thought it might be helpful to give you an idea of what there is left for you to do -- to sort of give you direction just in case like me, the first time through this game you feel rather at loose ends having completed the main story.  So, with no formal introduction, here are some of the things you should think about taking on now that you are done with the Pokemon League!

Further Adventures Await as you Soon Learn!

-- S.S. Tidal and the Battle Frontier

After you view the credits and hit the Start button you will find yourself in your own bedroom, back home in Littleroot Town!  After you sit down at your PC and retrieve some items you left stored there that you did not need for the story - but may very well soon need -- like the Master Ball for one -- you head downstairs and find your Dad waiting for you.

He has a present for you -- a present from Mister Briney, the bloke who operates the ferry -- that turns out to be a ticket for the newest Ferry in Hoenn, the S.S. Tidal, that provides regular passenger service between the Hoenn mainland and a new area in the islands called The Battle Frontier.

You have heard of the Battle Frontier -- it is THE place that veteran trainers go both to achieve fame, and to find challenges of a sort they have never faced before.  The Battle Frontier is a bit like Disneyland for Pokemon Trainers, and is certainly someplace you need to visit if not drink deeply of!

On another note, the journey on this new Ferry itself will present you with some training and XP opportunity, as well as the chance to pick up a rare held-item that you will find very useful to have.  So when you are ready, head over to the docks and use that ticket -- and do not be shy about looking in trash cans as you never know what useful items you might find inside (< Obvious hint)!

-- The TV News and a New Legendary Pokemon

As you come down from your room in Littleroot Town you will notice that the TV is on and the news is being broadcast, and though reception here is not the best, it is clear by what you are seeing that something odd has happened.  A new and mysterious flying Pokemon has been spotted.

This is the mechanism in the game to deploy either Latias or Latios -- which one it is depends entirely upon you and your answer to your mother's question -- which color did they say it was on the news?

Whatever color you answer decides what Legendary you will be hunting down mate -- so pick wisely and, after you do, keep an eye out for a pigeon the size of a bloody Mack Truck in the sky, right?

-- Wrapping up your Pokedex

There is a wide variety of special Pokemon and Pokemon you could not see or get until after you became the Champion.  In fact the list is long enough and complex enough to require its own guide, and what do you know, there are many such online that you can read!  To help get you started, please use the following list of search terms for your Google pleasure to guide you towards your next set of adventures!

-- Ancient Tomb Registeel
-- Desert Ruins Regirock
-- Desert Underpass Fossil
-- Island Cave Regice
-- Marine Cave Kyogre
-- Misty Cave Groudon
-- Shoal Cave Tides

In addition to the above, there are some easier to manage adventures and unique Pokemon to find:

-- Pokemon --

01 -- Beldum
Found in a Poke Ball on the kitchen table in Steven's house in Mossdeep City.

02 -- Latias / Latios
Depending upon which color you chose, one of them is wandering about waiting for you to capture it. Some free advice mate?  There are Pokemon that are painful to capture -- this is one of them -- and wouldn't it be great if you had some extra Master Balls?  Then you could quickly and easily capture them...  Now, if you visit the Battle Frontier and read the Cloning information in the Appendixes you may find that there is a way to have those extra Master Balls after all.  I am just saying...

03 -- Rayquaza
He can be found right where you found him before, at the top of the Sky Pillar, but this time you can actually capture him!  And you should!  You will need the stunt bike to maneuver through the different levels of the Sky Pillar now, because damage from his departure and the earthquakes caused by the near world-ending Legendary Battle have damaged the Sky Pillar, leaving lots of debris in the way...

-- Adventures --

In addition to all that you have already accomplished in playing through the story mode, there are a number of separate adventures in the game that, for a variety of reasons, we never actually came close to embarking upon in our quest to solve the main story line challenges.  Well, now you have all the time you need, and you are the Hoenn Champion!  So go ahead mate, have an adventure today!

-- Mirage Island
Remember that bloke in the hut in Pacifidlog Town who is always looking out the window and who can tell you if Mirage Island has appeared?  The reason that this is an important thing is because there are Pokemon you can only get there, and the appearance of the island is a rare thing -- hence the need to have an NPC who can warn you when it is there.

To do this topic justice you need to actually get a proper guide to Mirage Island -- I may write one in the future if enough gamers ask -- but you should be able to find websites with pages of comment and short guides about Mirage Island, as it is a favored subject of serious Trainers and Breeders alike!

-- The Battle Frontier
As mentioned before, this is basically Disneyland for Pokemon Trainers.  There is a LOT to do here, adventures galore, and if you plan on exporting some of your Pokemon from this generation of games to the next but still want to be able to keep your Legendary team members here, you will want to avail yourself of the Cloning trick (see the correct Appendix) made possible by a quirk in the game that is exclusive to the Battle Frontier.

-- The Battle Tents
There are Battle Tents in Fallarbor, Slateport, and Verdenturf -- I know you remember seeing them mate!  Well, we never really explored those or availed ourselves of the adventure that they can provide so now it is time for you to strike out on your own, visit each one, and see what there is there for you to do!

-- The Game Corner
In Mauville if you will recall, there is a place called The Game Corner in which there were located games of chance for you to play -- and win tokens -- which can then be traded for certain prizes that include TM's.  You should go and check that out now that you have the time mate!

-- The Pokemon Contest Hall
In Lillycove City there is a special building in which you can complete in contests with your Pokemon, thereby earning unique Ribbons as well as other distinguishing events.  If you are a fan of the TV show, graphic novels, and comics, you will be very familiar with this at least as a topic because it was May's big thing...  Well, it can also be yours!  Go check it out!

-- The Safari Zone
We never visited this place on our way to Mt. Pyre because we were wrapped up in the story and on an adventure, but now we have all the time in the world and, to be serious, it would be a shame to miss out on the fun and the Pokemon that the Safari Zone can provide.  So Fly to Lillycove and head on over to the entrance.  You will be happy that you did!

-- The Trick House
You will recall that house we visited -- the Trick House -- near the entrance to the overhead highway on Route 110?  We never actually completed all of the challenges it has to offer mate, we only did the one or two we had time for, so why not go finish them off?