Hannan Mundia 
Pokemon Mystery Dungeon Red Rescue Team lets players choose between multiple beloved Pokemon as their starters, but the method to evolve them isn’t easy or obvious.
Pokemon Mystery Dungeon Red Rescue Team isn’t as popular as its sequels but fans love them nonetheless. Being the only game in the series to get the remake treatment and having multiple ROM hacks, players jump into it for the first time even over a decade later. It also stands as one of the few Pokemon games to arrive on Nintendo Switch Online, joining the likes of Pokemon Snap, Pokemon Stadium, and Pokemon TCG for the Game Boy Color.
However, while the games let players pick between multiple starter and partner Pokemon, they’re only in their basic forms. Like other Pokemon Mystery Dungeon games, Red Rescue Team players must complete prerequisites before they can evolve their Pokemon. Fortunately, it doesn’t include completing the post-game quests.
How to unlock evolution in Pokemon Mystery Dungeon Red Rescue Team
Evolution is unlocked after the cutscene that plays when the player completes the main game and walks out of their home base.
The main game of Pokemon Mystery Dungeon Red Rescue Team concludes after defeating Rayquaza at the top of Sky Tower. Being the last boss, defeating the legendary Pokemon prompts credits to roll shortly after.
Players find themselves back in their team’s base after the end credits. Walking outside the base prompts a cutscene where Caterpie and Metapod take the player and their partner to a new cave that popped up where Whiscash used to be. Watching the cutscene completely unlocks evolution for players.
How to evolve in Pokemon Mystery Dungeon Red Rescue Team
Players must assign the Pokemon they want to evolve as the team’s leader before going to the evolution cave to evolve.
Trying to go to a different location after unlocking evolution will prompt the player’s partner character to start a conversation talking about how other Pokemon should get to lead the team too. This will allow players to assign every Pokemon as the squad leader, letting players control them instead of their starter.
With the Pokemon selected, head to the Evolution Cave where the player will get the prompt to evolve. However, it’s crucial to meet the level requirement first. Pokemon who require stones or other items to evolve like Pikachu will prompt the voice inside the cave to ask for the specific evolutionary item.
