# Play PokeBonk Online Free – 3D Pokémon Survivor Game

Canonical page: https://pokebonkgame.io/

> Play PokeBonk free in your browser: a 3D Pokémon survivor fan game by Charcher (released 2026-10-14). pokebonkgame.io opens the game in a full-screen window, with a player guide to starters, modes, level-up cards and quick fixes.

[Play PokeBonk](https://pokebonkgame.io/#play)

## What is PokeBonk?
PokeBonk is a free 3D survivor game starring the Pokémon of Kanto. You pick a partner, drop into a 3D region and survive waves of wild Pokémon while your partner attacks on its own. Every level-up offers a choice of cards. Evolve your partner, capture new League members and push deeper with each run.

## How to play
1. **Press Play as a guest**: No account needed. Your progress is saved to the device you play on, and you can turn it into an account later.
2. **Pick your partner**: Choose Bulbasaur, Charmander or Squirtle. Your partner attacks on its own, so you focus on moving. The other two unlock later through their challenges.
3. **Choose a mode**: Classic takes you through zones to a final shrine. Survival is an endless horde that tests how long you last.
4. **Move, dodge, collect**: Use WASD or the arrow keys to stay out of the crowd and pick up experience as enemies fall.
5. **Level up and choose a card**: Each level offers upgrade cards: a new move, a stronger move, or a vitamin that boosts a stat.

## Starters
- **Bulbasaur** (Grass · Poison, Healer): passive Synthesis. +1.5 regeneration and +25% healing. Your Grass attacks heal you a little on every hit (0.4% of HP, up to 5 times per second). Starting attack: Vine Whip.
- **Charmander** (Fire, Fiery Assault): passive Sea of Flames. +10% Fire damage, and +40% damage while your HP is below 40%. Starting attack: Ember.
- **Squirtle** (Water, Defender): passive Torrent Shell. +15 armor and +20 shield, plus +40% damage while your HP is below 40%. Starting attack: Water Gun.

## Modes
- **Classic**: Fight through zones, beat each guardian and reach the shrine. Runs have an end and a win screen.
- **Survival**: An endless horde with milestones along the way. The goal is simple: last as long as you can.

## Level-up cards
- **New move**: Teach your partner another attack. Each move has a type, so mixing types covers more enemies.
- **Move upgrade**: Make a move you already have stronger. Some moves can be fused into a higher star rank.
- **Vitamin**: Raise a stat such as damage, speed or defense. Good when your moves are already where you want them.

## Controls
- WASD: Move
- Mouse: Camera
- Space: Jump
- Shift: Slide
- R: Ultimate
- E: Interact
- Esc: Pause
- Phones: touch controls, played in landscape.

## Season 2 and Lavender Tower Night (October 21 – November 4, 2026)
Season 2 is the biggest update yet: two new maps, new bosses with their own mechanics, more fusions and fresh leaderboards. The Halloween event runs at the same time: climb the Pokémon Tower in Lavender Town floor by floor, survive waves of ghosts and collect candles for exclusive rewards.

## Game not loading?
- **Stuck on "Loading Pokédex…"**: The game is downloading its data. Give it a moment, or press Reload game below the player.
- **"No connection to the server"**: The game’s own server is busy, which happens at peak times. Press Retry inside the game, or Reload game. Your saved progress stays safe.
- **"Under maintenance"**: The developer is fixing something. The game checks again every 30 seconds and comes back on its own.
- **Black screen or very low frame rate**: The game needs WebGL. Turn on hardware acceleration in your browser settings, close other heavy tabs, or try Chrome or Edge.
- **Keys do not respond**: Click once inside the game window so it gets keyboard focus, then use WASD or the arrow keys.

## FAQ
### Is PokeBonk free to play?
Yes. PokeBonk is completely free, with no purchases and no paid advantages. Every unlock comes from playing.

### Do I need to download anything?
No. PokeBonk runs right in your browser on desktop and mobile, so there is nothing to install. Press Play and you are in.

### Can I play without an account?
Yes. Press Play as a guest. Your progress is saved to the device you play on, and you can create an account later to keep it.

### Can I play PokeBonk on mobile?
Yes. Tap Play and turn your phone sideways: the game fills the screen in landscape, with touch controls. It runs in any modern mobile browser, nothing to install.

### Who made PokeBonk?
PokeBonk was made by Charcher, a Spanish developer, and released on October 14, 2026. It went viral within a week and Season 2 started on October 21.


---

# How to Play PokeBonk: Your First Run, Controls and Level-Ups

Canonical page: https://pokebonkgame.io/guides/getting-started
Updated: 2026-10-22 · Game version v0.8.17

> Start PokeBonk in your browser: play as a guest, pick a partner, choose a mode and region, learn the controls and make your first level-up choice.

PokeBonk drops you into a 3D field full of wild Pokémon and asks one thing: stay alive while your partner does the fighting. This guide walks you from the first screen to the end of your first run, so you know what every menu is asking before you click it.

There is nothing to install. Press [Play PokeBonk](https://pokebonkgame.io/#play) and the game opens right here in your browser, on a computer or a phone.

## Step 1: Guest or account?

The first screen is the "Welcome, Trainer!" panel. You have two ways in:

- **Guest** – press **Play as a guest!** and you are playing within seconds. No sign-up, no email.
- **Account** – create a name and password if you want your progress tied to a login instead of one browser.

For a first look, guest is the right call. Just know how guest progress works:

- It lives in the browser and device you played on. A different browser, a private window or clearing site data starts you over.
- Guest profiles that sit unused for **60 days** are deleted (a rule added in v0.7.9).
- When you decide you like the game, use **Save to account** from your guest session to keep everything you have earned. Do it before you switch devices, not after.

## Step 2: Pick your first partner

Next comes **Choose your partner!** with three cards: Bulbasaur, Charmander and Squirtle. Whoever you pick becomes the first member of your League, the roster of Pokémon you can take into runs.

| Partner | Role | Starting attack | In one line |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bulbasaur | Healer | Vine Whip | Heals itself as it fights, very forgiving |
| Charmander | Fiery Assault | Ember | Strong Fire damage, hits harder at low HP |
| Squirtle | Defender | Water Gun | Extra armor and a shield, hard to knock out |

You are not locked out of the other two. They can join your League later, once you complete their challenge and catch them during a run. If you can't decide, Bulbasaur is the safest pick for learning. The [starter Pokémon guide](https://pokebonkgame.io/guides/starter-pokemon) compares all three in detail.

![The Choose your partner screen with Bulbasaur, Charmander and Squirtle](https://pokebonkgame.io/images/starter-selection-960.webp)

## Step 3: Set up the run

From the main menu, press **Play**. This opens **The League**, where you select a partner, check its passive and moves, and confirm with **I choose you!** (or Enter).

Then the **Choose region** panel asks for three things:

1. **Region** – start in **Viridian Forest**. Later regions open as you finish earlier ones.
2. **Mode** – Classic or Survival (see below).
3. **Difficulty** – leave it on **Normal** for your first few runs.

Press **Start!** and you are in.

### Classic or Survival?

- **Classic** has a structure. You move through zones (the first run shows Zone 1/3 and a countdown), defeat the guardians, and head for a shrine at the end. A run can be won.
- **Survival** has no finish line. The horde keeps coming, the timer counts up, and guardians show up as milestones. The goal is simply to last longer than last time.

Classic teaches you the map and the bosses. Survival teaches you crowd control. Most players start with Classic.

## Controls

Your partner attacks automatically, so the controls are all about movement and timing.

### Keyboard and mouse

| Key | Action |
|---|---|
| W A S D or arrow keys | Move |
| Mouse | Turn the camera |
| Space | Jump |
| Shift | Slide |
| R | Fire your Ultimate |
| E | Interact with whatever is nearby |
| P or Esc | Pause |
| M | Big map |
| T | Auto-run |
| Right click | Lock onto a target |
| Q | Switch automatic / manual aim |

During a level-up you also get three shortcuts: **F** to reroll the cards, **X** to skip and **Z** to banish an upgrade. Every key can be changed in **Settings → Keys**, and the arrow keys always move even if you remap WASD.

![The Keys settings panel listing the default bindings for movement, Ultimate, pause and level-up actions](https://pokebonkgame.io/images/articles/getting-started/keys-settings.webp)

In **Settings → Controls** you choose the aiming style. **Automatic** aims at the closest enemy, which is what most new players want. **Manual** aims where the camera points.

### Phones and tablets

On mobile the game switches to on-screen touch controls, with a joystick for movement. Two things to know on our site:

- The game only plays in **landscape**. If you hold your phone upright you will see "Rotate your device".
- On Android the game window goes full screen by itself. On iPhone, just rotate the phone sideways.

A controller also works on desktop if you prefer a gamepad.

## Your first minutes in a run

The run starts with your partner out in the field and one attack ready. A few things to watch:

- **Keep moving.** Your attack fires on its own. Stopping in place is how runs end. Circle around groups instead of walking into them.
- **Grab experience.** Defeated Pokémon drop experience. Walk over it to fill your EXP bar.
- **Watch the prompts.** When an **E** label appears, there is something you can interact with nearby.
- **Save the Ultimate.** It charges while you fight. Press **R** when you are boxed in or a guardian appears, not on the first small group.

## Your first level-up

When the EXP bar fills, the action stops and you get **three cards** to choose from. Each one is one of these:

- **A new move** – another attack added to your move bar.
- **A move upgrade** – a stronger version of an attack you already have.
- **A vitamin** – a stat boost such as defense or speed.

![A level-up screen offering Bubble, X Defense and a Water Gun upgrade](https://pokebonkgame.io/images/level-up-960.webp)

For the first couple of level-ups, a second attack usually helps more than a small stat boost, because two moves clear crowds much faster than one. Read the card text before you click: the cards change every time. Want to plan ahead? Press **Esc** at any moment to see your HP, EXP, moves, items and stats in one place. The [move learning guide](https://pokebonkgame.io/wiki/move-learning) explains which moves each partner can get.

## The end of your first run

A run ends when your partner faints, or in Classic when you clear the final shrine. Either way you land on a results screen and earn **Stardust**.

Stardust is what carries over. Spend it in the **Lab** between runs on permanent upgrades like more damage, more HP and faster movement. That is why even a short, messy first run is worth finishing: every run makes the next one a little stronger. See [Lab upgrades](https://pokebonkgame.io/wiki/lab-upgrades) for what to buy first.

## Quick checklist

1. Play as a guest, then save to an account once you are hooked.
2. Start with Bulbasaur, Viridian Forest, Classic, Normal.
3. Move constantly and let your partner attack.
4. Take a second attack at your early level-ups.
5. Spend your Stardust in the Lab and go again.

If the game won't load or the keys stop responding, the [troubleshooting guide](https://pokebonkgame.io/guides/troubleshooting) has quick fixes.

## Quick answers

### Do I need an account to start PokeBonk?
No. Press Play as a guest and you go straight to picking your partner. You can save your guest progress to an account later.

### Which mode should I pick for my first run?
Classic is the easier start: a run has three zones and a clear finish. Survival is endless and is better once you know how to move through a crowd.

### How do I attack in PokeBonk?
You don't press an attack button. Your partner fires its moves on its own, so your job is to move, dodge and pick up experience.

### What are the controls on mobile?
On phones the game uses on-screen touch controls and plays in landscape. Turn your phone sideways after you press Play.

---

# PokeBonk Starters: Bulbasaur vs Charmander vs Squirtle

Canonical page: https://pokebonkgame.io/guides/starter-pokemon
Updated: 2026-10-22 · Game version v0.8.17

> Compare the three PokeBonk starters: passives with exact numbers, starting attacks, roles, move kits and evolution lines, plus which one to pick first.

Every PokeBonk career starts with one choice: Bulbasaur, Charmander or Squirtle. The pick matters less than it looks, because the other two can join you later, but it does shape how your first runs feel. Here is what each starter actually does, with the passive numbers the game uses.

## The three starters at a glance

| | Bulbasaur | Charmander | Squirtle |
|---|---|---|---|
| Type | Grass / Poison | Fire | Water |
| Role | Healer | Fiery Assault | Defender |
| Starting attack | Vine Whip | Ember | Water Gun |
| Passive | Synthesis | Sea of Flames | Torrent Shell |
| Passive effect | +1.5 regeneration, +25% healing, Grass hits heal you | +10% Fire damage, +40% damage below 40% HP | +15 armor, +20 shield, +40% damage below 40% HP |
| Evolves into | Ivysaur, then Venusaur | Charmeleon, then Charizard | Wartortle, then Blastoise |
| Best for | Learning the game | Fast crowd clearing | Staying alive in big swarms |

All three attack on their own. What changes is how they keep you alive and how hard they hit.

## Bulbasaur – the Healer

**Passive: Synthesis.** Bulbasaur gets **+1.5 regeneration** and **+25% healing** from every source. On top of that, each hit from a Grass attack restores a sliver of health: **0.4% of your max HP per hit, up to 5 times per second**. In a crowd, that adds up to a steady trickle of healing while you work.

**Starting attack: Vine Whip.** A physical swipe in an arc toward the nearest enemy, with a chance to root it in place. Rooted enemies can't chase you, which buys room to move.

**Moves it can learn:** Razor Leaf, Sleep Powder and Solar Beam are part of its own kit. They show up as level-up cards during a run.

**Why pick it:** Bulbasaur turns small mistakes into nothing. You clip a group, lose some HP, and it comes back while you keep fighting. That makes it the friendliest partner for learning movement, reading cards and finding your way around Viridian Forest.

## Charmander – the Fiery Assault

**Passive: Sea of Flames.** Charmander deals **+10% Fire damage** at all times. When your HP drops **below 40%**, it gains another **+40% damage**.

**Starting attack: Ember.** A special projectile fired at the nearest enemy, with a chance to burn it.

**Moves it can learn:** Fire Spin, Flamethrower and Fire Blast.

**Why pick it:** Charmander clears crowds quickly and rewards aggressive play. The low-HP bonus can save a run when things go wrong, but it is not a plan. Diving into a horde on purpose to trigger it usually ends badly, because nothing in its kit heals you. Pick Charmander once you are comfortable keeping your distance.

## Squirtle – the Defender

**Passive: Torrent Shell.** Squirtle starts with **+15 armor** and **+20 shield**, so incoming hits do less to your HP. Like Charmander, it also gains **+40% damage while below 40% HP**.

**Starting attack: Water Gun.** A special projectile at the nearest enemy, with a chance to leave it wet.

**Moves it can learn:** its own kit is Bubble, Rapid Spin and Hydro Pump. The League profile lists Bubble from level 2, Rapid Spin from level 4 and Hydro Pump from level 7, so you often see Bubble on your very first level-up card.

**Why pick it:** Squirtle is the one that stands its ground. If you keep getting surrounded and losing chunks of HP, the armor and shield give you more time to slide out. It also has a damage spike for tight spots, so it is not purely defensive.

## Moves beyond the starting kit

Each partner has more options than the four moves above. Open **Play → The League**, pick your partner and choose **See all its moves**. You will find:

- **Its own kit** – the moves listed for each starter above.
- **Evolution-line moves** – attacks tied to its evolution line. For Squirtle that includes moves like Bite, Water Pulse, Aqua Tail and Shell Smash. These need a free move slot.
- **Shared moves** – attacks taught by other League members of the same type. These only become available once those Pokémon have joined your League.

![Squirtle's move list with Water Gun, Bubble and moves from its evolution line](https://pokebonkgame.io/images/move-learning.webp)

This is one more reason to unlock all three starters: a bigger League means more moves to draw from. The [move learning guide](https://pokebonkgame.io/wiki/move-learning) covers the rules in detail, and [move fusions](https://pokebonkgame.io/wiki/move-fusions) show what happens when you combine two max-level moves.

## Evolution during a run

Your starter evolves inside a run as it levels up. Bulbasaur becomes Ivysaur and then Venusaur, Charmander becomes Charmeleon and then Charizard, Squirtle becomes Wartortle and then Blastoise. Evolution is part of the run itself, like your level. What carries over between runs is your League, your items and your [Lab upgrades](https://pokebonkgame.io/wiki/lab-upgrades).

## How to unlock the other two starters

You only pick one starter at the beginning. The other two are not gone:

1. Go to **Play → The League** and select one of the locked starter cards.
2. The card shows the **challenge** you need to complete to unlock it.
3. Once the challenge is done, that Pokémon can appear in your runs. Weaken it and **catch it** to add it to your League.

The same process works for most League members, so it is worth learning on the starters.

## Which starter should you pick?

- **Your first time playing?** Pick **Bulbasaur**. The constant healing gives you room to learn.
- **You like clearing the screen fast?** Pick **Charmander**, and play it from a distance.
- **You keep getting swarmed?** Pick **Squirtle**. Armor and shield buy you time to escape.

Still unsure? Bulbasaur, then unlock the other two over your next sessions. Since all three end up in your League, the first choice is just where you start. Ready to go? Read [how to start your first run](https://pokebonkgame.io/guides/getting-started) or jump straight into [Play PokeBonk](https://pokebonkgame.io/#play).

## Quick answers

### Which PokeBonk starter is best for beginners?
Bulbasaur. Its Synthesis passive keeps healing you as you fight, so early mistakes cost less.

### Can I get the other two starters later?
Yes. Open their locked card in The League to see the challenge. Complete it, then catch that Pokémon when it appears in a run.

### Do the starters evolve in PokeBonk?
Yes. Each one evolves during a run into its familiar evolution line, such as Charmander into Charmeleon and Charizard.

### Why do Charmander and Squirtle get stronger at low HP?
Both passives add +40% damage while your HP is below 40%. It is a comeback bonus, not a reason to take hits on purpose.

---

# PokeBonk Season 2: New Maps, Bosses, Fusions and What Resets

Canonical page: https://pokebonkgame.io/guides/season-2
Updated: 2026-10-22 · Game version v0.8.17

> PokeBonk Season 2 started Oct 21, 2026: Storm Coast, Celestial Glacier, 14 bosses, move fusions, 24 items, fresh leaderboards and what carries over.

Season 2 is the biggest PokeBonk update so far. It went live on **October 21, 2026 at 16:30 UTC** with two new regions, 14 new bosses, move fusions, a cheaper Lab and the first seasonal event, Lavender Tower Night. Here is what changed, what reset and how to jump back in.

## When Season 2 started

The season opened on **Wednesday, October 21, 2026**:

| Time zone | Start time |
|---|---|
| UTC | October 21, 16:30 |
| Spain (CEST) | October 21, 18:30 |
| UTC+8 (China, Singapore, Philippines) | October 22, 00:30 |
| US Eastern (EDT) | October 21, 12:30 |

From that moment the new leaderboards began and every player started the ranked race at the same point. The developer also promised that once the season is running, gameplay, mechanics and the economy stay frozen. You will only see fixes and quality-of-life improvements until the next season.

## What's new at a glance

| Addition | Count / detail |
|---|---|
| New maps | 2: Storm Coast and Celestial Glacier |
| New bosses | 14: six guardians per map plus Zapdos and Articuno |
| Move fusions | 106 combinations at Bill's Machine |
| New items | 24 |
| New vitamins | 5 |
| Altars / shrines | 3 |
| New achievements | 41 |
| Seasonal event | Lavender Tower Night (until November 4) |

## The two new maps

Both regions continue the Classic route after Rocky Desert, and each one ends with a legendary bird.

### Storm Coast

- **Unlock:** clear Rocky Desert.
- **Feel:** sea, coves, islets and beaches. The tide rises on a timer, and pearls and waterspouts shape the fight.
- **Guardians:** Kingler, Electrode, Gyarados, Tentacruel, Starmie and Electabuzz.
- **Legendary:** Zapdos at the Thunder Cape Shrine. Lightning rods are part of the fight, so look for them in the arena.

If you beat Rocky Desert in Season 1 and the Storm Coast card showed as unlocked but would not let you in, v0.8.8 fixed that. Reload between runs and check again.

### Celestial Glacier

- **Unlock:** clear Storm Coast.
- **Feel:** blizzards, shelters, frozen lakes and ice that carries your momentum, so stopping takes longer.
- **Guardians:** Dewgong, Hypno, Cloyster, Jynx, Lapras and Alakazam.
- **Legendary:** Articuno at the Sky Lake Shrine. Pillars help you deal with its reflected beam.

Beating a guardian is a boss fight first. Do not assume every guardian joins your League right away.

## Move fusions

The headline system of Season 2. Bring **two moves to max level**, find **Bill's Machine** on the map, and combine them into one stronger attack. The fusion keeps the upgrades from both moves, sits in the first move's slot and frees the other slot for a new move.

There are 106 fusions in total, including one signature fusion for each League member. Each starter has its own:

- Bulbasaur: Razor Leaf + Solar Beam → Flower Beam
- Charmander: Fire Spin + Flamethrower → Fiery Whirlwind
- Squirtle: Rapid Spin + Hydro Pump → Hydro Spiral

Full requirements, the fusion groups and star ranks are in the [move fusions guide](https://pokebonkgame.io/wiki/move-fusions).

## Lab, items and economy changes

Season 2 makes progression faster and less grindy:

- **Lab upgrades cost 15% less** than before.
- **All 59 locked items** can now be bought with Stardust from the start. No more item requirements. Items you already owned stay yours.
- **Archive** now gives five slots per level across four levels, for up to 20 slots.
- **Five new Lab upgrades:** Precision, Swiftness, Expansion, Harmony and Big Bag.
- Runs pay out more Stardust, and boss HP limits and shop pricing were adjusted.

As of v0.8.13, the first level of **4th move** costs 1,275 Stardust, **Fourth option** costs 2,550 and **Archive** starts at 510. See [Lab upgrades](https://pokebonkgame.io/wiki/lab-upgrades) for the full list and a buying order, and [items and vitamins](https://pokebonkgame.io/wiki/items-and-vitamins) for what the new pool does.

## Other new mechanics

- **Mega crits:** a new critical-hit mechanic. It affects combat only and is not Mega Evolution.
- **Air slide / dive:** you can slide while airborne.
- **TM power-ups:** with the TM Case, regular moves can reach level 10 and fusions can reach ★6.
- **Pokémon Eggs:** hatch them and the Pokémon can join you as a Support Alpha.
- **New in-run music:** four tracks rotate at random, while legendary bosses keep their own themes.
- **Clans:** a clan board, weekly missions, rivalries, clan levels, streaks, records and room for up to 200 members.
- **Time Attack** now has prizes.

## What resets and what carries over

| Resets for Season 2 | Not on the reset list |
|---|---|
| Global leaderboards | Your League of caught Pokémon |
| Clan points and rivalries | Lab upgrades you bought |
| Clan missions, streaks and records | Items you already owned |
| Ranked eligibility of Season 1 runs | Your run history |

One detail trips people up: a run you **started in Season 1** and finished after the switch does not count on the Season 2 boards or toward clan points. It still shows in your run history.

Season 1 players also get two mailbox gifts: the **Kanto Pioneer** avatar and the **PokéBonk Pioneer** title. Check your mailbox from the main menu.

## What is not in Season 2

- **Mega Evolutions** moved to Gen 2, which is planned for Season 3. No date yet.
- The **Mew and Moltres boss reworks** are pushed to a later season, so their fights get more developed mechanics.
- **Co-op** is planned for shortly after Season 2 started, with no fixed date.

## How to get started in Season 2

1. **Reload the game** and check the version under the logo on the main menu. You want v0.8.8 or newer for the Storm Coast fix, and ideally the newest build.
2. **Collect your mailbox gifts** if you played Season 1.
3. **Spend saved Stardust in the Lab.** Prices dropped, and new items are buyable right away, so a stash from Season 1 goes further now.
4. **Push through Rocky Desert** if you have not cleared it, so Storm Coast opens.
5. **Plan one fusion per run.** Pick two moves that work for your partner and level them both to max before you reach Bill's Machine.
6. **Drop into Lavender Tower Night** for Candles while the event lasts. The [Lavender Tower guide](https://pokebonkgame.io/wiki/lavender-tower) covers floors and rewards.

New to the game? Start with the [getting started guide](https://pokebonkgame.io/guides/getting-started) first, then come back here. When you are ready, [Play PokeBonk](https://pokebonkgame.io/#play) right on this page.

## Quick answers

### When did PokeBonk Season 2 start?
Season 2 started on Wednesday, October 21, 2026 at 16:30 UTC (18:30 in Spain, 00:30 on October 22 in UTC+8).

### Do I lose my Pokémon and Lab upgrades in Season 2?
No. The reset covers leaderboards and clan competition data. Your League, Lab upgrades and items you already owned are not on the reset list.

### How do I unlock Storm Coast?
Clear Rocky Desert. If you beat it in Season 1 but Storm Coast would not open, update to v0.8.8 or newer and check again.

### Are Mega Evolutions in Season 2?
No. Mega Evolutions moved to Gen 2, planned for Season 3. Season 2 has Mega crits, which are a combat mechanic, not Mega Evolution.

### Will the game change during Season 2?
Only fixes and quality-of-life tweaks. Gameplay, mechanics and the economy stay locked once the season begins.

---

# PokeBonk Not Loading? Fixes for Lag, Black Screen and Saves

Canonical page: https://pokebonkgame.io/guides/troubleshooting
Updated: 2026-10-22 · Game version v0.8.17

> Fix PokeBonk problems fast: stuck on Loading Pokédex, no connection to server, maintenance, black screen, lag, keys not working and missing progress.

Most PokeBonk problems fall into a few groups: the game won't load, it runs badly, the controls stop responding, or progress looks wrong. Find your symptom below and work through the steps in order. Nearly everything is fixed by the first or second step.

## Quick fixes table

| Symptom | First thing to try |
|---|---|
| Stuck on "Loading Pokédex…" | Wait 10–20 seconds, then press **Reload** |
| "No connection to the server" | Press **Retry** in the game, then **Reload** |
| "Under maintenance" | Leave it open, it rechecks every 30 seconds |
| Black screen | Turn on hardware acceleration, try Chrome or Edge |
| Low frame rate | Settings → Graphics → Quality **Low** |
| Keys do nothing | Click once inside the game window |
| Character keeps moving | Update to the current version (reload) |
| "Rotate your device" on a phone | Turn the phone sideways |
| Guest progress gone | Go back to the same browser, no private window |

## Using the game window on this site

When you press [Play PokeBonk](https://pokebonkgame.io/#play), the game opens in a window with a small toolbar. Each button solves a specific problem:

- **Reload** – restarts the game from scratch. Use it for any loading screen that hangs, a frozen menu, or after an update. It ends the run in progress, so finish or pause first if you can.
- **Fullscreen** – gives the game the whole screen. Useful on small laptops and when the HUD feels cramped.
- **Open in a new tab** (desktop) – loads the game in its own browser tab. Try this if keyboard input or the mouse camera feels off inside the window.
- **Language** (desktop) – switches the game's text language. Changing it reloads the game.
- **Close** – closes the game window and takes you back to the page.

### On phones

- The game plays in **landscape only**. Holding the phone upright shows "Rotate your device". Turn it sideways and the game continues.
- On **Android**, the game window goes full screen when it opens.
- On **iPhone**, rotate the phone manually.

## The game won't load

### Stuck on "Loading Pokédex…"

This screen means the game is downloading its data. On a slow connection it can take a little while.

1. Give it 10–20 seconds.
2. Press **Reload** on the game window.
3. Still stuck? Close other tabs that are downloading or streaming, then reload again.
4. On mobile, switch between Wi-Fi and mobile data and reload.

### "No connection to the server"

The game reached its own server and got no answer. This happens when lots of players are online at once. On October 22, for example, the developer reported a server overload during the Season 2 rush, and the game went briefly into maintenance before coming back.

1. Press **Retry** inside the game.
2. If that fails, press **Reload**.
3. Still failing? Wait a few minutes instead of retrying over and over.

A connection error does not wipe your saved progress: your League and Lab upgrades stay safe.

### "Under maintenance"

The developer is updating or fixing something. You don't need to do anything: the game checks again every 30 seconds and returns on its own when the server is back.

## Black screen or a very low frame rate

PokeBonk is a 3D game and needs **WebGL**, the browser feature for 3D graphics.

1. **Turn on hardware acceleration.** In Chrome or Edge it is under Settings → System. Restart the browser afterwards.
2. **Update your browser.** Chrome and Edge are the safest choices.
3. **Close heavy tabs** such as video streams or other games.
4. **Reload the game.** If an update caused a blank screen, the game now recovers by itself after a reload (fixed in v0.8.11), with no need for a hard refresh.

On phones, close other apps before reloading so the game has more memory to work with.

## Lag and visual clutter

When a run gets crowded, the screen fills with attacks and effects. Open **Settings → Graphics** (from the main menu or by pausing) and change one option at a time:

![The Graphics settings panel with Quality, Battery saver, Effects opacity, My attacks' opacity, Hide my attacks and Show FPS](https://pokebonkgame.io/images/articles/troubleshooting/graphics-settings.webp)

- **Quality** – set it to **Low**. This is the biggest single gain.
- **Show FPS** – turn it on so you can see whether a change actually helped.
- **My attacks' opacity** – lower it so your own attacks don't hide incoming enemies.
- **Hide my attacks** – stops drawing your projectiles entirely. Enemy attacks still show. This gives a big boost when you have many moves.
- **Effects opacity** – fades enemy and environment effects. Their warnings always stay visible.
- **Reduce flashes** – removes full-screen flashes. **Effect brightness** (added in v0.8.14) tones down bright effects.
- **Battery saver** – caps the game at 30 FPS and lowers resolution to save phone battery. If your game is stuck at 30 FPS, check this is off.

## Keys or controls not responding

1. **Click inside the game window once.** The game needs keyboard focus. If you clicked elsewhere on the page, the keys go there instead.
2. **Use WASD or the arrow keys.** The arrow keys always move, even if you remapped WASD.
3. **Check your bindings** in **Settings → Keys**. If something feels wrong, the **Reset** option restores the defaults.
4. **Character keeps walking after you close a menu?** This was fixed in v0.8.17. Reload to get the current version.
5. **Level-up cards getting picked by accident?** The level-up shortcuts are **F** (reroll), **X** (skip) and **Z** (banish). Old videos show R / S / B, which no longer apply. Banish asks for confirmation.
6. **Camera too fast or upside down?** Adjust mouse sensitivity and Invert Y in **Settings → Controls**. If the mouse camera misbehaves inside our window, try **Open in a new tab**.
7. **Controller drifting?** Adjust the controller dead zone in Settings → Controls.

Our [getting started guide](https://pokebonkgame.io/guides/getting-started) has the full controls table.

## Saves and guest progress

### My guest progress disappeared

Guest progress belongs to the browser and device you played on. It looks lost when you:

- open the game in a **different browser** or a **private / incognito window**,
- **clear site data** or cookies,
- switch to another phone or computer.

Go back to the same browser first. To protect your progress for good, use **Save to account** from your guest session. Guest profiles that stay unused for **60 days** are deleted.

### A run didn't save

Results are kept when your tab closes, refreshes or loses connection, and sent when you return. Reload in the same browser and check your history before assuming it is lost. If it is still missing, use the in-game **Report** button with your version, mode, region, partner and the time of the run.

## Season 2 issues

- **Storm Coast unlocked but you can't enter it.** Players who finished Rocky Desert in Season 1 hit this. It was fixed in v0.8.8. Reload to update and check the region card again.
- **Your rank looks wrong.** Runs started in Season 1 don't count toward Season 2 rankings or clan points (they stay in your history), and the Season 2 boards were restarted in v0.8.7. Your catches and Lab purchases are unaffected.
- **A Lavender Tower win or reward didn't register.** Rejected Tower victories were addressed in v0.8.15, and reward claims on slow connections in v0.8.17. Reload, then claim again.
- **Season-end rewards missing.** They are reviewed and sent by hand to your in-game mailbox, so they can arrive some time after the season closes.

For more on the new season, read the [Season 2 guide](https://pokebonkgame.io/guides/season-2) and the [Lavender Tower event page](https://pokebonkgame.io/wiki/lavender-tower). Changes by version are listed on [updates](https://pokebonkgame.io/updates).

## Still broken?

Use the **Report** button in the game menu. Include what happened, the steps that led to it, your device and browser, the game version shown under the logo, your partner, region and mode, and a screenshot if you can.

## Quick answers

### Why is PokeBonk stuck on Loading Pokédex?
The game is still downloading its data. Wait a moment, then press Reload on the game window if nothing changes.

### What does No connection to the server mean?
The game's server is busy or briefly down, usually at peak times. Press Retry in the game or Reload. Your saved progress is not lost.

### How do I fix lag in PokeBonk?
Open Settings, then Graphics, set Quality to Low and lower My attacks' opacity or turn on Hide my attacks. Close other heavy tabs too.

### Will reloading delete my guest progress?
No. Reloading keeps your guest progress. Clearing site data, switching browsers or using a private window is what starts you over.

---

# PokeBonk FAQ: Free, Mobile, Saves, Season 2 and More

Canonical page: https://pokebonkgame.io/guides/faq
Updated: 2026-10-22 · Game version v0.8.17

> Answers to the most common PokeBonk questions: is it free, does it need a download, guest vs account, mobile play, saves, Season 2, co-op and who made it.

New to PokeBonk, or wondering about something specific? These are the questions players ask most, with short answers. For step-by-step help, the [getting started guide](https://pokebonkgame.io/guides/getting-started) and [troubleshooting page](https://pokebonkgame.io/guides/troubleshooting) go deeper.

## The basics

### What kind of game is PokeBonk?

PokeBonk is a 3D survivor action game set in the Kanto region. Think Vampire Survivors in 3D, with Pokémon. You pick a partner, it attacks on its own, and you move through hordes of wild Pokémon, collect experience and choose an upgrade card at every level-up. Between runs you spend Stardust on permanent upgrades and grow your League with new partners.

There are two modes. **Classic** takes you through zones and guardians to a shrine at the end. **Survival** is an endless horde where the goal is to last as long as you can.

### Who made it, and when did it come out?

PokeBonk was made by **Charcher**, a Spanish developer, and released on **October 14, 2026**. It drew inspiration from Megabonk, went viral within its first week, and started **Season 2 on October 21**. The developer keeps shipping small updates almost daily, so the version number under the logo changes often.

### Is it really free?

Yes. There are no purchases, no premium currency and no paid advantages. Every partner, item and upgrade is earned by playing.

### Do I have to download or install anything?

No. PokeBonk runs in the browser. On this site you just press [Play PokeBonk](https://pokebonkgame.io/#play) and the game opens in a window on the page. There is no official app to install, so an app-store listing with the same name is not an official release.

## Accounts and saves

### Should I play as a guest or make an account?

Start as a guest if you just want to try it. It takes one click and needs no sign-up.

Make an account once you care about your progress. The difference:

| | Guest | Account |
|---|---|---|
| Sign-up needed | No | Name and password |
| Where progress lives | The browser and device you used | Your login, on any device |
| Survives clearing site data | No | Yes |

Guest profiles left unused for 60 days are deleted, so don't wait too long. You don't have to start over to switch. Use **Save to account** from your guest session and everything you have earned comes along. Keep your password somewhere safe.

### Where is my progress saved?

As a guest, progress is tied to the browser on the device you played on. Opening the game in another browser, a private window or after clearing site data looks like a brand-new player. With an account, you log in anywhere and pick up where you left off.

Your progress includes your League of partners, items you have unlocked, Lab upgrades and Stardust. Your level, moves and evolution inside a run reset when the run ends.

### Does reloading the game delete my progress?

No. Reloading is safe. If a run is interrupted by a closed tab or a lost connection, the result is kept and sent when you come back in the same browser.

## Devices

### Can I play on a phone or tablet?

Yes. The game has touch controls with a joystick for movement and works in modern mobile browsers. On this site it plays in **landscape**: turn your phone sideways after pressing Play. Android goes full screen automatically, and on iPhone you simply rotate the phone. If the game runs slowly, set Graphics quality to Low or turn on Battery saver in the settings.

### Can I use a controller?

Yes, controllers are supported on desktop. You can adjust the controller dead zone in the settings if your character drifts.

### What are the keyboard controls?

WASD or the arrow keys to move, the mouse for the camera, Space to jump, Shift to slide, R for your Ultimate, E to interact and P or Esc to pause. All of them can be remapped in Settings → Keys. The full table is in the [getting started guide](https://pokebonkgame.io/guides/getting-started).

## Pokémon and progression

### How many Pokémon are in PokeBonk?

The Pokédex covers all **151 Kanto Pokémon**. You meet them as enemies, guardians and bosses across the regions. Many of them can also join your League as playable partners: each one has a challenge, and once you complete it you can catch that Pokémon in a run.

### Which starter should I choose?

Bulbasaur is the most forgiving because its passive keeps healing you. Charmander hits harder, Squirtle is the toughest. The other two can be unlocked later, so the choice isn't permanent. See the [starter Pokémon guide](https://pokebonkgame.io/guides/starter-pokemon) for passives and moves.

### What do I spend Stardust on?

Permanent upgrades in the Lab, such as more damage, more HP and faster movement, plus new items for your item pool. The [Lab upgrades page](https://pokebonkgame.io/wiki/lab-upgrades) lists them all with costs.

## Season 2 and multiplayer

### Is Season 2 out?

Yes. Season 2 started on **October 21, 2026 at 16:30 UTC**. It adds two new regions, **Storm Coast** and **Celestial Glacier**, move fusions at Bill's Machine, new Lab upgrades, new items and fresh leaderboards. The Halloween event **Lavender Tower Night** runs alongside it until November 4. Everything new is covered in the [Season 2 guide](https://pokebonkgame.io/guides/season-2).

### Are Mega Evolutions coming?

Not in Season 2. The developer moved Mega Evolutions to Gen 2, which is planned for Season 3. No date has been given.

### Can I play with friends?

Not in the same run yet. PokeBonk is single-player right now, but there are social features: seasonal leaderboards and clans with a shared board, weekly missions, rivalries and up to 200 members. Co-op has been described as planned for after Season 2, with no release date.

### Where can I see what changed in each update?

The [updates page](https://pokebonkgame.io/updates) lists the changes version by version, and the [videos page](https://pokebonkgame.io/videos) collects gameplay and beginner videos.

## Quick answers

### Is PokeBonk free to play?
Yes. PokeBonk is completely free, with no purchases and no paid advantages. Every unlock comes from playing.

### Do I need to download PokeBonk?
No. It runs in your browser on desktop and mobile. Press Play and you are in, with nothing to install.

### Can I play PokeBonk without an account?
Yes. Play as a guest. Your progress is kept in that browser, and you can save it to an account later.

### Can I play PokeBonk on my phone?
Yes. It has touch controls and plays in landscape in any modern mobile browser.

### Who made PokeBonk?
PokeBonk was made by Charcher, a Spanish developer, and released on October 14, 2026.

---

# PokeBonk Items and Vitamins: Rarities, Effects and Limits

Canonical page: https://pokebonkgame.io/wiki/items-and-vitamins
Updated: 2026-10-22 · Game version v0.8.17

> Every PokeBonk item rarity, the best-known item effects and caps, how vitamins work on level-up, and how to add items to your Poké Ball pool.

Your partner gets stronger in a run in three ways: new or upgraded moves, vitamins picked at level-up, and items picked up from Poké Balls or bought from Meowth. This page covers the last two: what the rarities mean, which items do what, how many you can carry, and how to get new items into your pool.

## Items, vitamins and moves are separate

It helps to keep the three systems apart, because they come from different places and fill different slots.

| Boost | Where it comes from | What limits it |
|---|---|---|
| Items | Poké Balls on the map, Meowth's shop | Each item has its own max count |
| Vitamins | Level-up cards | Your vitamin slots |
| Moves and move upgrades | Level-up cards | Your move slots |

A single level-up screen can mix all of these. You might see a new move, a vitamin and an upgrade to a move you already own side by side. See [Move Learning](https://pokebonkgame.io/wiki/move-learning) for how move cards are chosen.

## Item rarities

Every item in the catalog carries one of five rarities. Higher rarity means a bigger effect, and usually a lower cap.

- **Common**: simple type boosters, such as +30% damage for one move type.
- **Uncommon**: broader boosts, such as +15% physical or special damage.
- **Rare**: strong boosts that often come with a drawback.
- **Epic**: build-shaping effects, such as an extra projectile on every move.
- **Legendary**: the rarest items, often with a cap of 1 to 3.

Level-up cards use the same color labels (Common, Uncommon and so on), so you can spot a rare offer at a glance.

![The PokeBonk Lab item catalog listing Legendary, Epic and Rare items with their effects and max counts](https://pokebonkgame.io/images/items-catalog-960.webp)

## Notable items and their effects

The table lists well-known items with the effect and cap shown in Lab → Items (values from the v0.6.2 catalog). Season 2 added 24 more items, so open the catalog in your own game for the full list.

| Item | Rarity | Effect | Max |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miracle Seed | Common | +30% Grass move damage, +3% total damage | 10 |
| Charcoal | Common | +30% Fire move damage, +3% total damage | 10 |
| Mystic Water | Common | +30% Water move damage, +3% total damage | 10 |
| Muscle Band | Uncommon | +15% physical damage | 10 |
| Wise Glasses | Uncommon | +15% special damage | 10 |
| Life Orb | Rare | +30% total damage, −10% max HP | 5 |
| Choice Band | Rare | +35% physical damage, −8% attack speed | 5 |
| Choice Specs | Rare | +35% special damage, −8% attack speed | 5 |
| Choice Scarf | Rare | +20% speed, +10% attack speed | 5 |
| PP Max | Epic | +1 projectile on all moves | 10 |
| Max Elixir | Epic | +20% attack speed | 10 |
| Shiny Stone | Epic | +15% total damage, +15% area | 10 |
| Dusk Stone | Epic | +40% crit damage, +8% crit chance | 10 |
| Max Revive | Legendary | Revive once with 60% HP | 3 |
| Rare Candy | Legendary | Gain 2 levels instantly, +5% damage | 10 |
| Master Ball | Legendary | +25% damage, guaranteed capture in Wild Encounters | 1 |

### Pick items that match your moves

Type and damage category are two different checks. Bulbasaur's Vine Whip is physical, while Charmander's Ember and Squirtle's Water Gun are special. So:

- A **type booster** (Miracle Seed, Charcoal, Mystic Water) only helps moves of that type.
- **Muscle Band** and **Choice Band** help physical moves; **Wise Glasses** and **Choice Specs** help special ones.
- **PP Max**, **Max Elixir** and **Shiny Stone** help almost every kit, which is why they are popular picks.

Watch the drawbacks. Life Orb costs max HP, and the Choice items slow your attacks. On a fragile partner, a smaller clean boost can be the safer choice. The [Starter Pokémon guide](https://pokebonkgame.io/guides/starter-pokemon) lists each starter's moves and categories.

## Vitamins

Vitamins appear as "New vitamin" cards when you level up. Each one raises a single stat. Their effects do not always match the item of the same name in other Pokémon games, so read the card:

- **X Defense** gives +4% evasion.
- **Ether** gives +8% attack speed.

Season 2 (v0.8.0) added five new vitamins. How many you can hold depends on your vitamin slots, and the Lab's **Vitamin slots** upgrade adds one extra slot per level, up to two levels. The **Max Ether** item also raises your vitamin cap during a run; selling it brings the cap back to normal.

A good rule early on: take a new attack first, then fill vitamins once your move bar is set up.

## Item limits and stacking

Every item has a maximum count, shown on its catalog card ("max. 10", "max. 5" and so on). A few rules keep builds in check:

- Bonuses of the same kind **add together**; separate bonus groups still multiply. Huge damage numbers from early clips came from older stacking rules.
- **Ditto** cannot copy an item you already have at max.
- **Meowth** will not sell you an item you have already maxed.
- Meowth raises prices if you keep buying without opening Poké Balls. Paid Poké Balls let you pick one of three items.

## How to unlock items

Open the main menu and go to **Lab → Items**. The catalog shows every item, split into what is already **in your Poké Balls**, what is still locked, and what you have **archived**.

- **Buying items:** since Season 2, all 59 previously locked items can be bought with Stardust from the start, with no extra requirements. Items you already owned stay owned.
- **Finding them in runs:** unlocked items go into your Poké Ball pool. Open Poké Balls on the map or shop at Meowth to get them.
- **Archiving:** archived items stop appearing in Poké Balls and the shop, which makes the items you want more likely. The **Archive** upgrade in the Lab gives five slots per level, and v0.8.17 adds up to three Archive templates you can switch between before a run.

Stardust comes from playing runs. For what else to spend it on, see [Lab Upgrades](https://pokebonkgame.io/wiki/lab-upgrades). Ready to put a build together? [Play PokeBonk](https://pokebonkgame.io/#play).

## Quick answers

### What is the difference between an item and a vitamin in PokeBonk?
Items come from Poké Balls on the map and Meowth's shop and each has its own effect and cap. Vitamins are stat boosts offered as cards when you level up, and they use vitamin slots.

### How many Master Balls can I hold?
One. The Master Ball has a cap of 1, while most other items cap at 5 or 10.

### How do I unlock more items?
Since Season 2, locked items are bought with Stardust in Lab → Items. Once unlocked, an item joins your Poké Ball pool and can show up in runs.

### Do old infinite-damage builds still work?
No. Item caps are enforced and bonuses of the same kind now add together instead of multiplying, so huge stacks from early clips are not possible anymore.

---

# PokeBonk Lab Upgrades: Every Upgrade, Cost and What to Buy First

Canonical page: https://pokebonkgame.io/wiki/lab-upgrades
Updated: 2026-10-22 · Game version v0.8.17

> All 24 PokeBonk Lab upgrades with effect per level, max level and Stardust cost, plus the 4th move slot, Archive and a beginner buying order.

The Lab is where your Stardust turns into permanent power. Every upgrade you buy applies to all future runs, so a few smart early purchases make the whole game easier. Below are all 24 upgrades, what they cost, and an order that works well for new players.

## Opening the Lab

From the main menu, choose **Lab**. Your Stardust balance shows at the top. The Lab has two tabs:

- **Upgrades**: permanent stat boosts and run tools (109 levels in total across all cards).
- **Items**: the item catalog, where you unlock and archive items. See [Items and Vitamins](https://pokebonkgame.io/wiki/items-and-vitamins).

Stardust is earned by playing runs. It is separate from PokéDollars, the money you spend at Meowth during a run.

![PokeBonk Lab Upgrades screen with Training, Stamina, Agility, Study, Trading, Fortune, Magnetism, Leftovers and Shell cards and their Stardust prices](https://pokebonkgame.io/images/lab-upgrades.webp)

## Training upgrades (permanent stats)

These are the straight stat boosts. Prices are the cost of the first level as of Season 2 (v0.8.13); later levels cost more.

| Upgrade | Effect per level | Max level | First level (Stardust) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Training | +4% damage | 8 | 85 |
| Stamina | +8 max HP | 8 | 85 |
| Agility | +2.5% movement speed | 6 | 100 |
| Study | +5% experience | 6 | 100 |
| Trading | +8% PokéDollars | 6 | 85 |
| Fortune | +5 luck | 6 | 120 |
| Magnetism | +0.6 pickup range | 5 | 70 |
| Leftovers | +0.2 HP regeneration | 5 | 100 |
| Shell | +2 armor | 6 | 100 |
| Precision | +1% crit chance | 5 | 170 |
| Swiftness | +2% attack speed | 5 | 185 |
| Expansion | +3% area | 5 | 170 |

At max level, Training alone adds +32% damage and Stamina adds +64 max HP. Precision, Swiftness and Expansion arrived with Season 2.

## Run team upgrades (slots and tools)

This section changes how a run plays rather than raising a stat.

| Upgrade | What it does | Max level | First level (Stardust) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4th move | Opens a fourth move slot | 1 | 1,275 |
| Vitamin slots | +1 vitamin slot per level | 2 | 1,020 |
| Refresh | +1 level-up reroll per run, per level | 6 | 100 |
| Skip | +1 skip per run, per level; skipping pays PokéDollars | 6 | 70 |
| Banish | +1 banish per run, per level; removes a card for the rest of the run | 6 | 130 |
| Fourth option | Level-ups show four cards instead of three | 1 | 2,550 |
| Revive | Start every run with a Max Revive | 1 | 4,250 |
| Research | +25% research progress per level | 4 | 215 |
| Support team | Captured Alpha slots go from two to three | 1 | 2,975 |
| Archive | +5 Archive slots per level | 4 | 510 |
| Harmony | Ultimate charges 4% faster per level | 5 | 215 |
| Big Bag | Bring 3 Bag items into a run instead of 2 | 1 | 3,400 |

### The fourth move slot

New players often look for this one. Go to **Lab → Upgrades**, scroll to **Run team**, and buy **4th move** for 1,275 Stardust. It gives your partner room for one more attack, which is a big jump in damage and coverage.

Do not confuse it with **Fourth option**. That one only adds a fourth card to each level-up choice; it does not add a slot. Since Season 2 you can also free a slot mid-run by fusing two max-level moves at Bill's Machine. See [Move Fusions](https://pokebonkgame.io/wiki/move-fusions).

### Archive capacity

Archived items stop appearing in Poké Balls and Meowth's shop, so the items you actually want come up more often. Each Archive level adds five slots, up to **20 slots** at level 4. Version 0.8.17 added up to three Archive templates, so you can keep a different item setup per partner or mode and switch before a run.

## Recommended buying order for beginners

There is no single best path, but this order fixes the most common early problems: dying too fast and running out of damage.

1. **Magnetism** (70) and **Training** (85): cheap, and both help from the first second. Wider pickup means faster levels; more damage clears crowds sooner.
2. **Stamina** (85) and **Shell** (100): more HP and armor so mistakes hurt less.
3. **Study** (100): more experience means more level-up cards every run.
4. **4th move** (1,275): your first big purchase. Save for it once the cheap stat levels are in.
5. **Refresh**, **Skip** and **Banish**: a couple of levels each gives you control over level-up offers, which matters once your build has a plan.
6. **Vitamin slots**, **Archive** and **Fourth option**: worth it once you know which items and vitamins your favorite partner wants.
7. **Revive**, **Support team** and **Big Bag**: expensive comfort picks for later.

Spread early Stardust over several cheap cards rather than pushing one card to max. The first levels are the cheapest, and each one helps right away.

### Match the upgrade to your problem

- **Dying to crowds?** Stamina, Shell, then Leftovers.
- **Runs feel slow?** Magnetism and Study.
- **Not enough damage late?** Training, Swiftness and the 4th move slot.
- **Bad level-up offers?** Refresh, Banish and Archive.

Your starter matters too. Squirtle already has extra armor and shield, so it may want damage first; Charmander may want HP first. The [Getting Started guide](https://pokebonkgame.io/guides/getting-started) covers your first runs, and once you have Stardust to spend, jump back in and [Play PokeBonk](https://pokebonkgame.io/#play).

## Quick answers

### How much does the 4th move slot cost?
4th move costs 1,275 Stardust as of Season 2. It is a one-level upgrade in the Run team section of Lab → Upgrades.

### Is Fourth option the same as 4th move?
No. 4th move adds a fourth attack slot. Fourth option shows four cards on each level-up instead of three. They are separate purchases.

### How many Archive slots can I get?
Archive has four levels with five slots each, for 20 slots in total. The first level costs 510 Stardust.

### Do Lab upgrades carry over between runs?
Yes. Lab upgrades are permanent and apply to every run you start afterward.

---

# PokeBonk Move Learning: Kits, Level Requirements and Move Slots

Canonical page: https://pokebonkgame.io/wiki/move-learning
Updated: 2026-10-22 · Game version v0.8.17

> How PokeBonk partners learn moves: signature kits, evolution-line moves, League members' kits, move slots, upgrades and level requirements.

Your partner starts every run with one attack and picks up the rest as it levels. Knowing where those moves come from lets you plan a run instead of hoping for good cards. This page explains the three move sources, the rules for slots and levels, and how upgrades work.

## Where to see every move your partner can learn

Before a run, press **Play** to open **The League**, pick your partner, and look under **Passive & kit**. The profile shows the four signature attacks. Tap **See all its moves** below them to open the full list, titled "Everything it can learn during a run". You may need to scroll the panel to reach the button.

The full list is much longer than the four-card summary. Squirtle's, for example, holds 38 moves once every source is counted.

![Squirtle's full move list in PokeBonk with Own kit, From its evolution line and Other members' kits sections](https://pokebonkgame.io/images/move-learning.webp)

## The three move sources

| Source | What is in it | How it is offered |
|---|---|---|
| Own kit | Four signature attacks | Offered more often than any other move, each from its listed level |
| Evolution line | Moves from the partner's evolution family | 35% chance per level-up that one is offered at random; needs a free slot |
| Other members' kits | Attacks taught by your League members | Members who share a type with your partner teach moves of that type or Normal type |

### Own kit (signature moves)

Every partner has four signature attacks. The first is its starter move, and the other three unlock at set levels during the run. These are the most reliable picks because they appear the most often.

### Evolution-line moves

These come from the rest of the partner's evolution family. They add variety, but they are random: each level-up has a 35% chance of offering one, and only if you have an empty move slot.

### Other members' kits

This is the source that grows as you play. When you capture Pokémon and they join your League, they can teach your partner. A member only teaches attacks of a type it shares with your partner, or Normal-type attacks. Until a member joins, its moves show as locked in the list. That is why two players using the same starter can see different offers.

## Squirtle as an example

Squirtle's own kit, with the level each move becomes available:

| Move | Available from | Type · Category · Shape |
|---|---|---|
| Water Gun | Start | Water · Special · Projectile |
| Bubble | Lv. 2 | Water · Special · Burst |
| Rapid Spin | Lv. 4 | Normal · Physical · Spin |
| Hydro Pump | Lv. 7 | Water · Special · Bolt |

Its evolution-line moves are Tackle and Bite from the start, Water Pulse from Lv. 2, Rain Dance from Lv. 5, Aqua Tail from Lv. 6, Shell Smash from Lv. 7 and Wave Crash from Lv. 10. On top of that, 27 more moves sit locked behind Water-type League members.

These levels are run levels, not evolution levels. "Lv. 7" means Hydro Pump can be offered once Squirtle reaches level 7 in that run.

## Move types and categories

Each move card lists three things:

- **Type** (Water, Fire, Grass, Normal, Dark and so on). Type boosters like Mystic Water only help moves of their type.
- **Category**: Physical or Special. Muscle Band and Choice Band boost physical moves; Wise Glasses and Choice Specs boost special ones.
- **Shape**: how the attack behaves, such as Projectile, Burst, Spin, Bolt, Charge, Strike, Weather or Booster.

A Water starter does not have an all-Water, all-Special kit. Rapid Spin is Normal and Physical, so a Water-only item build skips it. Match your items to the moves you actually run; [Items and Vitamins](https://pokebonkgame.io/wiki/items-and-vitamins) has the full breakdown.

## Move slots

Your partner starts a run with **three move slots**. A fourth is locked until you buy **4th move** in the Lab for 1,275 Stardust. See [Lab Upgrades](https://pokebonkgame.io/wiki/lab-upgrades) for the full list.

Your Ultimate (the R key) sits outside these slots, so it never takes up a move slot.

Once every slot is full, there is no room for another attack, so your level-ups lean on upgrades and vitamins. Season 2 added a way out: fusing two max-level moves at Bill's Machine creates a stronger move and frees one slot. See [Move Fusions](https://pokebonkgame.io/wiki/move-fusions).

## Upgrading moves

![A PokeBonk level-up screen offering Bubble as a new move, X Defense as a vitamin and a Water Gun upgrade from level 1 to 2](https://pokebonkgame.io/images/level-up-960.webp)

Each level-up shows a set of cards. Three types can appear:

- **New move**: adds an attack to an empty slot.
- **Upgrade**: raises a move you own by one level. The card lists exactly what changes. For example, Water Gun level 1 → 2 gives +1 piercing and −10% cooldown.
- **New vitamin**: a stat boost that uses a vitamin slot.

Cards also show a rarity label (Common, Uncommon and so on), and below them you have **Refresh**, **Skip** and **Banish** buttons. Refresh rerolls the offer, Skip passes on it, and Banish removes a card from the rest of the run. Banishing a move you do not want makes the moves you do want more likely.

### A simple plan for your first runs

1. Take new signature moves early. A second and third attack help more than a small upgrade.
2. Once your slots are full, put upgrades into the move doing the most damage. The pause screen (Esc) shows each move's DPS.
3. Banish evolution-line moves that do not fit your items.
4. Push two moves to max level if you want to fuse them later.

New to the game? Start with [Getting Started](https://pokebonkgame.io/guides/getting-started), then [Play PokeBonk](https://pokebonkgame.io/#play) and watch which cards show up.

## Quick answers

### How many moves can my partner use at once?
Three slots are open at the start. The 4th move upgrade in the Lab opens a fourth slot for 1,275 Stardust.

### Why does my partner never get offered a certain move?
Check its level requirement, whether you have a free slot, and, for shared moves, whether the Pokémon that teaches it has joined your League and shares a type with your partner.

### What are signature moves?
Each partner's own kit of four attacks. They show up on level-up more often than any other moves, each from its listed level.

### Is the level on a move card the level my Pokémon evolves at?
No. It is the run level from which that move can be offered. Evolution happens separately.

---

# PokeBonk Move Fusions: Bill's Machine, Recipes and Star Ranks

Canonical page: https://pokebonkgame.io/wiki/move-fusions
Updated: 2026-10-22 · Game version v0.8.17

> How PokeBonk move fusions work in Season 2: Bill's Machine, max-level requirements, starter recipes, the 106 fusion groups and ★1–★6 star ranks.

Move fusions arrived with [Season 2](https://pokebonkgame.io/guides/season-2) and they change how a run grows. Take two moves you have maxed out, combine them at **Bill's Machine**, and you get one stronger attack plus a free move slot. This page covers the requirements, the known recipes and how fusions keep scaling afterwards.

## How fusing works

1. **Learn two moves** that can be fused together.
2. **Level both to max.** Pick their upgrade cards on level-ups until each one is at its top level.
3. **Find Bill's Machine.** There is one on each Classic map, and one per land in Survival. When a fusion is ready, a double helix of light marks the machine, so it is easy to spot.
4. **Choose a pair.** The machine lists the move pairs you can fuse. Pairs you cannot fuse yet show what is missing, for example "Flamethrower Lv. 6/8".
5. **Fuse.** The new move replaces the first move of the pair, and the second slot opens up.
6. **Wait for the cooldown.** After a fusion the machine needs time before it can be used again, so plan your next one for later in the run.

Your partner's signature fusion always appears in the list, even if you have not learned one of its moves yet. That makes the machine a handy place to check your target before you commit to a build.

## What the fusion keeps

A fusion is not a reset. It **inherits the upgrades from both source moves**, so every card you put into them still counts. On top of that, the freed slot lets you pick up another move, which is the real win when your kit is already full.

Since v0.8.14, Bill's Machine also previews the result before you confirm: its type, whether it is **Physical or Special**, and its numbers. Fusion tables are listed under **Moves** in the menu and in the pause screen, and since v0.8.16 the pause list scrolls inside its panel.

## Starter signature fusions

Each of the three starters has its own signature fusion built from two moves in its kit:

| Partner | Move 1 | Move 2 | Fusion | What it does |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bulbasaur | Razor Leaf | Solar Beam | **Flower Beam** | A solar beam laced with razor leaves that ends in a burst of petals |
| Charmander | Fire Spin | Flamethrower | **Fiery Whirlwind** | A fire vortex that pulls enemies in, spirals flames and then explodes |
| Squirtle | Rapid Spin | Hydro Pump | **Hydro Spiral** | Squirtle spins in its shell while two water jets sweep around it |

If you have not picked a favorite partner yet, the [starter guide](https://pokebonkgame.io/guides/starter-pokemon) compares all three. To see which moves each Pokémon can learn and how they show up on level-ups, read [move learning](https://pokebonkgame.io/wiki/move-learning).

## The 106 fusions by group

Season 2 has **106 fusions** in total, split into four groups:

| Group | Count | How it works |
|---|---|---|
| Signature fusions | 79 | One for each League member, made from two moves in that Pokémon's kit |
| Reaction fusions | 8 | Two moves that form the two halves of an elemental reaction; the fusion triggers that reaction itself |
| Type fusions | 18 | Two moves of the same type. Examples include Tidal Wave and Eternal Blizzard |
| MissingNo. | 1 | The fallback for any other valid pair; each cast fires a random type fusion |

79 + 8 + 18 + 1 = 106. In practice this means almost any two maxed moves can be fused into something. If the pair is not a signature, reaction or type match, you get MissingNo., which is unpredictable but still a fusion.

## Star ranks

After fusing, a fusion keeps improving through **star ranks** rather than move levels. You raise it with the regular upgrade cards on level-up.

| Rank | How to reach it |
|---|---|
| ★1 | Created at Bill's Machine |
| ★2 – ★5 | Regular upgrade cards on level-up |
| ★6 | Requires the TM Case |

The TM Case has a second job: it raises the cap of ordinary moves to level 10. Keep the two systems apart. Move levels apply to unfused moves, and stars apply to fusions.

## What cannot be fused

- **Weather moves.**
- **Boosters.**
- **Other fusions.** You cannot fuse a fusion again.

So a fusion is the end of a move's chain. You can still build several fusions in one run, one pair at a time, as long as the machine's cooldown allows it and you have maxed moves left to combine.

## Planning a fusion run

- **Pick your pair early.** Decide by your first few level-ups which two moves you want to fuse, and put upgrade cards into both of them.
- **Max both before the boss.** A fusion right before a guardian fight gives you a damage spike when you need it most.
- **Use the free slot.** After fusing, take a new move from your next cards. An area attack or a different type covers what the fusion misses.
- **Carry the TM Case for long runs.** The extra star rank pays off most in Survival and in the [Lavender Tower](https://pokebonkgame.io/wiki/lavender-tower), where runs go long.
- **Use Banish wisely.** Banishing an upgrade for a move you already have stops that move from upgrading for the rest of the run, which can block a fusion.

## Recent fusion fixes

v0.8.17 corrected some fusion behavior and how extra projectiles apply to fusions, and leaderboard results affected by the old behavior were adjusted. Clips of fusion damage recorded before v0.8.17 may not match what you see now, so trust the preview at Bill's Machine.

Ready to try your first fusion? [Play PokeBonk](https://pokebonkgame.io/#play) and start leveling a pair.

## Quick answers

### What do I need to fuse two moves?
Both moves must be at their max level, and you need to reach Bill's Machine on the current map (or the current land in Survival).

### Can I fuse a fusion again?
No. Fusions, weather moves and boosters cannot be used as fusion ingredients. A fusion grows through star ranks instead.

### What is Squirtle's signature fusion?
Rapid Spin + Hydro Pump makes Hydro Spiral, a spinning shell attack with two sweeping water jets.

### What happens to my move slots after fusing?
The fusion takes the first move's slot and the second slot becomes free, so you can learn a new move on your next level-ups.

### How high can a fusion go?
From ★1 up to ★5 with regular upgrade cards, and ★6 if you carry the TM Case.

---

# PokeBonk Lavender Tower Night: Floors, Candles and Rewards

Canonical page: https://pokebonkgame.io/wiki/lavender-tower
Updated: 2026-10-22 · Game version v0.8.17

> PokeBonk's Halloween event runs Oct 21 – Nov 4, 2026. How Lavender Tower floors, waves, Silph Scope and Candles work, plus all 10 reward tiers.

Lavender Tower Night is PokeBonk's first seasonal event and its Halloween special. You climb the Pokémon Tower in Lavender Town one floor at a time, fight off waves of ghosts in the dark and collect Candles for exclusive titles, costumes and Stardust. It runs alongside [Season 2](https://pokebonkgame.io/guides/season-2) and ends in early November.

## Event dates

| | Date and time |
|---|---|
| Starts | October 21, 2026 at 16:30 UTC (with Season 2) |
| Ends | November 4, 2026 at 17:30 UTC |
| Ends in UTC+8 | November 5, 2026 at 01:30 |
| Ends in Spain | November 4, 2026 at 18:30 local time |

Europe leaves summer time partway through the event, so the event is not exactly two weeks long in hours. If you want to squeeze in a last run, go by the UTC end time and leave yourself a margin.

## How to enter

Open the main menu and press the **Lavender Tower Night** event button. The event page has five tabs:

- **Play:** your Candle counter, your best floor and the **Enter the Tower** button.
- **Book of Candles:** the reward track.
- **Achievements:** event-only achievements, such as No Light.
- **Leaderboard:** Tower rankings for trainers and clans.
- **Prizes:** the event's prize list.

## How the Tower works

### Floors and waves

The main tower has **seven floors**. On each floor you face **three waves**, and the third wave brings a boss. Clear all three and the stairs open. Walk up them to reach the next floor.

Two bosses stand out:

- **Ghost Marowak** waits on **floor 6**.
- **Gengar, Lord of the Tower** waits at the top.

### Unidentified ghosts and the Silph Scope

Some ghosts arrive unidentified. While hidden, they take only a sliver of damage, so focusing them is a waste of time. Fire the **Silph Scope** pulse to reveal them, then let your attacks do their job.

### Darkness and candles

The tower is dark. Light candles to see what is coming. Gengar's tombstones are scattered around, and each one can hold either a trick or a treat, so open them knowing it could go either way.

### Offerings

On every floor you pick an **Offering**. Read each one before you choose. They shape the rest of your climb.

### Floors of the Beyond and curses

Past the rooftop, the climb keeps going. The **Floors of the Beyond** are endless, and you can accept **curses** there. Every curse you take on raises the Candles you earn, so this is where strong builds farm.

## How Candles work

Candles are the event currency. You earn them on every run in every mode, but the Tower pays more than ordinary Classic or Survival runs. Candles add up over the whole event, and each total you reach unlocks a tier in the **Book of Candles**.

## All 10 reward tiers

| Total Candles | Reward |
|---|---|
| 50 | Tower Visitor (title) |
| 150 | 300 Stardust |
| 300 | Lavender Candle |
| 500 | Lucky Egg and Rare Candy |
| 750 | Channeler |
| 1,000 | 600 Stardust |
| 1,300 | Cubone Costume |
| 1,650 | Spectral look |
| 2,000 | Lavender Channeler (title) |
| 2,500 | Gengar Costume |

The Stardust tiers are worth grabbing early: 900 Stardust in total goes straight into [Lab upgrades](https://pokebonkgame.io/wiki/lab-upgrades). The Lucky Egg and Rare Candy at 500 are useful items too. See [items and vitamins](https://pokebonkgame.io/wiki/items-and-vitamins) for what they do.

Since v0.8.14 you can pick a Pokémon's shiny look even if it also has the Spectral look unlocked.

## Tips for climbing higher

- **Scope first, shoot second.** When a pack of unidentified ghosts shows up, reveal them before you commit. Otherwise you are dodging enemies you cannot really hurt.
- **Light your way.** Fighting blind in the dark is how runs end early. Keep candles lit around the area you fight in.
- **Bring area damage.** Each floor throws three waves at you in a tight space. Moves that hit groups make the waves shorter.
- **Save your Ultimate for the third wave.** Every boss comes in wave three. Arrive with a full Ultimate and spend it there, especially on floor 6 against Marowak.
- **Plan a fusion.** If you can bring two moves to max level before the top floors, a [move fusion](https://pokebonkgame.io/wiki/move-fusions) frees a slot and gives a big damage spike for Gengar.
- **Choose curses you can handle.** In the Floors of the Beyond, more curses mean more Candles, but only if you survive. Add them one at a time.
- **Play a few short climbs early.** The first tiers come fast, and the 300 Stardust at 150 Candles makes your next attempts stronger.

## Known fixes during the event

The event got several fixes in its first days. If you hit one of these issues, reload the game to the newest version first:

| Version | Fix |
|---|---|
| v0.8.14 | No more walking through stairs or invisible walls, Meowth no longer blocks the stairs, Ectoplasm Armor is delivered and No Light can be earned |
| v0.8.15 | Tower wins that were wrongly rejected now count |
| v0.8.16 | Event ranking shows a Tower header, podium and your own position |
| v0.8.17 | Reward claims no longer fail on slow connections |

Your best floor, Candle balance and leaderboard position are separate records. If one looks wrong, check the others before reporting it. Your trainer card also shows your best Tower floor. More detail is in [troubleshooting](https://pokebonkgame.io/guides/troubleshooting).

Ready to climb? [Play PokeBonk](https://pokebonkgame.io/#play) and pick the event from the main menu.

## Quick answers

### When does Lavender Tower Night end?
The event ends on November 4, 2026 at 17:30 UTC (November 5 at 01:30 in UTC+8).

### How many Candles do I need for the Gengar Costume?
2,500 Candles in total. It is the last of the ten reward tiers in the Book of Candles.

### Do I only earn Candles in the event?
No. Every run in every mode earns Candles, but the Tower gives more than regular Classic or Survival runs.

### Why do my attacks barely hurt some ghosts?
Those ghosts are unidentified. Use the Silph Scope pulse to reveal them, and they take normal damage.

### My Tower win did not count. What now?
v0.8.15 fixed wins that were wrongly rejected. Reload to the newest version and check your best floor on the event page.

---

# PokeBonk Patch Notes & Updates (Latest: v0.8.17)

Canonical page: https://pokebonkgame.io/updates
Updated: 2026-10-22 · Game version v0.8.17

> Every PokeBonk patch from v0.8.17 back to v0.6.0, newest first: Season 2, Lavender Tower fixes, fusion changes, controls and save fixes.

PokeBonk updates fast, often several times a day. This page lists every patch from v0.8.17 back to v0.6.0, newest first, with only the changes that matter while you play. For the big picture of the current season, read the [Season 2 guide](https://pokebonkgame.io/guides/season-2).

To see which version you are on, open the main menu between runs and look under the PokeBonk logo. Press the version number for the full What's new list. If you are behind, reload the game.

## Season 2 patches (v0.8.x)

### v0.8.17 (October 22, 2026)

- Fusion behavior and the way extra projectiles apply to fusions were corrected. Rankings affected by the old behavior were adjusted.
- **Archive** can now hold up to three templates, and you can switch between them before a run.
- The big map zooms with the mouse wheel, a pinch, or on-screen buttons.
- The pause screen shows your damage per second over the last 15 seconds next to total damage.
- Boss drops land farther from portals, and portals ask for confirmation if rewards are still on the ground.
- Event reward claims no longer fail on slow connections, and pressing Esc no longer causes unwanted movement.
- Few-item and no-vitamin achievements now count everything you carried during the run. Selling Max Ether or the TM Case brings your vitamin or move cap back to normal.
- Smaller fixes: Fairy Feather icon, a less intrusive Ultimate notice, easier-to-read text and a better layout on foldable phones.

### v0.8.16 (October 22, 2026)

- The pause-menu fusion list now scrolls inside its own panel.
- The event ranking has a Tower header, a podium and your own position pinned on screen, with clear Trainers and Clans tabs.

### v0.8.15 (October 22, 2026)

- Lavender Tower wins that were wrongly rejected now count.
- Faster loading, and the server copes better when many players arrive at once.

### v0.8.14 (October 22, 2026)

- **Lavender Tower:** no more walking through stairs or invisible walls, Meowth no longer blocks the stairs, Ectoplasm Armor is delivered and the No Light achievement can be earned. Once a floor is clear, walk up the stairs.
- You can pick a Pokémon's shiny look even when it also has the Spectral look.
- Bill's Machine previews a fusion's type, Physical or Special category and numbers. Fusion tables appear under Moves and in pause.
- Finished runs retry sending their result after a server hiccup.
- New graphics options: Effect brightness and **Reduce flashes**, plus better frame rates with big hordes.
- Quality of life: skip the slot-machine animation, see banished options in pause, confirm before selling to Meowth, and the Pokédex achievement unlocks at all 151 seen.
- Fixes for Esc in Chrome/Edge fullscreen and for the camera after closing menus.

### v0.8.11 – v0.8.13 (October 21, 2026)

- If an update leaves you on a blank screen, the game now recovers by itself. No need for a hard refresh (Ctrl+F5).

### v0.8.10 (October 21, 2026)

- Fixed some runs failing to save after your connection came back.

### v0.8.9 (October 21, 2026)

- Better server handling when lots of players join at the same time.

### v0.8.8 (October 21, 2026)

- Season 1 players who cleared Rocky Desert but could not enter Storm Coast can now get in.

### v0.8.7 (October 21, 2026)

- Season 2 started fresh: leaderboards, clan points, rivalries, missions, streaks and clan records were reset.

### v0.8.6 (October 21, 2026)

- Runs started in Season 1 and finished after the switch no longer count on Season 2 boards or toward clan points. They stay in your run history.
- More server improvements for busy moments.

### v0.8.5 (October 21, 2026)

- After the first hour of Survival, hordes keep speeding up.
- Movement speed above ×3 has reduced effect.
- **Shed Shell** slide invulnerability lasts 0.35 seconds with a 0.8-second recharge, so it can no longer be chained forever.

### v0.8.4 (October 21, 2026)

- Trainer cards show the mode, region, difficulty, Time Attack medal, fusions and Bag items for each run.
- Your last 20 runs can be filtered by mode.
- Your best Lavender Tower floor appears on your profile.

### v0.8.3 (October 21, 2026)

- Four new in-run music tracks, picked at random each run. Legendary bosses keep their own themes.

### v0.8.2 (October 21, 2026)

- The clan showcase labels each trophy as coming from the KO board or the Survival board.

### v0.8.1 (October 21, 2026)

- Titles such as PokéBonk Pioneer now show their image and how to earn them.

### v0.8.0: Season 2 (October 21, 2026)

- Two new maps: **Storm Coast** (Zapdos) and **Celestial Glacier** (Articuno), each with six guardians.
- **Move fusions** at Bill's Machine: combine two max-level moves and free a slot. See [move fusions](https://pokebonkgame.io/wiki/move-fusions).
- 24 new items, five vitamins, three shrines, Mega crits, TM power-ups, an airborne dive and Pokémon Eggs.
- **Lavender Tower Night**, the Halloween event with Candles and prizes, running until November 4. See the [Lavender Tower guide](https://pokebonkgame.io/wiki/lavender-tower).
- Clans get a board, weekly missions, rivalries, levels, streaks, records and up to 200 slots.
- A cheaper Lab, a new main menu and new achievements.
- Time Attack now has prizes. Season 1 players receive the Kanto Pioneer avatar and PokéBonk Pioneer title in their mailbox.

## Pre-season patches (v0.7.x)

### v0.7.10 (October 20, 2026)

- 172 more accounts were suspended for cheating or botting before the season ended, and their records were removed.
- Creating an account now includes a Cloudflare robot check. Most players never have to do anything.

### v0.7.9 (October 20, 2026)

- Guest accounts that go unused for 60 days are deleted. Create an account to keep your progress for good.

### v0.7.8 (October 20, 2026)

- The Banish button works again: select the card, then press it again to confirm.
- Very long runs no longer make you invincible, and stunned enemies start moving again.
- Leaderboards and run saving load faster.
- Meowth's shop shows full prices, and the restock button moved to the top.
- Turning fullscreen off now stays off between runs.
- Lifesteal and Projectiles show decimals, Rain Dance counts for the soaking task and Esc closes the slot machine.
- Season-end leaderboards are reviewed by hand, and winners get their rewards through the mailbox.

### v0.7.7 (October 20, 2026)

- Survival runs past the one-hour mark no longer slow down, because Night elites now respect the enemy cap.
- The "My attacks" opacity setting also fades solid projectiles such as Razor Leaf and Sludge Wave.
- Your attacks no longer hit a Pokémon that is ready to be caught, and a boss's Great Ball no longer lands out of reach.
- You can change the pause key in Settings, and Ctrl+D no longer bookmarks the page mid-run.
- Mobile fixes: Battery saver stays off after reloading, What's new can be reopened, and the Research notebook and report form scroll properly.
- Getting removed from a clan sends you a mailbox notice.

### v0.7.6 (October 19, 2026)

- New level-up shortcuts: **F** to Reroll, **X** to Skip, **Z** to Banish.
- A short input guard at level-up stops keys you were already holding from picking a card by accident.
- Banish needs a second press on the card to confirm.
- Esc pauses without leaving fullscreen. Hold Esc to exit fullscreen.

### v0.7.5 (October 19, 2026)

- 38 more cheating accounts suspended, including the account at the top of the global board.
- Stronger checks against faked invulnerability, fabricated runs and edited starting XP or stats.

### v0.7.4 (October 19, 2026)

- Weekly task progress works again, and play since Monday counts.
- Fewer mobile crashes when changing zones or entering the sanctuary.
- Pause shows DPS for each move and for your Ultimate. Detail sheets show what boosts and passives add.
- Uninterrupted Ultimate skips its slow motion and banner, and turns on automatically with Auto Ultimate.
- The glossary is available while choosing your partner, and the Pokédex opens on a shiny you own.
- Banishing an upgrade for a move you already know warns you that the move stops upgrading for that run. E spins the slot machine again.

### v0.7.3 (October 19, 2026)

- Much more server capacity for everyone joining.
- The per-Pokémon leaderboard list loads faster.

![The PokeBonk What's new panel listing the v0.7.3, v0.7.2 and v0.7.1 changes](https://pokebonkgame.io/images/articles/updates/version-0-7-3.webp)

### v0.7.2 (October 18, 2026)

- 47 cheating accounts suspended and their records removed, which freed up many top spots on both the main and per-Pokémon boards.
- More leaderboard protection.

### v0.7.1 (October 18, 2026)

- Fixed a purple overlay covering the move lists.
- Hovering a level-up card no longer opens the move sheet. Full numbers are in the pause menu.

### v0.7.0: Patch #7 (October 18, 2026)

- The guardian altar, shrine and portal show on the big map again. Map markers, a north-up minimap and holding Tab to view the map without pausing were added.
- Every move has its own detail sheet, plus a glossary. Hold Tab while choosing an upgrade to inspect your build.
- Fewer mobile crashes, and finished runs save even if the connection drops.
- Meowth raises prices if you keep buying without opening Poké Balls. Paid Poké Balls let you choose one of three items.
- Controls: remapped keys are saved, controller dead zone is adjustable, Y toggles auto Ultimate and WASD works in Firefox.
- Fixes for boss HP, more than three shiny catches and Pokémon loading. A compact mobile layout and early-run tips were added.

## Early patches (v0.6.x)

### v0.6.4 (October 18, 2026)

- Fewer runs wrongly flagged for review on weak connections.
- Items no longer hide in corners, long builds no longer cover the minimap, and Safari audio comes back after switching tabs.

### v0.6.3 (October 18, 2026)

- Recovered run results are no longer wrongly rejected after the game closes, and results rejected by that bug were saved.
- Stricter checks on edited currency and damage-free zone clears.

### v0.6.2 (October 18, 2026)

- Training rewards in long runs now have a minimum, so they no longer drop to zero.
- Actions can be bound to the middle, right and side mouse buttons in Settings → Keys.
- Auto-run lasts only for the current run, shows an on-screen indicator and stops when you move backward.
- Fixes for attack effects carrying into the next run and text vanishing in the Save to account form.

### v0.6.1 (October 18, 2026)

- Guest progress is no longer lost after Exit and signing back in.
- Level-ups offer a full set of cards even when only one move slot is left.
- The big-map key can be rebound, and move-learning info shows Pokémon names and portraits.
- Fixes for a catch target vanishing during a nearby evolution, a mislabeled Friend Ball and overlapping items.

### v0.6.0 (October 17, 2026)

- The big map and minimap only show what you have explored. (v0.7.0 later brought the altar, shrine and portal back.)
- Fixed home-screen flicker on mobile with battery saver on.

## If something still looks wrong

Most problems after a patch come from an old build still running in an open tab. Reload between runs, check the version under the logo, and try again. For loading, connection and save problems, see the [troubleshooting guide](https://pokebonkgame.io/guides/troubleshooting), and for general questions the [FAQ](https://pokebonkgame.io/guides/faq).

Want to see the newest changes for yourself? [Play PokeBonk](https://pokebonkgame.io/#play).

## Quick answers

### What is the newest PokeBonk version?
v0.8.17, released October 22, 2026. It fixed fusions, added Archive templates and big-map zoom, and fixed event reward claims on slow connections.

### How do I check which version I am playing?
Go to the main menu between runs. The version number sits under the PokeBonk logo; press it to open the What's new list.

### Why is my game still on an older version?
A tab left open keeps running the old build. Reload the game between runs (on this site, press Reload) to get the newest one.

### Will Season 2 get balance changes?
No. During a season the developer only ships fixes and quality-of-life changes. Gameplay, mechanics and the economy stay locked until the next season.