Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Red Rescue Team and Blue Rescue Team

Prototype Info Prerelease Info Bugs Debug RoomHidden area reserved for game testing. Unused DungeonsWhy bother playing at all if you can just go on autopilot? Unused PokémonUsed, yet Unused. Unused GraphicsUhm... I don't think I recognize that Pokémon. Unused AnimationsA bunch of animation leftovers. Unused Moves58 unused and semi-unused moves. Unused AudioEvolution used to be scary. Unused CodeEvolving during a fight?? Development TextBe aware of debug attacks! Regional DifferencesLegend has it that the sea beyond the horizon is glittery.

Debug Menu#

There is a Debug Menu that can be accessed by patching byte 0xE5B08 (Red Rescue Team) or 0xB7184 (Blue Rescue Team) to 0x10. This can be done by using the following cheat code:

For Blue Rescue Team, the ROM patch must be done manually with a file editor, since there aren't any Nintendo DS cheat devices that support this feature.

As a result, this will replace the "Delete Save Data" option; also note that after opening the main menu, the cursor will point to it by default rather than to the "Continue" option.

The first five options make the menu disappear and the game freeze, except for the music. The "Storage" option makes the game freeze without the menu disappearing. The "h-open" option will return you to the main menu.

While these functionalities seem to have been removed from the commercial builds, they are still working in the leaked Japanese debug-enabled build of Blue Rescue Team, which has been documented here.

Provisional Map#

Besides the Debug Room, there is another unused area accessible via these cheat codes:

After activating the code, walk though any warp point in the overworld to access this area.

Despite the "Makuhita Dojo" area label shown in the overworld menu, this room seems more like a house than a dojo: it has a bed, a fireplace, and many flowerpots. The Japanese label "仮マップ" on the lower part of the map means "provisional map". Also, it is possible to walk on the table, but not on the stairs present on the right.

There are two Pokémon NPCs in this room: a Noctowl and a Gulpin, respectively. When talked to, they will both give a red "Unregistered dialog script" line; this also happens in the Japanese version. If the room is accessed before saving Magnemite, these NPCs will be absent, just like the Pokémon Square NPCs.

The background music is the same as the one used for Makuhita Dojo mazes. Leaving the room (after disabling the cheat code) will send the player to in front of the Makuhita Dojo entrance.

In the debug-enabled build's Field Map list, this area is labeled "くんれんじょ　ないぶ", which can be translated as "Dojo Interior". This suggests an interior area was planned for the Makuhita Dojo building at some point.

Unused Items#

To do: Find out if the Rings have any functionality coded in, or if the other items have any other code leftovers beside what already known.

These can be found in the Kangaskhan Storage after activating the respective cheat code (except for the "Nothing" item):

Item name (EN)	Item name (JP)	Sprite	In-game description (EN)	In-game description (JP)	Function
Nothing	なし		No information available.	なし	An item placeholder used for Pokémon in friend areas.
Ring D	ゆびわＤ		Ring D	ゆびわＤ	Currently unknown.
Ring E	ゆびわＥ		Ring E	ゆびわＥ	Currently unknown.
Ring F	ゆびわＦ		Ring F	ゆびわＦ	Currently unknown.
Alert Specs	けいかいメガネ		A hold item that prevents the Pokémon from having its held item snatched away or swatted down.	もっているポケモンは　てもちのどうぐを　とられたり はたきおとされたりしないですむ	Just as the in-game description says. Note that this is pretty useless since its effect applies on the item itself, which doesn't have any other effect.
Excavate	ほりおこし		Teaches the move Excavate. It digs through the wall the user is facing.	わざ[ほりおこし]を　おぼえる　しょうめんのかべを　くずす	No Pokémon can learn it, so the only way to access its move is by hacking (see the Unused Moves sub-page).
Spin Slash	かいてんぎり		Teaches the move Spin Slash. It inflicts damage on all foes surrounding the user.	わざ[かいてんぎり]を　おぼえる　まわりの　てきポケモンに　ダメージをあたえる	Same as above.
Observer Orb	ようすみのたま		Changes the status of the target to Paused, making it incapable of action.	てきポケモンを　ようすみじょうたいにかえる ようすみじょうたいのポケモンは　こうどうできない	Just as the in-game description says.
Possess Orb	とりつきだま		A leader's hold item that enables the leader to possess a friend and survive. It only works for the team leader.	ちからつきたときに　なかまポケモンに　のりうつって いきのびる　リーダーポケモンが　もっていないと こうかがない	It makes an adjacent ally faint in place of the leader, which completely heals them.
Reviver Orb	ふっかつのたま		A hold item that revives the Pokémon if it faints. It does not work if the holder faints from an explosion.	ちからつきても　ふっかつできる　ばくはつで しょうめつしたときは　ふっかつできない　もっていないと こうかを　はっきしない	Just as the in-game description says.
Toss Orb	ものなげのたま		Enables the Pokémon to throw items.	ポケモンが　どうぐをなげることが　できるようになる	It makes the user perform the item-throw animation.
Beatup Orb	よびだま		Synthesis item	ごうせいアイテム	Same effect as the Beat Up move.
G Machine 6	Ｇマシン６		Synthesis item	ごうせいアイテム	Same function as the Link Box item.
G Machine 7	Ｇマシン７		Synthesis item	ごうせいアイテム	Same function as the Link Box item.
G Machine 8	Ｇマシン８		Synthesis item	ごうせいアイテム	Same function as the Link Box item.
Weavile Fig	マニューラぞう		Weavile event item.	マニューラぞうよう　いべんとあいてむ	This item name appears in the descriptions for missions which offer the Weavile Statue as a reward. However, the player never obtains it in their inventory, since the statue is displayed outside the base instead. This item also functions as the Link Box item.
Switch Box	きりかえばこ		A curious box that enables the user to switch the rescue team's leader. Only official team members may become the team leader.	リーダーを　こうたいすることができる　ふしぎなはこ きゅうじょたいの　せいしきなメンバーでないと リーダーには　なれない	Just as the in-game description says. However, it doesn't work until the main story is finished.
Mime Jr. Fig	マネネぞう		Mime Jr. event item.	マネネよう　いべんとあいてむ	Same as the Weavile Fig.

Unused Trap#

To do: Include an animated GIF/PNG of the trap in action. Add a code for spawning the trap.

The Trip Trap does not appear in any dungeon, nor is it possible to spawn using the Trapper Orb. It is still fully functional if hacked in, and will cause the Pokémon stepping on it to drop their held item onto an adjacent tile. Its (somewhat inaccurately translated) description also goes unused:

このわなを　ふむと　ころんでしまって
もっているどうぐを　おとしてしまう

Stepping on this trap makes the Pokémon
trip and drop an item.

Explorers of Time and Darkness would fully implement this trap without any changes to its function or tile graphic, and retranslate the description in English. The trap would subsequently appear in every following game in the series, including Rescue Team DX.

Unused Dialogue#

Early Morning Dialogue#

To do: Some other "early morning" lines may not be technically possible either.

A well known Easter egg of sorts is the fully optional visit to Pokémon Square during the early morning, which can only be done right before the hero and partner have to flee from the area as fugitives during the main story. All shopkeepers have "asleep" variants of all of their regular lines for this purpose, which covers a number of scenarios that are either impossible or exceedingly improbable at this point in the game, like trying to sell an untradeable item at the Kecleon Shop, having the maximum amount of Poké stored at Felicity Bank, or a completely filled Kangaskhan Storage.

Gulpin's "early morning" variant of one rarely used line is impossible to be seen, as it is used only when trying to remember moves for Deoxys. Deoxys cannot be recruited by this point in the game.

ゴゲゲ？……（あれれ？　アナタは
とくべつな　ポケモンのよう……）
むにゃむにゃ……（ボクにはムリ……）

Zzznork...? Hunh?
You're a special Pokémon...
Mumble...
I can't help you...

Even Makuhita's long dialogue for clearing all mazes received an entirely unique "early morning" variant, which is impossible to be seen as seven of the required mazes can only be unlocked after this point.

おお　ぐごー……
（おっ　クリアしたか！……）
よがー　ががー……
（よく　がんばった…これからも…がんばれ……
……って……）
ご？…（お？……）
ごごごご？？？……（おおおっ？？？……）
もごもご？……（もしかして……
すべての　くんれんを　せいは？？……）
すごーすごー……（すごいぞ！！
オマエ！！　おめでとう！！……）
ごほーごほー……
（やくそくどおり……ごほうび……）
ぐこ……ぐち……
（……ウソ……ハチ……）

Ah... Zzznarr...
Cleared it...
Zzzznarr... Urr...
Good going... Keep going...
Hunh... ...
Gwoh?
Gwogwogwoh?
Mugawah?
Cleared everything?
Zzznarr!
Congrazzz...
Zzznarr... Zzznarr...
Your reward...
Promised...
Zzz... Urr!
Bonsly Doll...

Luminous Cave Dialogue#

Since no evolution in the game has a different Friend Area than their pre-evolutions, the relevant dialogue goes unused along with the code that checks for this scenario.

…………………………。
なんじ　しんかは　まだ　できない。
しんかするには　ともだちエリアが　ひつようだ。

...
Ye cannot evolve yet.
Ye need your Friend Area to evolve.

…………………………。
なんじ　しんかは　まだ　できない。
しんかさきの　ともだちエリアが　いっぱいだ。

...
Ye cannot evolve yet.
The Friend Area to which ye shall go
has no room for ye.

Unused Level-Up Dialogue#

Gengar's appearance as a guest in Mt. Freeze and Murky Cave as well as Client Pokémon use unique sets of in-dungeon dialogue, and both sets include a line for leveling up. However, it is impossible for them to gain experience or level up in any way, even by using a Joy Ribbon or Joy Seed.

レベルアップしたぜ！　ケケケケッ！

I leveled up!
Kekekeke!

レベルアップだ！ うれしいな！

Leveled up! Happy, happy!

?????????? Dungeon Dialogue#

The following lines are used by ??????????, the Pokémon Mystery Dungeon equivalent of MissingNo.

Revisional Differences#

The initial Japanese release of Blue Rescue Team had a bug that would erase the save data from any Game Boy Advance game other than Red Rescue Team, when inserted in the DS GBA slot. This was promptly fixed by Nintendo with the distribution of a v1.1 revision of the game, also offering a replacement service until 2018 for anyone who already bought the original version of the game. All of the localized versions do not suffer from this bug.

Console Differences#

As both games were simultaneously released on different generations of hardware, there are a few significant differences:

• The music has been re-arranged between versions, particularly affecting the instrumentation.
• Blue Rescue Team uses the top screen for features such as the game map and Pokémon information while in a dungeon.
  • This will show the overworld map coordinates of certain dungeons that remain unseen in Red Rescue Team.
• Both games are compatible with each other through the Dual-Slot feature on the Nintendo DS. Through the Receive Team feature, Blue Rescue Team can unlock the exclusive Rescue Team Maze at the Makuhita Dojo, a short dungeon starring the team imported from Red Rescue Team as the bosses.
• Blue Rescue Team can use the exclusive Unknown Dungeon feature to connect to other copies of Blue Rescue Team and Pokémon Trozei! to receive unique items.

References#