An expedition is a short Hub adventure with a boss at 7:00 and a deadline at 8:00. Defeat the final boss to win immediately. Reaching the deadline without defeating it is a timeout, and losing your HP can end the attempt earlier.
This guide is for the Hub Edition playable here. The route below is a practical learning plan based on the implemented rules and browser checks, not a measured best build or a promise of a clear.
Choose the right expedition
Open Play in the game menu. Select your owned partner’s expedition, or use a free weekly or event trial.
| Mode | Partner | Purchased upgrades | Main reason to choose it |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8-minute expedition | Your current owned partner | Fixed preset instead | Practice a familiar move with a clear ending |
| Weekly trial | One of three rotating partners | Fixed preset instead | Learn another partner without unlocking it |
| Event trial | A partner offered by that event | Fixed preset instead | Work on that event’s objectives |
| Survival | Your owned partner | Your shared purchased levels | Use your long-term upgrades and chase Survival records |
Weekly and event trials do not replace the partner saved in your collection. An ordinary expedition or weekly trial does not count as an event run: enter through the event’s Start event · choose free partner button when pursuing event objectives.
Read the clock as three phases
| Run time | Your focus | Practical check |
|---|---|---|
| 0:00–1:30 | Learn the move and collect safe experience | Keep a damaging move active; leave an exit route |
| 1:30–7:00 | Improve a main attack and assemble an evolution | Take the move’s required run stat, not just menu upgrades |
| 7:00–8:00 | Defeat the final boss | Stop detouring for optional pickups; read attack warnings |
The opening is gentler, not invulnerable. Enemy pressure increases after the first 90 seconds. If you are still learning movement, treat surviving this opening and reaching a new level as useful progress even before a boss clear.
Opening: move first, collect second
Your active move attacks automatically. Start by making a broad loop and letting enemies gather behind you. Collect crystals where the path is open, rather than cutting back through the group for one pickup.
Watch how your starting move aims and how far it reaches. Squirtle’s Water Gun is one way to learn ranged positioning; Charmander’s Ember and Bulbasaur’s Vine Whip offer different patterns. These are learning options, not a partner ranking.
Move with WASD or arrows, switch active attacks with 1–4 or Q/E, and select upgrade cards with Z/X/C. A buff move may not deal direct damage, so return to an attack after testing it.
Build phase: finish an evolution recipe
While your save is working toward its first move evolution, Hub offers recommended cards for an eligible attack. Follow the sequence:
- Upgrade the eligible move to its maximum level.
- Take the required stat card in this run.
- Choose the gold evolution card when the recipe is ready.
For example, Water Gun + Power → Scald once Water Gun reaches level 5. Permanent Strength purchases are not the run’s Power card and do not complete that prerequisite. If you are using another starter, check the evolution table for its actual recipe.
You can still choose other cards. If the run ends before the build comes together, review whether you split upgrades among too many attacks or missed the ingredient. Avoid assuming that four learned moves all fire together: active-move selection still matters.
What the fixed upgrades give you
All three short modes use the same purchased-level preset: Vitality 5, Strength 5, Stride 2, Reflexes 2, Synthesis 3, Magnet 3 and Wisdom 3. Other purchase tracks are not added from your Survival upgrades.
These are preset upgrade levels, not identical final stats for every Pokémon. Partners still have different base stats, moves and types. The short modes also have their own enemy tuning.
Buying another shared upgrade will help Survival, but will not raise this expedition preset. To improve an expedition attempt, focus on movement, move choices, experience collection, the theme’s weather and the final boss. See shared upgrades when deciding where to spend your coins.
Final minute: make room for the boss
The final boss spawns at 7:00. Keep open ground available as that time approaches. Move out of warning areas before the hit lands, keep your damaging move active and attack from a range that matches its pattern.
Weekly and event themes tell you the boss and weather on the partner-selection screen. In Ghost Survey, that means Gengar and fog. Use that screen to plan rather than assuming every theme uses the same encounter.
Defeating the final boss ends the expedition with a victory. Surviving until 8:00 while the boss remains alive ends with a timeout; survival alone is not the win condition. A win includes an extra 100 coins and one single-pull ticket, in addition to resources otherwise earned in the run.
After a defeat, timeout or victory
Read the result screen before starting again. Your collection and earned resources persist, and beginner or mission goals may have advanced. Journey and event milestone resources are automatic; ordinary mission rewards need claiming.
Expedition best time and victory counts are separate from Survival’s best time and level. Trying an unfamiliar free partner does not overwrite those Survival records.
If you want event progress, a qualifying event run must last at least 60 seconds, include at least 10 seconds of movement and record at least one defeat of an enemy. You do not need a victory for every event objective. The activity guide explains how several shorter attempts can work together.
Playing on mobile
Use portrait for menus if you prefer, then rotate to landscape for combat. Drag to move, tap a move slot and tap upgrade cards. Rotating back to portrait during a run pauses the game and offers End run & view summary.
Closing or reloading the page ends an unfinished attempt; a save backup stores your lasting progress, not a resumable mid-run state. Download a copy from Backups & save file before moving to another browser or device.