Where to go after the Hedge Lab in Grounded

Grounded
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After the Grounded Hedge Lab you need to work out where to go next. After bringing the Superchip to BURG.L, you have multiple labs to go and find - the Black Anthill Lab, the Haze Lab and the Pond Lab, all of which have Superchips of their own. These mark the next major objectives for Grounded's story, and while the order in which you can tackle them is optional, some are much easier - and much harder - than others, as well as needing special equipment to reach them. 

With that in mind, I'll cover where to go after the Hedge Lab in Grounded, and the best order for the Haze Lab, Pond Lab and Black Anthill Lab - not to mention the equipment you'll need to access them.

What to do after the Hedge Lab

Grounded after hedge lab order superchips

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Grounded pets and taming bugs

Grounded pets tame

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Want to learn how to tame Grounded pets? Find some loyal bugs here!

After the Hedge Lab in Grounded, if you think you're ready, head back to BURG.L in the Oak Tree Lab and he'll direct you to find three more Superchips - in the Black Anthill Lab, the Haze Lab, and the Pond Lab. You can technically go and get these in any order, they do the same thing either way, but these regions are all across the map and not easily found. All are varying degrees of lethal, and require different tools, weapons and technology to even access them at all.

That's why you shouldn't actually go to those labs after the Hedge - in fact, you should actually not do anything quest related. Instead, head back to your base, and start building weapons and armor, as well as unlocking whatever new gear you can (this might be the time to try killing a Ladybug, for instance, or even an Orb Weaver Spider if you're feeling especially courageous). Much like wondering what to do after the Grounded Oak Lab, the reality is that you should use this gap between objectives to start analyzing and building with all the new resources and information you've accrued in the Hedge. 

Yes, Grounded is about to spike in difficulty (assuming you're following the critical path), so you should be as ready as possible, with tier 2 weapons and armor if you can get them. If you've not read them already, you should also check out our Grounded tips to make sure you have a total comprehension of all the game's fundamentals.

Best order to visit the labs for the Superchips in Grounded

Grounded after hedge lab order superchips

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With all the labs marked on your map (sort of), the question now is what order to tackle them. We suggest this order:

  1. Hedge Lab (if you didn't go already)
  2. Pond Lab
  3. Haze Lab
  4. Black Anthill Lab
Defend the MIXR Modules and Javamatic in Grounded

Grounded MIXR modules defend javamatic

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If you want to prepare for later missions, check out our guide to the Grounded MIXR Modules and Javamatic defence quest here!

For one thing, this'll provide a roughly-escalating difficulty curve, as well as generally escalating the level of tech and construction needed to actually access the different areas. 

Or if you want some clues on fun extras, why not try getting the Grounded Minotaur Maze Key for the fabled Mint Mace recipe? Everybody loves clubbing bees to death with a breathmint on a stick, right?

How to get into the labs in Grounded

Grounded after hedge lab order superchips

(Image credit: Obsidian)

Speaking of which, here's the essential gear required to reach each Lab, though you'll certainly need weapons, Grounded armor and supplies beyond these. Make sure you have what's listed below, as they're required, not just useful to have. 

  • Hedge Lab: No gear requirements
  • Pond Lab: Get a Gill Tube, Bubble Helmet and some Fin Flops so you can reach the lab at the bottom of the pond. You'll also likely need one of the underwater weapons listed in the Grounded weapons page we've written.
  • Haze Lab: The Haze is surrounded in poison that requires a Gas Mask, and you'll need one Bratburst/Splatburst bomb to open a broken door and force your way inside.
  • Black Anthill Lab: Again, at least two or three Bratburst/Splatburst explosives (for clearing rubble from tunnels), and more to explore the whole area. Players may also need a Gas Mask if they approach from the Trash Heap entrance. 

After doing all these quests, you'll have to head to the Grounded Upper Yard - a task in its own right - in pursuit of Wendell's SCAB location in Grounded. For help on either of those, just check out our freshly-dug guides.

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Joel Franey
Guides Writer

Joel Franey is a writer, journalist, podcaster and raconteur with a Masters from Sussex University, none of which has actually equipped him for anything in real life. As a result he chooses to spend most of his time playing video games, reading old books and ingesting chemically-risky levels of caffeine. He is a firm believer that the vast majority of games would be improved by adding a grappling hook, and if they already have one, they should probably add another just to be safe. You can find old work of his at USgamer, Gfinity, Eurogamer and more besides.