How to evolve in Pokemon Mystery Dungeon DX and where to find Evolution Crystals

Pokemon Mystery Dungeon DX how to evolve
(Image credit: Nintendo)

You're probably wondering how to evolve pokemon in Pokemon Mystery Dungeon DX, because during the story, no matter how high you level up your Pokemon, they cannot evolve. It doesn't happen automatically once they reach a certain level like in the mainline Pokemon games, and there isn't a special method to evolve either. To evolve pokemon you just need to fulfil certain criteria to unlock the ability. Here's all you need to know about how to evolve pokemon in Pokemon Mystery Dungeon DX, along with where to get Evolution Crystals. 

How to evolve in Pokemon Mystery Dungeon DX

Pokemon Mystery Dungeon DX Luminous Cave

(Image credit: Nintendo)

The short answer is that in order to evolve Pokemon in Pokemon Mystery Dungeon DX, you need to beat the main story. After you see the credits roll and "The End" on your screen, you can return to the town square and find a place called the Luminous Cave has opened by Whiscash's Pond.

Entering the cave will present you with a menu that will allow you to evolve any of your Pokemon – provided they have a Pokemon to evolve into in the first place, of course. There are specific criteria you have to meet depending on the Pokemon though.

When looking at the information screen – if the Pokemon is able to evolve – it'll specify the level it needs to be in order to evolve. For these Pokemon, it's as simple as reaching that level then entering Luminous Cave and evolving them.

Then there's Evolution Crystals. Some Pokemon require an Evolution Crystal to evolve, so read on for everything you need to know about how to get them.

Pokemon Mystery Dungeon DX Evolution Crystals

Pokemon Mystery Dungeon DX Evolution Crystal

(Image credit: Nintendo)

Evolution Crystals are pink gems that you won't be able to find until you reach the postgame. You can sometimes find them in Kecleon's shop inside dungeons, and there's also a rare chance of finding a floor with no enemies with some Evolution Crystals in a single large room. They can also be obtained as job rewards.

We haven't discovered whether they can be bought from the shop in the town square yet, but will update this if we find they can.

When you've got an Evolution Crystal, evolving the Pokemon works in the same way. Head into Luminous Cave then as long as you've got an Evolution Crystal in your toolbox, you'll be able to evolve one Pokemon for every crystal. Good luck!

Ford James

Give me a game and I will write every "how to" I possibly can or die trying. When I'm not knee-deep in a game to write guides on, you'll find me hurtling round the track in F1, flinging balls on my phone in Pokemon Go, pretending to know what I'm doing in Football Manager, or clicking on heads in Valorant.

Latest in Pokemon
Pokemon Go player trying to catch a Croagunk
Pokemon Go developer Niantic is being bought for $3.5 billion, CEO says it'll help its games be "'forever games' that will endure for future generations"
Lapras seen in the Pokemon anime.
Former Pokemon world champ uses a "stupid strategy" that "should never work" to transform a Lapras into an OHKO machine so powerful it can even take out enemies in alternate dimensions
an ai chatbot plays a modded verion of pokemon red and jumps down a ledge to talk to an npc
An AI's mission to 'teach' itself Pokemon Red is going as well as you think - after escaping Cerulean City after tens of hours, it went right on back
Pokemon Legends Z-A screenshot showing Mega Charizard
Pokemon Legends Z-A's visuals aren't "great" say former Nintendo marketing leads, but hope Switch 2 could allow Game Freak to "go back to the drawing board" and add more detail to future RPGs
Pokemon Legends: Z-A screenshot
Pokemon Legends: Z-A looks to finally bring my anime-inspired dreams of truly active combat to life
Zoomed in art of the Sudowoodo illustration rare card in Pokemon TCG Pocket.
Pokemon's literal god of the universe is almost unstoppable in TCG Pocket – the only thing that can save us is a smiley tree and a concussed dinosaur
Latest in Guides
Fortnite Outlaw Keycard
Fortnite Outlaw Keycard: How to unlock it and what does it do
Umaga is a key player in The Bloodline Showcase
How to unlock all wrestlers in WWE 2K25
A shop in The Sims 4 Businesses and Hobbies
How to start a small business in The Sims 4 Businesses and Hobbies
FC 25
FC 25 FUT Birthday guide and full cards list
A Sim celebrates his tattoo shop in The Sims 4 Businesses and Hobbies
How to complete The Sims 4 Esteemed Entrepreneur aspiration in Businesses and Hobbies
Assassin's Creed Shadows Claws of Awaji expansion Naoe and Yasuke in Awaji forest
Assassin's Creed Shadows roadmap, DLC and future content