The idea: linking two neighbours
A chain alternates Pokémon and links, and every link is a criterion true for both of its neighbours. Here is a real Easy chain, with its two gaps:
Swoobat · Evolution: by friendship · Snorlax · hidden link · Slakoth · Region: Hoenn · hidden Pokémon · Category: Legendary · Ho-Oh
The link gap asks for a link true for Snorlax and Slakoth: "Type: Normal". The Pokémon gap asks for a Pokémon from Hoenn that is legendary. Kyogre was the planned answer, but the game accepts all eight: Regirock, Regice, Registeel, Latias, Latios, Kyogre, Groudon and Rayquaza.
Every chain follows three rules: both ends are always shown, two gaps are never next to each other, and there is at least one gap of each kind. So every gap has its two clues in front of you.
Three chains, three levels
A run strings three chains together, always in this order:
- Easy: 5 Pokémon, 2 gaps, 45 seconds per gap;
- Medium: 6 Pokémon, 3 gaps, 60 seconds per gap;
- Hard: 7 Pokémon, 4 gaps, 90 seconds per gap.
Easy and Medium use the same link families, the ones you can see on the Pokémon or simply know: type, region, category, evolution, gender, regional form and Mega. Medium stands out through its Pokémon gaps, which accept fewer answers. Hard drops the type and adds abilities, moves and egg groups: narrower links that few Pokémon share.
The link families
A link is named by its category, then its value. Here is every family, with two neighbours taken from the game's chains:
- Type: Snorlax and Slakoth are Normal types.
- Region: where the Pokémon debuted. Slakoth and Kyogre come from Hoenn.
- Category: legendary, mythical, paradox, starter or baby. Kyogre and Ho-Oh are legendary.
- Evolution: by stone, by trade or by friendship. Swoobat and Snorlax are reached by friendship.
- Gender: genderless, female-only or male-only. Jynx and Vespiquen are female-only.
- Regional form: Galarian Ponyta and Galarian Weezing.
- Mega: Sableye and Lucario can Mega Evolve.
On Hard, the type disappears and three families come in:
- Ability: Gliscor and Breloom can have Poison Heal.
- Move: Breloom and Pawmot learn Mach Punch.
- Egg group: Steelix and Alolan Geodude are in the Mineral group.
Finding a hidden Pokémon
A Pokémon gap is filled by a Pokémon true for both of its links. Start from the narrower link, the one few Pokémon share, then check the other. On Medium, between "Type: Ground" and "Category: Legendary", there are few Ground-type legendaries: Groudon, Landorus, Zygarde and Ting-Lu. The game accepts all four.
Any true answer counts, not only the planned one, and the same Pokémon can fill two gaps. But a Pokémon already shown in the chain is refused. A real example, on Easy:
Charmander · Category: Starter · hidden Pokémon · Region: Johto · Skarmory · hidden link · Feraligatr · Type: Water · Seadra
The gap asks for a Johto starter. Feraligatr is one, but it is already shown: it does not count. The other eight Johto starters, from Chikorita to Croconaw, do.
Finding a hidden link
A link gap is filled by a link true for both of its Pokémon: pick the category, then the value. Go through the level's categories one by one and rule out those that do not fit.
A link already shown in the chain does not count either. In the chain above, Skarmory and Feraligatr both come from Johto, but "Region: Johto" is already shown to the left of Skarmory. Their types differ (Steel/Flying against Water) and only one of them is a starter: what they still share is Mega Evolution. The answer is "Mega: Can Mega Evolve".
Hard: abilities, moves, egg groups
On Hard, a Pokémon gap sometimes has a single answer. Cross the two links rather than looking for them one after the other. Three examples from the game:
- "Ability: Shadow Tag" and "Category: Baby": only Wynaut, the baby that evolves into Wobbuffet;
- "Ability: Poison Heal" and "Move: Mach Punch": only Breloom;
- "Evolution: by trade" and "Egg group: Mineral" give six answers: Golem, Steelix, Porygon2, Porygon-Z, Gigalith and Alolan Golem.
Egg groups do not follow the type: Porygon, a Normal type, is in the Mineral group, like Steelix. The hidden ability counts too: Gliscor only has Poison Heal as its hidden ability. Our abilities guide gives those of every Pokémon.
For moves, the list on offer leaves out the ones nearly every Pokémon learns, such as Protect or Rest, and a move counts if both Pokémon could learn it in at least one game.
The traps to know
- Region: it is the region where the form debuted. Raichu is from Kanto, Alolan Raichu from Alola. Hisui counts as a region of its own: Hisuian Arcanine and Kleavor belong to it.
- Evolution: the link says how you obtain the Pokémon, not how it evolves. Pikachu is "by friendship", because Pichu evolves into Pikachu through friendship; Raichu is "by stone", and Pichu has no evolution link.
- Starter: the whole line counts, Chikorita as much as Meganium.
- Legendary or mythical: two separate values. Jirachi and Deoxys, who debuted in Hoenn, are mythical: they did not fill the Hoenn and Legendary gap of the first example. Our list of legendary and mythical Pokémon keeps them apart.
The clock, the score and the rewards
Every gap has its own clock: 45 seconds on Easy, 60 on Medium, 90 on Hard. You get a single guess per gap: a wrong answer or running out of time reveals the planned answer, and the run moves on to the next gap.
Your score is the number of gaps found, out of 9. On a tie, the smaller sum of answer times ranks higher, a gap that ran out of time counting the full clock of its level. A gap found is therefore worth more than any time saved: when in doubt, take the time to go through the families.
Every gap found is worth 1 point toward the cumulative score and 1 coin. You have one run per day, and the day changes at midnight Paris time for everyone. Without an account you play as a guest: your run is not ranked, but you keep what you earned (coins, mascots) when you create your account.
Falinks, the mascot
Falinks is a Fighting-type Pokémon that debuted in Galar. According to its Pokédex, it is six individuals working together as one Pokémon, one brass and five troopers: a real chain.
You earn it by playing The Chain seven days in a row. Its shiny version can drop after a daily run in which you found at least one gap.