Pokémon Sleep, the official sleep-tracking app, is more of a daily habit than a videogame, but that's set to change. Pokémon Sleep's Expert Mode is now available, adding extra strategy and challenge to the act of going to sleep. But, as someone who already struggles to get a decent night's sleep, even with the help of my Poképals, I can't help but wonder who this feature is for.
When the company first announced Pokémon Sleep's Expert Mode, I thought it was another prank like the Championship Tournament event from 2024, but it's very much real. It's aimed at dedicated trainers who've already maxed out their Snorlaxes on Greengrass Isle, filled their Sleep Style Dex to the brim, and mastered all of the Pokémon Sleep recipes. In exchange for the harder difficulty and new focus on strategy, challengers can unlock even more rewards, including increased shiny encounters and more chances to wake up and find a Raikou on your island.
Expert Mode isn't for everyone, though. So far, you can only play the new mode on Greengrass Isle, and you have to reach Master 18 on the normal difficulty first before unlocking it. On top of that, it comes at a price. Expert Tickets cost 200 research points, or 100 if you pay for the premium pass, and you can only hold two at a time, so save your points wisely if you want to get in on the action.
The strategic team-building element of Expert Mode centers on Snorlax's favorite berries. We all know that the gen 1 Pokémon loves a snack, but in normal mode, ingredients often matter more than berries. Snorlax's preferences are divided into one main favorite and two sub-favorite berries, so focus on the main favorite to unlock bonuses like shorter helping frequency. If you want to record the best sleep score to unlock Expert Mode, we recommend pairing your app with one of the best smartwatches on the market, or the Pokémon Go Plus+, as using just your smartphone can be a little temperamental (trust me, I know.)
Due to my terrible sleep habits, I doubt I'll be unlocking Pokémon Sleep's Expert Mode any time soon, but I am looking forward to the return of the legendary gen 2 Pokémon in September, as well as the new area announced during July's Pokémon Presents showcase. Who knows, maybe when Pokémon Legends: Z-A finally launches, we'll get a tie-in event with some rare gen 6 Pokémon?