Lost in Lumiose: When a Pokémon Legends: Z-A Side Quest is All About an 'Iconic' Bench (Seriously, Mate)
AI Gaming News Author · Polygon ·
Turns out, Pokémon Legends: Z-A's Mega Dimension DLC throws a curveball with Side Mission 144, sending us on a rooftop parkour quest for an 'iconic' bench – and the rewards for this odd bit of flattery are surprisingly good, especially those rare Fast Balls!
Right, so you know how sometimes a game throws a curveball so utterly random, you just have to lean into it? Like when you try to teleport to a new dimension but accidentally summon a flock of digital geese instead. Well, apparently, the brilliant minds behind *Pokémon Legends: Z-A*'s *Mega Dimension* DLC decided we needed a break from all the universe-hopping and Mega Evolution shenanigans to... find a bench.
Yes, you heard that right, a bench. And not just *any* bench, mind you, but an *iconic* one. Fair dinkum, I reckon someone at Game Freak had a bet going on whether they could make a side quest about seating furniture genuinely engaging. And you know what? They might just be pulling it off.
This delightful little detour, known as **Side Mission 144: 'Imitation is the Sincerest Form of Flattery,'** kicks off after you've wrapped up Hyperspace Mission 3. You'll stumble upon a character who's absolutely captivated by a photo of someone named Canari chilling on what can only be described as a rather aesthetically pleasing bench. And naturally, because imitation is, well, the sincerest form of flattery, your job is to track down this legendary piece of urban furniture so she can recreate the pose. Sounds like something out of a digital art history class, doesn't it?
Now, Lumiose City is a sprawling, multi-layered beast of a metropolis, especially in its *Mega Dimension* incarnation. Rooftops galore, nooks, crannies, secret pathways – it's a parkour paradise. And if you’ve spent any time scaling its heights, you'll know there are more benches perched atop these buildings than you can shake a Master Ball at. So, the thought of trying to find *the* specific bench, based on a photo, without any real pointers? Bloody hell, that's a recipe for a very literal wild goose chase, or perhaps a rather frustrating evening of staring at digital planks of wood.
But fear not, my fellow digital adventurers! I've been tinkering with this story all morning, and with a huge shout-out to Julia Lee over at **Polygon** for sorting out the nitty-gritty details in their original walkthrough, I've got the lowdown on where this celebrated seat is actually hiding. Because sometimes, even wizards need a map, eh?
Turns out, this 'iconic' bench isn't tucked away in some ridiculously obscure corner that requires triple-flipping over a chimney stack. Oh no, that would be *too* challenging for a quest about furniture. Instead, it's actually rather close to where the quest-giver herself is already chilling. Almost deceptively so, if you ask me.
**Here's the lowdown, mate:**
1. **Head to Magenta Sector 1:** This is your general stomping ground for this particular urban exploration. 2. **Find the Plaza South of the Pokémon Center:** Look for a small, unassuming plaza just south of the local Pokémon Center. It’s easy to miss if you’re not looking for it, but once you spot it, you're halfway there. 3. **Ascend!** In this plaza, you'll find a ladder. Climb it, because rooftop adventures almost always start with a ladder, don't they? 4. **Follow the Path Left:** Once you're up on the roof, simply follow the path that leads to your left. And boom! There it is. The legendary bench, awaiting your presence. Interact with it, and a cutscene will whisk you away, validating your excellent detective work.
But wait, there's more! The quest isn't over with just finding the bench. Oh no, that would be far too simple. Next, your new bench-loving acquaintance will ask you to 'take a photo' of her, *just like Canari's photo*. Now, this is where my gentle skepticism kicked in. 'A photo-mode picture?' I wondered, mentally preparing for some finicky camera angles. But no, *Pokémon Legends: Z-A* is full of delightful little surprises. It's not a literal photo-mode capture, but rather a specific vantage point that triggers a cutscene – a digital recreation of a moment, if you will.
**To get that perfect 'shot':**
1. **Go South, Then Up:** From the bench you just found, head south. You'll need to climb even higher up the roof structure. Think of it as scaling Mount Fuji, but with fewer snowcaps and more concrete. 2. **Break Some Shards & Climb More:** There will likely be a small ledge to clamber up, and you might even need to smash a few Mega Shards (always satisfying, isn't it?) before finding yet another ladder. 3. **The Perfect View:** Once you’re up, you’ll be able to find a spot along the railing that perfectly overlooks the now-famous bench below. A prompt will appear – 'Take a photo' – and pressing 'A' will trigger the final cutscene, wrapping up this peculiar, yet charming, side mission.
And for your troubles? A sweet haul, mate! You'll be rewarded with a cool **$2,300** (always handy for those Poké Balls and potions) and, more importantly, **five Fast Balls**. Now, these aren't your run-of-the-mill shop-bought items; Fast Balls are those glorious, rare Apricorn Balls, meaning you can't just pick them up from any old vendor. They're incredibly useful for catching speedy Pokémon right at the start of a battle, giving you a huge leg up in your quest to catch 'em all.
So, there you have it. A side quest that might seem utterly mundane on the surface – finding a bench, taking a 'photo' – but in true *Pokémon Legends: Z-A* fashion, it’s infused with just enough charm, exploration, and genuinely useful rewards to make it a worthwhile detour. It's these little touches, these moments of unexpected calm amidst the larger-than-life battles and world-saving endeavors, that really make these games shine, don't you reckon? What other weird and wonderful quests have you stumbled upon in your travels? Let me know!
Tags: Pokémon, Nintendo, Gaming Walkthrough, DLC, Side Quest
Original article: Polygon