How to unlock the Secret Side Path, Mightywide River, and Barren Badlands in New Pokemon Snap

The Lental region in New Pokemon Snap has a number of biomes to explore and take photos in, and an August update shows that there is more for players to discover. New locations coming with the title update include the Secret Side Path, Mightywide River, and Barren Badlands — the latter two are easy to come by, but as the name “Secret Side Path” implies, you’ll have to do some more sleuthing to find the hidden pocket monsters that inhabit this area.

How to unlock Mightywide River and Barren Badlands

There isn’t too much to say here, because both Mightywide River and Barren Badlands are automatically unlocked once you download the New Pokemon Snap update and start up the game on your Nintendo Switch. After going past the start screen, you will be shown a cutscene with Professor Mirror telling you about “new teleportation points.” The Mightywide River is on Beluslyva Island, while Barren Badlands is located on Voluca Island.

Reach Research Level 2 for both courses to unlock their respective night versions — you will need 45,000 Expedition Points in Mightywide River to unlock River (Night) and 40,000 Expedition Points in Barren Badlands for Badlands (Night).

How to unlock the Secret Side Path

On the main menu, select Research and you will view another cutscene, with this one explaining to you a new mechanic to shrink yourself and the NEO-ONE. Your pod will shrink automatically if you scan a certain spot near a tree in the Florio Nature Park daytime course.

You will find the shrink spot in Park (Day) a couple of minutes in — as you approach a lake on your right side, keep an eye on the left side. You will get a ping to scan, and there will be a tree on your left surrounded by tall grass that the game wants you to take notice of. Scan the tree and you will have a brief cutscene where you use the shrink function, and from there, take pictures of Pokemon as normal — they’ll just look giant in comparison.

After watching some stunning scenes from a miniaturized perspective, you will return to normal form and be transported to the end of the Park (Day) course. Completing your first run here will unlock Side Path (Day) and Side Path (Night).