Detective Pikachu – Pika Prompts Guide

Detective Pikachu

I got annoyed. So I made this guide. True story.

Introduction

 

Information

About Pika Prompts
Using this Guide

Pika Prompts

Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Coffee Notes
Detective Tips
General Pika Prompts

Credits & Disclaimers

 

 


Introduction

 

Overview

Hello, and welcome to my in-depth guide on the Pika Prompts for Detective Pikachu. This guide was born out of my frustration at completing the game, so I hope I spare someone that exasperation!

Throughout the game Detective Pikachu, you can touch the Pikachu icon on the bottom screen and get various scenes. There are over 150 of these sequences, and this guide will show you how to get all of them. Note that you can unlock all Pika Prompts by completing the game and using the Detective Pikachu Amiibo, but hey, who wants to spend a whole bunch of money on a single-use Amiibo that’s currently out-of-print?

Guide Version Differences

1.0 – First version done.

Information

 

About Pika Prompts

Pika Prompts are shown every time you touch the Pikachu icon on the touchscreen or press the X button.

The game divides Pika Prompts as such:

  • Chapter 1-9 (one list per chapter)
  • Coffee Notes
  • Detective Tips
  • General Pika Prompts

Chapter Pika Prompts are just as they say: Pika Prompts that are activated in that specific chapter. In general, Detective Tips are unlocked more in the first half of the game while Coffee Notes start appearing in the second half. General Pika Prompts are seen throughout the game. That being said, each of them have exceptions where some can only be activated in certain chapter(s).

Essentially, there are four types of requirements to activate the various Pika Prompts:

  • Timing: which chapter and/or when during the chapter
  • Location: in the entire locale or a specific spot
  • Interactions: after meeting or talking with others
  • Other: miscellaneous requirements

Some prompts can be activated at any point in the game; others have a very small window. Some are completely random. At times, you may need to keep touching the Pikachu icon (or X button) several times in a row to get all the new Pika Prompts because there are several in the same time/location. Other instances you may need to keep trying just due to random luck. There are some very small sections where you are unable to activate any Pika Prompts because of the story, but they’re very short.

None are missable in the strictest sense of the word. Yes, it is possible to keep moving through the chapter and have passed by a Pika Prompt, especially since you can’t revisit many areas. But after completing a chapter, you can replay it. Pika Prompts are also saved separately from the three save slots. So once a Prompt is unlocked, once you save and go back to the title screen, it is available to watch. I’d still keep a completed save file in one slot just in case though.

The downside is that every time you reload a chapter, the game also “resets” whether you’ve seen a scene or not. Once you have seen a Pika Prompt, you can use the B button to avoid rewatching it. Unfortunately, that only applies when you do not restart the game or jump straight into a chapter. Combined with the fact that you can’t skip cutscenes or save whenever you want to means that you do NOT want to do this too much.

Using this Guide

 

So most of you are going to jump right to the Pika Prompts. That’s fine, but here’s how I organized the bulk of this guide. Pika Prompts are listed in the same order as they are in the game, in the “View Pika Prompts” section. This order does not necessarily match up with the order in which you can unlock them in the game.

That’s where the Notes sections come into play: I try to remind you of getting these other Prompts right in that chapter. The Notes sections will also include any additional information on unlocking the Prompts.

If you have any questions, please use the contact form on my website.

Pika Prompts

 

Chapter 1

1 Pika Prompts In the first area, after talking to the woman near the shutter
2 A Trace of the Culprit In the first area, after interviewing all witnesses
3 A Trace of Aipom In the first area, after interviewing all witnesses
4 The Ketchup Stains In the first area, after examining the red stain
5 Imagine You’re the Victim After moving Aipom, be near where it had fallen
6 Who’s the Owner of the Black Feather? After finding the black feather
7 The Soccer Ball In the fountain area
8 We Can Always Talk Go to another area and return to fountain area
9 Inside the Trash Can Be near the trash can in the café area
10 A Coffee Sale In the café area
11 Aipom’s Mischief In the nature area, after “Investigate the Murkrow’s Nest”, be near Aipom
12 A Fletching Hat In the office, be near Fletchling

Notes:

  • Get the first four Pika Prompts in the opening area before figuring out where Aipom went.
  • Talk to Tepig in the café area, who is hiding in the bushes near the old man. Use the conversation trigger “About his hiding” to get the coin, which is used for the “Try Your Luck” General Pika Prompt.

Chapter 2

1 Case Documents In Harry’s room, after investigating the desk
2 How Far to the Exit? Under the hole in the cave roof, be near pointy rock
3 Drifting Drifloon Be near Drifloon, after talking to Noibat
4 The Place Where the Wind Blows After finding Drifblim
5 The Water in the Cave Be near the river, before river is frozen
6 Echoes On the ice, after the river is frozen
7 Careless on the Ice On the ice, after the river is frozen

Notes:

  • The opening of Chapter 2 is one of two times the General Pika Prompt “Begging for Coffee” can be seen. Examine the coffee maker for it to activate.
  • “Water in the Cave” can’t be seen after river is frozen.

Chapter 3

1 What’s Your Name? Outside PCL, before going in
2 A Troubled Pikachu Anytime in this chapter
3 Fridge’s Room In Fridge’s lab
4 Garbodor’s Stench In Fridge’s lab
5 The Garbodor Machine Be near the Garbodor Machine
6 Intensely Spicy Cake Anytime in this chapter
7 Sour Cake Anytime in this chapter
8 Looking for the Vial In the hallway, right after visiting Fridge’s lab for the first time
9 Pikachu Came Running Out! Be near the shrubs on the back left hand side, after Dorothy returns
10 Fennekin’s Favorite Food In the courtyard after incident, be near Fennekin
11 Shuckle’s Observations In the courtyard, be near Shuckle
12 Looking for the Key Go to another area and return to Klefki
13 Wallace’s Room In Wallace’s lab, PCL Day 2
14 A Glance from Minccino In Dorothy’s office, after talking to Minccino, before visiting the storeroom
15 No Need to Stick Around In the courtyard after incident
16 A Cold Room In the library, before unlocking the courtyard
17 Sad Creatures In the courtyard after incident, after Gengar escapes the library
18 How to Catch Gengar After Gengar escapes the library

Notes:

  • Chapter 3 is one of two times the General Pika Prompt “Begging for Coffee” can be seen. Examine the coffee maker for it to activate.
  • While they could be available on Day 2, get “Cold Room” and “A Glance from Minccino” on Day 1.
  • Try to have successfully completed (no mistakes) a quick time event by the end of this chapter. Otherwise, in subsequent chapters, which successful minigame Pika Prompt you get will be random.

Chapter 4

1 Accelgor and the Doughnut In the office, by the corner near the door
2 Ludicolo’s Dance Moves In the café, be near Ludicolo
3 Seasick Right after arriving on the island
4 Flight of the Wingull After talking to Wingull, be near Wingull
5 Louise’s Scent? After talking to Louise, be near Spritzee
6 Lovely Locale After talking to Louise
7 Scent of a Potion In Dr. Waal’s home
8 Manectric Stare-Down After starting “What’s the truth behind the fog situation?”
9 Tropius’s Fruit After talking to Tropius, be near Tropius
10 Sticky Shellos After talking to Shellos, be near Shellos
11 Grown-Up Problems Right after seeing Amanda and Brad together
12 Manectric and the Flying Disc After seeing Amanda and Brad together, be near Manectric
13 Feebas’s Evolution After meeting Milotic, be near Milotic

Notes:

  • Nab the first few Pika Prompts in this chapter in order before starting the investigation.
  • See “Coffee Note #8” before finishing the chapter.
  • Play for an hour or more starting with this chapter to get “Break Time” General Pika Prompt. It took about an hour and a half for me, so it still is a bit random.
  • “Pikachu’s Teachings” can be seen starting with this chapter. It may be random if you haven’t gotten “Cover Me!” yet.

Chapter 5

1 Nightmare Right at the beginning of this chapter
2 Rain After arriving at Fine Park
3 Waiting Out the Rain Be under the red & white awning
4 Coffee Cup Be near the broken cup ride next to entrance
5 Pokémon Food After examining Pokémon food bowl
6 The One That Matches the Doughnut Be near the large doughnut signs
7 Comparing Voices with Loudred After talking to Loudred, be near Loudred
8 Portrait After talking to Litten, be near Smeargle
9 The Stufful Disconnect After talking to Stufful, be near Stufful
10 Flamethrower After talking to Litten, be near Litten
11 Thunder After moving the barricade to the next area
12 Gashes on the Wall Be near the marks on the ramp to the ferris wheel
13 The Ferris Wheel Be near the ferris wheel carriage
14 What’s Stuck to It? After finding three Joltik
15 The Cannon Be near the cannon, after rescuing Buneary

Notes:

  • Look for “Coffee Note #7” in this chapter.

Chapter 6

1 Even If I Become a TV Star… Right at the beginning of this chapter
2 Hoothoot’s Feet In the sub-control room, be near Hoothoot, after Pikachu rejoins
3 Dancing with Kricketune In Carina’s dressing room, be near Kricketune
4 Who’s in the Mirror? In a dressing room, be near mirror
5 Carina’s Voice? In Max’s dressing room, be near Chatot, after meeting Carina
6 Drink Server In the hallway in front of drink machine
7 What’s inside Mimikyu’s Disguise? In the waiting room, be near Mimikyu
8 Purugly’s Whereabouts Be near Purugly after finding it
9 Pikachu’s Poses In studio in front of backstage curtain, after all alibis established
10 Don’t Dillydally! In the hallway during the chase
11 Just a Little More In the hallway during the chase
12 A Chance to Show Our Skills In the hallway during the chase

Notes:

  • “Pikachu’s Poses” can’t be seen until Mimikyu is hanging out in the studio. Be in the center area, where you head backstage.
  • The last three can be activated one after another as soon as the chase starts. You still could get a duplicate though, so if so, just try again.
  • While there is a quick time event here, there is no time for a Pika Prompt after it.

Chapter 7

1 The Freighter On the wharf, be near the freighter
2 The Crane On the wharf, be near the crane
3 The Man at the Port On the wharf, be near one of the poles used to anchor ships
4 Infiltrate and Investigate Right after sneaking into the warehouse
5 The Conveyor Belt In warehouse 1F, be near conveyor belt
6 Machamp’s Misunderstanding In warehouse 1F
7 Pansage’s Leaves In Simon’s laboratory, be near Pansage
8 Mewtwo’s Cells In Simon’s laboratory
9 A Shard of Memory In the R storeroom

Notes:

  • Get the first three before figuring out where the warehouse is.
  • Last chance for a quick time event-related Pika Prompt.

Chapter 8

1 Containers Right at the beginning of chapter, before climbing stairs
2 Deck Chairs Be near a deck chair
3 A Cup at the Café Right after talking to Emilia
4 How about These Piano Skills? In the lounge, be near 2F piano
5 Krokorok Security In lounge, be near Krokorok
6 The One In hallway, after talking to Emilia
7 A Glance from Cinccino Be near Cinccino, after talking to Emilia
8 Nosepass Faces North In the captain’s quarters, be near Nosepass
9 Mythical Coffee After obtaining auction catalog
10 The Necktie After changing clothes
11 Chandelure’s Flames In the auction room, be near Chandelure
12 A New Cape In the auction room, win cape

Notes:

  • See “Coffee Note #30”.
  • Make sure to get “Surf” and “The Nature of the Great Detective” after the theft case starts.
  • “The Necktie” can be seen in Rose’s room or at the auction, but “Detective Tip #2” can only be seen in Rose’s room. Either way, Pikachu needs to have his bowtie on.
  • “Mythical Coffee” can be viewed in the auction room.
  • Win the auction for the cape for a Pika Prompt.
  • Three bonus Pika Prompts are available after Keith appears, but they are not included in the game’s lists.

Chapter 9

1 Rush to the Agency Right at the beginning of this chapter, before entering office
2 Pikachu’s Resolve Right at the beginning of this chapter, be near Pablo and Ludicolo
3 Where’s the Scene of the Crime? In the office, before solving R’s location
4 Find the R Dispersing Machines Right after arriving in central square
5 The Clock Tower On stairs to clock tower in central square, before third R search
6 Do Your Best! Anytime in this chapter
7 Calm Down Right after arriving in central square
8 Who’s the Mastermind? Right after arriving in central square
9 The First R Dispersing Machine After finding one R machine, before finding the second
10 The Second R Dispersing Machine After finding two R machines, before finding the third
11 The Third R Dispersing Machine After finding three R machines

Notes:

  • Go slow through the beginning portions to nab Pika Prompts, then activate a bunch when officially starting the search.
  • Make sure to stop and use the Pika Prompt icon every time you find R. You might want to talk to Emilia and only think about one R first. Then find it. This way, you don’t accidentally rush ahead and find two R machines and miss a Prompt.

Coffee Notes

1 Coffee Note #7 Chapter 5
2 Coffee Note #8 Chapter 4
3 Coffee Note #13 Chapters 6-8
4 Coffee Note #16 Chapters 4-5
5 Coffee Note #21 Chapters 6-8
6 Coffee Note #22 Chapters 7-8
7 Coffee Note #29 Chapters 7-8
8 Coffee Note #30 Chapter 8

Notes:

  • In short, don’t worry about them until Chapter 4 and beyond.

Detective Tips

1 Detective Tip #1 Chapters 1-3
2 Detective Tip #2 Chapter 8, after changing clothes, before auction
3 Detective Tip #4 Chapters 1-3
4 Detective Tip #5 Chapters 1-3
5 Detective Tip #8 Chapters 1-3
6 Detective Tip #11 Chapters 1-3
7 Detective Tip #12 Chapters 4-6
8 Detective Tip #15 Chapters 1-3
9 Detective Tip #17 Chapters 4-6
10 Detective Tip #24 Chapters 4-6
11 Detective Tip #28 Chapters 1-3
12 Detective Tip #33 Chapters 1-3
13 Detective Tip #34 Chapters 7-9
14 Detective Tip #45 Chapters 4-6
15 Detective Tip #48 Chapters 7-9

Notes:

  • “Detective Note #2” is seen one time only.

General Pika Prompts

1 Hey Now! Anytime
2 Contents of Your Notes Anytime
3 Top-Notch Stamina Anytime
4 Aerobics with Pikachu Anytime
5 Know How to Fall Anytime
6 Gear Maintenance Anytime
7 Leave the Interrogation to Me Anytime
8 Begging for Coffee Chapter 2, in Harry’s room; Chapter 3, in conference room
9 The Mystery of Pikachu Chapters 3-9
10 Steady Effort Anytime
11 A Busy Fellow Anytime
12 Let’s Talk More Chapters 4-9
13 Try Your Luck Chapters 1-3, after meeting Tepig in Chapter 1
14 Break Time Chapters 4-9, play for an hour or more
15 Slow Reflexes? Right after failing a quick time event
16 Cover Me! Right after passing a quick time event
17 Pikachu’s Teachings Chapters 4-5 & 7, right after passing the quick time event
18 A Bolt of…? Chapters 3-9
19 Quick Attack Chapters 3-9
20 Iron Tail Chapters 3-9
21 Fly Chapters 4-9
22 Thunderbolt Chapters 5-9
23 Double Team Chapters 6-9
24 Surf Chapter 8, after the start of “Solve the theft!”, by the pool
25 The Nature of a Great Detective Chapter 8, after meeting Rose
26 First Impression Chapters 8-9

Notes:

  • While I have them listed as “Anytime”, technically, “Leave the Interrogation to Me” and “A Busy Fellow” unlock from the start. The others are available after going to the park. Otherwise, they are available the whole game.
  • While available in Chapter 3, “Quick Attack” appears to be available starting on PCL Day 2 and “Iron Tail” after Gengar escapes.
  • “Iron Tail”, “Surf”, and “The Mystery of Pikachu” are seen one time only.
  • Pika Prompts when you have a new mystery, unsolved mystery, a bunch of evidence, etc. are not included in the game’s lists.

Credits

 

Thanks to you for reading this guide.

Thanks to Game Opera and ヘイグ for their detailed guides on Pika Prompts (Pikachu Signs).

Thanks to Warhawk for their Detective Pikachu guide with prompts.

Legal

See here for full legal information. All I own is this guide.

This post may contain reviews of free products or news featuring products which gave me bonuses. I may earn compensation if you use my links or referral codes. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Please read my disclosure policy here.

2 Comments

  1. David Boone (moonhawk81)

    Um, wow. . .

    Reply
    1. Krystallina (Post author)

      In the game, Pikachu is always telling you to write things down. Well, guess what, Pikachu? I wrote a bunch of things down!! ?

      Reply

Leave a Reply

%d bloggers like this: