How we wrote this: we created a brand-new account on v0.7.7 and recorded every screen from the welcome page to the end of our second run. Nothing here is guessed.
1. Guest or account
Open pokebonk.com in any modern browser. The welcome screen offers three options: Guest (play instantly), Enter (log in) and Create account. Progress is saved on the server, and a guest can turn into an account whenever they like.
No password recovery. Accounts don't need an email, so if you forget your password there is no reset. Your trainer name is public on leaderboards.
2. Pick your partner
A new account chooses one of Bulbasaur, Charmander or Squirtle. The other two join later: complete 2 runs (win or lose) and catch them when they show up. Not sure? Squirtle and Bulbasaur are the most forgiving — see best starter.
A new account also gets short guided tours: six steps for the main menu (Play, Survival, Tasks, Clan, Pokédex, Lab, Achievements, Leaderboard), nine for the Lab and five for the Research Notebook.
3. Your first run
- Pick Classic → Viridian Forest → Normal. Classic has 3 zones; Survival is the endless mode for later.
- Move, don't fight. Your partner attacks automatically. Use WASD, Space to jump and Shift to slide; circle around the horde and collect the experience it drops.
- Pick a card at every level-up. You get three cards: a new move, an upgrade or a vitamin. You start with 2 Refresh (F), 2 Skip (X) and 1 Banish (Z).
- Open Poké Balls with E. They cost PokéDollars (₽), which wild Pokémon drop, and give you items. Check the big map (M) to find them.
- Charge Unown altars by standing inside the circle — leave and the charge drains.
- Fire your Ultimate with R when the meter is full.
4. The guardian: don't rush it
Each zone has a guardian altar. Press E there to wake the guardian; beat it to open the portal to the next zone. The altar's own hint says it: level up and open the Poké Balls first.
| Our run | Time | Level | KOs | Stardust | What happened |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | 2:04 | 7 | 108 | +15 | Fainted in Zone 1 during the Scyther guardian fight |
| #2 | 2:43 | 9 | 210 | +22 | Fainted in Zone 1 to a regular horde |
In run #1 we woke Scyther (4,203 HP) at about 2:00, still level 7, and fainted four seconds later with Scyther on 4,126 HP. In run #2 we skipped the altar, focused one move (Razor Leaf to Lv.5 — 51% of our damage) and nearly doubled the KOs. Lesson: build first, guardian second.
5. After the run
The results screen shows your time, KOs, damage, points, Stardust earned and how much each move contributed. Win or lose, you keep the Stardust, and research progress fills your Pokédex.
- Achievements: your first 100 KOs completes First steps for 50 Stardust — claim it from the Achievements menu.
- Research Notebook: beating Pokémon adds research; completing a family unlocks it as an avatar (our first was Weedle).
- Tasks: daily and weekly tasks reset at 00:00 UTC and pay Stardust and items.
What to do next
- Play 2 runs to unlock the other two starters, then catch them.
- Buy cheap Lab levels and save for the 4th move slot.
- Clear Viridian Forest on Normal to unlock Hard and work toward Rocky Desert.
- Check the League for challenges you are close to finishing.
FAQ
Should I play PokéBonk as a guest or make an account?
Make an account if you plan to keep playing. It needs no email, but there is no password recovery, so save your password somewhere. Guests can try the game instantly and upgrade to an account later.
Why do I die so fast in my first run?
Usually because the guardian was woken too early. Spend the first minutes levelling up and opening Poké Balls, keep moving around the horde instead of through it, and only press E at the altar once your moves are upgraded.
What should I spend my first Stardust on?
Cheap Lab levels (Magnetism and Skip at 80, Training and Stamina at 100), then save for the 4th move slot at 1,500. See the Lab guide.
How do I unlock more Pokémon?
Complete League challenges, then catch the Pokémon in your next run. The other two starters only need 2 runs each. See how to unlock Pokémon.