How To Solve the Water Gym Challenge in Pokémon Sword and Shield

If you’ve just reached the Water Gym in Pokémon Sword and Shield, you may be looking at that waterfall challenge and be thinking: no thank you. The buttons clearly have to be pressed in a certain order, and who has the time for trial and error? If that’s you, then the good news is, you have this handy guide to help you. The bad news is, you still have to do the work yourself. At the end, you’ll advance to the Water Gym and begin the battle for your Water Gym badge.

Here’s how to navigate the maze in the Water Gym so you can push forward and challenge Nessa.

The Water Gym challenge is divided into three sections. After you complete each section, you will not need to backtrack any further. Be sure not to undo your own work. Above is the starting platform. You will be heading to the right.

The first platform features two red buttons and a yellow button. Each button corresponds to a colored panel on the floor, with a channel of water barring passage. Head right, defeat the first trainer, then hit the red button. Pass through the open path, then hit the yellow button behind it to remove the water channel on the yellow floor tile. Cross the red floor tile. Hit the red button again to move the water channel back to its original spot and open up the path ahead. Cross the yellow tile.

Now there should be a red button in front of you. Do not touch it. Head to the yellow button, and first defeat the trainer guarding it.

Now hit the yellow button. Then head south and cross over the newly opened yellow tile and hit the red button. The path will now be clear to the next section. Head up the stairs and past the three channels of water blocking the exit.

The third section is the hardest, don’t let it fake you out.

Head all the way south (note the blocked blue button as you pass), past the trainer and down to the platform with an open red and yellow tile and a yellow button (seen above). Hit the yellow button. Head back up and press the red button on the platform behind the trainer. You should now have access to the blue button on the right behind the previously inaccessible red tile. Circle around and head down the yellow staircase on the right and up the next staircase to access the exit and reach the gym.

There, you did it! Now take on Nessa and win your Water Gym badge.

Holly Green is the assistant editor of Paste Games and a reporter and semiprofessional photographer. She is also the author of Fry Scores: An Unofficial Guide To Video Game Grub. You can find her work at Gamasutra, Polygon, Unwinnable, and other videogame news publications.