- What to know
- How Rock Smash works in Pokémon Pokopia
- How to unlock Hitmonchan in Pokémon Pokopia
- Building the Exercise Resting Spot habitat
- Hitmonchan’s request for learning Rock Smash
- How to break blocks using Rock Smash
- Exploration advantages after unlocking Rock Smash
- Breaking stone obstacles efficiently
- Breaking blocks in Pokémon Pokopia made easy
What to know
- Rock Smash lets you break cracked stone blocks and obstacles across the map.
- The ability is unlocked by helping Hitmonchan in the Withered Wasteland.
- You must first build the Exercise Resting Spot habitat using items from the Habitat Dex.
- After spawning Hitmonchan, give it 2 Stones, and it will teach you Rock Smash.
In Pokémon Pokopia, many areas contain cracked stone blocks that block paths, hide items, or protect shortcuts. These obstacles cannot be broken with normal interaction. Instead, you must unlock the Rock Smash move, a special ability tied to Hitmonchan, the punching Pokémon. Once learned, you can equip the ability and smash obstacles using powerful boxing punches, opening up new routes and secrets throughout the world.
The process involves restoring Hitmonchan’s habitat, completing a simple request, and learning the Rock Smash technique.
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Ability | Rock Smash |
| Pokémon Required | Hitmonchan |
| Location | Withered Wasteland |
| Requirement | Build Exercise Resting Spot habitat |
| Request | Give Hitmonchan 2 Stones |
| Ability Effect | Break cracked stone blocks |
| Visual Indicator | Red boxing gloves equipped |
How Rock Smash works in Pokémon Pokopia
Rock Smash is an environmental ability used to destroy cracked rock blocks scattered across Pokopia. These rocks typically appear in exploration zones and can block treasure paths, shortcuts, or hidden Pokémon traces.
When the ability is equipped, your character gains red boxing gloves, representing Hitmonchan’s fighting technique. Instead of summoning a Pokémon directly, the game allows you to transform into the ability, letting you smash rocks with punches.

This mechanic simplifies exploration because you no longer need to switch Pokémon constantly. Once unlocked, Rock Smash becomes a permanent ability you can activate whenever needed.
The rocks that can be destroyed usually show visible cracks or fractured textures, signaling that Rock Smash can break them.
How to unlock Hitmonchan in Pokémon Pokopia
Before learning Rock Smash, you must first unlock Hitmonchan by restoring its habitat in the Withered Wasteland region.

The game’s Habitat Dex system allows you to rebuild environments that attract specific Pokémon. When the correct habitat is placed, the Pokémon associated with it begins appearing in the area.
Hitmonchan becomes available after constructing the Exercise Resting Spot, a habitat designed for training Pokémon.
| Habitat Component | Description | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Bench | Wooden resting bench | Pokémon rest after training |
| Punching Bag | Training equipment | Used by fighting Pokémon |
| Exercise Resting Spot | Complete habitat | Attracts Hitmonchan |
Once the habitat is built and placed, Hitmonchan will spawn nearby, allowing you to interact with it and begin the Rock Smash unlock process.

Building the Exercise Resting Spot habitat
To attract Hitmonchan, the Exercise Resting Spot must be constructed through the Habitat Dex system.
This habitat represents a training area where fighting Pokémon practice their punches. When built correctly, the area includes a bench for resting and a punching bag for training.

The combination of these elements signals the game that the environment is suitable for Hitmonchan, causing it to appear in the region.
| Habitat Dex Entry | Number |
|---|---|
| Exercise Resting Spot | No. 024 |
| Habitat Type | Common |
| Location Used | Withered Wasteland |
| Pokémon Attracted | Hitmonchan |
Once the habitat is placed in the world, Hitmonchan will eventually appear nearby, ready to interact with you.

Hitmonchan’s request for learning Rock Smash
After spawning, Hitmonchan will speak to you and explain that it needs stones to practice its punching technique.
The request is simple. Hitmonchan asks for two decently sized stones that it can use as training targets.

These stones can be found scattered around the Withered Wasteland, typically on the ground or near rocky terrain.
| Request | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Pokémon | Hitmonchan |
| Item Needed | Stones |
| Quantity | 2 |
| Reward | Rock Smash ability |
Once the stones are collected, you can return to Hitmonchan and hand them over. The Pokémon will then demonstrate its powerful punch technique.
As a reward for helping with training, Hitmonchan teaches you the Rock Smash move.

How to break blocks using Rock Smash
After learning Rock Smash, the ability becomes available for use during exploration.
Your character gains the visual effect of equipped red boxing gloves, indicating the ability is active.

When you approach a cracked stone block, simply use the Rock Smash ability to destroy it.
The blocks shatter instantly, clearing the path forward.
| Block Type | Can Rock Smash Break It |
|---|---|
| Cracked Stone Blocks | Yes |
| Large Boulder Obstacles | Yes |
| Decorative Rocks | No |
| Terrain Walls | No |
The ability works instantly, making exploration faster and allowing access to hidden areas that were previously blocked.
Exploration advantages after unlocking Rock Smash
Learning Rock Smash dramatically improves exploration in Pokémon Pokopia.
Many side paths and hidden collectibles are locked behind destructible rocks. Once you have the ability, you can revisit earlier areas and uncover new secrets.

The transformation mechanic also means you do not need to summon Hitmonchan every time. Instead, the ability is permanently available through your equipment system.
This design keeps the gameplay smooth and encourages revisiting earlier locations that were previously inaccessible.
Breaking stone obstacles efficiently
Players often encounter clusters of rock blocks guarding treasure, Pokémon traces, or shortcuts. Using Rock Smash quickly clears these areas and allows smoother traversal across the world.
Because the ability works instantly, you can chain punches and destroy multiple obstacles rapidly.

The mechanic also encourages exploration because some rocks hide rare resources, hidden items, or alternate paths through the map.
Breaking blocks in Pokémon Pokopia made easy
| Step | Action |
|---|---|
| 1 | Build the Exercise Resting Spot habitat |
| 2 | Add the punching bag and resting bench |
| 3 | Wait for Hitmonchan to spawn |
| 4 | Collect 2 Stones from the environment |
| 5 | Give the stones to Hitmonchan |
| 6 | Learn the Rock Smash ability |
| 7 | Equip the boxing glove ability and break rocks |
Unlocking Rock Smash through Hitmonchan is one of the most useful early exploration upgrades in Pokémon Pokopia. By restoring the Exercise Resting Spot habitat, helping Hitmonchan train with two stones, and learning its signature punching move, you gain the ability to break stone blocks using powerful boxing punches.
With the red glove transformation equipped, you can now smash cracked rocks across the world without relying on a Pokémon summon, opening new routes, hidden items, and exploration opportunities throughout Pokopia.