Should you choose Snivy, Rowlet, or Sudowoodo for the Detective Pikachu Returns Timed Research in Pokémon Go?

Detective Pikachu is a game all about solving mysteries with your Pokémon, and Niantic has added an element of that with the research tasks featured in its Pokémon Go celebration event for the Nintendo Switch sequel—Detective Pikachu Returns.

But just like with any decision-based piece of research, depending on your choice you will get different rewards.

With the Detective Pikachu Returns event running from Oct. 5 to 9, you will be asked to help Professor Willow deduce a “Pokémon of interest” based on a description. There are three options available and only one is the correct choice and will give you the best reward.

This is the only event content that has an element of choice, as the other tasks and the Collection Challenge are tied to the same Pokémon but won’t change. This means you are at least guaranteed some bonus encounters and other goodies.

If you do want to get around the sleuthing and go right for the correct answer, here is how you can make the right choice in the Detective Pikachu Returns Timed Research. 

Should you pick Snivy, Rowlet, or Sudowoodo for Pokémon Go’s Detective Pikachu Returns Timed Research?

Once you clear the first page of the Detective Pikachu Returns Timed Research, Profesor Willow will approach you with a clue that prompts you to make a choice between three different “Pokémon of interest”: Snivy, Sudowoodo, and Rowlet.

“This Pokémon is known for its green accents, but it’s a type of Pokémon that hasn’t been appearing around here recently. It also peddles in deception. You might say it’s not what it seems!”

For experienced Pokémon players, this deduction should be easy if you focus on the correct wording. If you aren’t as savvy, look at the term “peddles in deception” paired with the green accents part of the opening line.

What is the correct choice for Pokémon Go’s Detective Pikachu Returns: Pokémon of Interest Timed Research? 

Based on the clues, you can instantly rule out Snivy since its body has the most green and the accents may be considered yellow. As for Rowlet, it isn’t very deceptive and certainly doesn’t have any traits that would label it as “not what it seems.”

That leaves Sudowoodo, who is well-known as the Imitation Pokémon and has multiple Pokédex entries talking about how it “always pretends to be a tree” despite hating water. That camouflage won’t work here, however, and selecting this option will net you a bonus encounter with a Pikachu wearing a detective hat rather than a paltry 25 XP. 

There is plenty of other research available during this event too, along with other tasks to complete from other parts of Pokémon Go’s Season of Adventures.