Pokémon Sleep’s clever easter egg is being praised by classic Pokémon fans

Pokémon Sleep is rolling out in certain regions around the world this week, and fans are already finding hidden easter eggs that reference some of the franchise’s oldest games.

As a game centered around sleep, we’re seeing a lot of adorable pictures of sleeping Pokémon based on their individual sleep styles. Most of the pictures are what you’d expect from sleeping Pokémon, but a few of them stand out and are even receiving praise.

Ditto, for example, is pictured as a sleeping rock in its “rock-formed” sleep style. At first glance, this seems weird, since we’re more familiar with the pink blob transforming into other Pokémon rather than inanimate objects. 

But as random as it might seem, this fun fact about Ditto has been around since Generation II. Ditto’s Pokédex entry in Pokémon Gold states: “It can transform into anything. When it sleeps, it changes into a stone to avoid being attacked.”

Similarly, Doduo’s picture in Pokémon Sleep is also inspired by one of its Pokédex entries from Gen III’s Ruby: “Doduo’s two heads never sleep at the same time. Its two heads take turns sleeping, so one head can always keep watch for enemies while the other one sleeps.”

In response to the cute easter egg, fans expressed appreciation for small details. Others wished the main games would’ve done something similar to acknowledge the bits of trivia found in all of the Pokédex entries.

Related: How to get Shiny Pokémon in Pokemon Sleep

With Pokémon Sleep still being very new, we’ll hopefully be seeing more easter eggs pop up as players catch more Pokémon in the coming days and weeks.