Ruins of Alph: Difference between revisions

Ruins of Alph アルフのいせき Ruins of Alph "Wild Missingno. appeared!"
Map description:	A place where you can find a former adventure.
Location:	Southwest of Violet City
Region:	Johto
Generations:	II, IV
Location of Ruins of Alph in Johto.
Pokémon world locations

The Ruins of Alph (Japanese: アルフのいせき Ruins of Alph) are located in Johto near Violet City, with entrances to the south of Route 36 and west of Route 32. The ruins are filled with Unown once any of the four slide puzzles inside the chambers have been activated. The name may come from the first four letters of "alphabet," which the Unown inside represent.

If the player listens to the Pokégear radio while near or inside the ruins, they will hear strange noises known as Mysterious Transmission on channel 13.5. In Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver, the player must be inside one of the chambers, and tuning the radio near the center will broadcast these noises. Some of those noises are actually Ho-Oh's distorted cries, and the melody of the Azure Flute. It also increases the chance of encountering an Unown shape the player has not yet encountered.

Geography

Activating the Sinjoh Ruins outside the ruins in HeartGold and SoulSilver

Outside the ruins

There are several scientists in the area listening and studying the ruins to discover more about them. They say it is more than it seems and that the puzzles in the caves must have something to do with the mystery of the past of the Ruins of Alph.

In Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver, if the player has Arceus in their party, the Sinjoh Ruins will be accessible.

Puzzle chambers

Four small chambers in the ruins hold slide puzzles that, when solved, cause the floor below the player to break, dropping the player into the main chamber of the ruins. The puzzles also cause Unown to appear in the main chamber. Each puzzle corresponds to a specific subset of the 26 alphabetic forms of Unown. To unlock all 26 alphabetic forms, all four slide puzzles must be activated. The puzzles can be completed in any order. Pokémon Crystal explains that these puzzles are signals that summon the Unown.

In Generation II, catching three Unown and speaking to a researcher outside the ruins will cause him to unlock Unown Mode in the player's Pokédex. In Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver, the first completed slide puzzle will cause a man to give the player the Unown Report. Once the first seven pages of the report are complete and the 26 alphabetic Unown forms have been caught, the ! and ? forms can be encountered in the entrance room.

In Crystal, HeartGold, and SoulSilver, each puzzle chamber has a word on the far wall that is a hint to unlocking a secret room. When the player completes a certain criterion, the secret room opens, revealing several items. Additionally, in these games, completing the slide puzzles reveals part of the history of Unown written on the floor of the main chamber. In the Japanese version of Crystal, a scientist theorizes that the sudden appearance of these patterns is related to the newly-built Pokémon Communication Center and the radio waves emanating from it.

The puzzles cause the following Unown to appear in the main chamber:

Chamber	In Generation II	In Generation IV
Northeastern chamber
Southeastern chamber
Northwestern chamber
Southwestern chamber

Northeastern chamber

Artwork of Ethan at the entrance of the Ruins of Alph

The northeastern chamber, near the Route 36 entrance, requires no HMs to access. In Pokémon Crystal, HeartGold, and SoulSilver, the far wall reads escape upon inspection. Using an Escape Rope there opens a hidden room. In Crystal, the item is consumed and the player must re-enter the chamber in order to reach the hidden room. In HeartGold and SoulSilver, the item is not consumed and the room opens immediately.

The chamber's puzzle forms an image of Kabuto. Completing this puzzle and falling through to the floor below reveals the following message spelled out on the ground in Unown:

Our words shall remain here for the ages^C
Our clan engraved words in this place^HGSS

Southeastern chamber

The southeastern chamber requires HM03 Surf to cross the pond on the south side of the ruins. In Pokémon Crystal, HeartGold, and SoulSilver, the far wall reads light. Using HM05 Flash will open the hidden room.

The chamber's puzzle forms an image of Aerodactyl. Completing this puzzle and falling through to the floor below reveals the following message spelled out on the ground in Unown:

Thus we shall erect a Pokémon statue outside^C
Our clan created Pokémon statue outside^HGSS

Northwestern chamber

The northwestern chamber is accessible only from the basement of Union Cave, which requires HM03 Surf to navigate. In Pokémon Crystal, HeartGold, and SoulSilver, the far wall reads Ho Oh. The hidden room will open Ho-Oh is the first Pokémon in the player's party in Crystal, or anywhere in the player's party in Generation IV.

The chamber's puzzle forms an image of Ho-Oh. Completing this puzzle and falling through to the floor below reveals the following message spelled out on the ground in Unown:

We humans must learn to walk in harmony with them. We depart for their sakes^C
We humans need to walk with them. We leave here for the sake of them^HGSS

Southwestern chamber

The southwestern chamber is accessible only by moving a boulder in the basement of Union Cave, which requires HM03 Surf to navigate as well as HM04 Strength. In Pokémon Crystal, HeartGold, and SoulSilver, the far wall reads water. The hidden room will open if the player has a Water Stone in their inventory in Crystal, and when the player selects "Use" on a Water Stone from the Bag while facing the wall.

The chamber's puzzle forms an image of Omanyte. Completing this puzzle and falling through to the floor below reveals the following message spelled out on the ground in Unown:

They possess great insight and refuse the outside world^C
They possess power to sense with mind and reject outside^HGSS

Puzzles

• 

  Puzzle in the northeastern chamber, featuring Kabuto
  (Generation II)

• 

  Puzzle in the southeastern chamber, featuring Aerodactyl
  (Generation II)

• 

  Puzzle in the northwestern chamber, featuring Ho-Oh
  (Generation II)

• 

  Puzzle in the southwestern chamber, featuring Omanyte
  (Generation II)

• 

  Puzzle in the northeastern chamber, featuring Kabuto
  (Generation IV)

• 

  Puzzle in the southeastern chamber, featuring Aerodactyl
  (Generation IV)

• 

  Puzzle in the northwestern chamber, featuring Ho-Oh
  (Generation IV)

• 

  Puzzle in the southwestern chamber, featuring Omanyte
  (Generation IV)

Items

This article is incomplete. Please feel free to edit this article to add missing information and complete it. Reason: Needs confirmation of the contents of the hidden chambers in Crystal

Item		Location	Games
	Unown Mode	Given by a researcher outside the ruins as an upgrade to the Pokédex after catching at least three different Unown variants	G  S  C
	Unown Report	Given by a researcher right after solving the first chamber puzzle	HG  SS
	Potion	In the left wall of the building, southmost of the three in the northeast (hidden)	HG  SS
	Great Ball	In the central solid rock among a group near the southern entrance (hidden)	HG  SS
	TinyMushroom	In the small mound of dirt east of the western pond (hidden)	HG  SS
	Rare Candy	In a solid rock west of a smashable rock to the west of the northern entrance (requires Rock Smash) (hidden)	HG  SS
	Hyper Potion	North of the western pond (requires Rock Smash or Surf)	HG  SS
	Nugget	On a boulder outside the third chamber (accessed via Union Cave) (hidden)	HG  SS
	Big Mushroom	On a boulder outside the third chamber (accessed via Union Cave) (hidden)	HG  SS

Rock Smash

Item		Location	Games
	Red Shard	Randomly found by smashing rocks	HG  SS
	Green Shard	Randomly found by smashing rocks	HG  SS
	Blue Shard	Randomly found by smashing rocks	HG  SS
	Yellow Shard	Randomly found by smashing rocks	HG  SS
	Max Revive	Randomly found by smashing rocks	HG  SS
	Max Ether	Randomly found by smashing rocks	HG  SS
	Old Amber	Randomly found by smashing rocks	HG  SS
	Helix Fossil	Randomly found by smashing rocks	HG
	Dome Fossil	Randomly found by smashing rocks	SS

Northeastern hidden room

Item		Location	Games
	Berry	Hidden room	C
	PSNCureBerry	Hidden room	C
	Heal Powder	Hidden room	C  HG  SS
	EnergyPowder	Hidden room	C  HG  SS
	Oran Berry	Hidden room	HG  SS
	Pecha Berry	Hidden room	HG  SS

Southeastern hidden room

Item		Location	Games
	Heal Powder	Hidden room	C  HG  SS
	Energy Root	Hidden room	C  HG  SS
	Gold Berry	Hidden room	C
	Moon Stone	Hidden room	C  HG  SS
	Sitrus Berry	Hidden room	HG  SS

Northwestern hidden room

Item		Location	Games
	Revival Herb	Hidden room	C  HG  SS
	Charcoal	Hidden room	C  HG  SS
	Gold Berry	Hidden room	C
	MysteryBerry	Hidden room	C
	Life Orb	Hidden room	HG  SS
	Leppa Berry	Hidden room	HG  SS

Southwestern hidden room

Item		Location	Games
	Stardust	Hidden room	C  HG  SS
	Star Piece	Hidden room	C  HG  SS
	MysteryBerry	Hidden room	C
	Mystic Water	Hidden room	C  HG  SS
	Leppa Berry	Hidden room	HG  SS

Pokémon

Generation II

Inside

Pokémon	Games						Location	Levels	Rate
After at least one puzzle has been solved
Unown	G		S		C		Cave	5	100%
A colored background means that the Pokémon can be found in this location in the specified game. A white background with a colored letter means that the Pokémon cannot be found here.

• The puzzle in the northeastern chamber causes Unown A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, and K to appear.
• The puzzle in the southeastern chamber causes Unown S, T, U, V, and W to appear.
• The puzzle in the northwestern chamber causes Unown X, Y, and Z to appear.
• The puzzle in the southwestern chamber causes Unown L, M, N, O, P, Q, and R to appear.

Outside

Pokémon	Games						Location	Levels	Rate
Natu	G		S		C		Grass	18-24	90%
Wooper	G		S		C		Grass	22	0%	0%	5%
Quagsire	G		S		C		Grass	22	0%	0%	5%
Smeargle	G		S		C		Grass	20-22	10%
Smeargle	G		S		C		Grass	20-22	10%	10%	0%
Surfing
Wooper	G		S		C		Surfing	15-19	60%
Quagsire	G		S		C		Surfing	15-24	40%
Fishing
Poliwag	G		S		C		Fishing Old Rod	10	15%
Magikarp	G		S		C		Fishing Old Rod	10	85%
Poliwag	G		S		C		Fishing Good Rod	20	65%
Magikarp	G		S		C		Fishing Good Rod	20	35%
Poliwag	G		S		C		Fishing Super Rod	40	70%
Poliwhirl	G		S		C		Fishing Super Rod	40	10%
Magikarp	G		S		C		Fishing Super Rod	40	20%
A colored background means that the Pokémon can be found in this location in the specified game. A white background with a colored letter means that the Pokémon cannot be found here.

Generation IV

Inside

Underground hall

Pokémon	Games						Location	Levels	Rate
After at least one puzzle has been solved
Unown	HG			SS			Cave	5	100%
A colored background means that the Pokémon can be found in this location in the specified game. A white background with a colored letter means that the Pokémon cannot be found here.

• The puzzle in the northeastern chamber causes Unown A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, and J to appear.
• The puzzle in the southeastern chamber causes Unown R, S, T, U, and V to appear.
• The puzzle in the northwestern chamber causes Unown W, X, Y, and Z to appear.
• The puzzle in the southwestern chamber causes Unown K, L, M, N, O, P, and Q to appear.

Entrance

Pokémon	Games						Location	Levels	Rate
After obtaining all 26 alphabetic Unown forms
Unown	HG			SS			Cave	5	50%
Unown	HG			SS			Cave	5	50%
A colored background means that the Pokémon can be found in this location in the specified game. A white background with a colored letter means that the Pokémon cannot be found here.

Outside

Pokémon	Games						Location	Levels	Rate
Natu	HG			SS			Grass	18-24	90%
Smeargle	HG			SS			Grass	20-22	10%
Surfing
Wooper	HG			SS			Surfing	10-20	60%
Quagsire	HG			SS			Surfing	10-25	40%
Fishing
Poliwag	HG			SS			Fishing Old Rod	10	5%
Magikarp	HG			SS			Fishing Old Rod	10	95%
Poliwag	HG			SS			Fishing Good Rod	20	40%
Magikarp	HG			SS			Fishing Good Rod	20	60%
Poliwag	HG			SS			Fishing Super Rod	40	93%
Magikarp	HG			SS			Fishing Super Rod	40	7%
Rock Smash
Geodude	HG			SS			Rock Smash	3-14	100%
Special Pokémon
Linoone	HG			SS			Hoenn Sound	18	20%
Whismur	HG			SS			Hoenn Sound	20-22	20%
Bidoof	HG			SS			Sinnoh Sound	18	20%
Buizel	HG			SS			Sinnoh Sound	20-22	20%
A colored background means that the Pokémon can be found in this location in the specified game. A white background with a colored letter means that the Pokémon cannot be found here.

Trainers

Generation II

Trainer	Pokémon
Requires Surf
Psychic Nathan ジョウ Jō Reward: $832	Girafarig♂ Lv.26 No item
Trainers with a telephone symbol by their names will give their Pokégear number to the player, and may call or be called for a rematch with higher-level Pokémon.

Generation IV

Trainer	Pokémon
Requires Surf
Psychic Nathan ジョウ Jō Reward: $832	Girafarig♂ Lv.26 No item
Trainers with a telephone symbol by their names will give their Pokégear number to the player, and may call or be called for a rematch with higher-level Pokémon.

Layout

Version	Outside	Main entrance	Main chamber	Puzzle chamber	Item chamber
Gold
Silver
Crystal
HeartGold
SoulSilver

Version	First chamber	Second chamber	Third chamber	Fourth chamber
Crystal
HeartGold
SoulSilver

Preview

• 

  Morning (Unown S)

• 

  Day/Evening (Unown G)

• 

  Night (Unown T)

Walking Pokémon effects

When interacting with walking Pokémon in HeartGold and SoulSilver, the Pokémon may occasionally show an altered mood specific to this location.

• Unown makes a strange sound, growls in a way that sounds almost like speech, and seems to be singing something. It also spins around in circles and sometimes stops moving.
• All walking Pokémon, including Unown, gaze around restlessly and scratch at the ground as if searching for something. They stare intently at nothing and suddenly turn around then may start barking. Happy emotions are seen as they look very interested and wander around listening to the different sounds.

In the anime

Ruins of Alph in the anime

The Ruins of Alph appeared in Fossil Fools, where Ash and his friends visited them, meeting Professor Oak upin their arrival. Unlike the games, no Unown were featured there. Instead, it was a site where multiple Fossils had been dug out. One of the scientists working at the site was Foster, one of Professor Oak's former top students at the Celadon University. Soon Ash, his friends, and Professor Oak found out that Foster had discovered living Omanyte and Omastar at the ruins, which he was trying to protect by keeping them a secret. After rescuing the Fossil Pokémon from being stolen by Team Rocket, the group agreed that the ancient Pokémon should be left alone, and promised Foster not to tell anyone about them.

In the manga

Ruins of Alph in Pokémon Adventures

Ruins of Alph in Pokémon Pocket Monsters

In the Pokémon Adventures manga

The Ruins of Alph first appeared in Into the Unown as the location where Gold met Bugsy for the first time. He helped Bugsy rescue his research team who were trapped in the ruins, and also foiled a Team Rocket plan to capture the Unown.

In Hurray for Heracross, while doing research at the ruins, Bugsy was challenged by Suicune, who was seeking a worthy Trainer to stand on its side during the upcoming confrontation with the Masked Man. Bugsy did his best, but in the end, he was unable to defeat and capture the Legendary Pokémon.

In the HeartGold & SoulSilver arc, Gold, having rescued Bugsy after Ecruteak City's Gym was destroyed by Arceus, chased Arceus towards the Ruins of Alph, where he also found an injured Lance. After leaving Lance in Bugsy's care, Gold confronted Arceus by himself. When Silver and Crystal soon arrived at the site, with Silver having managed to collect the 16 Plates from across Johto, Arceus transported the Pokédex holders to the Sinjoh Ruins, unintentionally bringing the four Team Rocket Executives along as well. Later, Arceus returned the Pokédex holders, Executives, Lance, Giovanni, and Pryce to the Ruins of Alph.

In the Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire arc, it was revealed that Archie and Maxie had appeared at the Ruins of Alph after their spirits had been pulled out of the Distortion World during the events of the HeartGold & SoulSilver chapter.

In the Pokémon Pocket Monsters manga

The Ruins of Alph appeared in Rampage at the Ruins of Alph!.

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In the TCG

This listing is of cards mentioning or featuring the Ruins of Alph in the Pokémon Trading Card Game.

Related cards Cards listed with a blue background are only legal to use in the current Expanded format. Cards listed with a green background are legal to use in both the current Standard and Expanded formats.
Card	Type	English Expansion	Rarity	#	Japanese Expansion	Rarity	#
Ruin Wall	T	Neo Discovery		74/75	Crossing the Ruins...
Natu		Unleashed		55/95	SoulSilver Collection		042/070
Ruins of Alph	T [St]	Undaunted		76/90	Reviving Legends		077/080

In other languages

Language Title Mandarin Chinese 阿露福遺跡 Ālùfú Yíjī Finnish Alphin rauniot European French Ruines d'Alpha German Alph-Ruinen Italian Rovine d'Alfa Korean 알프의 유적 Ruins of Alph Brazilian Portuguese Ruínas de Alfa European Spanish Ruinas Alfa Ruinas Alfabeto* Swedish Alph-ruinerna Vietnamese Di tích Arufu

Johto
Settlements New Bark Town • Cherrygrove City • Violet City • Azalea Town • Goldenrod City • Ecruteak City Olivine City • Cianwood City • Mahogany Town • Blackthorn City • Safari Zone Gate • Frontier Access Routes 29 • 30 • 31 • 32 • 33 • 34 • 35 • 36 • 37 • 38 • 39 • 40 • 41 • 42 • 43 • 44 • 45 • 46 • 47 • 48 Landmarks Dark Cave • Sprout Tower • Ruins of Alph • Union Cave • Slowpoke Well • Ilex Forest • Radio Tower • Global Terminal Goldenrod Tunnel • National Park • Pokéathlon Dome • Bell Tower • Bellchime Trail • Burned Tower • Moomoo Farm • Olivine Lighthouse Battle Tower (Crystal • HGSS)/Frontier • Cliff Edge Gate • Cliff Cave • Embedded Tower • Safari Zone • Whirl Islands Mt. Mortar • Lake of Rage • Team Rocket HQ • Ice Path • Dragon's Den • S.S. Aqua • Mt. Silver (Cave) Access to Sinjoh Ruins • Kanto

This article is part of Project Locations, a Bulbapedia project that aims to write comprehensive articles on every location in the Pokémon world.