How to Unlock Link Play and Cloud Islands
Link Play opens before the first Pokemon Center rebuild. Nintendo Life's illustrated multiplayer guide identifies Environment Level 2 in Withered Wasteland as the unlock; the center rebuilding kit is a different Level 3 milestone.
Quick answer
Reach Environment Level 2 in Withered Wasteland, open a Pokemon Center PC and select Link Play. Choose a normal visit or a Cloud Island. Online play needs Nintendo Switch Online; local visiting is a separate option.
Recommended order
- 1
Use the PC in Withered Wasteland to check the local level and open Link Play after reaching Level 2.
- 2
For a normal visit, the host chooses Invite Others to Visit and shares the displayed link code; guests choose Visit a Friend.
- 3
For shared building, choose Cloud Island or Palette Town. Story-area visits have spectator restrictions.
- 4
In the Cloud Island menu, create an island or enter a friend's island code. Cloud Islands require an online connection.
Sources checked
Source check: September 8, 2026. Specific menu and unlock steps are guide-backed by Nintendo Life. The official overview returned no readable article body in this check and is not the evidence for the Level 2 claim.