XX Cave

XX Caves in EarthBound Beginnings are the intermediate regions that connect the outside world with Magicant. There is a pair for entering and exiting respectively, and 2 XX Cave pairs exist in the game. The First XX Cave is a mandatory location found in northern Podunk to the right of the City Zoo Ninten must go through to enter Magicant for the first time. It also marks the first time the player must use Telepathy to proceed. Using the GGF's Diary found in Ninten's Basement, Ninten will be able to answer the riddle telepathically provided by the XX Seashell and will be allowed to enter Queen Mary's world. Upon answering the Forgotten Man's questions correctly, Ninten will be able to leave Magicant out of another XX Cave, letting the player gain access to Merrysville for the first time.
The Second XX Cave is optional and is located in the Yucca Desert much later in the game. This cave can only be accessed by traversing through the Ruins of Desert, meaning that the player must gather 10 Ticket Stubs to ride the tank and defeat R7037, letting Ninten and his friends inside. After going through the maze, there will be a teleporter bringing Ninten to the XX Cave. Telepathy must be used here again, with the riddle this time being answered without the diary as Ninten already knows the answer. Doing this warps the player to Magicant again. Upon leaving, Ninten will find himself in a different XX Cave exiting to the north of Youngtown, serving as a way of changing the warp point of the exit of Magicant from Merrysville to Youngtown.
Once the player gathers all Eight Melodies and talks to Queen Mary, she will regain her sense of self and remember that her name is Maria, Ninten's Great-Grandmother. Magicant will then disappear, and with it all available warp points to it. This includes the XX Caves, and upon trying telepathy on Podunk's or Yucca Desert's XX Seashells, nothing will happen, marking a Point of No Return.
== Trivia ==
* Ninten must always use the diary in Podunk's XX Cave even if they have already been to Magicant once, in contrast to Yucca Desert's XX Cave which does not need a diary.
* Using telepathy on the exit XX Caves (Merrysville and Northern Youngtown) will do nothing, rendering them only cosmetic.
* Once the player obtains the Onyx Hook, they will not need to use the XX Cave to come back to Magicant again. However, it is still completely possible for the player to beat the game without the item.
* Going through Podunk's XX Cave again after going through Yucca Desert's XX Cave will reset the warp point back to Merrysville.