An event running in Pokemon Go right now is celebrating water-type Pokemon of all kinds, but it’s the dopiest Pokemon of all that players are most excited for. Magikarp, Pokemon’s eternal punching bag, has become the game’s most popular monster because of the Water Festival event — but not because of the Pokemon itself.
The reason everyone is into Magikarp right now is because, as it turns out, it’s the first Pokemon in the game that comes in a shiny variant. Shiny Pokemon are highly coveted in the handheld series, as they’re incredibly hard to find. These rare recolors can transform a Pokemon’s entire look, and because they have different markings and colors than standard Pokemon, catching a shiny Pokemon is an obvious achievement.
A shiny Magikarp isn’t just cool because it’s a collector’s item, though. When it evolves into the much more powerful Gyarados, it retains that unique coloring — becoming what’s known as the red Gyarados, a Pokemon that figured heavily into the storyline of Pokemon Gold and Silver.
Only fitting that the first shiny is a red Gyarados (and shiny Magikarp).
Unsure if other shinies are also live. pic.twitter.com/LHdBFfEb6F
— Ryan Brown (@Toadsanime) March 22, 2017
Finding the golden Magikarp isn’t easy, although it’s way easier in Pokémon Go than the portable games. The ongoing Water Festival makes water-type Pokémon more common, no matter a player’s geographical area, so players in landlocked areas can still find Magikarp aplenty. Still, a discovery rate of 220 normal Magikarp to one shiny isn’t great, so players shouldn’t expect to find them without some work … or some devastating trial and error, thanks to Ditto.
Finding the golden Magikarp isn’t easy, although it’s way easier in Pokemon Go than the portable games. The ongoing Water Festival makes water-type Pokemon more common, no matter a player’s geographical area, so players in landlocked areas can still find Magikarp aplenty. Still, a discovery rate of 220 normal Magikarp to one shiny isn’t great, so players shouldn’t expect to find them without some work … or some devastating trial and error, thanks to Ditto, as reported by Kotaku.
Quando a magikarp ta dourada, pega pq na verdade é um Ditto pic.twitter.com/tX5vL6ZXzf
— Feshow (@moreirasnow) March 23, 2017
Niantic, the game’s developer, is giving everyone a chance to wear their Magikarp obsession proudly. There’s a hat inspired by the Pokemon now available to purchase from the in-game shop, and it … well, it’s not quite our aesthetic, but to each her own.
we in here fam @PokemonGoApp pic.twitter.com/VvMpCf0uvs
— Meme™ (@NWPlayer123) March 24, 2017
The special event ends on March 29 at 4 p.m. ET, so if you want a shiny Magikarp, you better get to it while the water Pokemon are still hanging out on the shore. As for shiny Pokemon, no one has spotted any others yet — so expect Magikarp to be everyone’s favorite even after the event ends.
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