How To Tell If A Pokemon is Shiny in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet

In previous Pokemon games, Shiny Hunting has been a lot more luck-based. Long Grass encounters seemed endless, and there was no way to guarantee that you’d manage to encounter a chain of the same Pokemon long enough to increase your odds. So, Shiny Hunting in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet seemed significantly more accessible due to every Pokemon spawning in front of the Trainer. As a result, you can target whichever you want to battle and easily create a combat chain during a mass outbreak.

But in reality, unless you know the shiny version of the Pokemon you are hunting for, the process in the ninth Generation is just as challenging. So read on to find out how to check if a Pokemon is shiny in Paldea.

How to Check if A Pokemon is Shiny in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet

Since Shiny Pokemon do not glitter in the overworld like in previous games, differing a few shiny species from their traditional appearance can be challenging. If you’re looking for a shiny Pokemon, the primary signifier of it being different from what you’re used to is a color change.

Sometimes this difference will be more drastic than others, such as Driftloon adopting a golden balloon and blue cross instead of purple and yellow or Eevee turning entirely white. Other designs are more subtle and almost unnoticeable, like Charcadet’s eyes turning from red to blue, and the wool on Flaafy’s head turning a little pink rather than white. This is why you must know the shiny appearance just as well as the traditional before hunting.

Additionally, if you are defeating a mass of Pokemon via Let’s Go, your active Pokemon will never beat a shiny. So, if you haven’t noticed a change in appearance, this is a vast signifier, and you can encounter the Pokemon in a standard battle, which is when the glitter animation will kick in. Unfortunately, the only way to notice if a Pokemon is shiny outside of fighting is through its appearance, so if you’re not sure, it’s best to enter the battle screen and hope that you see the star confetti animation.

Pokemon Scarlet and Violet are available on Nintendo Switch.