Finding a special colored aka “shiny” Pokemon is no easy task. InPokemon SwordandPokemon Shield,players' best chances of finding shinies comes from either battling the same type of Pokemon repeatedly or fighting multiple raids against extra-large Dynamax Pokemon. Even then, the chance of finding a shiny Pokemon is typically around 1-2%. It can take dozens of hours of playingPokemon SwordorPokemon Shieldto successfully catch a single shiny - let alone an army of them.
Pokemonplayers who have completed the main story inSwordandShield,which now includes theIsle of ArmorandCrown Tundradownloadable content expansions, like to spend their time hunting down shiny versions of their favorite Pokemon. That is, ifthe shiny Pokemon don’t hunt them down instead, as happened to one player. A particularly popular shiny is Gyarados, a first-generation Pokemon which turns from bright blue to vivid red.
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On thePokemon SwordandShieldReddit page, a user going by nannerpussnana showed off their collection of shiny Gyarados playing together using the in-game Camping feature. The user referred to the group as their “army of jumbo mutant shrimp,” comparing Gyarados' red color to that of a cooked shrimp. The post quickly went viral, with many users referring to the Gyarados as “tasty snacks.”
The user revealed that they have been collecting shiny Gyarados for four years, storing many of them in the Pokemon Home cloud service before transferring them into their latest-generation game. The collection initially included well over 15 shiny Gyarados, but nannerpussnana used the anonymous Wonder Trade feature to give several away, expressing a desire to “share the love” with other players. Giventhe lovePokemonfans and streamers alike have shown for shiny Gyarados, those trades were most likely well-received.
Luckily, players who want a shiny Gyarados of their own have several options for obtaining one. Magikarp, the un-evolved form of Gyarados, is a common Pokemon inSwordandShield,found in most in-game bodies of water. Occasionally, as during one April Fool’s event,giant versions of Magikarp can even appear in Raid battles.
Shiny Magikarp can also be obtained via thePokemon GOmobile app, where it appears frequently during rainy weather.Gyarados and its Shiny version often appear as a focus Pokemonduring the annual Lunar New Year event. Finally, players can trigger a guaranteed encounter with a shiny Gyarados in the Lake of Rage location in bothPokemon GoldandSilverand their remakesHeartGoldandSoulSilver.It is definitely possible forPokemonfans to gather their own army of jumbo mutant shrimp.
MORE:The 15 Best Shiny Pokemon In Sword and Shield, Ranked
