Summary
- Pokemon Scarlet and Violet, along with Pokemon Legends: Arceus, are making shiny Pokemon more accessible, allowing players to easily obtain their favorite shinies, including pseudo-Legendaries.
- Pseudo-Legendaries like Dragonite, Metagross, and Kommo-o have shiny forms that are considered S tier because they have unique and cool color changes, enhancing their appearance.
- Not all pseudo-Legendary Pokemon have great shiny forms. Some, like Tyranitar and Garchomp, only have subtle shade changes or lack interesting color palettes compared to their base forms.
Pokemon games have several tiers of critters that range from regular ones all the way to Legendaries and Mythicals, which usually tend to be the strongest of the bunch thanks to any combination of very high base stats, powerful Abilities, good moves, or even type combos. A good sort of in-between tier of Pokemon to bridge the gap between regular ones and the very best is pseudo-Legendaries, which typically come with a good mix of the best qualities any Pokemon fan could ask for, although most of them are Dragon-type critters. All these creatures have their own shiny versions, but not all pseudo-Legendaries have great shiny forms.
With Pokemon Scarlet and Violet's sandwich shiny hunting method and Pokemon Legends: Arceus' shiny sounds, it seems that modern games are headed toward greater shiny Pokemon accessibility, which is overall a good change. More players are and presumably will still be able to obtain their favorite shiny Pokemon without too much hassle in Pokemon Gen 10 and beyond, and that can make the often mighty pseudo-Legendaries take center stage even in shiny collections.
S Tier
- Dragonite
- Metagross
- Kommo-o
These shiny Pokemon are S tier because they gain spectacular colors that enhance their appearance by making them stand out even more than they normally would in their base form.
An example is the dramatic color change that both Dragonite and Metagross go through in their shiny forms, making them unique and exceptionally cool to have on any team. Kommo-o is a different case, as its shiny wasn't particularly good when the Pokemon made its debut, nor was it improved in Gen 8 games. However, Pokemon Scarlet and Violet's Teal Mask DLC improved Kommo-o's shiny immensely by giving it scale texture, which takes the color palette change to the next level.
A Tier
- Salamence
- Hydreigon
- Goodra
The shiny Pokemon in A tier are critters with amazing color palettes that deserve high praise for the way they look compared to their base versions. In some cases, a more bland shiny color palette is helped by multiple forms for the pocket monster.
Some Pokemon still get a great shiny color palette that makes them look incredible, but they lack something to make the leap and become the best of the bunch. Such is the case with Salamence, whose shiny version has a particularly bright shade of green, but its wings are just a shade change compared to the original - something that also applies to Hydreigon. Goodra would easily be one of the best shinies in the franchise if it gained interesting shiny moves in Pokemon games, such as Dipplin in The Teal Mask.
B Tier
- Tyranitar
- Dragapult
These shiny Pokemon fall in B tier because most of the time they have some color palette changes that are actually subpar or somewhat disappointing because they mainly consist of a shade change.
Unfortunately, not all pseudo-Legendary Pokemon have amazing shiny color palettes, and while they can still look good and be worth farming for, the main changes may only be tied to a given shade or detail that makes them subpar compared to the rest. For example, Dragapult's shiny version only changes the base form's red bits into yellow, while also having shiny Dreepy as its darts.
C Tier
- Garchomp
- Baxcalibur
There are also shiny Pokemon that are not particularly different from their base versions, to the point that only a small bit or detail of their appearance changes, or simply their color palette remains mostly identical.
While Garchomp remains one of the best Dragon-type Pokemon in the series, it hardly has a shiny version, as it mainly consists of an overall slight shade change. This is often a disappointing trait in shinies, and it can be particularly sad to see on otherwise fantastic Pokemon or designs. Pokemon Scarlet and Violet's Baxcalibur shares a similar fate, with it only being marginally different from its base form.
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 71 /100 Critics Rec: 48%
- Released
- November 18, 2022
- ESRB
- E For Everyone Due To Mild Fantasy Violence
- Developer(s)
- Game Freak
- Publisher(s)
- Nintendo, The Pokemon Company
- Engine
- Proprietary Engine
- Multiplayer
- Local Multiplayer
- Cross-Platform Play
- no
WHERE TO PLAY
The school that you’ve enrolled in as you play Pokémon Scarlet and Pokémon Violet hosts a special independent study project. The theme of this assignment is "A Treasure Hunt." Explore the world and seek out your very own treasure!
Three stories will be woven into your adventure while traversing the sprawling Paldea region. Along Victory Road, you will go to Gyms in different locations in order to to achieve Champion Rank. On the Path of Legends, you can join Arven in search of rare ingredients. And in ★ Starfall Street ★, you’ll challenge Team Star, a group of delinquents causing trouble for the school.
These stories are set in an open world, so where you go is all up to you. A world teeming with Pokémon and people to meet is waiting for you—traverse the Paldea region wherever you heart desires.
