How to catch a shiny in Pokemon Let's Go

On your quest to catching all 151 Pokemon in the Pokemon Let's Go Pokedex, you're bound to be wondering whether there are shiny varients of any of these beasties. Well, it's good news over here because there are Pokemon Let's Go Shiny variants of all 150 entries in the Pokemon Let's Go Pokedex (and even a shiny Mew, but good luck with that one unless you want to buy more than one Poke Ball Plus), so if you're looking to get to get the entire colour spectrum of Pokemon in your box, you're going to want to know how to catch a shiny in Pokemon Let's Go. 

Well, thankfully it's a lot easier to find and also identify a shiny Pokemon in Pokemon Let's Go than it is in the AR mobile game Pokemon Go. In Pokemon Go, you actually have to start trying to catch the Pokemon before you can tell whether it's a shiny version or not. However, in Pokemon Let's Go, you will be able to see the Pokemon spawn with a different coloured coat, meaning it's very easy to see when one has spawned. However, there are a few tips and things you should know if you're about to embark on a Pokemon Let's Go shiny expedition. 

And also, here's a quick reminder of all the Pokemon Let's Go shiny colour variations available in game:

1. Catch combos heighten your chances of encountering a shiny Pokemon

If you catch the same species of Pokemon in a row, you'll start racking up a catch combo. The higher your catch combo, the more likely you are to see a shiny of the same species spawn on the map. Keep it going by making sure that you don't catch anything else, and ensuring that your intended target doesn't flee, because unfortunately - despite the fact that often these things are out of our control - that will also break your combo. 

It is looking very likely that the shiny catch combo is locked at 31. Without any kind of catch combo, it seems that you have a 1:4900 chance of catching a shiny, but if you get anything above a maximum catch combo of 31, that chance goes up to 3.9/4900, which still isn't great, but better odds than before. But what it does mean is that 31 catch combo is the maximum, so you could catch 500 or 31 and it would still offer the same chance of catching a shiny. 

That means that racking up combos doesn't guarantee a shiny appearing, it just increases your odds. This is coming from someone who spent an entire evening trying to get a shiny Zubat and got to 307 catch combo before throwing in the towel. 

2. One shiny increases the chances of getting more shinies

Once you've managed to get one shiny to spawn, it seems like the probability of more shinies appearing gets even better, so if you want a shiny to give to your pal, keep comboing after that first shiny to be in for a brilliant chance of seeing more appear. 

3. Fleeing Pokemon breaks your combo

Yes, I know I mentioned it before, but seriously, it's ridiculously frustrating when a Pokemon flees the battle and that counts as breaking your combo. To ensure that you're going to have the best chance of that not happening, I would stock up with Ultra Balls, make sure you've got a pocket full of Razz Berries and never linger too long between Poke Ball throws. It's also worth remembering, as I've mentioned in our Pokemon Let's Go tips, that a Pokemon can flee at any point during the catching process, whether that's post berry feeding or mid-throw. It's worth noting that the higher your combo, the easier the Pokemon is to catch - green rings rather than red - meaning you can drop down to cheaper balls as you go up the combo scale. 

4. Shiny Pokemon appear on the map, but not in your box

Now, I've mentioned that it's very obvious when a shiny Pokemon spawns in Let's Go, because you can literally see it's a different colour to what it should be. However, that's not entirely the case for your Pokemon Box. It won't actually let you know which out of the 400 Zubats you just caught is your lovely green shiny one at all. That's quite unlike Pokemon Go where you can see the colour difference of a shiny and it's labelled with three little black stars. That means in Pokemon Let's Go you run the risk of trading away or transferring your prized shiny by mistake. I'd recommend labelling it as a favourite, or slapping some kind of sticker on it to make sure it's very obvious in your list as something special. 

5. Your buddy can't be shiny 

Although it's possible to find a shiny Pikachu or Eevee in the world, it has been confirmed that your actual Buddy Pikachu for Pokemon Let's Go Pikachu, and your Buddy Eevee in Pokemon Let's Go Eevee, can't spawn as a shiny. That's right, your Partner Pokemon cannot be shiny, regardless of the number of times you reset the game. Sorry folks. However, it is worth resetting the game a few times if you're looking for a female version of Pikachu and Eevee as they're rarer than the male ones. 

6. Don't forget to keep saving

Because of the amount of things that can break your combo, it's worth saving your game every five or so catches, to ensure that you don't lose your entire progress if anything goes wrong. And yes, I am speaking from experience… 

With all of that you should be armed with enough knowledge to bag a shiny. What I can't give you though is all the patience that you'll need for that shiny to spawn. Good luck trainers!

If you need more guidance on how to get the best out of your Kanto adventures, check out our guide on how to unlock all the Pokemon Let's Go hairstyles.