Shiny Meltan returning to Pokemon Go for a limited time later this week

Pokemon Go collectors, rejoice: shiny Meltan is returning to the mobile catch-'em-up this week. As Niantic recently announced, Shiny Meltan will be available in Pokemon Go from Wednesday, April 24 through Sunday, May 5. There's no fixed way to guarantee a shiny spawn, but every time you open a Mystery Box, a shiny Meltan may appear in your game. 

Never gone Meltan hunting? Here's a quick primer on how to catch Meltan in Pokemon Go. Let's get the big requisite out of the way first: you'll need Pokemon Let's Go Eevee or Pikachu for Nintendo Switch in order to catch Meltan in Pokemon Go. Transferring Pokemon from Pokemon Go to Pokemon Let's Go is the only way to obtain the Mystery Boxes which spawn Meltan, so you'll need both games. 

You can transfer Pokemon via the Go Park in Fuchsia City. Once you do, you'll receive a Mystery Box in your inventory. Once you open it, a handful of Meltan will appear immediately, and they'll continue to spawn for the next 30 minutes. So if you don't see a shiny immediately, just keep your eyes peeled as one may appear. As Niantic explained, "trainers will now be able to open the Mystery Box every three days, even after the event ends," so use your Mystery Boxes wisely. 

Meltan was revealed ahead of the new Pokemon Switch games, and on top of being the first Gen 8 Pokemon, it's also the first Mythic to ever evolve. It's also pretty cute, making it a worthy addition to your Pokedex. 

Austin Wood

Austin freelanced for the likes of PC Gamer, Eurogamer, IGN, Sports Illustrated, and more while finishing his journalism degree, and he's been with GamesRadar+ since 2019. They've yet to realize that his position as a senior writer is just a cover up for his career-spanning Destiny column, and he's kept the ruse going with a focus on news and the occasional feature, all while playing as many roguelikes as possible.