Pokemon: Let's Go's mysterious Meltan is the first mythical Pokemon to ever evolve

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Put your hands together for Melmetal

Meltan, the mysterious metal Pokemon which can only be obtained via Pokemon: Let's Go and which players originally thought was the sign of an eighth generation of monsters, keeps defying expectations. In an update posted earlier today, The Pokemon Company revealed that Meltan can evolve into - wait for it - Melmetal, making it the first mythical Pokemon with a direct evolution. 

Melmetal is a steel type categorized as a "Hex Nut Pokemon." Meltan is said to be able to "corrode metal and absorb it into its own body," and judging from Melmetal's weight - 1763 pounds, roughly 100 times Meltan's weight - it must've absorbed quite a lot. Interestingly, the description for Melmetal's special move, Double Iron Bash, sounds straight out of a fighting-type Pokemon's move set. Here's the full blurb: 

"Melmetal possesses a unique Steel-type physical move called Double Iron Bash. With this powerful move, Melmetal uses the hex nut in its chest like an axle to spin its powerful arms around, dealing a double strike to the opponent. The weight of the heavy hex nuts on its arms combined with this spinning motion give this move extraordinary power. After it hits, it may even make the target flinch!" 

Once you catch yourself a Meltan, you can only evolve it into Melmetal via Pokemon Go. You'll need 400 Meltan candies for the evolution; these can be obtained by catching other Meltan, sending Meltan to Professor Willow, or setting Meltan as your Buddy Pokemon and bebopping around. Transferring Meltan from Pokemon Go to Pokemon: Let's Go, Eevee! or Let's Go, Pikachu! will also earn candies and provide "handy shortcuts to speed up this evolution, such as getting more Meltan candies by trading with friends or using rare candies to help you." When you finally have a Melmetal of your own, you can transfer it to Pokemon: Let's Go. 

Here's how to catch a Meltan of your own.  

Austin Wood
Austin Wood
Senior writer

Austin has been a game journalist for 12 years, having freelanced for the likes of PC Gamer, Eurogamer, IGN, Sports Illustrated, and more while finishing his journalism degree. He's been with GamesRadar+ since 2019. They've yet to realize his position is a cover for his career-spanning Destiny column, and he's kept the ruse going with a lot of news and the occasional feature, all while playing as many roguelikes as possible.