In the eternal quest to Catch ‘Em All, no feat is more difficult than finding a shiny Pokémon, let alone catching one. While functionally identical to their standard counterparts, shinies get their name from their unique color scheme and make legendary Pokémon look laughably common by comparison. Only via persistent searching in the franchise’s various games will you ever get the chance to encounter a shiny, though as of recently, the rules have changed.
Stealthily released yesterday on iOS and Android, Pokémon Pass is a free-to-download app on either platform and boasts a suite of lucrative features that Trainers won’t want to miss. The extent to which Game Freak plans to support the app remains to be seen, but the developer has begun the service with a bang. Either shiny Pikachu or shiny Eevee is up for grabs by participating in the initial campaign.
First things first, in order to access the app, you’ll need to create a Pokémon Trainer Club account. If you’re one of the millions that sunk hours into Pokémon Go upon launch, chances are you’ve already got one, but if not, simply head to the appropriate website and get cracking. With that out of the way, the only remaining major requirement for the app to function is to have location services on.
The giveaway period for Shiny Pikachu and Eevee doesn’t begin until next week, so you’ve got plenty of time to get everything set up and ready. Come May 11th, however, all you need to do is head in-store at your nearest Target and use your phone’s camera to scan a QR code. This will generate a code that can then be entered in either Let’s Go, Pikachu! or Let’s Go, Eevee!
The move sets for each are as follows:
- Pikachu – Thunderbolt, Double Kick, Double Team and Thunder
- Eevee – Double Edge, Iron Tail, Helping Hand and Facade
The event period runs for one month until June 23rd, though if you manage to head in-store on the event’s first day, extra goodies in the form of a promotional Psyduck Pokémon card and movie poster will be added to your collection.
Sadly, as of writing, the event has only been confirmed for North America, though if anything changes, we’ll be sure to let you know.