Highlights

  • Pokemon Scarlet and Violet feature new critters with great color swaps in their shiny forms, such as Bellibolt and Kommo-o, making them more interesting.
  • Some shiny Mythical Pokemon have not received significant changes in their shiny forms, which can be disappointing.
  • The shinies of certain Mythical Pokemon, like Mew and Arceus, have completely different base colors, enhancing their appearance and making them more spectacular in battles.

One of the best things about Pokemon Scarlet and Violet to many fans was the way some new critters were designed both in their base form and in their shiny versions, with multiple mons getting great color swaps. For example, Bellibolt's shiny is not only very visible in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet's overworld even without Pokemon Legends: Arceus' shiny sound, but it's also a great example of how some species can become much more interesting in Pokemon games. An example of improved shiny form is that of Kommo-o, whose shiny in The Teal Mask DLC gains metal-like texture on its arms and body.

On the other end of the spectrum is Pokemon's shiny Gengar, which outside of its white Mega Evolution in Gen 7 and GMax form in Gen 8 has always been just a darker shade of purple compared to its non-shiny version. This is still common in some Pokemon games, and even some of the series' most sought-after and powerful Mythical Pokemon are not immune to this issue. In most cases, shiny Mythical Pokemon remain incredibly hard to obtain, and for them to look bland is to add insult to injury.

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S Tier

pokemon-shiny-mew
  • Mew
  • Celebi
  • Genesect
  • Arceus
  • Magearna
  • Volcanion

What Makes These Shiny Pokemon S-Tier

The reason why some shiny Mythical Pokemon are much better than others is that their base colors change completely, altering the critters' appearance dramatically - and often in a good way. Shiny Mew in Pokemon GO is a great example of this logic, swapping its light pink for a shade of blue that makes it stand out even more. Similarly, Arceus going from mostly white to mostly golden is a fantastic way to make its god status more apparent, and the creature itself more spectacular to see in battle.

A Tier

pokemon sword shield zeraora
  • Deoxys
  • Meloetta
  • Diancie
  • Zeraora
  • Hoopa
  • Shaymin

What Makes These Shiny Pokemon A-Tier

There are plenty of amazing-looking Mythical Pokemon in the series, and some are even more incredible with their shiny versions in their alternate forms, such as Deoxys and Meloetta. Pokemon like Hoopa, which can change its form from a tiny pocket monster into a larger, ring-wielding menace, can take their shiny palette to the next level by showcasing how different it is compared to the base look. Critters like Zeraora and Diancie may not have alternate forms (outside of the latter's Mega Evolution), but they still enjoy great color swaps. On the other hand, Shaymin's shiny may be a bit basic with just a shade change, but the Pokemon can also transform into its Sky Forme to make it more dynamic.

B Tier

Shiny Darkrai Pokemon GO
  • Victini
  • Manaphy
  • Phione
  • Darkrai
  • Jirachi
  • Keldeo
  • Marshadow

What Makes These Shiny Pokemon B-Tier

Much like with regular Pokemon that don't have the Legendary or Mythical status, even these critters can have somewhat disappointing shiny forms, where their base colors don't change a whole lot or they do, but it's more of a small shade change. This is precisely what happens with Pokemon like Manaphy, Phione, and Keldeo, with their shinies being different shades of blue, all more akin to aqua green, without changing much else. Pokemon GO players can get shiny Darkrai still, but the Pokemon's color swaps may be less exciting to see than the actual shiny Mythical, as its scarf changes from red to fuchsia and its body from black to dark purple.

C Tier

pokemon-go-shiny-meltan-mystery-box
  • Meltan
  • Melmetal
  • Zarude

What Makes These Shiny Pokemon C-Tier

Some Pokemon games introduced shinies that are not on par with anything else from the series, and a good example of this comes from a handful of Mythical creatures - Meltan, Melmetal, and Zarude. Shiny Meltan and Melmetal only have a slightly different bolt, with it going from golden to bronze or copper, depending on how it's rendered. The same goes for Zarude, whose shiny only differs in terms of fur, with the overcoat becoming lucid and the chest fur going from grey to mustard-colored. While the Pokemon themselves might be strong, their shinies are overall quite disappointing.