Summary
Pokemon GOhit the world a few years back, and even to this day, it’s still going strong.Niantichas also tried to create aHarry Potter GO, calledHarry Potter Wizards Unite, and though it’s done well, it’s nothing close to how bigPokemon GOhas become.
There are some die-hardPokemonfans in the world that want to catch ‘em all, and that also includes all of the shiny variants that exist. Some of these shiny Pokemon only appear via certain events or sometimes released into the Pokemon world entirely by accident. The tiers of shinies go from SSS being the hardest to find, down to F being the easiest. This list will only have one type of certain Pokemon because if not, Pikachu and Pichu would take up 60% of this list alone.
Updated on May 29, 2025, by Jake Fillery:Therarest Shiny Pokemon in Pokemon GOcontinues to evolve, with new Pokemon in the form of celebration variants that keep players engaged in the addiction of catching them all. Pokemon just don’t stop appearing, and with new games and new events, shiny variants are constantly popping up in the game, but some are far rarer than others to the point where players might not even know of some shinies that have lept to Pokemon GO, and these shinies are definitely worth keeping an eye on to gloat against the competition.
24Rotom
Pokedex Entry: 479
Don’t be fooled by the adorableappearance of Rotom, as this electric Pokemon is truly pesky due to the chances of getting a shiny. Rotom is extremely uncommon to find, and even in the recent Road to Sinnoh event, players barely even saw one, let alone a shiny one, even with the Research Task that allowed them to catch at least one.
This Research Task from the event would give players one chance for a Rotom, and if it wasn’t shiny, then players are out of luck, and they have to try all over again, or just surrender to the fact that they aren’t getting this one in the Pokedex.
23Party Hat Wobbuffet
Pokedex Entry: 203
Wobbuffet is a great Pokemon, beloved by all who love the anime for its eager personality and constant screaming. Wobbuffet can appear a few times inPokemon GO, just in the wild, but the Party Hat variant is the rarest of the Wobbuffets due to the fact that it only spawns in the game for New Year events, meaning players are going to have to wait for the countdown of 2025.
Even still, these Tier 3 Raids and these explorations will only see an occasional Party Hat Wobbuffet, and there is no promise that players are going to get lucky enough to catch that adoring pink shiny, and all those Raid Passes will be for nothing.
22Primal Groudon
Pokedex Entry: 383
Does it come in black? Yes, it does. Players could get their hands on a new variant of a shiny Groudon, leaving behind the classic green appearance for something more beastly, more primal. This Groudon was black in color, and looked mighty fierce, provided players have the tools and the talent.
Primal Groudon was around in August 2023 and featured in a unique raid that was even harder than usual Tier 5 raids. Players would need a team to take on this fight, and only after, would they have a chance at a shiny, and it rarely ever was one. Now, players have to wait for the rotation, and even if they get lucky, they still need to complete some Primal tasks toobtain that Primal Groudon.
21Darkrai
Pokedex Entry: 491
Shiny Darkrai is certainly beautiful, and whilst the shiny differences are subtle, they are definitely there for those with a clean eye for the slick color scheme. Unfortunately, despite the cool design of Darkrai, players are going to be waiting for an annual event, in which Halloween takes center stage and darkness falls upon the land, and the darkest Pokemon come out to play.
Darkrai rarely features in Raids, but Halloween is this Legendary’s season, and in the brief event time that he has, players can rush to the Tier 5 Raids in search of a shiny, even if it might take a decent amount of Raid Passes, and a difficult set of fights against Dark Pokemon.
20Mew
Pokedex Entry: 151
Mew is one of the rarest Pokemon in existence, but a shiny variant of Mew is even rarer still. As part ofPokemon GO’s seventh-year anniversary, players could obtain the All-in-One quest, which would allow players to purchase a $5 ticket that would see them work through some true classics of Pokemon past to complete the quests and catch themselves a shiny Mew.
Sadly, July 08, 2025, saw the end of this event, and the Masterwork Research story that would grant players a shiny Mew. Now, players can hold their adorable blue Mew as a trophy andcherished Legendary Pokemonfriend on their mobile device, whereas other players will have to keep the normal pink variant found in other quests.
19Mewtwo
Pokedex Entry: 150
One of the most popular Pokemon in the franchise is Mewtwo, which rarely features inPokemon GOin Tier 5 and EX Raids. As a Legendary Psychic Pokemon, Mewtwo is one to fear, due to his development through genetic manipulation. Mewtwo is dangerous, and players will need to assemble a strong team of Pokemon and Trainers to best this Legendary foe to catch them. Yet, how rare is the Legendary?
Considering players have to wait forPokemon GOto release this Raid Boss, which is never a certainty considering how many Legendary Pokemon feature now inPokemon GO, they will then have to wait for a Raid Hour and hunt all over their towns and cities with Raid Passes in the hopes of maybe claiming a green Mewtwo for themselves.
18Tauros
Pokedex Entry: 128
Whilst Tauros may be a common find in the USA, those who live outside it, and even those in southern areas of Florida and Canada, will not be able to claim this Pokemon. Whilst there is already a rare chance to get a shiny one, finding enough Tauros to try and get a shiny variant is going to be a challenge, especially to those collectors in the world that are taking a trip to America to try and get their hands on this Pokemon.
There are many regional exclusive Pokemon, but Tauros is a standout for a few reasons, especially when his orange fur becomes a vibrant green, giving way to a new identity for the Pokemon, and something that should be well sought after when it comes to the most avid ofPokemon GOcollectors from around the world.
17Furfrou
Pokedex Entry: 676
On the topic of rare and regional locked Pokemon inPokemon GO, Furfrou is a recent addition to the list, with many different designs and shiny variants all over the world. Players might be able to find a few Furfrou where they live, but these Furfrou listed below are all exclusive to specific regions of the world, meaning players are going to have a pretty lengthy trip if they want to claim them all:
Whilst Furfrou may not be a particularly special Pokemon, the fact that 10 variants of this new Pokemon exist, means that it should be a desirable prize to the collectors out there. Most Pokemon that are region-exclusive usually exist in different continents, yet Furfrou exists in entirely different countries instead.
16Shiny Party Hat Nidorino
Pokedex Entry: 33
Some shinies, particularly those with hats, are often only available for limited times, therefore only the most proactive trainers can snag them. This gimmick rewards the more constant gamers as well as those who pay attention to official information given out by developers on various media platforms. This alternately colored Nidorino that is sporting a festive party hat was only available in a raid in February 2020 that lasted just 3 hours.
15Shiny Woobat
Pokedex Entry: 527
This fuzzy single-toothed Pokemon is probably one of the more adorable pocket monsters to have been created in recent generations, which makes their green shiny form very desirable by many.
Its evolved form, Swoobat, maintains Woobat’s shiny color scheme for pleasantly consistent aesthetics. Catching one of these furry flying fellows will be a bit tricky as the chances of encountering a shiny Woobat is 1 in 500 encounters.
