In 1999, The Pokémon Company innovatively introduced Shiny Pokémon in games like Gold and Silver. To keep players engaged after completing all tasks, they needed something more thrilling than just battling and catching Pokémon, which can become repetitive over time. So, they created a scarcely found, visually stunning version of each Pokémon.

The concept is a classic example of a reward dangled before players, and it’s proven to be highly effective. Many players have invested extensive time seeking out those slightly different Pokémon. A large number of these variants are genuinely beautiful with unique color schemes. However, there are exceptions – some of them are not as appealing. These represent the best and worst shiny Pokémon throughout the franchise’s history.

The 19 Best Shiny Pokémon

19. Charizard

Charizard is an outstanding Shiny Pokemon, and many Shinies benefit from adopting a sleek all-black coloration. Charizard was one of the first to make this transformation, and while its traditional fiery orange hue is distinctive, black offers a more appealing aesthetic change.

18. Palossand

Following a similar theme, Palossand is equally stunning with its gleaming quality. Unlike most sands, it’s black, but this isn’t arbitrary; in reality, black sand is quite rare compared to common sand types. Reflecting this rarity in games is ingenious. Furthermore, the concept of a black sandcastle adds an interesting twist, making it more appealing.

17. Beedrill

The luminous green color of Beedrill stands out, often overshadowing that of other Pokémon like Nidoqueen or Sandshrew. Unlike their muted tones, Beedrill’s vibrant green is a refreshing departure from the common yellow and black found in many Pokémon. This alternative color scheme adds an element of fun and liveliness to this insectoid Pokémon.

16. Bishard

Bisharp undergoes a color transformation, transitioning from red to an exceptionally vibrant, crisp blue. This new shade complements the Pokémon’s design beautifully. Compared to Pawniard’s shiny form, Bisharp’s transformed self appears even more captivating as it becomes increasingly covered in this deep blue hue.

15. Ninetales

In simpler terms, there aren’t enough Pokémon with a gray and shiny appearance, but when they do have that envy-inducing secondary color, they are truly unique. Among them, Ninetales stands out as the most exceptional. This Pokémon is primarily grey with blue tips on its nine tails to represent its Fire-type status. The design is both intelligent and visually stunning.

14. Psyduck

In simpler terms, the calming blue hue of Psyduck’s original form is truly captivating, fitting perfectly with its Water-type designation. It stands out significantly against the standard yellow Pokémon, and some players find it hard to evolve Psyduck into Golduck because the latter’s shiny version lacks the charm of the cool blue color.

13. Blacephalon

Blacephalon’s shimmery appearance showcases a dazzling array of colors that are lively and enjoyable. It exhibits a more intense blue tone with a deeper hue compared to its base form, yet it still retains the cheerful essence inherent in its primary design.

12. Furfrou

Dog-type Pokémon often have impressive shinies, such as Houndoom and Zacian, but Furfrou may stand out the most. When it transforms into its shiny form, it changes from white to black, giving it a strategic advantage. Furthermore, its stark contrast makes it unique, and there’s hardly any other Pokémon that can be more distinct than Furfrou.

11. Gyarados

Gyarados is an exceptional Pokémon, and it’s only fitting that its shiny form is extraordinary as well. Compared to the cool appearance of Shiny Magikarp, the vivid red of its evolved form truly shines. This is an instance where altering the color theme for the shiny version enhances the evolution, as the bold red complements Gyarados better than the usual blue, even though it’s a Water-type Pokémon.

10. Lucario

Lucario’s golden sheen is exceptionally balanced – neither too vivid to strain the eyes nor too dull to appear unattractive. It’s artfully employed, preventing it from becoming overwhelming. While the standard blue color suits him well, his upgraded version definitely adds a delightful touch.

9. Rockruff

In a more conversational style, you could say: Rockruff’s shiny version is incredibly cute, and the light blue hue is a refreshing contrast to its usual tan color, given that it’s essentially a dog. However, the blue tint becomes less appealing when Rockruff evolves, making the basic evolution form more noticeable.

8. Moltres

Generally, objects with a pink glow are typically excellent, and Moltres falls into this category without fail. Admittedly, it bears an unfortunate resemblance to uncooked poultry, but its prominent pink hue manages to divert attention from that aspect. Moreover, the fiery red accents complement the pink beautifully.

7. Slugma

Mentioned earlier, the gray shines of Slugma are breathtakingly beautiful. Its shiny variant leans more towards grey with hints of white, adding an extraordinary touch to it. While its regular form boasts a red design that aligns thematically, I personally find the grey/white shines particularly appealing and this is one of the most impressive examples.

6. Xerneas

Xerneas is often considered one of the top shinies in Pokémon, yet there’s a significant condition. While it generally appears impressive, its value significantly increases when it’s active. In this state, its antlers transform into a vibrant spectrum, making it truly eye-catching.

5. Snorunt

Snorunt’s shimmering hue is a striking cool blue, fittingly so as it belongs to the Ice-type category in Pokémon. This detail enhances its aesthetic appeal and harmonizes well with the Pokémon itself. Notably, the shiny version of Snorunt looks particularly stunning, but its appearance becomes less impressive upon evolution.

4. Haxorus

The charm of a sleek, black lizard Pokémon is undeniable. Time and again, it manages to catch one’s eye, and Haxorus, in particular, stands out due to its unique design. The regular variation with its yellow tones isn’t as appealing, but replacing it with black was a brilliant decision that enhances the overall look.

In this rephrased version, I tried to maintain the original meaning while using more descriptive adjectives and varying sentence structures for better readability.

3. Pumpkaboo

Instead of its usual pink and brown palette, Pumpkaboo’s shiny form transforms into a striking purple and black version. This new appearance is remarkably appealing. Besides being aesthetically pleasing, it also aligns perfectly with the spooky motif that defines one of the genuine Halloween Pokémon.

2. Incineroar

Incineroar boasts two distinctive features. Firstly, it sports a sleek, partly white and shiny appearance, which symbolizes its extreme heat as a Fire-type Pokémon. The white embodies white-hot temperatures, while the red enhances the fire theme. Secondly, its design is notably clever when compared to its standard color scheme, making Incineroar an outstanding improvement.

1. Lechonk

Lechonk’s luster stands out in all aspects. As a Pocket Monster resembling a pig, using pink is brilliantly effective. The vibrant pink breaks away significantly from its typical black physique, and both its male and female evolution forms exude strength as well.

The 12 Worst Shiny Pokémon

12. Pikachu

While Pikachu has a unique look, its shiny version could have been improved. As the mascot of Pokémon, it should be better than just a slightly off-orange color.

11. Abra

Upon examination, there seems to be a recurring motif of items on this list that don’t bring about substantial transformations. Often, this can feel monotonous. However, it’s significantly less engaging for Abra compared to Alakazam, as Alakazam represents a notable advancement over its other evolutionary forms.

10. Onix

1. Instead of saying “Onix is an ugly shade of green,” you might rephrase it as: “The color of Onix is rather unattractive.”

2. Concerning the second part, instead of “There are so many great colors that could’ve been used since Onix is literally a bunch of rocks,” you can say: “It’s disappointing to see such an ordinary green when considering that Onix is essentially made of rocks.”

“There are many beautiful rocks out there showcasing vibrant hues, but unfortunately, we don’t get to see those colors in Onix.”

“The color of Onix is rather unattractive considering that it’s essentially a collection of rocks. It’s disappointing to see such an ordinary green when there are so many beautiful and vibrant hues displayed by other rocks.”

9. Togetic

Without its glittery accents and audio cues, spotting a Togetic with a dull shine could be quite challenging. Its understated presence, coupled with uninspiring color palette, makes it difficult to distinguish from regular Togetics.

8. Blissey

As a dedicated gamer and die-hard Pokemon fan, let me share my thoughts on the Chansey line’s shinies. Frankly, I find them underwhelming. Among them, Blissey stands out as particularly lackluster. You see, I had high hopes for an originally pink Pokemon with a hint of green as its base shiny. But alas, The Pokemon Company chose to tone down the vibrancy of Blissey’s color grading, resulting in something rather dull and unexciting. It’s just not exciting enough for my taste!

7. Slaking

In this context, it’s worth noting Vigoroth and Slakoth. Initially, they appear as vibrant, attractive pink creatures with a striking shine. However, with one evolution, the shine becomes dull and unappealing, often leading to disappointment among trainers who evolved theirs. It’s unfortunate because Slaking, in its base form, is actually a decent Pokémon.

6. Glalie

Glalie’s (and Aggron’s too, as they share this characteristic) shining version doesn’t make much of a difference compared to their regular form. The alteration in the main color is so subtle that it’s hardly noticeable. While the altered eye color is appealing, when that’s essentially the only change in the shiny version, it doesn’t really stand out as an impressive change.

5. Floatzel

The design of Floatzel, a Pokémon, seems rather dull and lacks excitement with its average color scheme of orange and yellow. Although the colors may be appropriate, they don’t add any fun or intrigue to its appearance. Unfortunately, even the shiny version of Floatzel didn’t manage to inject any zest; instead, it was made only slightly less drab.

4. Vanilluxe

In this revised version, I’ll attempt to make the text more engaging and easier to understand:

“Imagine all the potential variations for a shimmering Pokémon character based on an ice cream cone – the possibilities are endless! Interestingly enough, its base form, Vanillite, tends towards a strawberry ice cream hue. However, as it evolves, it switches things up by merely tweaking the blue instead of exploring the option for a chocolate-colored shiny version.

3. Froakie

Froakie, being a shiny variant, falls short compared to its standard form. It’s more like a faint or diluted version of the regular one. As a frog-like Pokémon, Froakie could have been colored green, brown, or any similar hue. However, the good news is that Greninja, as a shiny, truly shines, making up for the less impressive start with Froakie.

2. Alolan Vulpix

Alolan Vulpix could use some improvement as its shininess is hard to distinguish. A positive aspect is that its feet transform into an icy blue hue, but why isn’t there more variation in its appearance? Maybe they could make the whole creature icy or switch up the color for its body as well, for a more noticeable difference when it’s shiny.

1. Jigglypuff

In a similar fashion to how Aggron and Glalie alter in their shiny forms, the main distinction for a shinified Jigglypuff lies within its eyes. These eyes transform into an appealing green hue, while the body’s pink color subtly varies, but these changes may not be noticeable enough to distinguish it from its regular form.

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2025-08-16 02:52

The Best (and Worst) Shiny Pokemon Ever