TL;DR
- Use Mystery Box from Pokémon Home or Let’s Go transfers to spawn Meltan
- Shiny Meltan appears randomly during limited-time events – persistence is key
- Collect 400 Meltan Candy through catches, transfers, and Pinap Berry usage
- Transfer excess Meltan to Professor Willow for bonus candy accumulation
- Evolved Shiny Meltan retains coloration and can transfer to main series games
The current Pokémon Go event presents a rare opportunity to capture the elusive Shiny variant of Meltan, the Mythical Hex Nut Pokémon. This special appearance coincides with Pokémon Home integration, offering trainers limited-time access to this coveted chromatic form.
Pokémon Home connectivity has been fully implemented, triggering the temporary return of Shiny Meltan encounters. The event window remains active until 10 PM local time on November 23, creating a narrow timeframe for dedicated hunters. Unlike standard Mythical Pokémon acquisition through EX Raids or Special Research narratives, Meltan requires a unique activation item known as the Mystery Box.
This distinctive capture mechanism sets Meltan apart from other Mythical creatures in Pokémon Go. The Mystery Box serves as your gateway to encountering this steel-type Pokémon, obtainable through either linking with Let’s Go Pikachu/Eevee on Nintendo Switch or executing direct Pokémon transfers to Pokémon Home. Understanding these fundamental mechanics is crucial for successful Meltan acquisition during the limited event duration.
Securing the Mystery Box represents the foundational step in your Meltan hunting journey. You’ll automatically receive this special item after completing either a Pokémon transfer from Go to Pokémon Home, or moving a Generation 1 Pokémon from the mobile game to either Let’s Go title. The transfer process functions identically for both methods, ensuring accessibility regardless of your available platforms.
For optimal efficiency, establish your connection method early in the event period. The Pokémon Home approach typically proves more accessible for most trainers, requiring only the companion app and a linked Nintendo Account. Meanwhile, the Let’s Go method demands physical access to the Switch titles but offers additional gameplay integration benefits.
Pro tip: Complete your first transfer during non-event hours to familiarize yourself with the process, then execute subsequent transfers strategically during active event periods to maximize your Shiny encounter opportunities. Many trainers overlook the preparation phase, costing valuable event time when the Mystery Box becomes available.
Once you’ve acquired and activated the Mystery Box from your inventory, Meltan will begin spawning in the wild for precisely 60 minutes. These encounters function identically to standard wild Pokémon appearances – simply tap the visible Meltan on your map and initiate the capture sequence using standard mechanics.
During this event period, each Mystery Box activation carries a chance of generating Shiny Meltan encounters. The appearance rate remains entirely random, necessitating persistent box openings across the cooldown cycles. Statistical analysis from previous events suggests Shiny rates approximate 1 in 60 encounters, though Niantic never confirms exact probabilities.
Critical mistake avoidance: Ensure you have adequate Poké Ball supplies before activation, as the 60-minute spawn period generates numerous encounters. Additionally, activate your Mystery Box in areas with stable GPS connectivity to prevent spawn disruptions. After the hour elapses, the box closes automatically, triggering a mandatory 72-hour cooldown before reuse, requiring another Pokémon transfer to reactivate.
Advanced technique: Coordinate multiple Mystery Box activations across different accounts during overlapping timeframes to significantly increase your Shiny encounter probability through collective hunting efforts.
Even if you’ve previously captured the Hex Nut Pokémon, this event provides prime farming opportunities for evolution materials. Transfer duplicate Meltan to Professor Willow to accumulate Meltan Candy, with the evolution requirement set at a substantial 400 candies. This demanding threshold necessitates strategic resource management and optimized capture techniques.
Expedite your candy accumulation through multiple approaches: Deploy Rare Candies as universal evolution fuel, utilize Pinap Berries during capture attempts to double candy yields, and systematically transfer non-Shiny specimens for additional candy gains. The Pinap Berry method proves particularly effective when combined with excellent or curveball throws for capture reliability.
When you evolve a Shiny Meltan, it maintains its distinctive coloration as Melmetal. This chromatic variant features a darker metallic head composition and blue tail accent instead of the standard red hue. The evolved form gains substantial combat capabilities and becomes transferable to Let’s Go titles or Pokémon Sword and Shield after Pokémon Home deposition.
Cross-platform benefit: Melmetal transferred to main series games becomes eligible for competitive battles and online showcases, providing tangible gameplay advantages beyond collection completion. For comprehensive Pokémon management strategies, explore our Complete Guide to master your overall strategy.
Action Checklist
- Set up Pokémon Home connection or prepare Let’s Go titles for transfers
- Execute initial Pokémon transfer to receive your first Mystery Box
- Stockpile Pinap Berries and Poké Balls before box activation
- Activate Mystery Box in optimal location and catch all spawned Meltan
- Transfer duplicates to Professor Willow and repeat process after cooldown
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