How to get Shiny Meltan in Pokemon Go: Return date, Mystery Box, and more

The Mythical Pokemon Meltan can only be summoned using a special item, and its shiny variant is even more elusive. Here’s how to get a Shiny Meltan in Pokemon Go.

In 2018, Pokemon Go introduced its first exclusive Pokemon, Meltan. This little sliver blob with a hex nut for a head would be released alongside Pokemon Let’s Go with a special way of obtaining it.

To summon Meltan in Pokemon Go, players would have to obtain a Mystery Box. These items work like Incense but only attract Meltan and work for 30 minutes.

You can only open a Mystery Box once every 3 days, but once you obtain a box, you keep it forever. The real challenge is finding a Shiny Meltan.

Getting a Mystery Box in Pokemon GO

Getting a Mystery Box in Pokemon is pretty easy, especially since Pokemon Go now connects to Pokemon Home. A player must transfer a Pokemon from Go to either Let’s Go on the Nintendo Switch or Home on their mobile device/Switch.

The easiest way to earn a Mystery Box is to download Pokemon Home, connect your accounts, and send a Pokemon from Go. This will instantly reward the player with a Mystery Box without needing another device.

How to get a Shiny Meltan in Pokemon Go

Usually, Shiny Pokemon have a 1/512 chance to appear. However, Meltan is a special case with a 1/125 chance to appear shiny, but only during special times announced by Niantic.

That’s right. Meltan’s Shiny form is a timed exclusive, and there aren’t any set times for its annual release. This means players have to keep an eye out for when Niantic announces Shiny Meltan’s sporadic return.

Otherwise, getting a Shiny Meltan works like hunting any other Pokemon. Activate the Mystery Box during a time when Shiny Meltan can appear, and check every spawn until you find one that is shiny.

When will Shiny Meltan return?

Luckily, players won’t have to wait long to hunt for Shiny Meltan in Pokemon Go. The next time Meltan can be Shiny is during the Pokemon Go 8th Anniversary Party from June 28, 2024, to July 3, 2024. 

The cooldown time for boxes will also be reduced, so players won’t have to wait three days between uses.

Check back after the event to see when the next Shiny Meltan window is in Pokemon Go.