When Pokémon Sword and Shield were released in 2019, they introduced several new features, one of which affected Shiny Pokémon, but questions have arisen over whether it will make a reappearance in Generation 9. Pokémon Scarlet and Violet fixing Shiny hunting). Shiny Pokémon, which are palette-swapped versions of normal Pokémon, have been present and coveted in the franchise since Gen 2. Shiny Pokémon are rare to find, which leads many players to partake in Shiny hunting, where they spend time looking for the special version of specific Pokémon.
Pokémon Sword and Shield introduced another version of Shiny Pokémon that the community has come to call Square Shinies. This version of Shiny Pokémon has the same color-swapped palettes, but instead of a traditional starburst animation when the Shiny appears in battle, the Square Shinies, as the name implies, have a burst of square shapes coming from them. Shiny Pokémon themselves are already rare, with the Shiny rates in Pokémon Legends: Arceus being only one in every 4,096. The chance of finding a Square Shiny is often even lower, but the numbers change based on encounter type or how a trainer received a Siny Pokémon.
Many players already invest hundreds of hours searching for Shiny Pokémon, with players occasionally holding events with their friends to get together and Shiny hunt as a group. Hunting for Square Shinies exclusively can turn an already difficult task nearly impossible, depending on the method of Shiny hunting. Some may relish in such difficult challenges, but near impossible odds can be discouraging to some who aren't yet invested in Shiny hunting.
Square Shiny Pokémon Are Unconfirmed For Scarlet & Violet
Luckily there are some in-game ways to increase the odds of finding a Shiny Pokémon, such as Pokémon Legends: Arceus' Shiny Charm, first introduced in Black and White 2, which increases the chances of finding one while in the player's possession. In order to get the Shiny Charm in Pokémon Sword and Shield, the player had to complete their Pokédex, which then allowed them to receive the item from an NPC. Combined with Shiny chaining, a method where a player only encounters the same Pokémon repeatedly to increase their odds, players can get their post-game Shiny encounter rate to one that is comparatively far more attainable.
Getting a Square shiny Pokémon may often be harder than even a regular Shiny, but fans and Shiny hunters have always enjoyed the challenge it presents and the satisfaction it rewards when the player finally finds that one Shiny Pokémon they've been hunting for. There is no official news yet on whether Pokémon Scarlet and Violet will bring back Square Shinies. Still, there is no real reason to leave the feature behind as it adds another goal for Shiny hunters to strive for while leaving players who are uninterested in the mechanic completely unaffected.
