Shiny Pokémon are a rare breed that takes a lot of time and work to procure. There are, however, a variety of Pokémon whose Shiny forms aren’t worth the effort. There are some spectacular Shinies, such as Charizard’s black type or the purple-maned Zoroark, but others, such as slightly burned Pikachu or darker Gengar, are disappointing. This article would go into the worst Shinies from each generation of Pokémon.
Shiny Pokémon debuted in Generation 2 as various color variations with a very limited probability of appearing in each encounter. In older games, the chances of seeing a Shiny in battle were 1 in 8192 encounters, but in newer games (Gens 6, 7, and 8) the Shiny odds were improved to 1 in 4092 encounters.
These odds, along with the laws of chance, will lead to players going thousands of encounters without seeing a Shiny, while others will see one within a few hundred. Although non-Shiny hunters may be perplexed as to why players would go to great lengths to procure a different colored digital pet, even those who love the process are conscious that certain Shiny Pokémon aren’t worth the effort.
About Shiny Pokemon
In the world of Pokémon, gamers can come across a variety of monsters with extraordinary powers, and discovering and capturing rarer Pokémon in the main series games and Pokémon GO can be a game-changer.
The rarest Pokémon in the series, however, are merely a separate color variant of the original Pokémon known as shiny Pokémon, and encounters with these Pokémon are so rare that the chances are around 1/4092 in the main games (even higher in earlier versions) and 1/400 in Pokémon GO.
This is why it’s so thrilling when shiny Pokémon appear on the game because the chances are so high that it’s almost like winning a lottery. Yet not anything that glitters is gold when it comes to these gleaming Pokémon. Some shiny Pokémon are fantastic or stunning, while others are hideous and perplexing, often even struggling to build on the original variation.
There are several individual shiny Pokémon that fall short of the player’s hopes, but there is a broader issue in the Pokémon universe. Many of these ugliness-inducing shiny Pokémon are part of a trend, demonstrating the sloppiness with which some of these shiny prototypes were created.
Players hope to be compensated with a stunning color version at the end of the grind if it takes tens of hours to get a Shiny Pokémon. Unfortunately, this isn’t true with all Shiny Pokémon. Some are so badly built that they come off as lazy or frustrating, especially when a lame Shiny shape is attached to a fan’s favorite Pokémon.
Here are the worst shiny Pokemon of all time:
Scyther
Scyther is one of the coolest-looking Pokémon in the series, so his shiny form, though virtually similar to the normal coloration, isn’t all that disappointing. Scyther also has the potential to transform into Scizor, which is another cool-looking Pokémon. Scyther can be a Bug/Flying dragon, but at the end of the day, it’s one of the best dragon designs the Pokemon world has ever seen. That sentiment can never be undermined by an uninspired shiny form.
Phanpy
Since it is so close to normal Phampy, catching a shiny Phampy would most definitely make the lucky trainer feel a little down, but there is always hope. Donphan, the gleaming variant of Phanpy’s evolution, has a distinct color change and is the silver lining of it all. If a player prefers Phanpy over Donphan and literally gives the little elephant an everstone, they shouldn’t waste their time hunting for a flashy version unless they like sparkles and stars.
Beartic
Since these colors help communicate their type, most Ice-type Pokémon are often white or lighter shades of blue. Players would think that when it comes to glossy shapes, those structural values will be thrown out the window, but that’s not the case for Bearctic.
About the fact that Cubchoo’s blue head turns pink in its shiny state, Beartic retains the same white coat that has been injected with the tiniest amount of blue toning, making it seem nearly identical to its original coloration.
Bidoof
Many trainers assume that the worst a shiny form can be is that it looks just like the normal form. Bidoof, it turns out, is here to prove the world wrong by showing what is worse than a sparkling Pokémon that behaves just as it usually does.
Bidoof’s glossy coloration takes the coat’s browns and applies an unhealthy amount of orange and purple, making it look dingy. How can a shiny form be more unappealing and uninteresting?
Glaceon
Since the Eevee-lutions are so well-known and common with Pokémon enthusiasts, players would think they’d all be handled the same. When it comes to shiny forms, the fact is that the line is nearly split in two, with one half receiving subtle color variations and the other half receiving a vivid and visible variation.
Glaceon is grouped with Leafeon and other Pokémon that have a similar appearance. Players will be much happier with the outcome if they develop their shiny Eevee into a Jolteon or Vaporeon.
Elekid
Elekid isn’t just representing itself on this list; it’s also representing any single baby Pokémon that looks the same, whether shiny or not. These pre-evolutions were added to add another dimension of adorable Pokémon for trainers to fall in love with.
Most of these critters, like Elekid, seem to be similar to their shiny counterparts, implying that the concept began and finished there. The creature’s sad little electric socket even transforms into a much more orange Electabuzz. There isn’t anything to expect.
Herdier
Herdier is the middle evolution of Generation V’s early game dog Pokémon, and it has the greatest similarity to a regular dog in terms of personality. When it comes to their shiny form, both the evolutionary line’s base form and the final form have significant color differences, but Herdier seems to have gotten the short end of the stick. Its upper black coat turns a rich forest green as it transforms into a glossy Stoutland. It’s a shame that Herdier is left with the tan undercoat and black fur overcoat.
Venusaur
Instead of keeping the shading for a shiny the same or going for something drastic on the other end, they’ll also either subtly darken or lighten the already existing shades.
The developers determined that the safest course of action for Venusaur would be to make the least suitable starter Pokémon’s final evolution much less desirable. This was a toss-up between Venusaur and Blastoise because none of them had the same luck as Charizard in terms of having a cool shiny shape.
Jigglypuff
People often lament their lack of success when it comes to shiny hunting, and they tend to wonder whether they’ll ever run across one on their Pokémon adventures. Players would think the starry animation and sound effect would be obvious, but if they are grinding and a shiny like Jigglypuff appears that’s the same color, it’s easy to overlook. At GameFreak, it appears that there is an unwritten law that pink Pokémon must stay pink at all times.
Pikachu
Pikachu earns a spot on this list of the worst shinies for a variety of reasons. Its shiny type, like the majority of the other shiny Pokémon on this list, is a subtly different color from what players would usually see.
It actually has a much darker yellow coat, but the rest of the shading is the same. It’s a shame that a character as famous and legendary as Pikachu didn’t get a more unexpected shiny version. Even, be prepared to be frustrated by shiny Raichu’s concept if players intend on evolving their shiny Pikachu.
Dragonite
In a lot of ways, shiny Dragonite is a letdown. Many fans believe that the transition from Dragonair to Dragonite is abrupt, and many have proposed redesigns to address the issue. A strong shiny type can occasionally solve a Pokémon’s problems, but it can also make them worse.
Dragonite was assigned a dull green and deep purple paint scheme, which would be best suited to a Pokémon like Crobat. Fans should have had a vivid pink shiny to go with Dratini and Dragonair’s shiny shapes, or even a blue Dragonite to go with their non-shiny forms, but wishes don’t always come true.
Lucario
The true annoyance starts with the next four Pokémon, and as aggravating as it is to see a shiny Pokémon that looks just like its non-shiny counterpart, does it possibly equate to a palette that screams “eyesore?” Lucario, a common fan favorite, usually has a sleek blue and black look with light yellow fur. Its shiny form, on the other hand, is distinctly unsubtle.
Shiny Lucario has a bright yellow and black paint scheme that resembles a stoplight or a bumblebee. The light blue hue of its middle fur doesn’t help matters either, as it clashes with the yellow’s brightness. Shiny Lucario should have been so much more, so it’s a shame fans got this instead.
Groudon
Groudon is a gigantic legendary Pokémon with the power to stretch continents and build land according to its own nature. Such a being should have an absolutely incredible shiny form, but that isn’t the case. Groudon, on the other hand, is stuck with an unusual hue that no one can tell whether it is yellow or green.
To represent the world, the desert, or the earth’s metals, Groudon may have been painted in a dark brown, light brown, or even grey hue. Since at least some fish in the ocean have magenta and pink shades, Kyogre certainly got the best deal.
Ferrothorn
Ferrothorn’s original paint scheme makes sense: green for Grass-type creatures, silver for Steel-type creatures. An inverted palette, or even darker green vines and a black shell, maybe a shiny form that still communicates its typing.
Ferrothorn looks like a snack food with sharp edges due to Game Freak’s preference of…ketchup and mustard. The yellow color is reminiscent of an old NES console, and the red around its eyes is especially distressing, resembling someone who is bleeding or has just cried their eyes out.
Bruxish
There are many discoveries and surprises that Pokemon fans have yet to discover in the world’s seas, but they have had the privilege of seeing many bright and lively coral reef fish. The Humuhumu Nukunuku Apua’a (or reef triggerfish) is Hawaii’s state fish, and Bruxish is based on it.
The lighter pastel shades served well to mimic coral reef fish that one could see when snorkeling, according to Bruxish’s original style. Its shiny form’s clashing neon colors? They make Bruxish look more like a clown…or a really bad slice of cheese…than a coral reef.
