Top 5 shiny Pokemon in Pokemon GO

One of Pokemon GO's most exciting aspects is the possibility of a player catching a shiny Pokemon.

Shiny Pokemon are Pocket Monsters that are colored differently than the other members of their kind. Catching these rare versions has become an additional challenge in the game.

In the core games of the Pokemon franchise, there is a shiny variant of every single species. But in the GO version, these special beasts are released gradually.

While not all of the shinies released so far have wowed fans with their designs, some have set the bar extremely high. This article highlights the top five shiny Pocket Monsters in Pokemon GO.

Note: This article reflects the personal opinion of the writer.

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Top 5 shiny Pokemon in Pokemon GO

#5 - Gyarados

A shiny Gyarados in the anime (Image via The Pokemon Company)

Gyarados looks wickedly cool in its alternate red color. It was one of the first shinies added to the game, along with its base version, Magikarp.

Red Gyarados has been a longtime shiny favorite for fans of core games, the anime, and Pokemon GO.

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#4 - Rayquaza

Shiny Rayquaza in Pokemon GO (Image via Niantic)

It's easy to see why Rayquaza's shiny form makes this list. Its design is absolutely stellar. The Legendary Flying/Dragon-type has been in the game for a while now, though it is still considered relatively rare.

This Pokemon can only be caught in raid battles when special events are ongoing. To make it more difficult, players have to be lucky enough to encounter the shiny version in the catchphrase of the battle when these events are taking place.

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#3 - Party Hat Nidorino

Shiny Party Hat Nidorino is one of the rarest Pokemon that players could obtain in the game. While Nidorino isn't generally thought of as the most popular Pokemon among fans, players who don't have one in their collection will undoubtedly be envious of those who were lucky enough to catch it.

That's because the festive Pocket Monster was only available for three hours during a raid battle. Those who missed it will surely keep better tabs on what Pokemon will be included in future raid battles.

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#2 - Celebi

Shiny Celebi alongside Jesse and James of Team Rocket (Image via The Pokemon Company)

The arrival of shiny Celebi made waves in the Pokemon GO community when it was initially announced.

This Mythical Pokemon, normally colored green, caught the trainer's eyes when they realized the shiny version was of a pink hue.

A shiny Celebi encounter can only be earned if a player has completed the special research task, "Distracted by Something Shiny."

Pokemon GO trainers missed an awesome shiny if they didn't start the research task before it expired.

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#1 - Mew

Shiny Mew (Image via The Pokemon Company)

Mew, another Mythical Pokemon, is easily the best shiny Pocket Monster in Pokemon GO. Rather than its normal pink coloring, this shiny version is featured in a distinguished blue.

Mew is even more impressive because of how difficult it is to obtain one in the game. A player will first need to complete the Pokemon GO Tour: Kanto Special Research to unlock what is known as a Masterwork Research project. It ultimately ends with a shiny Mew encounter.

Nicknamed the All-in-One #151 project, this Masterwork Research will require some serious effort for players who wish to complete it and have a chance at catching shiny Mew.

Some of the steps include reaching level 40, catching 30 Pokémon of each type, spinning 151 unique PokéStops, and walking 151 km.