Can TCG Hat Pikachu be shiny in Pokemon GO?

The Trading Card collaboration event for Pokemon GO is in full swing. One of the lesser events held within this occasion is the Spotlight Hour for the limited-time Pikachu released for the collaboration. However, many trainers go above and beyond and wonder if they can catch its rare, shiny variant.

As many players have been anticipating, the new expansion of the Pokemon Trading Card game revolving around Niantic's mobile game is a couple of days away. To celebrate, Niantic has brought an event to the game, giving players a chance to get their hands on some of the most desirable aspects of the mobile game.

Like many commonplace events in Pokemon GO, the TCG collaboration has come with a limited-time costumed Pikachu. While these variants of the franchise mascot are typically preserved for holidays like Halloween or Christmas, they are also available for the Spring season.

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Hunting Shiny Pokemon in Pokemon GO

A Shiny Pikachu alongside a Shiny Phantump (Image via The Pokemon Company)

Players looking to get their hands on a shiny variant of the limited TCG Pikachu will be happy to know it is possible. However, the likelihood of finding one is, as always, remarkably low. However, there are always a few tips and tricks in mind when players choose to hunt any Shiny Pokemon in Pokemon GO.

The Spotlight Hour for this variant of Pikachu will be happening from 6:00 PM to 7:00 PM local time on June 28th. Sadly, this event will most likely pass by the time this article is released. However, this does not mean that this variant of Pikachu will no longer be present in the game. Dedicated players can still hunt for its shiny.

Unlike the main series, hunting a particular Pokemon, shiny or not, in Pokemon GO requires real planning and coordination. The weather in the player's local area plays a big role in determining what Pokemon spawns and when they do so. In the case of Pikachu, it's more likely to spawn in rainy weather due to its Electric typing.

The use of consumable items also greatly assists in the shiny hunting process. Incenses are mostly used when shiny hunting due to their ease of accessibility. These items work by attaching themselves to the player to increase the general spawn rate of Pokemon in the area around their avatar on the map.

Another item used in shiny hunting is the Lure Module. While a standard Lure Module will work just fine, players looking for Pikachu will specifically want to take the extra step and use a Magnetic Lure Module instead, as it further increases the chance for an Electric-type Pokemon to spawn at the affected Pokestop or Gym.

Of course, to maximize the general spawn rate of an area, both items should be used in tandem with one another. While there is no way to directly increase the likelihood of Shiny Pokemon spawning, maximizing the general spawn rate of an area does so indirectly by decreasing the time it would take one to spawn.