Shiny Darumaka Pokemon GO debut teams with a new Flying Pikachu

There's a new Shiny Pokemon in Pokemon GO just in time for the 5th anniversary of the game. This Shiny Darumaka in Pokemon GO for the first time, right alongside its best budy Shiny evolved MONSTROUS Darmanitan. Darumaka is a sort of red mud color with dark yellow/mustard and orange accents. Shiny Darumaka is closer to pink, with light yellow and light orange accents.

The Shiny Darmanitan is the one you should be looking for – it's magnificent. It's like the Ruby Gyarados in its better-than-original color scheme. The Shiny Darmanitan comes in a reddish-purple color, with red-orange accents and fireball eyebrows. It'll take 50 Darumaka candy to evolve into Darmanitan.

But why, you might ask, was Darumaka chosen as the Shiny to debut this week, on the 5th anniversary of the release of Pokemon GO from Niantic? Because the Pokedex entry number for its evolved brethren, Darmanitan, is 555!

This week you'll also find a new flying Pikachu with a bunch of balloons WITH a number 5 balloon. We've seen a flying Pikachu before with more balloons, now it's time for the 5-balloon Pikachu. This Pokemon CAN be Shiny, too.

You'll find Darmanitan, Chespin, Fenniken, Froakie, and Flying Pikachu in one-star Raid battles right this minute, too. Three-star raid bosses during this event include Alolan Marowak, Pinsir, Tyranitar, and Absol.

If you're searching in the wild for Pokemon aplenty, you'll find a bunch of those Darumaka, but you'll also find first-partner Pokemon including Bulbasaur, Charmander, Squirtle, Treecko, Mudkip, Torchic, Snivy, Tepig, and Oshawott. Watch out for the Mystery Box, too – there'll be a Meltan! This Pokemon could be a SHINY MELTAN too!

There'll be a Collection Challenge that'll give you a Flying Pikachu (with a 5-shaped balloon), 3 rare candy, and 80x Pokeballs. To get this reward, you'll need to get Bulbasaur, Charmander, Squirtle, Chikorita, Cyndaquill, Totodile, Treecko, Torchic, Mudkip, Turtwig, Chimchar, Piplup, Snivy, Tepig, Oshawott, Chespin, Fennekin, Froakie, and Pikachu!

This Pokemon GO 5th anniversary event starts at 10AM local time on July 6, 2021. It'll last until 8PM local time on Thursday, July 15, 2021.