Pokemon has always been a series about catching and collecting monsters, but Sword & Shield adds a new tier of collectibles by introducing shiny Pokemon to the equation. Here’s how to use the Masuda method to get shiny Pokemon in Sword & Shield.
As alluded to above, shiny Pokemon are a special tier of collectible Pokemon. They are exactly the same as standard Pokemon but have a different shiny glow to them, which denotes their uniqueness and rarity.
These shiny Pokemon can be caught in the wild. You’ll increase your chances of catching one naturally by continuously catching the same type (run from others you encounter), as well as increasing the total number of times you have battled a specific Pokemon.
You’ll also increase your chances of catching a shiny by using the Shiny Charm, which is a reward you’ll get for completing the Pokedex.
There is, however, another technique that involves breeding, and it’s called the Masuda method.
Using the Masuda Method to Get Shiny Pokemon in Sword & Shield
The Masuda method, so-called because it was added by Game Freak director Junichi Masuda, involves breeding two Pokemon being used by two different players who are playing the game in two different languages.
By breeding one of your Pokemon, which is obviously being played in English, with, a player who is playing in, say, Japanese, you will increase the likelihood of a shiny hatching from one of the eggs by six times.
Basically, you need to trade with another person playing the game in a different language, then breed whichever Pokemon you have obtained from them with one of your own English ones.
You can stack this method with the aforementioned Shiny Charm, too.
That should give you a good understanding of how to use the Masuda method to get shiny Pokemon in Sword & Shield. For more information on the game, be sure to check out our extensive guide wiki.
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