Ultimate Guide to Catching Shiny Party Hat Squirtle

Get ready, Trainers! Pokemon GO's 8th Anniversary Event brings with it a delightful treat — Party Hat Squirtle. For collectors, the real prize is the shiny variant of this fun costume Pokemon. The odds may be steep at around 1 in 500, but with determination and the right strategies, you can increase your chances of adding Shiny Party Hat Squirtle to your collection. Let’s dive into the various methods you can employ to encounter this rare and festive Pokemon.

1. Complete the Free Timed Research

As part of the 8th Anniversary Event, Niantic is offering several types of research activities, including paid Timed Research and Masterwork Research. Luckily, there is also a free Timed Research that all players can participate in without spending money. To get your hands on a Party Hat Squirtle, you'll need to focus on completing this Timed Research.

Steps to Complete Free Timed Research:

• Spin 8 PokeStops: This task requires visiting 8 different PokeStops. While this might be challenging for players in areas with fewer PokeStops, it is doable and is tied to the third task in the first step of the research.
• Complete Additional Tasks: While heading to PokeStops, you can also work on other objectives like catching Pokemon or earning XP. Completing these tasks simultaneously can make the entire process more efficient.

Upon successfully completing this stage, you will be rewarded with a Party Hat Squirtle, and there's a chance it could be shiny. Remember, this method doesn't guarantee a shiny, but it does give you a valuable opportunity at no monetary cost.

2. Participate in 1-Star Raids

Another excellent way to catch a Party Hat Squirtle is by participating in 1-Star Raids. These raids are relatively easy, ensuring that you can handle them even without a high-level team. Since Squirtle is a Water-type Pokemon, here are some tips to breeze through the raid:

Effective Strategies for 1-Star Raids:

• Use Electric or Grass-type Pokemon: Squirtle is weak against Electric and Grass types. Consider using Pokemon like Pikachu, Bulbasaur, or any other strong Electric/Grass-type Pokemon you may have.
• Do Raids Frequently: While one raid may not guarantee a shiny, doing multiple raids increases your chances significantly. Keep an eye on your nearby raid eggs to know when a Party Hat Squirtle raid is available.

This method allows for multiple attempts compared to the one-time opportunity in the timed research, making it a viable option for increasing your odds.

3. Catch Party Hat Squirtle in the Wild

During the 8th Anniversary Event, Party Hat Squirtle spawns more frequently in the wild. This natural increase in spawn rate gives players another fantastic opportunity to encounter its shiny variant.

How to Boost Wild Encounters:

• Use Incense: Activate Incense to attract more Pokemon, including Party Hat Squirtle, to your location for a limited period. This item is especially useful if you’re in areas with fewer spawns.
• Deploy Lure Modules: Using Lure Modules at PokeStops can attract more Party Hat Squirtle to the area. This includes the normal Lure Module, but to be more effective, you can also use specialized ones:
  • Glacial Lure Module: These modules attract more Water, Ice-types specifically, increasing the chance of encountering Squirtle.
  • Rainy Lure Module: Similar to Glacial, it attracts Water, Bug, and Electric-types, thus raising Squirtle's appearance rate.

Increasing your interactions with these Pokemon in the wild can exponentially boost your chances of finding that elusive shiny.

4. Utilize Community and Online Tools

The Pokemon GO community is vast and helpful. Engaging with local groups or using online tools can greatly assist in your quest for a Shiny Party Hat Squirtle.

Community Strategies:

• Join Local Facebook Groups or Discord Servers: Many local Pokémon GO communities coordinate raid invitations and share information. Announcements about Party Hat Squirtle sightings can be quite beneficial.
• Use Raid Coordination Apps: Apps like PokéRaid and PokéGenie can help you find and join Party Hat Squirtle raids from anywhere in the world.
• Leverage Social Media: Follow Pokémon GO hashtags on Twitter or Instagram. Many players post their findings, offering you more opportunities to locate Party Hat Squirtles.

Tapping into the community's combined knowledge and resources can lead to new opportunities and increase the chances of finding shiny variants.

5. Trade with Other Trainers

If luck was not on your side and you didn't manage to catch a Shiny Party Hat Squirtle through the above methods, another option is to trade with other trainers. Here’s how to make the most out of trades:

Maximizing Trades:

• Find Willing Traders: Connect with local trainers who might have caught extra Shiny Party Hat Squirtles and are willing to trade.
• Ensure Adequate Stardust: Trading rare and shiny Pokemon can cost a significant amount of Stardust, so make sure you have enough.
• Coordinate With Best Friends: Trading with Best Friends in the game reduces the Stardust cost significantly, making it easier to trade valuable Pokemon.

Trading can not only fill gaps in your collection but also foster a sense of camaraderie among fellow players.

Final Thoughts

Obtaining a Shiny Party Hat Squirtle in Pokémon GO's 8th Anniversary — this endeavor may seem daunting, but with effective strategies and a little perseverance, you can vastly improve your chances of success. Whether you're completing timed research, participating in raids, catching them in the wild, leveraging community resources, or trading, there are multiple avenues to explore. Dive into the event with enthusiasm and good luck, Trainers — your shiny celebration is just a catch away!