Pokemon Go Mystery Box guide: How to get Meltan & can it be Shiny?
Niantic / The Pokemon CompanyPokemon Go trainers can only get the Mythical Meltan by using the Mystery Box, but they’ll have to unlock it first. Here’s a full explanation of how to get Meltan in Niantic’s game, and whether or not it can be Shiny.
Pokemon Go involves a lot of special items for different purposes, and one of the most valuable is the Mystery Box, which will allow players to get Meltan.
Despite being part of the game for a while now, many trainers still don’t know how to get it, even less how to make it work. So, here’s a full walkthrough on how to use the Mystery Box to get the Mythical Steel-type Pokemon in the game.
Contents
- What is the Mystery Box in Pokemon Go?
- How to unlock the Mystery Box in Pokemon Go
- How to get Meltan in Pokemon Go
- Can Meltan be Shiny in Pokemon Go?
- How to evolve Meltan into Melmetal in Pokemon Go
- Pokemon Go Meltan stats, moves, resistances & weaknesses
NianticWhat is the Mystery Box in Pokemon Go?
The Mystery Box is a special Incense-like item that is required to get Meltan to spawn in Pokemon Go.
It was introduced to Pokemon Go in 2018 to celebrate the release of Let’s Go! Pikachu and Let’s Go! Eevee on Nintendo Switch. It made waves at the time, as Meltan was the first brand-new Pokemon to debut in the mobile app.
Mystery Boxes are essentially a special type of Incense, meaning they’ll attract Meltan to your location for a total of 60 minutes – so you’ll have plenty of chances to catch them.
How to unlock the Mystery Box in Pokemon Go
The easiest way to unlock the Mystery Box is to transfer a single Pokemon from Pokemon Go to your Pokemon Home account. Thus, one will need a Nintendo account to proceed.
Once you’ve created a Home account, return to Pokemon Go and follow these steps:
- Tap the Poke Ball at the bottom of the screen.
- Choose Settings from the top right corner of the screen.
- Scroll down and tap ‘Connected Devices and Services’.
- Tap ‘Pokemon Home’.
- Sign in using the same Nintendo Account you used to set up Pokemon Home.
You’ll now be able to access the Go Transporter in the Home menu of Pokemon Go. Select the Pokemon you want to send across, then open the Pokemon Home app to accept the transfer.
Be aware that you can’t send Pokemon from Home back to Go.
If done correctly, the Mystery Box should automatically appear in your inventory in Pokemon Go. If it doesn’t show up immediately, try closing and reopening the app.
NianticHow to get Meltan in Pokemon Go
The only way to catch Meltan in Pokemon Go is to open a Mystery Box. Once you do this, Meltan will spawn in your nearby area for the next 60 minutes, so catch as many as you can before they disappear.
When your Mystery Box runs out, a three-day cooldown period will begin. Once this ends, you’ll be able to send another creature to Pokemon Home and the Mystery Box will be ready to use all over again.
During special celebrations like the Let’s Go event, this cooldown period will be reduced.
Can Meltan be Shiny in Pokemon Go?
Shiny Meltan is available in Pokemon Go, as it debuted back in 2019. However, players will only be able to encounter it during special events.
Up to this day, Shiny Meltan has only been seen during these events:
- Let’s GO! event (2023)
- Pokemon TCG Crossover event (2022)
- 5th Anniversary event (2021)
- Pokemon HOME event (2020)
We will update this guide once a new event featuring Shiny Meltan is announced.
How to evolve Meltan into Melmetal in Pokemon Go
Once you’ve got your hands on Meltan in Pokemon Go, your next goal will likely be getting its evolution, Melmetal. You’ll need a grand total of 400 Meltan Candy to evolve a Meltan, which is no easy task.
NianticThis is why farming Mystery Boxes is so important. The best way to stock up on Meltan Candy is to use Mystery Boxes and catch as many Meltan as you can while using Pinap Berries to get extra Candy.
Setting a Meltan as your Buddy and raising its Hearts is another good method, as it will pick up Candy while you go out exploring. You can also transfer to Professor Willow any extra Meltan you don’t need for a Candy reward.
Pokemon Go Meltan stats, moves, resistances & weaknesses
As a single Steel-type Pokemon, Meltan has the following stats:
| ATTACK | DEFENSE | STAMINA | CP |
|---|---|---|---|
| 118 | 99 | 130 | 1207 |
Meltan Fast Moves
- Thunder Shock (Electric)
Meltan Charged Moves
- Flash Cannon (Steel/STAB)
- Thunderbolt (Electric)
Meltan resistances
Meltan weaknesses
That’s all you need to unlock the Mystery Box and get Meltan in Pokemon Go. Check out our other guides with the best competitive Pokemon in Pokemon Go, as well as all the upcoming Spotlight Hours, the list of the current Raid Bosses, and some interesting catching tips.