Pokemon Go Mystery Box guide: How to get Shiny Meltan encounters
Niantic / The Pokemon CompanyThe Mystery Box is a special item in Pokemon Go that lets you encounter the Mythical Meltan, but there’s a specific method you need to know before you can unlock it.
Mystery Boxes have been around in Niantic’s popular mobile app Pokemon Go for a while now, but for some players, they remain just that… a mystery. Fortunately, it’s quite easy to get your hands on one once you know the process.
In this guide, we’re going to explain how to get a Mystery Box in Pokemon Go, how to use it to get Shiny Meltan, and the best method for farming them so you can earn enough Candy to evolve a Melmetal.
Contents
- What is the Mystery Box?
- How to unlock the Mystery Box
- How to farm Mystery Boxes
- How to evolve Meltan to Melmetal
- Can Meltan be shiny?
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 first 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.
If you’ve never done this before, you’ll need to download Pokemon Home from the app store on the same device that you use to play Pokemon Go.
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 and then open the Pokemon Home app to accept the transfer.
Be aware that you can’t send Pokemon from Home back to Go, so only transfer a Pokemon that you don’t mind saying goodbye to!
If you’ve done all of this correctly, the Mystery Box should automatically appear in your inventory in Pokemon Go. If it doesn’t show up straight away, try closing and reopening the app.
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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. Now you know how to farm Mystery Boxes in Pokemon Go, it’s time to go and catch some Meltan!
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 Melmetal. You’ll need a grand total of 400 Meltan Candy in order to evolve a Meltan, which is no easy task.
This 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 any Meltan you don’t need for a Candy reward.
NianticCan Meltan be Shiny in Pokemon Go?
Shiny Meltan is available in Pokemon Go, but you can only encounter it during special events.
If you’re lucky, you might be able to find a Shiny Meltan during the Let’s Go event which takes place from Tuesday, March 21, 2023, until Wednesday, March 29, 2023.
Now that you know how to get the Mystery Box and encounter Shiny Meltan, check out some more of our Pokemon Go guides:
Best Pokemon in Pokemon Go | All upcoming Spotlight Hours | Current Raid bosses | Arlo counters guide | Cliff counters guide | Giovanni counters guide | Sierra counters guide | Grunt counters guide | How to catch a Ditto | What are Strange Eggs? | How to get Remote Raid Passes | Fastest way to get Best Buddy status | Pokemon Go catching tips