{"id":1219260,"date":"2026-02-23T04:30:17","date_gmt":"2026-02-23T04:30:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.polygon.com\/?p=604225"},"modified":"2026-02-23T04:30:17","modified_gmt":"2026-02-23T04:30:17","slug":"switch-2-quietly-makes-shiny-hunting-in-pokemon-scarlet-and-violet-way-better","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/arcader.org\/news\/switch-2-quietly-makes-shiny-hunting-in-pokemon-scarlet-and-violet-way-better\/","title":{"rendered":"Switch 2 quietly makes shiny hunting in Pok\u00e9mon Scarlet and Violet way better"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"\"
<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Plenty of existing Nintendo games are getting an upgrade for Switch 2<\/a>, but few of them are benefitting nearly as much as Pok\u00e9mon Scarlet <\/em>and Violet<\/em>. The open-world game released on Switch 1 in a haggard state that defied the capabilities of the technologically challenged console. Now that the Switch 2<\/a> is here, things are looking much better, literally. That\u2019s good news for anyone who likes hunting for Pok\u00e9mon with special coloring, otherwise known as shinies.<\/p>\n

As we know, the Switch 2 version of the monster collecting game is optimized<\/a> and now runs at 60 frames per second. In practice, this means maps with more visible terrain and less pop-in, smoother movement that doesn\u2019t grind to a halt, and way more Pok\u00e9mon on the map. These performance buffs mean the game can more closely approximate the idea that you\u2019re running out in the wild, where untamed Pok\u00e9mon roam.<\/p>\n

It also makes hunting for shinies much easier. While there are a couple of ways to go about finding these rare critters, they typically require that the player repeatedly reload the map. In doing so, the player forces the game to load more monsters on the screen. Eventually, one of those Pok\u00e9mon will spawn with that telltale sparkle, which signifies that it\u2019s a shiny. <\/p>\n

On Switch, the limited graphics meant that the console could only generate so many Pok\u00e9mon. The Switch 2, on the other hand, populates maps more densely. More Pok\u00e9mon means less reloading the map and more chances to find a shiny.<\/p>\n

\n
\n
\n