Shiny Pokemon appear in Pokemon GO but catching one is a pain

Word of advice: Catch every single Magikarp that you see.

On Wednesday, Pokemon GO announced a new limited-time in-game event that would increase the spawn rate of water-type Pokemon. But it turns out an influx of Squirtles and Totodiles is not the only thing that has been added.

Players have discovered that a shiny variant of Magikarp is now catchable in the game. People who have been fortunate enough to find these rare versions having been sharing images on social media as proof. Below is a video by Fabien Parent that shows the special Magikarp in all its floppy glory.

For those who are unfamiliar with shiny Pokemon, the concept extends back to the original Pokemon games. Shiny Pokemon is differentiated from regular Pokemon by their alternative coloring, and encountering one was an extremely rare experience.

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From the video above, shiny Magikarps in Pokemon GO appears gold in color as opposed to its usual orange. And when evolved, the shiny Magikarp turns into a shiny red Gyarados, just like the shiny Gyarados from those original Game Boy Pokemon games. Talk about a quality throwback.

However, be advised, shiny Magikarp do not appear often. And even when they do appear, it may not be all that it seems. Players have reported instances of catching a shiny Magikarp only to have it turn into a Ditto. The horror.

This seems too cruel to be in a Pokemon game, but alas it is our reality. We just hope you are spared this vile plot twist.