Z-A DLC Just Killed the Best Shiny Hunting Method in the Game, but Added New Ones
It has been less than a day since Pokemon Legends: Z-A‘s Mega Dimension DLC came out, and it packs quite the challenge for those who expected a walk in the park because the critters found in Hyperspace Lumiose are very powerful, and so are the trainers. One of the most important parts of the DLC in order to complete it and get everything is to make good enough donuts, though, as they are what determines how many levels your Pokemon get when in Hyperspace Lumiose, how easy the Pokemon there are to catch, and more importantly, how much time you have. Time is of the essence if you want to hunt for shinies in Pokemon Legends: Z-A, and now it matters more than ever after the new patch killed the best hunting method in the game.
If your first guess is benches, then rest safe, as shiny hunting in Pokemon Legends: Z-A with benches is still possible and good as ever. What is no longer possible, however, is the so-called “overload method,” which allowed you to bring multiple Pokemon from a given spawn point away from it, spawn different Pokemon in their place, and do this multiple times to increase the number of critters in a given area. This method was most common in Wild Zone 20, and while it’ll be sorely missed, fret not – new ways to shiny hunt are here.
It’s Official: Pokemon Legends Z-A Has a Broken Shiny Hunting Location
Pokemon Legends: Z-A players who are looking for effective ways to find shiny Pokemon already have the perfect location and method under their noses.
Say Goodbye to Pokemon Legends: Z-A’s Best Shiny Hunting Method With the Mega Dimension DLC
Pokemon Legends: Z-A’s Overload Shiny Hunting Method in Wild Zone 20 is Officially Dead
Pokemon Legends: Z-A‘s 2.0 update not only adds all the new content from the Mega Dimension DLC, but it also changes core functionalities of the game. The one thing you should know about as soon as possible is that the overload shiny hunting method is now officially gone.
You will most likely have used it or seen it in some shape or form in Wild Zone 20, specifically, as it was first discovered as a way to have six Alpha Pokemon spawn in Wild Zone 20 under the tower instead of the usual two. This is terrible news for shiny hunters who like Alpha Pokemon, as there are almost 70 different species that spawn under the Wild Zone 20 tower, making it likely to find most critters in the game as Alphas.
It’s worth noting that if you still have some overloaded spawn points in the game, even the multiple Alphas in Pokemon Legends: Z-A’s Wild Zone 20, those will remain unless you catch or defeat them.
Pokemon Legends: Z-A’s 2.0 DLC Patch Changes the Game Forever
With the release of Pokemon Legends: Z-A‘s Mega Dimension DLC came a plethora of new content for players to sink their teeth into. If you have beaten the base game already, then you can immediately start the Mega Dimension DLC by heading to Hotel Z’s rooftop, and slowly gain access to several areas in Hyperspace Lumiose that feature some Pokemon already in the game, and some new ones.
All the returning Pokemon in Pokemon Legends: Z-A‘s DLC can be caught in the expansion or obtained afterwards as event-exclusive rewards, and in some cases, Mega Stones will be awarded in ranked seasons. The DLC’s new Hyperspace Lumiose areas are very different from the base game, so keep this in mind:
- Hyperspace Lumiose can only be accessed with Ansha’s donuts and Hoopa’s powers.
- The donuts you make determine your Pokemon’s level cap in Pokemon Legends: Z-A‘s DLC, with level over 100 being possible, and even necessary to beat the DLC.
- The areas available on the map reset at sunrise/dawn and nightfall, meaning that you can use Pokemon Legends: Z-A‘s benches to reset which Hyperspace Lumiose areas appear.
- Each area is timed, with the time being based on what kind of berries you used, as well as the donut’s star rating (1 to 5). You can spend as long as over 6 minutes in each area with the right donuts.
- Some Hyperspace areas have a fly access point on the map, meaning you can fast-travel to the entrance.
- Pokemon in Hyperspace Lumiose can be shiny, make a shiny sound, and behave exactly like the Pokemon in the base game.
- You can see the Pokemon included in a given area before entering, giving you the option to choose where to go and which critters to shiny hunt.
Pokemon Legends: Z-A’s DLC New Best Shiny Hunting Methods Explained
The DLC has been out for less than 24 hours, but some fantastic shiny hunting methods are already clear. These are:
- Fast-travel method
- Soft reset method
- Teleportation method
- Spawn and despawn method
- Sparkling Power method
- Catch a shiny task
How to Shiny Hunt in Pokemon Legends: Z-A’s Mega Dimension DLC – Fast-Travel
The fast-travel method is fairly simple, and it’s already viable in the base game. If the Hyperspace Lumiose area you’re in has a fly access point on the map, fly to it to reset all Pokemon within a 50-meter radius from your spawn point. This is best for when there are several critters near the entrance of the map, meaning you can spam fast-travel and eventually find a shiny Pokemon.
The time spent on loading screens while fast-traveling will not count toward the time you have in a given Hyperspace area.
How to Shiny Hunt in Pokemon Legends: Z-A’s Mega Dimension DLC – Soft Reset
This method is only applicable if you have more than three minutes on the clock in a given Hyperspace area, as you need to find the horde of Pokemon you want to hunt for, defeat them, and then wait about two to three minutes for them to respawn. You should save about every 10-15 seconds until the Pokemon respawn, making sure not to save exactly as they respawn or after. If the Pokemon are not shiny, you can close the game and restart it, then rinse and repeat until you find a shiny. Ideally, the area should allow you to be there for at least 4 minutes to make the most out of this method.
How to Shiny Hunt in Pokemon Legends: Z-A’s Mega Dimension DLC – Teleportation
In order for the teleportation method to be possible in Hyperspace Lumiose, you need to find an area with ground-level “elevators” that take you far ahead (or ahead and above) and that you can use repeatedly. These cannot be found in the sewers, for example, but will spawn in the actual cityscape. When you do find them, and when the distance between two ground-level teleporters is big enough, you will spawn new Pokemon within 50 meters of the destination and despawn anything further than 70 meters from you. Spamming the A button on the Nintendo Switch 2 or regular Switch will do the trick, and it can be done with a turbo controller.
The teleportation animation doesn’t spend time/calories, meaning the clock only ticks when you walk around to see what Pokemon are there.
How to Shiny Hunt in Pokemon Legends: Z-A’s Mega Dimension DLC – Spawn and Despawn
For those who prefer to scout the area for shiny Pokemon, a good method is to simply save the game when entering a new Hyperspace Lumiose area and then walk around to look for shinies. In Pokemon Legends: Z-A, wild Pokemon appear within 50 meters of you and disappear when you are 70 or more meters away from them, which means that you can explore the entire area, and if no shinies appear, you can close the game and restart it, then repeat the process.
How to Shiny Hunt in Pokemon Legends: Z-A’s Mega Dimension DLC – Sparkling Power
It’s unclear at this stage what exactly triggers this, but Pokemon Legends: Z-A‘s Hoopa can get additional powers on its donuts if they are very sweet and hit a certain calorie threshold, as suggested by popular content creator Austin John Plays. However, when it happens, the effects are basically the same as Pokemon Scarlet and Violet‘s shiny sandwich, making a certain type of Pokemon more likely to be shiny. Since Hyperspace areas already tell you what type and species of Pokemon they will include, using a Sparkling Power donut of the same type is very effective, and it gives you a lot of power over which critters to hunt.
How to Shiny Hunt in Pokemon Legends: Z-A’s Mega Dimension DLC – Catch a Shiny Task
As a rare survey task of Hyperspace Lumiose, you will be able to find one that says “Catch Shiny Pokemon 0/1,” meaning that a shiny has been forced in that instance, and you just need to find it. This is a guaranteed shiny among the species available in that area, much like Pokemon Legends: Z-A‘s shiny Mareep.
- Released
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October 16, 2025
- ESRB
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Everyone 10+ / Fantasy Violence, In-Game Purchases
