You wouldn’t think such a straightforward Pokémon as Pikachu would be so multifaceted, but I guess it comes with the territory of being a franchise mascot. You gotta please everyone, so you gotta do everything, including, apparently, flying. Here’s how to catch the fifth anniversary balloon Pikachu in Pokémon GO.
As part of the game’s fifth anniversary event, which is running from today, July 6th, to next Thursday, July 15th, a Pikachu suspended by a gaggle of colorful balloons will be available for capture. This isn’t the first time Pikachu has taken to the skies, though its previous incarnation didn’t have the flashy “5” balloon, which makes it twice as cool. The balloon Pikachu is identical to the regular Pikachu as far as stats go, though it does have the distinction of being able to use Fly as one of its Main Moves.
How to Catch the 5th Anniversary Balloon Pikachu in Pokémon GO
To catch a balloon Pikachu, you’ve got three options. Firstly, alongside Darumaka, balloon Pikachu will be appearing more frequently in the wild for the duration of the event, so if you’re lucky, you’ll just find one in your backyard or something. Secondly, again alongside Darumaka, as well as Chespin, Fennekin, and Froakie, balloon Pikachu will be headlining 1-Star Raids for the duration of the event.
If you’ve already managed to catch a balloon Pikachu, you can obtain a second one by clearing the Collection Challenge for the event. In addition to the balloon Pikachu, you’ll need to catch at least one of all of the following Pokémon:
- Bulbasaur
- Charmander
- Squirtle
- Chikorita
- Cyndaquil
- Totodile
- Treecko
- Torchic
- Mudkip
- Turtwig
- Chimchar
- Piplup
- Snivy
- Tepig
- Oshawott
- Chespin
- Fennekin
- Froakie
Completing the challenge will give you a free balloon Pikachu encounter, as well as 80 free Poké Balls and 3 Rare Candies. Just to reiterate, though, balloon Pikachu itself is also part of the capture list, so you can’t use this method to get your first one.
