Following the launch of Pokemon Legends: Z-A, a player uncovers evidence that Mareep is Shiny Locked until one of the game's earliest side missions is completed. While most creatures found in Pokemon Legends: Z-A can be Shiny right from the start, unlocking Shiny Mareep thankfully does not take much time to do.
Known as the Wool Pokemon, Mareep first appeared in Pokemon Gold and Silver. Mareep is an Electric-type sheep Pokemon that can be found throughout the Johto region. Mareep later evolves into Flaaffy and Ampharos via leveling. The Shiny variant of Mareep has pink wool rather than yellow, and its body is a slightly darker shade of blue than normal. A Shiny Mareep is guaranteed to appear during side mission 17 in Pokemon Legends: Z-A, where trainers must climb a rooftop to find the pink-wooled Pokemon waiting in plain sight.
Late Game Pokemon Legends: Z-A Players Need to Be Careful When Collecting Mega Shards
Pokemon Legends: Z-A fans point out that players should keep an eye on how many Mega Shards they have during the latter parts of the game.
Unlocking Shiny Mareep in Pokemon Legends: Z-A Requires a Few Steps
While most Pokemon can appear as their Shiny variants out of the box, that is not the case for Mareep in Pokemon Legends: Z-A. A Twitter user named Anubis stated that Mareep is Shiny Locked until Side Mission 17, titled "A Shiny Mareep?," has been completed. Using a debugger built into devkitPro, Anubis shared a video that proved that the Mareep located throughout Wild Zone 1 cannot be Shiny until the mission is finished.
While the Shiny Mareep from Side Mission 17 can be easily caught after weakening it and throwing a Poke Ball, its capture is not required for other Shiny Mareep to appear from that point forward. Anubis also confirmed that two other creatures that appear during Pokemon Legends: Z-A's tutorial, Fletchling and Bunnelby, were also Shiny Locked during their initial encounters. However, both Pokemon were subsequently proven to be Shiny unlocked after their tutorials were finished.
Usually, Shiny Hunting is a daunting task in most Pokemon titles, as the odds of encountering one are 1 in 4,096, or approximately 0.02%, in most situations. Additionally, Pokemon Legends: Z-A has audio and visual cues to indicate when a Shiny Pokemon appears on the screen. The odds of encountering a Shiny Pokemon can also be increased by obtaining the Shiny Charm, though this endeavor requires completing the game's Pokedex and winning 1,000 battles.
Although mistakes can be made when Shiny Hunting in Pokemon Legends: Z-A, unlocking Shiny Mareep is a simple endeavor compared to chasing down other Pokemon in Lumiose's Wild Zones. Whether future Pokemon titles will follow suit by tying the appearance of certain Shiny Pokemon to early-game missions remains to be seen.
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 79 /100 Critics Rec: 66%
- Released
- October 16, 2025
- ESRB
- Everyone 10+ / Fantasy Violence, In-Game Purchases
- Developer(s)
- Game Freak, Creatures Inc.
- Publisher(s)
- Nintendo, The Pokemon Company
WHERE TO PLAY
LIVE THE LIFE OF A POKÉMON TRAINER IN THE STREETS OF LUMIOSE CITY
Whether you’re a die-hard Pokémon fan or about to toss your first Poké Ball, the Pokémon Legends: Z-A game has plenty to offer for Trainers of all types. Experience classic gameplay with modern twists that are sure to revolutionize your Pokémon RPG experience.
CATCH, BATTLE, AND MEGA-EVOLVE—ALL IN REAL TIME!
Step onto the battlefield and command your Pokémon directly—there are no turns! For the first time in the Pokémon RPG series, Trainers and their Pokémon can both move around in real-time battles, and your Pokémon will unleash their moves when you tell them to. Strategically swapping out your Pokémon and accounting for each move’s timing and area of effect will greatly help you in this new style of battle.
HARNESS THE POWER OF MEGA EVOLUTION
When Trainers have a strong bond with their Pokémon, a Key Stone worn by the Trainer resonates with a Mega Stone held by their Pokémon, allowing Mega Evolution to take place.
ROGUE MEGA EVOLUTION
Rampaging Rogue Mega-Evolved Pokémon are threatening Lumiose City. These Pokémon are extra tough to beat, but if you do manage to defeat them, you'll receive valuable Mega Stones as a reward.
RISE THROUGH THE RANKS OF THE Z-A ROYALE
You’re invited to join the Z-A Royale, a competition for Pokémon Trainers to test their skills and determine who’s strongest.
Each night, a battle zone for the competition will appear. Prepare yourself by spending the day in wild zones, catching and training Pokémon, then venture into the battle zone and take on other Trainers.
Be strategic and complete bonus card challenges as you battle to speed up your climb from Rank Z to Rank A. Can you climb the ranks and reach the top?
WELCOME TO LUMIOSE CITY
Visit shops, restaurants, and more, all centered around Prism Tower. An urban redevelopment plan is underway to shape the city into a place that belongs to both people and Pokémon.
BATTLE WITH TRAINERS FROM AROUND THE WORLD
With a Nintendo Switch Online membership*, you can battle up to three other Trainers at once, locally or online, in frenetic real-time battles!
- Multiplayer
- Online Multiplayer
- Franchise
- Pokemon
- Number of Players
- 1-4 players (online)
- Nintendo Switch Release Date
- October 16, 2025
- Nintendo Switch 2 Release Date
- October 16, 2025
- Platform(s)
- Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2
- OpenCritic Rating
- Strong
