Catching an Alpha Pikachu in Pokemon Legends: Z-A is surprisingly simple, as a guaranteed alpha variant of the beloved mouse Pokemon can be found fairly early on in the game.
Whether players are hoping to get a shiny Alpha Pikachu for their collection or to use it against Pikami's troublesome Pokemon in the "The World's Greatest Pikachu" side mission, the process is the same. Here's the breakdown.
Pokemon Legends Z-A: How to Get Mega Tyranitar (Tyranitarite Location)
To Mega Evolve Tyranitar, players will need to get their hands on the Tyranitarite Mega Stone, which is locked behind main story progression.
How to Get Alpha Pikachu in Pokemon Legends: Z-A
Players can get a guaranteed Alpha Pikachu in Pokemon Legends: Z-A in 
Wild Zone 6, on one of the area's rooftops. At the top left corner of Wild Zone 6 is Cafe Bataille, right next to the northern entrance.
You can climb to the top of this building using the ladder next to the battle arena. On the rooftop, you'll find a level 40-42 Alpha 
Pikachu standing by the chimneys.
To maximize your chances of catching the Alpha Pikachu quickly, here's what you can do:
- Make a hard save before approaching the Alpha Pikachu so you can immediately reset if you fail to catch it.
- Sneak up behind it and throw a Quick Ball while its back is turned.
- If unsuccessful, keep throwing Great Balls or Ultra Balls at it.
- If it gets angry, defeat it and throw a final Poke Ball as a last try.
- If you fail even then, reload and try again.
If the Alpha Pikachu has an undesirable Nature, you can change its Nature’s effects using Mints.
Alpha Pikachu is a fixed spawn, meaning if you defeat or capture this Pokemon, it will reappear after a period of time has passed. As an Alpha Pikachu, it is guaranteed to have three perfect IVs, and its HP stat has maximum EVs (252), making it the most battle-ready Pikachu you can get in the wild.
You can also get an Alpha Pikachu to appear in 
Wild Zone 3, among the regular Pikachu that roam the garden in that area. Each time Wild Zone 3 resets, there is a small chance that an Alpha Pikachu might make an appearance. The chances are small, however, and it is much less efficient compared to Wild Zone 6.
Can You Shiny Hunt Alpha Pikachu in Pokemon Legends: Z-A
Yes, you can. Although Alpha Pikachu is a guaranteed spawn in Pokemon Legends: Z-A, it is not shiny-locked, meaning you can get a shiny Alpha Pikachu if you’re patient and persistant enough. To tilt the odds in your favor, it's recommended to get the Shiny Charm first to increase the shiny odds from 1/4096 to 1/1024.
The World's Greatest Pikachu Guide in Pokemon Legends: Z-A
In Side Mission 107: The World's Greatest Pikachu, trainers are faced with an incredibly tough challenge: defeat a level 66 Pikachu holding a Light Ball using only a single Pikachu of their own, without help from any other Pokemon.
Side Mission 107: The World's Greatest Pikachu unlocks after players have completed Main Mission 37: Operation Protect Lumiose and entered the post-game.
Here's what you need to do to complete this mission:
-
Catch an Alpha Pikachu from
Wild Zone 6.
- Give it EXP. Candies and Rare Candies to level it up to level 65+ (or train it up normally with the help of Lucky Egg).
- Give it the following move set: Dig, Iron Tail, Quick Attack, Protect.
TM Dig can be found by talking to the NPC standing directly opposite 
Wild Zone 15's northern entrance, just south of Hotel Richissime.
Since Pikami's Pikachu is holding the Light Ball, you will not win a head-to-head match and must outwit your opponent to win the battle. The main trick to this fight is timing the Dig attack correctly, as it is the only super effective attack you can use against another Pikachu when controlling your own Pikachu.
Pikami's Pikachu knows Dig as well, and can easily OHKO your Pikachu, if it gets caught by the attack. The only reliable way to evade his Pikachu's Dig is to either use Dig yourself, or by using Protect.
How to Beat Pikami's Pikachu
The strategy is simple. Wait for Pikami's Pikachu to use Dig, then, when it is mid-animation, have your own Pikachu use Dig as well. By doing this, your Pikachu will go underground after the opposing Pikachu and will remain untargetable for that period.
The Pikachu that uses Dig first will always lose the exchange, which is why it's crucial to be patient. If you miss the timing, use Protect just as the other Pikachu's Dig attack is about to hit to nullify the damage.
Use Iron Tail and Quick Attack liberally when Dig is on cooldown to deal chip damage. When it becomes available again, wait for Pikami's Pikachu to use Dig again and repeat from the beginning.
After Pikami and his Pikachu are defeated, he will offer you the following rewards:
- 7,000 Poke Dollars
- Light Ball x1
- Exp. Candy L x3
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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
- Platform(s)
- Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2
- OpenCritic Rating
- Strong
