Pokemon Legends: Z-A DLC Just Killed the Best Shiny Hunting Method in the Game, but Added New Ones

The Mega Dimension DLC for Pokemon Legends: Z-A just released less than a day ago, and it’s proving to be surprisingly difficult. Both the Pokemon and trainers in the Hyperspace Lumiose area are very strong. A key part of progressing through the DLC is making high-quality donuts, which affect your Pokemon’s level, how easy Pokemon are to catch, and most importantly, how much time you have to explore. Time is crucial for shiny hunting in Pokemon Legends: Z-A, and it’s become even more important now that a recent update removed the most effective hunting strategy.

Don’t worry if you were planning to use benches for shiny hunting in Pokemon Legends: Z-A – they still work great! However, a popular technique called the “overload method” is no longer available. This method let players quickly increase the number of Pokemon appearing in an area, and it was especially common in Wild Zone 20. While many players will miss it, there are new shiny hunting strategies to explore in the game.

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

The recent 2.0 update for Pokemon Legends: Z-A includes all the new content from the Mega Dimension DLC, and it also makes some significant changes to how the game works. Most importantly, the popular method of shiny hunting known as ‘overload’ is no longer available.

You’ve probably encountered a glitch in the Wild Zone 20 that causes six Alpha Pokémon to appear under the tower instead of the normal two. This is bad news for players trying to find shiny Alpha Pokémon, because nearly 70 different species can spawn there, meaning you’ll likely find most Pokémon as Alphas – making the shiny versions much harder to identify.

Just so you know, even with multiple Alpha Pokémon appearing in the Wild Zone in Pokémon Legends: Z-A, any overloaded spawn points will stay that way until you either catch or defeat the Pokémon there.

Pokemon Legends: Z-A’s 2.0 DLC Patch Changes the Game Forever

The recent release of the Mega Dimension DLC for Pokemon Legends: Z-A has added a lot of new content for players. If you’ve finished the main game, you can begin the DLC right away by going to the rooftop of Hotel Z. From there, you’ll gradually unlock different areas within Hyperspace Lumiose, encountering both familiar and brand-new Pokemon.

As a huge Pokémon fan, I’m so excited about Pokémon Legends: Z-A‘s DLC! It sounds like all the Pokémon returning from past games will be catchable within the DLC itself, or you can earn them later through special events. And get this – they’re even tying in Mega Stone rewards for those of us who love ranked battles! One thing to remember is that the new Hyperspace Lumiose areas are totally different from what we’ve seen in the main game, so you’ll need to adjust your strategy.

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 new downloadable content has only been available for under a day, but players are already discovering great ways to hunt for shiny Pokémon. Here’s what they’ve found so far:

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

Fast travel is a pretty straightforward way to search for shiny Pokémon, and it already works in the core game. If you’re in an area with a flying access point, use it to reset the Pokémon that appear within about 50 meters of where you start. This works best when lots of Pokémon are near the area’s entrance, letting you quickly travel back and forth and increase your chances of finding a shiny.

When you fast-travel and see a loading screen, that time won’t be added to your total time spent in Hyperspace.

How to Shiny Hunt in Pokemon Legends: Z-A’s Mega Dimension DLC – Soft Reset

This technique works best when you have at least three minutes remaining in a Hyperspace area. You’ll need time to locate the Pokémon you’re targeting, defeat them, and then wait two to three minutes for them to reappear. Save your progress every 10-15 seconds, but avoid saving right when they respawn or immediately after. If the Pokémon aren’t shiny, simply close and restart the game, repeating this process until you find one. For optimal results, choose an area where you can stay for at least four minutes.

In PLZA, each type of Pokémon reappears after a different amount of time, usually between 2 and 3 minutes.

How to Shiny Hunt in Pokemon Legends: Z-A’s Mega Dimension DLC – Teleportation

To teleport in Hyperspace Lumiose, you need to locate special “elevators” on the ground that quickly move you forward, and you can use them multiple times. These aren’t found in areas like the sewers, but appear throughout the city. When you find two of these teleporters that are far enough apart, new Pokémon will appear within 70 meters of where you teleport to, while any Pokémon further than that will disappear. You can activate these teleporters by repeatedly pressing the A button on your Nintendo Switch or by using a turbo controller.

The animation for teleporting doesn’t use up time or energy, so the game clock only advances when you physically move around and explore to find Pokémon.

How to Shiny Hunt in Pokemon Legends: Z-A’s Mega Dimension DLC – Spawn and Despawn

Okay, so if you’re like me and love hunting for shiny Pokémon, here’s a trick I’ve found in Pokémon Legends: Z-A. I like to save right when I enter a new Hyperspace Lumiose area. Then I walk around and check for shinies. The cool thing is, Pokémon only show up within about 50 meters, and disappear if you get more than 70 meters away. So, if I don’t see anything shiny after checking the whole area, I just close the game and start over – it’s like a quick reset to try again! It saves a lot of time wandering around endlessly.

How to Shiny Hunt in Pokemon Legends: Z-A’s Mega Dimension DLC – Sparkling Power

Popular streamer Austin John Plays has discovered that Hoopa in Pokemon Legends: Z-A can gain extra abilities from its donuts, but only if the donuts are very sugary and high in calories. When this happens, it works similarly to the shiny sandwich mechanic in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet, increasing the chances of finding shiny Pokemon of a specific type. Because the game tells you what type of Pokemon will appear in Hyperspace areas, using a donut that boosts that same type is particularly effective, giving players a lot of control over which Pokemon they encounter.

How to Shiny Hunt in Pokemon Legends: Z-A’s Mega Dimension DLC – Catch a Shiny Task

During a special task for Hyperspace Lumiose, you might encounter one that says “Catch Shiny Pokemon 0/1.” This means a shiny Pokemon has been specifically placed there for you to find. It’s a guaranteed shiny of one of the Pokemon available in that location, similar to how a shiny Mareep is guaranteed in certain areas of Pokemon Legends: Z-A.

2025-12-11 06:05