Understanding the Spotlight Hour in Pokémon GO
Players who play Pokémon GO on Tuesdays have the opportunity to participate in an event known as the Spotlight Hour, which is hosted by Niantic on a weekly basis. These events typically occur between 6 and 7 p.m. local time and offer increased spawn rates for specific Pokémon, along with double bonuses. This month’s Spotlight Hours have featured various Pokémon such as Party Hat Pikachu, Voltorb, and Hisuian Voltorb. However, the most recent event on July 15 stood out because it allowed players to catch both the regular and Shiny variants of Feebas, along with a 2x Catch Candy bonus.
The Role of Feebas in Pokémon GO
In Pokémon GO, Feebas isn’t considered a rare or powerful Pokémon. In fact, it has one of the lowest maximum Combat Power among all Pokémon in the game. Despite this, Feebas can evolve into Milotic if it is fed 100 candies and walked for at least 20 kilometers as a Buddy Pokemon. Unlike many other evolved Pokémon, Milotic cannot be encountered in the wild, so players must obtain a Feebas to add it to their collection. While the requirements might seem challenging, they are relatively simple compared to the methods needed in earlier mainline Pokémon games.
The Challenge of Obtaining Feebas and Milotic in Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire
Feebas and Milotic were introduced in Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire, the Generation 3 games released for the Game Boy Advance. Although Feebas appears unassuming, it was notoriously difficult to find in these games. The only place where Feebas could appear was Hoenn Route 119, home to the Weather Institute. Players had to fish in this area to encounter Feebas, as it couldn’t be found in tall grass.
Route 119 had six specific fishing spots where Feebas could appear, but the locations of these spots changed based on unusual factors. For example, the order of the tiles where Feebas could appear would shift every time a player changed the “popular phrase” in Dewford Town. Additionally, the placement of these tiles was influenced by the player’s in-game ID number. There was no clear indication of where these spots were, making the process tedious and time-consuming.
Evolving Feebas into Milotic in Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire
Capturing a Feebas in Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire was already a challenge, but evolving it into Milotic proved even more complex. Since Milotic couldn’t be obtained in the wild, players had to evolve a Feebas with a Beauty rating of at least 170. To increase the Beauty stat, players had to feed their Feebas Blue or Indigo Pokeblocks, made from different berries. However, there was a limit of 12 Pokeblocks per Feebas. Moreover, certain personality traits like Impish, Careful, or Adamant made it difficult for the Beauty stat to increase significantly, preventing evolution into Milotic.
The Beauty stat was unique to Pokémon Concerts in Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire, adding another layer of complexity to the process.
Simplified Access in Pokémon GO
Compared to the complicated methods in Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire, Pokémon GO handled the acquisition of Feebas and Milotic much more efficiently. Even outside of the Spotlight Hour, Feebas is not particularly hard to encounter in the game, and evolving them is a straightforward process. The design of Pokémon GO makes it easier for players to collect and evolve Pokémon without unnecessary obstacles. Future mainline Pokémon games could take inspiration from Pokémon GO and avoid creating overly complex requirements for common Pokémon like Feebas.