I can’t quite believe we’re on part 14 of this series, but with every article, comes more suggestions of Pokémon people feel are underappreciated! Back in January we took a look at Phantump, Druddigon, Clawitzer, Elgyem and Golett, and this month we have a real mixture of different typings to shine a light on. Don’t forget to leave us a comment telling us the Pokémon you think are under loved and deserve more attention! We hold the belief that every Pokémon is someone’s favourite, and we want to know yours.
Dartrix
| Regular Dartrix Sprite | Shiny Dartrix Sprite |
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OK, I admit it. I personally have been sleeping on the Alola starter Pokémon. I couldn’t decide which I would have picked (probably Popplio tbh), and I really wasn’t sure on the Rowlet family. That is, until I saw Dartrix physically in the game. And Dartrix is totally a new fave! Middle evolutions are always underappreciated, but I really enjoy Dartrix so wanted to show mine off. The fringe and the bow tie is like Dartrix is a teenage emo dressed up for a night with their family to look more ‘normal’ and I just love it. So cute. Plus how gorgeous is that teal shiny? Eventual Rowlet Community Day hype!
Dragalge
| Regular Dragalge Sprite | Shiny Dragalge Sprite |
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Dragalge has some play in PvP as a more unique Poison and Dragon typing, but I can’t say I’ve ever actually seen one used in GO. Unlike many of the other Dragon types, it sadly isn’t meta relevant for PvE, so it gets left by the way side. As Dragon types go, it is absolutely one of the more unusual designs. Inspired by the Leafy Sea Dragon, it has a really weird body, it’s Water sea dragon inspiration is clear, but instead of Water, it has Poison for its dual typing. It’s almost a bit creepy to look at, and definitely an underappreciated Pokémon for us AR photographers. The shiny is great, very different from the original which is always a plus.
Skiploom
| Regular Skiploom Sprite | Shiny Skiploom Sprite |
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Jumpluff gets some love in PvP thanks to its recent Community Day, but Skiploom misses out on a lot of the love that Hoppip and Jumpluff get because it almost doesn’t fit the family line. He’s a chonky boi, somewhere between a bulb and a flower, and the Japanese name specifically references a dandelion. He’s almost like a round flower puppy, with tiny stumpy legs, and while less obviously cute like the rest of the family, he deserves love to! Did you know the Hoppip family take their names from the phrase ‘a hop, skip and a jump away’?.
Flabébé
Usually here I’d include the shiny sprites, but we don’t yet have them for Flabébé and honestly, they aren’t that great. Each different colour flower version of Flabébé stays the same, with only their eyes turning blue, and the lower part of their body turning a purple colour. Quite underwhelming as shinies go! However, Flabébé gets a spot on this list because of their new place as a regional exclusive Pokémon in GO, instantly making them more desirable and interesting. The whole family is actually pretty adorable, especially if like me you are into photographing Pokémon as tiny as possible. Flabébé is in fact so tiny, that I haven’t even had to use the tiny Pokémon techniques to photograph them here, they are just that smol! Florges gets appreciated as a really beautiful Pokémon, but Flabebe deserves a spotlight too as a teeny cutie.
Relicanth
| Regular Relicanth Sprite | Shiny Relicanth Sprite |
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Speaking of regionals, let’s talk about Relicanth! This ancient fish has a really intriguing design, and has always been one of the trickier regionals to obtain in GO. It is based on the Coelacanth, a type of fish that was believed to be extinct, but was rediscovered in 1938! It hasn’t evolved or changed in over 400 million years, showing how hardy and determined this species is. Relicanth’s stats reflect this, with a beefy Stamina of 225, and 205 defense. Much like their inspiration, Relicanth was believed to have been extinct for 100 million years, but were recently rediscovered. A true living fossil!
Ariados
Ariados
| Regular Ariados Sprite | Shiny Ariados Sprite |
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In Pokémon Black Ariados Pokédex entry reads ‘It attaches silk to its prey and sets it free. Later, it tracks the silk to the prey and its friends.’ Horrifying no? You think you’re free, but nope, it was a trap so Ariados could hunt you and your pals down instead. It is speculated that Ariados may be named after the Greek myth of Theseus. In this myth, Ariadne was a Princess who gave Theseus a ball of twine before he entered the Labyrinth in order to slay the Minotaur, so that he may trail the strand behind him and find his way safely back to her. Ariados also has one of the most fun shinies, super pink, totally different from the original, and so bright!
