If used properly, this color scheme can perfectly accent whatever you’re trying to create. But too much can be a pain to look at. Either way, you’re in for an experience you’ll never forget! Shiny Pokémon can easily go in either direction, and there’s a lot of yellow/gold-ish colored ones out there. So which of these colorful shinies are the most memorable? Let’s find out.
15. Sirfetch’d
Sirfetch’d is one of my favorite new Pokémon in Sword and Shield. Literally, it takes Farfetch’d and turns it into a white knight. But you know what’s better than white? Gold. Shiny Sirfetch’d goes from a white knight to a paladin: a soldier sent from God itself. This righteous mallard stands tall as a true symbol of all that is lawful and good. The only change I would have liked to see is if the color of the sword and shield changed as well. Alas, we’re still stuck with the leek. Maybe it’s more of an onion knight…
14. Barboach
Every time I make one of these shiny lists, there’s a Pokémon that surprises me. Something that’s rather obscure, but sticks out for some reason. This time, that Pokémon is Barboach. Normally, Barboach is a silver Pokémon with some blue highlights. You know, like a fish. But when it’s shiny, Barboach’s blue accents become gold. And suddenly, it’s elegant. Silver and Gold is always a great combo (of course), just listen to that song from Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer. And although Barboach looks a bit odd, it rocks the look brilliantly.
13. Volcanion
We now go from elegant to unbelievably gauche. Volcanion is an awesome legendary with a unique Water/Fire dual-typing rocking that typically came with a red and blue coloring. Then you look at the shiny version and it actually hurts your eyes. Volcanion is now gold with pink and sky blue accents. It looks like a jeweled bracelet that someone’s tacky aunt would wear. But that’s why I like it! One of the great things about gold is that it can be beautiful, or it can be ugly. Sometimes you just want a bright and garish Pokémon – and shiny Volcanion fits the bill.
12. Krabby
I like crabs. I’m cool with crustaceans. I’m down with decapods. And because of this, I have liked Krabby since the first time I saw one. And while I do like the original orange coloring, I love its golden shiny form. Instead of a bright yellow, Krabby looks as if it was coated with gold spray paint. It’s a bit more subtle, and it really gives Krabby a “classy” feeling. I mean just look at the thing: it’s covered in gold, has a lifted chin, and seems to look just above you. This is one regal Pokémon! When it’s gilded with gold, Krabby is definitely the king of crabs.
11. Altaria
Altaria really has a great design. Instead of the usual terrifying Dragons we’re all used to, Altaria seems to be peeking out of the clouds that make up its wings. It’s probably the friendliest dragon of all time! But as a shiny, Altaria takes its cloud theme even further. Instead of the blue skin, Altaria is now a bright yellow. This makes the Pokémon now look like the sun shining through a cloud. It’s really cool, and I actually wish it was the base design! Shiny Altaria reminds me of the baby sun from Teletubbies: It’s happy, innocent, and could probably kill us all if we’re not paying attention.
10. Galarian Zapdos
As someone who grew up with the original Pokémon games, I love anything that references them. So when I saw the shinies for the Galarian legendary birds, I was pumped. Each one has the color scheme of their original forms, and this works great for Galarian Zapdos. But instead of drawing attention to the big spiky yellow mass that is Zapdos’ body, I’m actually drawn towards Galarian Zapdos’ legs. Which is good Because that’s what Galarian Zapdos is all about, with its move Thunderous Kick. Plus, this is way better than the original Zapdos’ shiny form. Seriously, look at it. It’s barely a color change. Gotta be one of the worst of all time.
9. Lucario
Lucario is easily one of the most popular Pokémon out there. It’s powerful, looks cool, and is in multiple video games. And with its shiny form, Lucario’s blue fur and yellow fur switch places. But this also gives a completely different feel to the Pokémon. Instead of a stoic martial arts master, the bright colors make Lucario seem angry. Its red eyes pop more than before, and I feel like this is a Pokémon that can kill. The only reason that Lucario isn’t higher on my list is because of Smash Bros. And there are just so many other color combinations that I like better!
8. Azumarill
When I was a kid, I would go to my great aunt’s house and participate in an egg hunt. While everyone painted and provided eggs, there was always one golden egg that was better than the rest, because it had money in it! Azumarill is that golden egg. I mean, just look at it. Azumarill is the aquarabbit Pokémon, and it is shaped like an egg! Are you telling me that it isn’t a reference to Easter? It works perfectly because the top half looks like you dipped it in the egg dye, while the bottom is still white. Plus, Azumarill is a great Pokémon. Use it sometime.
7. Kommo-o
I ragged a bit on Volcanion for its bright gold/pink color combo. And while it can be abrasive, I feel it works really well with Kommo-o. Kommo-o’s shiny skin is now a bright yellow instead of grey. And the light yellow scales are now a bright pink. It makes me think of those venomous reptiles that are bright colors to let you know how dangerous they are. In the original form, Kommo-o is a warrior. As a shiny, Kommo-o is a wild animal.
6. Reshiram
We (once again) go from something that’s loud and in your face, to something much more subtle. While many people expected Reshiram and Zekrom to just swap colors with their shinies, Game Freak took a much different route. In the shiny, Reshiram’s rings around its neck and tail changed from white to gold. This change makes Reshiram seem much more ethereal. Those aren’t just random parts of a complex design, they’re now halos. Combine this with Reshiram’s eye color changing from blue to red, and you get a Pokémon that truly feels legendary. It also looks like it matches its fiery typing much more.
5. Stakataka
Numerous Pokémon on this list have looked like jewelry, or some kind of treasure. But only one looks like a whole golden temple. Stakataka goes from a large brick building to an ancient golden palace. Shiny Stakataka looks like it would be explored by Indiana Jones. I wouldn’t be surprised if it was just filled with booby traps and skeletons. This is helped even more by the fact that Stakataka is over 18 feet tall and weighs over 1800 pounds. Yeah, I’d say Stakataka is staggering. And I love its shiny.
4. Piloswine
Alolan Dugtrio getting surfer hair was one of the funniest things in Sun and Moon. But did you know that the Pokémon games already had a surfer bro? Shiny Piloswine changes its brown fur into luxurious golden locks. And I freaking love it. I was already a fan of the little pig-mammoth. But now I’m completely enamored. I just want to hang out with this thing on the beach! The kicker has got to be those bushy eyebrows. This takes Piloswine from seeming old and wise, to a bit more of a stoner. But I guess that’s its own kinda wisdom.
3. Meowstic
Meowstic has always had a cool gimmick, with the differences in the male and female forms. Not only do they look different, but they both function completely differently. Male Meowstic has the Prankster ability and is all about support, while female Meowstic is a speedy sweeper with Infiltrator. While they already look good as a pair, I think their shinies look even better. Having light yellow instead of blue makes them seem like they’re part of high society. Female meowstic sports a nice yellow scarf and hat. She looks just like a selfish socialite. Male Meowstic looks good too, but I like him for a different reason: He just looks like Tails from Sonic the Hedgehog.
2. Galarian Moltres
It might seem weird to have Galarian Moltres so far from Galarian Zapdos. They’re both tributes to the original designs! But while Galarian Zapdos reminds me of the Pokémon I loved, shiny Galarian Moltres looks better than both forms. Regular Galarian Moltres looks like an Yveltal knock off. Original Moltres looks like flames were just glued onto a regular bird. Shiny Galarian Moltres looks absolutely fierce. The flames blend in nicely with its wings. And its orange face and feet make it actually look scary. I believe that it can consume the spirit of any creature it hits. Shiny Galarian Moltres is quite possibly one of the best shiny Pokémon of all time. But when it comes to a shiny Pokémon with a golden/yellow color scheme, there’s one shiny that I always think of first…
1. Magikarp
This is it. The perfect golden Pokémon. The golden Pokémon by which all other golden Pokémon are judged. Shiny Magikarp is iconic, right there next to Shiny Gyarados. Catching a golden Magikarp actually makes you excited for catching a Magikarp! Plus, I have a personal connection. One time I was playing Magikarp Jump, fully trained a shiny Magikarp, and then immediately got another shiny Magikarp! That’s gotta be lucky, right? Overall, shiny Magikarp is beautiful, rare, and pretty much useless. Just like gold in real life.
