In the latest update to the mobile smash Pokemon GO, players can now encounter XXS and XXL versions of all Pokemon within the game. Previously only a handful of monsters were available in different sizes Pokemon GO as Niantic continues to grow one of the most downloaded mobile games across Android and iOS.
The Augmented Reality game first hit iOS and Android devices back in 2016 and after six years on the market, fans could assume that interest in Pokemon GO would be waning at this point. Niantic however has been innovative in its methods of keeping players attached to their mobile screens. Most recently trainers were surprised to find the long-awaited Kelceon had been introduced into Pokemon Go after the Chespin Community Day ended.
In the latest update for Pokemon GO trainers can encounter different sizes of any monster, with their in-game appearance changing depending on the size of each creature. When a player encounters a Pokemon that falls into either of the XXS or XXL categories, the game will play a sparkling animation much like when facing a rare shiny monster so that trainers are aware that this is a creature worth capturing.
Different sizes of Pokemon have been available for a while, although this was limited to the evolutionary line of Pumpkaboo. The pumpkin Pokemon has been available for a few years and is rolled out during Halloween events but in December, Niantic expanded XXS and XXL appearances for Poochyena, Mightyena, and Mawile. This new update however is the first time that every single monster has a trio of appearances attached to them. Much like the unique method of catching Vivillon, this new mechanic is another example of how Niantic is working to keep players interested in Pokemon GO.
This news will surely excite some fans of the mobile game as it means there are more types of monsters that can be added to the Pokedex. The addition of XXS and XXL monsters comes after the announcement of a raft of new events including the upcoming Pokemon GO Lunar New Year celebration which will take place from January 19 and see fire-type monsters including, Numel, Fennekin, and Darumaka appearing more frequently in the wild.
In the coming months, fans have a lot of events to look forward to including an in-person event in Las Vegas that celebrates the Hoenn region. For the rest of the world, February will see the next Community Day that will feature the flying dragon Noibat. This move saw Niantic receive praise from Pokemon GO fans as they are excited to not only add a shiny to their Pokedex but also collect enough candy to evolve the sound wave Pokemon.
Pokemon GO is available now for Android and iOS.