Posted in: Games, Mobile Games, Niantic, Pokémon GO | Tagged: Niantic, Niantic Labs, pokemon, pokemon go, riolu

Bleeding Cool's Pokémon GO Pokémon Of The Year 2020

The year 2020 is wrapping up, and it has been a year of major change in Pokémon GO. Trainers have seen the game add both new features and new species, all the while adjusting to the ever-changing situation with the COVID-19 pandemic and the lockdowns that followed. Now, let's take a look back at what has been a defining year for Niantic's worldwide mega-hit game and determine the Best and Worst of 2020 in every aspect of Pokémon GO. This time… we're talking about the best overall Pokémon of the year. Let's go!

5. Timburr

Timburr arrived in raids in January 2020, which made quite the wave in the raid meta. Conkeldurr, Timburr's evolution, joined the ranks of Lucario and Machamp as a contender for the best overall Fighting-type. Though its moves don't charge as fast as the other two, the punch it packs more than makes up for it. On top of an already great release, Timburr was released in its Shiny form shortly after, which added much-needed spice to Tier One raids in Pokémon GO.

4. Gible

While Gible's rarity was frustrating at times, we were given the best shot ever at hunting it in 2020. Gible was featured in raids during GO Fest 2020 and Dragon Week, and was also a rare wild spawn during GO Fest. The sheer amount of Gible that we were able to encounter this year is incredible compared to its past rarity, but Niantic kept raids somewhat hard to find, being sure to not devalue this rare spawn in Pokémon GO.

3. Riolu

Simply put, we were given a fair shot on its Shiny release. Unlike the Shiny releases of other rare species such as Rufflet, Deino, and Unown this year, Riolu was attainable through Eggs if a trainer worked. This, plus the overall usefulness of Lucario, makes Riolu one of the best Pokémon of the year.

2.Shadow Mewtwo

Shadow Mewtwo is so powerful that "Don't purify Mewtwo!" essentially became a meme. Trainers were given two shots at catching the absolute best attacker in the game, with one through the final Team GO Rocket research of the year and one, for the first time ever during GO Fest along with the Legendary Birds, through a Special Research that guaranteed an IV floor… making our Shadow Mewtwos even stronger. Now, it seems only Mega Mewtwo will be able to potentially overcome its power.

1. Rhyperior

Finally, Rhyperior takes the crown as the Best Pokémon of 2020 for multiple reasons. It feels, looking back, like the end of an era. It ushered in the new form of Community Days, which seem not as good as before, to be honest. However, Rhyhorn Community Day called trainers to action to vote by spinning stops and completing tasks to decide the February Community Day, which was also one of the final major get-up-and-go-out events in Pokémon GO pre-lockdown. Best of all, though, Rhyhorn Community Day gave Rhyperior the Charged Attack Rock Wrecker, which totally shifted the raid meta. Rhyperior was among the top counters during what felt like every other Legendary Raid Boss this year. Not only is it the 2020 winner, but it's one of the most useful Pokémon in the game.

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