Posted in: Games, Mobile Games, Niantic, Pokémon GO | Tagged: Bidoof, Niantic, pokemon, pokemon go, pokemon go tour kanto

Top 10 Best Pokémon GO Events of 2021 Part Two: 5 – 1

As 2021 comes to a close, let's take a look back at this transformative year for Pokémon GO. 2021 was the first full year where we saw Niantic apply Seasons to the game. This year saw the second remote GO Fest, the return of in-person events, the launch of Pokémon GO Tour, the beginning of Masterwork Research questlines, and more. In this two-part series, I will count down the Top 10 Pokémon GO events that took place in 2021. You can catch Part One, which includes the tenth through sixth slots, right here. Before we begin, I'd love to see your picks in the comments below. Now, let's get to the top five.

5 – Ultra Unlock Part 3: Sword & Shield

• When: August 20th, 2021 – August 31st, 2021
• New release: Zacian, Zamazenta, Skwovet, Wooloo, Falinks
• Shiny release: Galarian Meowth, Galarian Farfetch'd, Galarian Weezing, Galarian Stunfisk
• Special features: Hoopa breaks the time-space continuum for an early peek at Galar.
• Why: For years, Pokémon GO has followed a pattern, releasing generations in order. This event broke expectations, brilliantly using Hoopa as a plot device to open a portal to the future: a future where Galarian species are available in the game. As a result, we got raids featuring Zacian and Zamazenta multiple years before we thought possible.

4 – Bidoof Breakout

• When: June 25th, 2021 – July 1st, 2021
• New release: N/A
• Shiny release: Shiny Bidoof
• Special features: Bidoof everywhere, including as a Tier Five raid boss.
• Why: Bidoof Breakout is the silliest that Pokémon GO has gotten, showing a willingness to break from the standard event format for a week of light, meme-inspired fun.

3 – Gible Community Day

• When: June 6th
• New release: N/A
• Shiny release: N/A
• Special features: Gible finally featured in its long-anticipated Community Day.
• Why: Formerly one of the rarest species in Pokémon GO, Gible finally featured in a Community Day in 2021. In the past, Community Days cycled through Starters and Pseudo-Legendaries, which made many expect Gible Community Day a long time ago. While it did get a Shiny release prior to the event, Gible had been long featured as a rare spawn that could be found in raids during high-profile events. Finally, Niantic stopped the monetizing madness and gave us this day, bringing back the long-long glory to Community Days for one spectacular Sunday.

2 – Ultra Unlock Part 1: Time

• When: July 23rd, 2021 – August 3rd, 2021
• New release: N/A
• Shiny release: Shiny Dialga, Cranidos, Shieldon
• Special features: Shiny Unown U feature began.
• Why: Shiny Dialga and Palkia were kept from us for quite a long time. This event introduced Shiny with the promise of Shiny Palkia to follow in the next event, creating what may have been the most exciting raid release in Pokémon GO in all of 2021.

1 – Pokémon GO Tour: Kanto

• When: February 2oth.
• New release: N/A
• Shiny release: Shiny Mew, Ditto, and all remaining Kanto species.
• Special features: Trainer battles based on actual Pokémon GO trainers, regionals in raids, increased Shiny rates, the release of Masterwork Research, and more.
• Why: Niantic one-upped GO Fest as the ultimate ticketed event with this one-day offering, which blew expectations out of the water. Every Kanto species that wasn't Shiny-capable was released. We were given a guaranteed Shiny Ditto and a Masterwork Research that started us on a long and rewarding quest that would ultimately culminate in Shiny Mew. Trainer battles, an interactive Today view, special raids, and so much more made this Shiny-hunt of an event the best offering in all of 2021.

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