Pokémon Sword and Pokémon Shield players can download a limited edition Pikachu through the each game’s respective online Mystery Gift function from now until January 15, 2021. Distribution of the special Pokemon Mystery Gift Pikachu, which features unique abilities, began on December 31, 2020 to coincide with the recent Space Sunrise stream. [Thanks, Serebii!]
The limited edition Pikachu will know Thunderbolt, Swift, Wish, and Celebrate. Under normal circumstances, Pikachu isn’t capable of learning Wish, which is a move that restores half of its users maximum HP. Celebrate is a move that isn’t typically used in Pokémon battles and its inclusion in the move set might only be present because of the celebratory nature of the Space Sunrise event. If used, it causes a Pokemon to celebrate.
The Space Sunrise event was a tie-in with the first sunrise over the International Space Station, which was livestreamed by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency. Pikachu and another Pokémon called Rayquaza appeared in the livestream via Augmented Reality. Pikachu accompanied an astronaut inside the International Space Station. Meanwhile, Rayquaza flew around in space.
Other than this particular distribution event, the Space Sunrise event didn’t contain any other announcements for the franchise.
The limited edition Pikachu isn’t the only Pokémon distribution available at the moment. Members of the Pokémon Trainer Club in the United States and Europe recently received a code to download a level sixty Zarude.
Pokémon Sword and Pokémon Shield are available for the Nintendo Switch. The 25th anniversary of the series will occur on February 27, 2021, and, once again, use a Pikachu face as its logo. Funko has also revealed a new line of Pokémon Funko Pops which includes a 25th anniversary Metallic Pikachu.
