Shiny Pokemon Hunting

I'm curious. I read about a method for collecting shiny Pokemon in the new X and Y versions of the game. I have been playing it on and off since I got it on release but I haven't felt that pressured into completing it yet. Maybe that is because I recently discovered my favourite Pokemon Gardevoir isn't actually that good. Maybe it's because that Abomasnow I caught is 20 levels behind my Japanese Absol. Maybe I'm just lazy!



However the main topic here is Shiny Pokemon. Later in the game, you can get an item called a Pokeradar which allows you to spot Pokemon hiding in tall grass that shakes to indicate a pokemon is inside. You buy Max Repels to fend off random encounters and spend most of your time running into these shaking bushes to find the Pokemon you are looking for. Find them over 40 times in a row and your chances of catching a shiny Pokemon increases dramatically. Find anything else or leave the area and the chain breaks. You have to start again.

So here's the thing. Shiny Pokemon are awesome. Why? Because they are a different colour to your average Pikachu. What makes them special? They are incredibly difficult to get and you can't guarantee you'll even catch the thing because you still need to weaken it. How many times have I accidentally 1 shot Pokemon I actually wanted? Not as many times as I have forgotten to buy Pokeballs but that's beside the point.

Shiny Pokemon bring more to the table than 'a different coloured Pokemon'. Simply owning a legitimate Shiny gives you all of the bragging rights in the world. Got that nuke kill-streak on Call of Duty? Got your tenth level 90 character in World of Warcraft? Built a Lego Deathstar that fires chewing gum at people? Nobody cares, that guy over there has a Golden Caterpie.

Maybe I should have a go. I might find something that's actually worth using.