Pokémon HOME is offering two new shiny Pokémon for free, but earning them presents a problem. Pokémon HOME started as just a way to store and trade Pokémon between games, but as of version 3.2.2 from October 2024, players can now also earn new Pokémon through the game’s Mystery Gift system. While it’s nice that HOME is offering some unique rewards for subscribers, it hasn’t exactly made earning these rewards easy.

Some of the issues with collecting conveniences for using Pokémon HOME, but it isn’t necessarily the most streamlined process. This compounds with some tedious elements of Pokémon HOME’s compatible games, and it quickly becomes apparent that trying to earn these rewards might be more trouble than they’re worth.

You Can Get Two Shiny Pokémon For Free Right Now

Players Can Get A Shiny Enamorus & Manaphy

As of January 28, 2025, players can earn two new shiny Pokémon through Pokémon HOME. The first of these new Pokémon is the Fairy-Flying-type Enamorus. The other is the Water-type Pokémon Manaphy, which originated in Pokémon’s fourth generation games Diamond and Pearl. Hunting a shiny Manaphy in Pokémon used to be incredibly difficult, and this is the first time Enamorus will have an official shiny form. That makes these two a nice reward for Pokémon HOME players who can earn them.

The previous Pokémon HOME reward Pokémon was a shiny Meloetta, which originated in Pokémon Black and White. Similar to the new reward Pokémon, this was the first time a shiny version of Meloetta was available. Shiny hunters will certainly be eager to have a guaranteed way to grab some rare Pokémon, but just because these Mystery Gift rewards don’t require resetting one’s game repeatedly, that doesn’t mean they aren’t still somewhat tedious to earn.

How To Get Shiny Enamorus & Shiny Manaphy

You Need To Fill Out The Hisui And Sinnoh Pokédexes

To get Pokémon HOME’s new shiny Mystery Gifts, players need to complete two regional Pokédexes. Enamorus is a reward for completing the Hisui Pokédex from Pokémon Legends: Arceus, and Manaphy is a reward for completing the Sinnoh Pokédex from Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl. These Pokédexes need to be completed in Pokémon HOME, so even if players have already filled out their ‘dexes for the respective games, they will still need to do so in HOME.

Aside from a completed Pokédex, players will also need to the mobile version of Pokémon HOME for iOS or Android, as that is the only place Mystery Gifts can be collected. Players will need to make sure they are using the same Nintendo for both the Switch and mobile versions of the app so their Pokédex data carries over. If the need to a separate version of Pokémon HOME sounds overly tedious to get Mystery Gifts, then there’s some bad news as the entire process of earning these rewards can be much more frustrating.

Both Shiny Pokémon Have Tedious Requirements

Filling Pokédexes And Managing Pokémon HOME Is Tedious Work

Trying to earn a shiny Manaphy or Enamorus can take a lot of work, especially because Pokémon HOME only counts Pokémon caught in the specific game towards their regional Pokédex. This means even if a Pokémon is both in Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl and Legends: Arceus, players will need to catch both instances if they want to earn both shiny Pokémon. Then there’s the process of actually filling out each game’s Pokédex, which is no small hurdle.

Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl present the usual difficulty with filling out any mainline Pokédex: version exclusive Pokémon. If one wants to complete the Pokédex for these games, they will either need to trade with someone who has the other version of the game or purchase both games. While long-time fans of the Pokémon games have likely grown numb to the inconvenience of doing this, it will stand out more when combined with the other tedious aspects of trying to earn Pokémon HOME’s new Mystery Gifts.

Although Pokémon Legends: Arceus doesn’t have two versions required to fill out its Pokédex, that doesn’t mean it still isn't a difficult process. Certain Pokémon in the game require players to jump through quite a few hoops before they’re even allowed to attempt a confrontation with them. For instance, Spiritomb requires players to find 107 Wisps scattered throughout the map before they can try and capture it

There are also some hidden requirements for finding Pokémon, such as Manaphy only appearing in Seaside Hollow if players swim through a specific area with three specific Pokémon in their party.

While trading with other players can make it easier to fill out either of these Pokédexes, it can be a little difficult given the relative age of both games. These three Pokémon games are all over three years old at this point. While active players remain for both titles and even older Pokémon games, the trading scene isn't likely to be as active as it was when they first came out. Fewer people playing means less of a chance someone has the exact right Pokémon and is willing to trade it.

Pokémon HOME's Lack Of Automatic Sync Is Another Hurdle

A Final Step In The Process

After filling out the Pokédexes in the respective games, players will find themselves confronted by the most tedious part of the process: filling out their Pokémon HOME Pokédexes. See, Pokémon HOME does not automatically sync with other Pokémon games on the same Switch. This means that players will need to manually import their Pokémon from each game into Pokémon HOME to be able to fill out their Pokédex. While filling a Pokédex in an actual game has its frustrations, they at least happen while getting to play Pokémon. Spending time managing Pokémon HOME feels a lot more like busy work.

Although some dedicated Pokémon fans will likely still go through the effort to collect these exclusive shiny versions of Manaphy and Enamorus, many others will likely consider it more trouble than it’s worth. One could argue this required level of dedication needed to earn these Pokémon is exactly what makes them special, but it’s hard to ignore the more tedious elements of the process. This whole thing would be much more of a non-issue if Pokémon HOME just automatically read game data, or didn’t require players to have it on both mobile and Switch to collect Mystery Gifts.