How to evolve Galarian Linoone into Obstagoon in Pokemon Sword and Shield

(Image credit: Nintendo)

There are plenty of new and exciting Pokemon to discover as you work your way across the Galar region, but one of the headliners is Galarian Obstagoon. Evolving from Galarian forms of first Zigzagoon, and later Linoone, the entire Pokemon family is inspired by the band Kiss - complete with black and white fur and long tongues. But while Galarian Zigzagoon and Linoone are both quite common in Pokemon Sword and Shield, getting Galarian Obstagoon takes a little more work. So then, how do you evolve Galarian Linoone into Obstagoon in Pokemon Sword and Shield?

Well, the answer is less than straightforward. On the Pokemon Sword and Shield website, it states that "the Linoone of the Galar region live in harsh conditions compared to those found in other regions, with fierce competition against others of their species. Their survival instincts have been honed as a result, leading to their Evolution into Obstagoon." Doesn't seem to tell us much does it?

(Image credit: Nintendo)

However, there's a clue in there and it's in the words 'survival instincts'. It turns out that the only way to evolve Linoone into Obstagoon is Pokemon Sword and Shield is to literally make it keep on surviving, by battling with it. My Linoone evolved from Zigzagoon at Lv. 20, but only evolved into Obstagoon at Lv. 56, and I quote from the Pokedex here, "after experiencing numerous fights". From memory, that was somewhere in the region of 50-100 battles, but it's unclear whether Linoone needs to participate in all battles or simply be in your party. 

For now, if you want a Galarian Obstagoon, keep it in your party and use whenever possible, as much as possible, in order to guarantee the speediest route to evolution. We'll update this guide as soon as we have more concrete information. 

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Sam Loveridge
Global Editor-in-Chief, 12DOVE

Sam Loveridge is the Global Editor-in-Chief of GamesRadar, and joined the team in August 2017. Sam came to GamesRadar after working at TrustedReviews, Digital Spy, and Fandom, following the completion of an MA in Journalism. In her time, she's also had appearances on The Guardian, BBC, and more. Her experience has seen her cover console and PC games, along with gaming hardware, for a decade, and for GamesRadar, she's in charge of the site's overall direction, managing the team, and making sure it's the best it can be. Her gaming passions lie with weird simulation games, big open-world RPGs, and beautifully crafted indies. She plays across all platforms, and specializes in titles like Pokemon, Assassin's Creed, The Sims, and more. Basically, she loves all games that aren't sports or fighting titles! In her spare time, Sam likes to live like Stardew Valley by cooking and baking, growing vegetables, and enjoying life in the countryside.