How to catch the Pokemon Go Meltan hex nut pocket monster
Here's how to catch Meltan in Pokemon Go, and evolve it into Melmetal
There are a couple of different ways to catch Pokemon Go Meltan, though which route you can take will depend entirely on whether you have access to Pokemon Let's Go as well. This Gen 8 Pokemon was first revealed as a mysterious outline in Pokemon Go, leading to players speculating over how they could actually add it to their collections. Getting Meltan in Pokemon Go is easier said than done as it doesn't actually appear in the wild, so unless you can find someone who already has it to offer you a trade then you'll need to follow one of the other routes outlined here. We've got you covered with a step-by-step guide on how to catch Meltan in Pokemon Go, either in isolation or combined with a copy of Pokemon Let's Go.
How to get Meltan if you own Pokemon Let's Go
1. Transfer a Pokemon from Pokemon Go to Let's Go
Firstly, you're going to have to transfer a Pokemon from Pokemon Go to Pokemon Let's Go. It can be any Pokemon at all, and all you need to do is to transfer it via the Go Park in Fuchsia City.
Once you've done that, you'll get some tasty XP, but also a Mystery Box, and it's this unusual item that holds the key to getting your trainer hands on a Meltan.
2. Open up the Mystery Box you receive in Pokemon Go
You'll find the Mystery Box inside the item pocket in Pokemon Go, nestled there just waiting to be opened. Once you've chosen to open it, it'll remain open for 30 minutes, spewing out Meltan into the world.
Then, once the box has closed, you'll have seven days to open it back up again, after which point you'll need transfer a Pokemon from Go to Let's Go again to get a new Mystery Box. You can only open the Mystery Box once per day though, so don't spam it!
3. Catch every Meltan that pops out
Of course, the ultimate goal of opening the Mystery Box is to nab all the Meltan that emerge from it, and over the course of that half an hour you'll get quite a few of the little beasties. Catch them, and tuck them away in your Pokemon Go box. From here you can trade them to fellow Pokemon Go players, or try to evolve Meltan into Melmetal.
4. Transfer your Melmetal into Pokemon Let's Go
Or, you can transfer one (or more) into Pokemon Let's Go in order to add it to your Pokedex there. It's the only way that you can get Meltan, and its evolution Melmetal, in Pokemon Let's Go, so it's worth booting up your Pokemon Go account even if your PokeBox has gotten a little dusty.
How to get Meltan in Pokemon Go without Pokemon Let's Go
In order to get Meltan only in Pokemon Go, you'll need to complete all nine stages of Professor Willow's brand new special task entitled Let's GO, Meltan. These are as follows:
Let's GO, Meltan - Step 1/9
- Spin 5 PokeStops or Gyms (500XP)
- Catch 10 Pokemon (500XP)
- Transfer 5 Pokemon
Reward: 1000 Stardust, 10 Poke Balls, one Incubator
Let's GO, Meltan - Step 2/9
- Earn 2 Candies walking with your Buddy Pokemon (1000XP)
- Make 10 Great Throws (1000XP)
- Hatch three eggs (1000XP)
Reward: 2000 Stardust, two Lucky Eggs, one Fast TM
Let's GO, Meltan - Step 3/9
- Catch a Ditto in Pokemon Go (1500XP)
- Win 2 Gym Battles (1500XP)
- Battle in two Raids (1500XP)
Reward: 10 Great Balls, three Incense, three Max Revive
Let's GO, Meltan - Step 4/9
- Catch five Steel-type Pokemon (2000XP)
- Catch five Electric-type Pokemon (2000XP)
- Earn five Candies walking with your Buddy Pokemon (2000XP)
Reward: 4000 Stardust, five Pinap Berries, five Rare Candies
Let's GO, Meltan - Step 5/9
- Evolve a Grimer (2500XP)
- Catch five Slugma or Gulpin (2500XP)
- Make 20 Great Throws (2500XP)
Reward: 5000 Stardust, 20 Great Balls, five Lure Modules
Let's GO, Meltan - Step 6/9
- Evolve a Magnemite (3000XP)
- Catch five Exeggcute (3000XP)
- Battle in 10 Raids (3000XP)
Reward: One Silver Pinap Berry, one Metal Coat, 10 Ultra Balls
Let's GO, Meltan - Step 7/9
- Evolve one Drowzee (3500XP)
- Catch one Cubone (3500XP)
- Evolve one Scyther (3500XP)
Reward: 10 Ultra Balls, one Charged TM, three Premium Raid Passes
Let's GO, Meltan - Step 8/9
- Catch two Omanyte or Kabuto (4000XP)
- Catch two Lileep or Anorith (4000XP)
- Catch an Aerodactyl (4000XP)
Reward: 8000 Stardust, Meltan encounter, one Star Piece
Let's GO, Meltan - Step 9/9
- Catch Meltan
Reward: three lots of 4500XP, 9000 Stardust, one Super Incubator, five Meltan candy
How to evolve Meltan into Melmetal
If you want to evolve Meltan in Pokemon Go into the formidable Melmetal, you're going to need a whopping 400 Meltan candies, so get some Pinaps fed to all the Meltan that come out of your special Mystery Box. Disappointingly, you can't evolve Meltan within Pokemon Let's Go, so you'll need to evolve it in Pokemon Go to Melmetal and then transfer it over.
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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.