Inkay, that semi-obscure generation six Pokémon, takes our prize for the most ridiculous evolutionary method, but catching them all is the quest at the end of the day, so it’s something that you need to get your head around. That’s where we come in, with our comprehensive guide on how to evolve Inkay in Pokémon Go and the main series of Pokémon games. The method is a little different between the two games, but there’s still enough in common so that with one read of this guide you won’t ever need to remind yourself how to get hold of Malamar in your next Pokémon adventure.
For more catch-em-all companion guides, be sure to browse through our picks of the best dog Pokémon, cat Pokémon, and bird Pokémon from across the franchise. Or, if you’re hotly anticipating your next grand adventure across a new region teeming with catchable creatures, see our Pokémon Scarlet and Violet starters and Pokémon Scarlet and Violet legendaries.
How to evolve Inkay in Pokémon Go
Before starting the obscure Inkay evolution method, you need to gather 50 Inkay candies, so take a stroll with your lil’ squid buddy before turning it into something altogether more frightening. Once you have your 50 Inkay candies, you can follow these steps to get your hands on Malamar.
- Select Inkay in your Pokémon Go roster
- Turn your phone upside down
- Make sure the red evolution button is now green
- Hit the green button
- Take to battle with Malamar!
How to evolve Inkay in Pokémon Sword and Shield
While we wait for the Pokémon Scarlet & Violet release date, Pokémon Sword and Shield is still the most recent main series Pokémon title with Inkay as an available monster. Rather than collecting 50 Inkay candies like in Pokémon Go, in Sword and Shield, you need to ensure your Pokémon is about to hit level 30 or higher before trying this method.
- Level up at level 30 or higher
- Turn your Nintendo Switch upside down before the dialogue ends (this
- is easier in handheld mode)
- Make sure not to press B through the evolution process
- Explore Galar with Malamar!
There you have it, how to evolve Inkay, so you can grab a big squid ready for battle. For more monster-taming good times, be sure to check out our Temtem review, and see why we think it’s up to the challenge of taking on Game Freak’s goliath franchise.
