We’ve got a new year of Pokemon GO to enjoy and the game’s first Spotlight Hour of 2023 features Alolan Sandshrew!
Every week of the year, Pokemon GO has a new creature in the spotlight. In January 2023, we’re starting the year off with a bang, with a day dedicated to Alolan Sandshrew.
And there’s a great bonus up for grabs during this week’s Spotlight Hour too, so be sure to check it out, even if you’re not a Sandshrew fan!
Pokemon GO Alolan Sandshrew Spotlight Hour Date & Time
The Alolan Sandshrew Spotlight Hour in Pokemon GO is set to take place from 6 PM to 7 PM local time on Tuesday, January 3, 2023.
For the duration of the event, players can expect significantly higher numbers of Alolan Sandshrews spawning in the wild.
And if Sandshrew isn’t your favorite Pokemon, check out the other fan-favorites making an appearance in the January 2023 Pokemon GO Spotlight Hour schedule!
Alolan Sandshrew Spotlight Hour Bonus
During the Alolan Sandshrew Spotlight Hour, all players will receive 2x XP for evolving Pokemon! For some quick and easy XP, don’t forget to evolve your Sandshrew into Alolan Sandslash!
To most of this Spotlight Hour, find out every way to boost how much Candy you earn in Pokemon GO!
How to Evolve Alolan Sandshrew into Alolan Sandslash
Once you’ve caught a handful of Alolan Sandshrew, you’ll be able to evolve your best one into Alolan Sandslash by using 50 Candy. Simply select the Pokemon from your list, and hit ‘Evolve’.
Both Alolan Sandshrew and Sandslash have an Ice/Steel typing making them resistant to Normal, Flying, Bug, Grass, Psychic, Dragon, Fairy, Poison and Ice – but they have a 2x weakness to Fire and Fighting as well as a regular weakness against Ground-Type attacks.
Can You Catch Shiny Alolan Sandshrew in Pokemon GO?
Yes, you can catch a shiny Alolan Sandshrew in Pokemon GO. Shiny Alolan Sandshrew has a blue color palette around its mouth and torso, rather than the normal tan coloring.
Alolan Sandslash is less obvious in its shiny form, simply being a darker blue color than the regular Alolan Sandslash.
You can use our Pokemon GO shiny odds guide to find out the exact chance of encountering a shiny Alolan Sandshrew this Spotlight Hour!