Pokémon Sword and Shield: How To Evolve Magikarp Into Gyarados

While Game Freak may have cut plenty of Pokémon for Pokémon Sword and Shield, you better believe that the original meme, Magikarp, is a part of the game. This almost useless Water-type Pokémon is arguably the worst Pokémon in the game, but his evolution, Gyarados, is one of the best. How do you make the evolution happen, though?

The first thing you need to do is catch yourself a Magikarp, which can be found anywhere where there is water and a small whirlpool-looking disturbance on the water’s surface. Simply walk up to the shore nearest the whirlpool and press A to cast your rod out and there’s a high chance you will encounter a Magikarp. Bear in mind that using your Rotom Bike will cause the whirlpool to disappear.

To evolve your Magikarp into a Gyarados, you just need to get it to level 20.

In previous games, this was a real nightmare as you would have to either use Rare Candies or keep swapping Magikarp in and out of battle to get it EXP. Thanks to the EXP Share of Sword and Shield, you just need to have Magikarp in your party and it will get heaps of EXP and reach level 20 in no time. There are a million other ways of levelling up your Pokémon in Sword and Shield really quickly, too.

You can also catch a Gyarados naturally in Pokémon Sword and Shield, but you will need to have made a tonne of progress first as you will need the to go and battle it in the water via your Rotom Bike. You get the upgraded bike shortly after beating Melony.

Gyarados is a Water and Flying-type Pokémon in Sword and Shield. This means that they are very effective against Fire and Ground-type Pokémon, but are weak against Electric and Rock-type Pokémon. Meanwhile, Magikarp just does his best.

Pokémon Sword and Shield are out now on Nintendo Switch.

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