Pokémon Go’s Lunar New Year event adds Minccino and Darumaka

Pokémon Go players will get an opportunity to catch all-new Pokémon as part of a new event celebrating the Lunar New Year, with an emphasis on rodent-like Pokémon to usher in the Year of the Rat. That includes the addition of Minccino, the Chinchilla Pokémon, and its evolution, Cinccino, to Pokémon Go.

The mobile game’s Lunar New Year 2020 event will kick off on Friday, Jan. 24, at 1 p.m. PST and run through Monday, Feb. 3. During that period, red-colored Pokémon will spawn more often in the wild, including Charmeleon, Vulpix, Parasect, Voltorb, Jynx, Magmar, Magikarp, Flareon, Slugma, Wurmple, Corphish, Kricketot, and Foongus.

Gyarados, a Pokémon that doesn’t normally appear in the wild, will also appear in the wild, as will its shiny (red) form.

Darumaka, the Zen Charm Pokémon, will also come to Pokémon Go during the Lunar New Year event and can be hatched from 7 km eggs.

On Sunday, Feb. 2, from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. local time, players will also have a chance to encounter (and stock up on) Minccino. The fifth-generation Pokémon will be available through special research tasks during the three-hour Sunday window and will begin hatching from 5 km eggs. That three-hour window will also see an increase rate of rodent Pokémon spawning in the wild, specifically Rattata, Raticate, Pikachu, Sandshrew, Nidoran, Sentret, Marill, Zigzagoon, Plusle, Minun, Bidoof, and Patrat.

Pokémon Go’s Lunar New Year event will also bestow Rare Candies on players who open gifts from friends. Niantic is also boosting the likelihood that players can become Lucky Friends during the Lunar New Year event, and trades will have an increased chance of Lucky Pokémon.