Johto Throwback Pokemon Go Challenge Guide

The Johto throwback Pokemon Go event is live now through May 15 at 1 p.m. local time. For the next week, Niantic’s Pokemon mobile spinoff will let you partake in much Johto-themed goodness, including a Throwback Challenge giving you a shot at a rare Ho-Oh that knows Earthquake.

Here’s everything you need to know about the Johto throwback Pokemon Go event.

Johto Throwback Pokemon Go Challenge Guide

Stardust, Encounters, and Dunsparce, Oh My!

It should come as no surprise, but Pokemon hailing from the Johto region (Pokemon Gen 2) will be more common for the event’s duration. So look forward to finding more Skarmory, Gligar, Shuckle, and the like, and you’ll get chances to battle Johto Pokemon in Raids as well (including remote Raids).

The following Pokemon will come from 7km Eggs during the Johto throwback event:

• Chinchou
• Yanma
• Girafarig
• Phanpy
• Shuckle
• Gligar
• Dunsparce
• Skarmory
• Pineco

Speaking of Dunsparce, you may even get lucky and run into a Shiny Dunsparce in the wild (read: near your home).

Finally, you’ll get twice the Stardust and twice the Raid Stardust while the event lasts, and there’s an Umbreon hat for Pikachu.

Johto Throwback Pokemon Go Challenge

The other big draw for the Johto Throwback event is the Throwback Challenge tasks leading up to a Ho-Oh encounter. Completing each week’s Timed Research tasks means you’ll get a Genesect at the end of the last throwback event too.

As always, each of the nine steps is broken into three parts, and we’ve got them listed below.

Johto Throwback Step 1

• Catch three Grass, Water, or Fire-type Pokemon
  • Reward: 10 Poke Balls
• Send a gift to a friend
  • Reward: Encounter Dunsparce (could be Shiny)
• Catch a Flying-type Pokemon
  • Reward: 500 Stardust

Completing Step 1 gets you 1 Silver Pinap Berry, 2 Golden Razz Berries, and an encounter with Xatu.

Johto Throwback Step 2

• Play with your buddy (more on Buddy Pokemon)
  • Reward: Spinarak encounter
• Give your buddy three treats
  • Reward: 5 Razz Berries
• Catch a Bug-type Pokemon
  • Reward: 500 Stardust

Finishing Step 2 means you’ll get 1 Golden Razz Berry, 2 Silver Pinap Berries, and a run-in with Pineco, which could be Shiny.

Johto Throwback Step 3

• Make three Great Throws
  • Reward: 1 Charged TM
• Hatch an Egg
  • Reward: Snubbull encounter
• Catch a Normal-type Pokemon
  • Reward: 500 Stardust

At the end of all this, you’ll net 2 Golden Razz Berries, 1 Silver Pinap Berry, and, if you catch it, a Miltank.

Johto Throwback Step 4

• Evolve a Pokemon
  • Reward: Sudowoodo encounter
• Catch 5 different species of Pokemon
  • Reward: 10 Great Balls
• Catch a Ghost-type Pokemon
  • Reward: 500 Stardust

Finishing Step 4 drops 1 Golden Razz Berry and 2 Silver Pinap Berries into your lap, plus gives you a Misdreavous encounter.

Johto Throwback Step 5

• Take 3 snapshots with your buddy
  • Reward: Shuckle encounter
• Make 4 Nice curveball throws
  • Reward: Mantine encounter
• Catch a Fighting-type Pokemon
  • Reward: 500 Stardust

Two more Golden Razz Berries and a Silver Pinap Berry will be yours upon finishing Step 5, along with the chance to encounter Hitmontop.

Johto Throwback Step 6

• Catch an Electric-type Pokemon
  • Reward: 1 Incense
• Power up Pokemon three times
  • Reward: Mareep encounter
• Catch a Steel-type Pokemon
  • Reward: 500 Stardust

The big encounter for finishing Step 6 is with Skarmory, and you’ll get 1 Golden Razz and 2 Silver Pinap Berries too.

Johto Throwback Step 7

• Evolve a Pokemon
  • Reward: King’s Rock
• Catch a Water-type Pokemon
  • Reward: Gligar encounter
• Catch an Ice-type Pokemon
  • Reward: 500 Stardust

Piloswine will lumber your way after finishing Step 7, and surprise(!), you get 1 Silver Pinap and 2 Golden Razz Berries.

Johto Throwback Step 8

• Take a snapshot of an Ice-type Pokemon (like Piloswine)
  • Reward: 1 Dragon Scale
• Battle another Trainer
  • Reward: 10 Ultra Balls
• Power up a Pokemon six times
  • Reward: 500 Stardust

This time, you’ll meet Donphan, along with the obligatory berries — 2 Silver Pinap and 1 Golden Razz this go around.

Johto Throwback Step 9

This isn’t really a challenge. Making it this far rewards you with three sets of 3,000 XP and, more importantly, puts a Ho-Oh in your path. It could be Shiny, and it’ll definitely know Earthquake.

Finishing the Johto Throwback Challenge in Pokemon Go also gets you five Rare Candies; it was originally advertised as 10, but the missing five will be available on the first page of next week’s Hoenn Throwback Challenge.

Johto Throwback Timed Research

Aside from the Johto Throwback Challenge itself, you’ll get access to a set of Timed Research Tasks that offer a chance at nabbing a unique Pokemon. Some of these could help meet your Throwback Challenge requirements as well:

Like the rest of the event, these last for the next week.

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The Johto throwback Pokemon Go event is just part two of the five-week-long Pokemon Go throwback celebration. Stay tuned to GameSkinny for more Pokemon Go news and events as they unfold. Be sure to check out our Pokemon Go guides hub for more!