How do I evolve Inkay? Evolving Inkay isn’t a straightforward process, meaning many trainers miss out on adding Malamar to their team. Well, we’re here to tell you how to evolve Inkay in Pokémon Go and the main series of Pokémon games so you can get your hands on one of the best dark-types in the entire franchise.
It’s all well and good getting a Malamar, but you need to know how to make the most out of the dark Pokémon, and our dark Pokémon weakness guide can help you do that. Or, for more catch-em-all companion guides, be sure to browse through our picks of the best dog Pokémon, cat Pokémon, bear Pokémon, and bird Pokémon from across the franchise.
Let’s dive into our how to evolve Inkay guide.
How do I evolve Inkay in Pokémon Go?
In Pokémon Go, it takes 50 Inkay candies to evolve into Malamar. Catching more Inkay is the most obvious way to get candy, but you can take your Inkay for a walk or play with it to give yourself a boost, too. After you get the 50 Inkay candies, complete the following steps to evolve Inkay into 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 do I evolve Inkay in Pokémon Sword and Shield?
Pokémon Sword and Shield is the most recent main series Pokémon title with Inkay as an available monster. To evolve the gen 6 Pokémon, you need to get to level 30 then complete the following steps:
- 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!
All previous games featuring Malamar and Inkay require the same steps as above.
Where can I catch Inkay in Pokémon Sword and Shield?
You can catch Inkay in Sword and Shield:
- Route 7
- Route 9
- Bridge Field
- Dusty Bowl
- Giant’s Mirror
- Hammerlocke Hills
- Watchtower Ruins
- West Lake Axewell
- Motostoke Riverbank
- Stony Wilderness
Make sure you check out our dark and psychic Pokémon weakness guides for tips on how to catch Inkay. Usually, a pokéball does the trick, but if you want to be extra sure, use a great ball.
There you have it, how to evolve Inkay. Now you can grab a big squid ready for battle. Of course, there are other evolutions out there, and we’re ready to help teach you how to evolve Charcadet, how to evolve Pawmo, how to evolve Primeape, how to evolve Finizen, and more.
