Imagine catching rare, shimmering Pokémon without lifting a finger—sounds too good to be true, right? Well, in Pokémon Legends: Z-A, it’s not just possible; it’s already happening. Released just yesterday, the game has already seen players uncover a mind-bogglingly efficient method to farm Shiny Pokémon, those coveted alternate-colored creatures, without even touching their controllers. And this is the part most people miss: this time, Shinies don’t despawn once they appear in the overworld, meaning they’ll stick around until you decide to catch or defeat them. This massive change has already transformed Shiny hunting from a high-stakes gamble into a more relaxed—and, for some, controversial—endeavor.
But here’s where it gets controversial: players have discovered a hands-free exploit in Wild Zone 3 that’s sparking debate. By rigging their controller’s left stick with a hair tie or rubber band, they’re making their character walk back and forth between a building’s entrance and roof. Each time the character passes through the entrance, new Pokémon spawn, but any existing Shinies remain. This means you can leave the game running for hours and return to a treasure trove of Shinies waiting to be caught. Is this genius innovation or a step too far in simplifying the hunt?
Within just one day, players have flooded social media with clips of their success, some even running multiple instances of the game simultaneously to maximize their haul. For instance, one player tweeted about catching four different Shinies in the same area, while another claimed to have snagged all the Shiny Pokémon in Wild Zone 3 in just two hours using this AFK (away from keyboard) method. But not everyone is cheering. Some argue that this exploit cheapens the Shiny hunting experience, turning a once-challenging pursuit into a passive activity. Others worry about the wear and tear on their controllers, as this method could accelerate Joy-Con drift—a common issue for Nintendo Switch users.
So, what do you think? Is this a brilliant hack that levels the playing field, or does it strip away the thrill of the hunt? Let’s spark a discussion—are you team innovation or team tradition? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
