So, yes. As a general player base, users have mixed feelings about Pokémon Go. The game’s had quite a turbulent ride in the two years since its release, after all.

If you’ve been around since the beginning, you’ll remember the initial hype. The sheer popularity. The hilarious sight of people camping out at ‘their’ gyms, defending them from all comers. By the same token, though, this was also a time of controversy, with Grand Theft Auto Online-style bugs and crashes-amundo. Popularity isn’t always a good thing, friends.

For one magical moment, many of us were swept up in a tide of Pokémania we haven’t seen since the late nineties. The app isn’t the phenomenon it was at launch, but it is a much more involved experience. A whole slew of new features has been introduced, including (at long last) making friends and trading. Even those who swore off Pokémon Go during the early ‘dodgy tracking’ fiasco may have been tempted back to give it another shot.

One thing hasn’t changed: like in the main games themselves, catching ‘em all is not going to be easy. If, like me, you’re trying for a living Pokédex, you’re going to have a bad time. Some Pokémon just will not stay in a dang ball. Others are as rare as happening across the yeti, a unicorn and Jimmy Hoffa having a backyard barbecue. Let’s take a look at some of Go’s most impossible catches, and how to go about adding them to our collections.

25 Ditto: Hiding Everywhere And Anywhere

6- Ditto
Via: Forbes

Where the original 151 Pokémon are concerned, Ditto is another that was a little late to the Go party. For the first year or so, it wasn’t available in-game at all. When it did finally make an appearance, it was quite a devious move on Niantic’s part.

The devs knew, after a year, that the mere sight of a Pidgey or Ratatta was enough to make us want to punch our own eyeballs in the face. to make us pay attention to them again, Ditto was disguised as these ‘mon, making us actually want to catch them again in case.

24 Dragonite: The Disappearing Dragon

via twitter.com

As I say, I’ve been around for the whole wild ride of Pokémon Go. I remember the days when Hypno was absolutely freaking everywhere, thanks to its easy-to-evolve nature.

I also remember the early Dragonites in gyms. I can only imagine that people got lucky with a spawn, what with Dratini’s own rarity. This thing’s as rare and difficult to catch as fully-evolved starters, and moves very erratically while you’re attempting it to boot. A gold Dragon/Flying/both medal will boost your chances a little, as will berries and deft curve throws. Plus a lot of luck, to actually find one.

23 Mr. Mime: European? You’re-A Kidding?

via eurogamer.net

Pokémon Go, as we know, arrived right around the twentieth anniversary of the Pokémon franchise. As a result, it struck a chord with the old fans from the nineties, particularly with its original generation one only bent.

To tap into that, the app set about enticing us to want to catch ‘em all, while ensuring that it was dang difficult to do so. The easiest way to do that, while incorporating the real world connection, was to make some Pokémon region exclusive. Mr. Mime, that most creeptastic of Pokémon, isn’t a difficult catch, but is only found in Europe.

22 Kangaskhan: I Kangas-Can’t Find One

via gamerant.com

Even those who have never played can see the problem here. Region exclusives are a neat idea in theory, but what about the people who can’t afford to travel the world (read: those of us who aren’t professional footballers or Kanye West)?

The Australasia-exclusive Kangaskhan gave us a glimmer of hope, when it was briefly introduced to select European cities as part of an event last August, but what if you missed out? We need more chances to get our hands on these otherwise-unremarkable Pokémon. To catch, they’re no real trouble, but the flight halfway around the world?

21 Farfetch’d: When Everyone Wants This Thing, You’ve Got A Problem

Via: PokéJungle

That’s right, friends. Farfetch’d, one of the least desirable Pokémon in the history of the franchise. Never mind Articuno, Zapdos, and Moltres, this terrible little Joke-emon is the real legendary bird around here.

Why? You guessed it, because of region exclusivity. Since the release of the app, Farfetch’d has only been available in Asia, outside of a short-lived release window during the travel event in November 2017. You know what you’ve got to do if you want one, and it’s not really an option for a lot of us.

20 Tauros: Region Exclusivity Is A Complete Bull

17- Tauros
Via: TripZilla

As we’ve seen, then, region exclusive Pokémon are very much a thing in Go. You can see the reasoning behind it too, as a way of lending weight to the whole finding Pokémon in the real world idea. This is the beating heart of the game, after all.

Having said that, it’s also incredibly frustrating for those who are closing in on completing their Kanto dexes.

I live in London, say, and I’m completely inundated with Mr. Mimes on a daily basis. How many Tauros have I ever seen? None, that’s how many, because they spawn in the US only.

19 Tropius: Of All Things, Why Tropius?

via pokemongohd.com

Here’s the interesting thing about region exclusive Pokémon. Sometimes, there’s some rhyme and reason to it. Farfetch’d, for instance, has obvious ties to its native Japan, as does the Australasia-exclusive Kangaskhan.

You don’t have to like the whole idea to see where they were going there. Africa, meanwhile, was one continent that went some time without an exclusive spawn of its own. This was rectified with the addition of Tropius, which is an uncommon spawn across Africa only. Again, Tropius is hardly the most desirable Pokémon, but it’s become valuable solely for its rarity.

18 Lunatone: Giving Hope For Exclusives Everywhere

19- Lunatone
Via: Pokémon Go HQ

So, yes. By this point, a lot of the more dedicated Pokémon Go-ers are probably getting a little jaded by the whole idea. I mean, we can trade now, but even that is limited to local play only. How exactly are we to get these regional Pokémon, again?

Entreating Arceus itself might not be the answer, but Niantic have proven to be a little flexible. Lunatone, exclusive to North America, South America, and Africa, was switched to spawn in the other ‘half’ of the world.

17 Gyarados: The Candies! The Candies!

3- Gyarados
Via: Inverse

This one, I have mixed feelings about. On the one hand, I can see what they were going for. The whole concept behind Magikarp and Gyarados is about perseverance. Painstakingly evolving something awful, for that payoff in the end.

Having said that, we’re talking 400 candies here. Four dang hundred. Do you think this is funny, Niantic? Because it isn’t. What if you live somewhere that Magikarp rarely (if ever) spawns? You’d be lucky if your great great great great great grandchild in a post-apocalyptic future manages to evolve it. Our ape overlords probably won’t even allow Pokémon Go.

16 Altaria: So Many Candies, Your Dentist Will Be Mad

Via: Pokémon Wiki

So, yes. We see you, Magikarp, and we are not amused. Personally, I’d say that about a 200 candy evolution would suit. That way, you’re still playing on the concept (and Gyarados is a real powerhouse in Go), but you’re not being quite as silly.

What the heck is going on with Swablu? If you want an Altaria, that’s another 400 candies.

I don’t quite understand the reasoning for this. As with Gyarados, the only way to go is lots of Pinap berries (to get more candies from catches), lots of luck and lots of time.

15 Relicanth: You’re Going To Have Some Real Trouble With This One

Via: Polygon

As of the time of writing, there are currently 15 Pokémon within Go that can only be caught in certain regions. Mostly, they’re exclusive to huge regions of the world, such as continents or an entire hemisphere. This is difficult enough for completionists, but what about those that are exclusive to a comparatively teeny part of the world?

In order to nab yourself the Rock/Water fossil Relicanth, you’ll need to travel to New Zealand.

There have also been sightings on the surrounding islands, such as Samoa and Fiji.

14 Mewtwo: Not Quite As Dramatic As The Trailer

via polygon.com

Oh, the hypetastic. Do you remember that early Pokémon Go trailer, where everyone bands together to defeat Mewtwo? Of course, you do. It’s probably the coolest Pokémon-related sight we’ve seen in at least a decade.

The big question is, how do you go about getting the fierce foe for your collection? First, you’re going to need to complete a Raid, and return to the same gym with your Ex Raid invitation in hand. Beware, though, it’s an infuriating battle. Mewtwo’s attack animation is deceptive, repelling Premier Balls for much longer than you’d think it would.

13 Mew: Now That’s A Quest

25- Mew
Via: Metro

Once you’ve actually succeeded in capturing Mewtwo, what’s next? Its mama, that’s what: Mew. The adorable little mythical mon has its own special questline, which you achieve in the same manner as the stamps to encounter the legendary birds.

Mew’s quests are the same for every player, and there are some doozies in here.

If you’ve ever fancied evolving another Gyarados (which you haven’t), you’ll get the chance here. It’s quite a long road, but at least the Mew encounter is a freebie once you do finally reach it.

Via: Togepi

I almost settled on there’s an eggcellent way to unlock this one, but I just couldn’t. My conscience wouldn’t allow it.

Never mind all of that, though. The important thing is that the introduction of baby Pokémon allowed Niantic to add another wrinkle to collecting. Togepi is a Pokémon that you can’t find in the wild, whichever region you happen to live in. It can only be hatched from eggs, which means you can only trek around with your incubators in hand and hope!

11 Pichu: Because Pikachu Is Just Too Big A Deal

23- Pichu
Via: Tenor

Naturally, Pikachu is the biggest deal in Pokémon Go. Being the mascot of the franchise and all, you’d probably expect limited edition New Year Pikachu, Halloween Pikachu in witch hats, holiday Pikachu in Santa hats, those sorts of shenanigans. Well, you won’t be disappointed on that score.

Should you evolve one of these special Pikachu, the Raichu will retain whatever holiday headgear it was wearing. When it comes to Pichu, though, you’re stuck hatching eggs again if you want one. As a baby Pokémon, and with no breeding mechanics in Go, all you can do is hatch and hope.

10 Abra: Wait, Come Back!

5- Abra
Via: Imgur

Oh, Abra. Why do you have to be this way? This devious little Psychic type has been vexing Pokémon players for decades. Do you remember the time you found that shiny Abra in the wild, and watched in paralyzed horror as it Teleported away? Well, I do, friends, and it was horrible.

In Go, this translates to the highest Flee rate in the entire game, at 99%. It’s not all that difficult to catch, but if you fail with your first throw, it is not sticking around. Ultra Balls and Razz berries are your best bet.

9 Articuno: One For Sorrow

8- Articuno
Via: Game Rant

As players know, it was a long darn time before legendary Pokémon were introduced to the game. When they finally were, it was in a way that was (as is usually the case with Pokémon Go) quite controversial.

Raid battles require the kind of group play that’s difficult to come across.

The legendary birds were some of the first legendaries to become available, and many couldn’t beat them.

The new Field Research mechanic has been a great boon there. I myself was only recently able to get my hands on the legendary birds. For Articuno, it’s the Water event.

8 Zapdos: Two For (Eventual) Joy?

via youtube.com (VirtualTurtle)

The new Field Research mechanic is like a quest system within the game. It gives players a range of objectives, as mobile games just love to do. These will range from things like achieving a certain amount of ‘Nice’ throws, to evolving a particular number of Pokémon or beating a gym.

Achieving these will give you reward items and a stamp (limited to one per day), and when you finish that event’s research, your reward is an encounter with the legendary bird that’s currently in rotation. For Zapdos, the Electric-based event was your window of opportunity to get those stamps.

7 Moltres: Three For... Get In The Dang Ball

via pinterest.com

Now, more organized Go veterans will have these Pokémon covered already. They’ve have themselves a coordinated team for Raid Battles, and they’ll have handed the Kanto birds their shattered, defeated souls on a platter.

That’s not an option for everybody, though. The thing about the research stamps is that the encounters become sort of ‘freebies’ rather than battles, which is crucial. Of the trio, Moltres was notorious for its erratic movements and attacks in Raid Battles, which made it a real pain to capture that way. It was the first bird to be available via research, and we were thankful.

6 Tyranitar: You Don’t Have To Be Legendary To Be A Pain In The Cheeks

Via: Pokémon Go Hub

Experienced Pokémon players will know that Tyranitar is not a guy to mess around with.

There aren’t many meta Rock-types, because the typing is weak to absolutely everything ever, but Tyranitar is an exception.

It’s great despite its typing.

As a result, when it started appearing in Raids, it was safe to assume that this thing was not going down easy. True to form, it attacks relentlessly, making you waste your precious Balls, and will not stay in them. It’s just a case of Golden Razz, curving throws and, again, a heaping helping of luck.