Aside from evolving your Pokemon by leveling them up, certain Pokemon require specific circumstances to be met to make this change. This can include using an item on the Pokemon, trading them with an NPC or another player, or even turning your 3DS upside down in the case of Inkay.
Some Pokemon require changes in the time of day in order to evolve, with some Pokemon favoring the darkness of night. Sometimes, these Pokemon’s affinity for the nighttime is directly linked to either their design or mischievous behavior. If you’re looking to obtain these Pokemon’s evolutions, you’ll need to wait for the sun to set.
10 Throw Me A Bone: Cubone (For Alolan Marowak)
Pokemon Sun and Moon introduced Alolan variants of Kanto Pokemon, including the Bone Keeper Pokemon, Marowak. Alolan Marowak swaps out the original Marowak’s Ground typing for Fire and Ghost, changing the way it performs in battle.
Alolan Marowak evolves from Cubone during nighttime once it reaches level 28, unlike the Kantonian Marowak, which evolves from the same level at any time of day. Similar to a Samoan fire dancer, Alolan Marowak wields a flaming staff; however, Marowak’s is a bone, linking it to its original form.
9 A-Woo: Rockruff (For Midnight Form)
A Generation Seven Pokemon, Rockruff can evolve into three different forms of Lycanroc, depending on which version of the games you played, and if you had a special Rockruff with the Own Tempo ability. To obtain Midnight Form Lycanroc, you need to evolve a Rockruff in Moon or Ultra Moon at night.
Each of Lycanroc’s designs is distinct from one another and reflects the time of day when the Rockruff evolved. Midnight Form Lycanroc’s design resembles a werewolf, and is hunched over with glowing red eyes.
8 Under The Moonlight: Eevee (For Umbreon)
A Generation One Normal-type Pokemon, Eevee can evolve into eight different forms, depending on if certain circumstances are met. Known by fans as Eeveelutions, each of Eevee’s evolutionary forms has a different type and changes its appearance while still maintaining its feline and fox-like characteristics.
To obtain Umbreon, you must form a strong friendship with Eevee and level it up during nighttime. Umbreon’s design is centered around this nighttime theme, as the rings on its body glow when exposed to the light of the moon. This is also referenced through its Dark typing and the fact that it’s referred to as the Moonlight Pokemon.
7 New Rat In Town: Alolan Rattata
This common Generation One Pokemon received a revamp in Generation Seven, gaining the additional Dark typing as well as a black, mustached design. Although Alolan Rattata shares a lot of characteristics with its Kantonian predecessor, it does have some key differences.
While both iterations of Rattata evolve at level 20, Alolan Rattata requires it to be nighttime when it levels up, similar to how real-life rats are most active at night. Alolan Rattata and Alolan Raticate’s designs are based on invasive rat species in Hawaii, explaining their Dark typing.
6 Bells In The Night: Chingling
Chingling was introduced as the baby form of Chimecho in Generation Four. You can either catch Chimecho in the wild or forge a strong friendship with Chingling and evolve it during the nighttime hours. Both Chingling and Chimecho have a bell-inspired design, with Chimecho’s looking to Japanese wind chimes for its overall theme.
According to various Pokedex entries, Chimecho emits “ultrasonic cries” — if you were to hear these sounds at night, it would be pretty eerie, with the noise of Chimecho’s piercing cries cutting through the quiet of the night.
5 Amaura Borealis: Amaura
In Pokemon X and Y, you are able to choose either the Sail Fossil or the Jaw Fossil to revive the corresponding Pokemon at the Ambrette Town Fossil Lab. If you pick the Sail Fossil, you will obtain Amaura, a Rock and Ice-type Pokemon that resembles the Amargasaurus dinosaur.
Unlike Tyrunt, which evolves during the day, Amaura will evolve into Aurorus at level 39, but only when it’s night. Aurorus’ Pokedex entry in Pokemon Sword says that an Aurorus’ howl can cause “auroras [to] appear in the night sky”, showing its connection to its nocturnal nature.
4 Vampire Bat: Gligar
In Generation Two, when it was introduced, Gligar was a one-stage Pokemon; however, Generation Four changed this through the introduction of Gliscor. To get Gliscor, you will need to give your Gligar a Razor Fang to hold, then level it up when it’s nighttime. In Pokemon Legends: Arceus, though, you just need to give it a Razor Fang at night.
Both Gligar’s and Gliscor’s designs take elements from bats and scorpions, two predominantly nocturnal animals, explaining their affinity towards the nighttime. Gliscor’s appearance is also vampiric in nature, heightening the connection.
3 Rockstar: Galarian Linoone
Pokemon Sword and Shield introduced Galarian forms of existing Pokemon, and Zigzagoon and Linoone were some of these Pokemon. Galarian Zigzagoon’s evolutionary line takes inspiration from Gene Simmons from Kiss, despite the band being American and Galar being based on Britain.
As well as the line’s original Normal typing, the Galarian forms gain the Dark type and a black and white color scheme to match. Galarian Linoone only evolves during the nighttime after it reaches level 35, standing on its hind legs as an Obstagoon, and giving the line a new third form.
2 Mischief In The Night: Sneasel
The Dark and Ice-type Pokemon Sneasel evolves into Weavile when leveled up holding a Razor Claw at nighttime. The fact that Sneasel evolves while holding a Razor Claw makes sense when paired with its Pokemon category, Sharp Claws — a motif that’s also reflected in its design.
A lot of Dark-type Pokemon evolve during the nighttime, and Sneasel is no exception to this. Many of Sneasel’s Pokedex entries say that it’s sneaky and steals eggs from other Pokemon, so the darkness of night is the perfect environment for Sneasel to perform its misdeeds.
1 A N-Ice Evolution: Snom
A Generation Eight Pokemon, Snom is an adorable Ice and Bug type that resembles moth larvae, with spikes on its body made of ice. Snom becomes Frosmoth when leveled up with high friendship at nighttime, reaching its full potential as a majestic icy moth.
As many moths are nocturnal, it makes sense that Snom would make this transformation at nighttime. Frosmoth’s design is also most likely inspired by a type of moth nicknamed the moon moth that’s known for its elegant wing shape, a trait that Frosmoth also has.