Surely, Magikarp is one of the most iconic Pokemon of them all. This lethargic little fish has been a part of the series since the originals. So many jokes have been made at its expense — but Magikarp is often the one delivering the punchline upon evolving into the fierce Gyarados. Revenge is a dish best served with enormous fangs and a powerful tail that could crush a skyscraper on command.

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But how can we ensure our beloved little dull-eyed splasher can reach its full potential as a tyrant? Read on to learn not only where you'll find Magikarp in each of the most recent Pokemon games, but what level Magikarp evolves... and several fun fishy facts too few trainers are familiar with.

Updated on June 26, 2022 by Quinton O'Connor: We've revamped this article to better serve Pokemon fans far and wide by letting folks know where to find Magikarp in each of the "current" main series games. Additionally, we've added some more fun facts that will surely compel you to hug your nearest Magikarp posthaste.

6 Where to Find Magikarp

If you're looking for a wild Magikarp to domesticate, you're in luck — you won't have to look for long. This perilously paltry all-star is infamously common across most regions, including Sinnoh and Galar. In other words, there are plenty of places to hook a Magikarp in Pokemon Sword & Shield, Pokemon Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl, and even Pokemon Legends: Arceus. Best of all, any old rod will do the trick. Quite literally. Your starting piece, Old Rod, is only capable of hooking Magikarp on its line... so go on, have a blast.

Here's the thing. Magikarp is beyond common. There are roughly 20 places in Sword & Shield where Magikarp make their habitat, another 20 or so thanks to the Expansion Pass, no fewer than 40 spots in Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl, and... oh, hey. This one, at least, is mercifully brief. Magikarp appears in Pokemon Legends: Arceus in the following locations: Obsidian Falls, Lake Verity, and Fabled Spring.

Very good. But as for the rest, well, you're going to find this buddy everywhere you look. Nonetheless, we'd be remiss not to provide some pointers. Here are a few suggestions for Sword & Shield: Routes 2, 4, 5 and 6, as well as Lake Axewell and Lake of Outrage. Finally, here's a smattering of spots for BDSP: Routes 203 through 205, 208 through 210, and all three story-centric lakes in Sinnoh.

5 How to Evolve Magikarp into Gyarados

Evolving a Magikarp into a Gyarados is pretty easy most of the time. It simply needs to reach level 20 But back in the day, this was actually kind of a pain. Magikarp is, naturally, useless in battle. And before Gen 6 came along and concocted an EXP Share key item that sends experience points throughout the entire party, it could be a real hassle having to send out poor Magikarp at the start of every fight, leave it for just long enough that it knows the meaning of fear all over again, and then replace it with a different Pokemon.

RELATED: Pokemon: The Strongest Gym Leader From Each Region, RankedThe deeper into Galar or Sinnoh you go, the higher a likelihood that you'll bump into a Magikarp whose level is well above 20, thus negating the problem by default. Then again, one must wonder what these wild Magikarp did to reach such levels in the first place...

4 A Magikarp for Every Color

There's a certain Pokemon game for mobile devices that has been around for nearly as long as the hyper-popular Pokemon Go, but has in all likelihood made far less than one percent as much cash for its creators. It's Magikarp Jump, and frankly, there's not much to say except it involves, wait for it, multiple Magikarp jumping. You continually raise new generations of Magikarp until you've got one that can win every in-game tournament. And then you probably uninstall the app.

At least there's a nifty twist to Magikarp Jump. Namely, they come in dozens of different colors. If your life won't be complete until you own a blue-and-pink Magikarp, we've got good news for you. Unfortunately, you can't import these colorful friends into any of the "real" games, so the whole thing's a bit of a wash.

3 Waterfall Evolution Myth

Some Pokemon have in-game lore about how to trigger their evolution (despite never having anything to do with the inevitably far less bizarre actual way to evolve them). Examples include Slowpoke, which supposedly evolves after a Shellder bites its tail or head, and Larvitar, which is said to evolve after consuming a mountain.

A mountain.

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Magikarp is one of these Pokemon, with the story going that Magikarp will jump into or over a waterfall when it's ready to evolve, with a Gyarados emerging afterward. This is based on Chinese legends that state carp that leap through the Dragon Gate on a waterfall will become a dragon, serving as an allegory for the power of perseverance.

Like Slowpoke, the only place Magikarp's lore-based evolution can be seen in a game is in the original Pokemon Snap, where the player can knock a Magikarp into a waterfall and see a Gyarados come out.

2 Rude Pokedex

There is no one, not in the real world nor even the fictional world of Pokemon, who is more ruthlessly vindictive toward Magikarp than the Pokedex.

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The Pokedex points out Magikarp's uselessness in every in-game entry. This is to be expected, but does it need to be so vicious about it? Here's a brief tour of some of the Pokedex's favorite insults:"weak and pathetic," "a pathetic excuse for a Pokemon," "underpowered," "virtually useless," and "famous for being very unreliable." One entry even states that its only purpose is to help many other Pokemon "enjoy longer life spans" because they catch and eat it.

1 Shiny Anime Episode

Magikarp might be virtually useless, some would even say a pathetic excuse for a Pokemon, but every so often, it's solid gold. Literally.

In the Pokemon anime's XY seasons, an episode entitled "Going for the Gold!" sees Ash and friends arrive in a seaside town. Here, they meet a man who is searching for the fabled gold Magikarp, who supposedly saved him from drowning long ago. The gang attempt to fish for the golden Magikarp, with Clemont even inventing a machine for the task.

Pokemon Go joins in the fun; shiny gold Magikarp will always evolve into a fabled red Gyarados, which wouldn't have done much good for the grateful old man in the anime, but it's pretty cool for the rest of us.

NEXT: Pokemon: The utest Pokémon Ash Ketchum Has Ever Caught, Ranked