Forget legendary Pokemon. Forget super rare shiny Pokémon. The last precious Pokemon Scarlet and Purple players can strive for the rare and extremely dumb three-segment Dudunsparce.
To understand the appeal of Dudunsparce, we need to look at its first evolution, Dunsparce. Dunsparce is a common normal type Pokémon introduced in Pokemon Silver and Gold. It looks derpy and its design resembles a larva or pupa with no real appendages other than a stinger. For a very long time, there wasn’t a big evolution, but fans used to joke about wanting a badass evolution for the goofy character. (Similar to how the useless Magikarp evolves into a powerful dragon-like monster, Gyarados.)
Then, about 23 years after its initial release, Dunsparce finally got a big evolution in Pokemon Scarlet and Purple: Dudunsparce.
Evolution sounds like a sick joke. Dudunsparce looks nearly identical to his little evolution, except he’s longer and has a few extra chest segments. He’s extremely lanky and bulky, and he basically looks like the long Furby version of Dunsparce. Some fans were unhappy with the lack of changes in the Grand Evolution, but I think this is the perfect gag for a dumb Pokemon like Dunsparce. Please appreciate how miserable it is.
Image: Game Freak/The Pokémon Company, Nintendo via Polygon
Dudunsparce comes in two different forms: a two-segment version and a three-segment version. The one pictured above is the two-segment one. Each Dudunsparce has a head and a tail, so the three-segment Dudunsparce is a whopping five pieces in all. It is an absolute unit.
The only problem is that the extra-long Dudunsparce is actually quite rare. Thus, players have documented their research for the mythical creature. I’ve seen a video of someone catching a three-segmented Dudunsparce in the wild, but it’s unclear how often it spawns. This means that if you really want one, all you have to do is hatch Dunsparce Eggs and evolve them – like this person did.
Initially, fans thought the odds of a Dunsparce evolving into a three-segment Dudunsparce was one in 25. However, it ended up being much, much rarer. It’s actually a one in 100 chance, according to Serebii. This means it may take a bit of work to get the longest.
To understand exactly what players go through to get this long boy, here are all the steps: You start by breeding a Dunsparce to get eggs. Dunsparce takes 5,120 steps to hatch, according to Serebii’s most recent entry. Then you need to evolve each of these Dunsparce from level 1 to 32. This Tiktoker has repeated these steps 88 times. The three-segment Dudunsparce hunt is a real labor of love.
While some dutifully work towards their giant Dudunsparce goals, other coaches were born lucky. This person had a shiny Dunsparce which evolved into the extra-long Dudunsparce.
The typical chance of running into a Shiny Pokémon is one in 4,096, while the chance of evolving a three-segment Dundunsparce is one in 100. This makes the three-segment Shiny Dudunsparce one of the rarest Pokémon , if not the rarest. Paldea. It is at a level of rarity comparable to the genuine shiny Sinistea of Pokémon Sword and Shield.
And while we may not all be so lucky, I wish everyone good luck in their hunt for the extra-awful Dudunsparce.