Inkay and Malamar are one of the more fun Pokémon concepts created in recent years. It has the unique Dark/Psychic type combination, due to it being a sinister squid. Yes, it somehow isn’t a Water-type despite being an aquatic creature. Instead, attention is paid to how it uses its strange powers to deceive opponents in battle. If that sounds like your kind of Pokémon, here’s how to get Inkay in Sword & Shield.

Where To Find Inkay In Sword & Shield

Because Inkay can swim and float with its powers, you have your choice of locations. It can be seen floating around Route 7, or in the tall grass of Route 9. In the Wild Area, look for it in the waters or grass of Bridge Field, Giant’s Mirror, and Hammerlocke Hills.

How To Evolve Inkay Into Malamar

Inkay is infamous among Pokémon fans for its unique evolution method. When it debuted in Generation VI, players had to get Inkay level 30 and turn their 3DS upside-down to trigger the evolution. This is still true in Sword & Shield. When Inkay gets to level 30, be sure to turn your Switch upside-down before the battle ends or the level up text finishes. You might want to play in handheld mode to make this easier.

What Malamar Does In Battle

Despite having psychic powers, this squid is a physical fighter. It also has the Contrary Ability, which makes stat drops become stat boosts. Smogon points out that it can benefit from moves like Superpower that other Pokémon are weakened by. Once it gets several boosts this way, it can make use of its STAB moves like Knock Off and Psycho Cut.

NEXT: Pokémon Sword & Shield Pokédex - How To Find And Evolve ‘Em All