Inkay is a blue, squid-like Pokémon. It has a transparent mantle with a rounded, pink body inside that has several yellow, circular spots that can glow brightly. There are four of these luminescent spots on the front, and two on the back. Attached to its mantle are two transparent tentacles; its remaining tentacles are part of its main body, eight in total. It has round black eyes and a pink beak-like mouth.
Inkay can cause its luminescent spots to blink and flash; this behavior serves a variety of uses. If Inkay is threatened, the blinking lights will cause its opponents to become dazed and lose their will to battle, allowing it to escape. The blinking also serves to attract Inkay's prey, which are then ensnared and held in place by its tentacles. Inkay also uses various complex rhythms and patterns of lights to communicate to others of its kind. Because of this, Inkay instinctively reacts to anything in its habitat that emits light or echoing sounds. Prior to Generation VIII, Topsy-Turvy was its signature move.
Multiple wild Inkay appeared in Facing the Grand Design!, where James's Inkay helped save them, as well as some good Malamar, from the evil Malamar. James tried to release Inkay afterwards so Inkay could be happy with the other Inkay, but Inkay refused and rejoined his team.
Xerosic's Malamar was revealed to have been under his ownership since he was an Inkay. He evolved when Lysandre explained his peculiar evolution method and demonstrated it by turning Inkay upside-down, making him evolve instantly. He showed up in a flashback in PS588.
Inkay appears as a Poké Ball summon in both versions of the game. It turns over and hits the ground, making all opponents who are on the ground trip.
Inkay also appears as a trophy in both versions of the game.
Trophy information
NA: Inkay may look like a Water-type Pokémon, but it's actually a Dark/Psychic type! Once it has reached the proper level, Inkay can evolve into Malamar if you hold the Nintendo 3DS upside down. In Smash Bros., its Topsy-Turvy move will flip anyone who wanders too close upside down. Watch out!
PAL: A Pokémon that looks this much like a squid MUST be a Water-type, right? Wrong! It's a Dark- and Psychic-type. If you're struggling to get it to evolve, try holding your system upside down. In this game, Inkay's Topsy-Turvy move can knock you over, and you won't be much use like that, so watch out!
Inkay instinctively reacts to anything in the water that lights up or makes an echoing sound. That’s because it usually uses its own luminescence to communicate with others of its kind.
Shigeru Ohmori came up with Inkay's method of evolution into Malamar. He suggested the method as the developer team were thinking of ways to utilize the internal gyroscope on the Nintendo 3DS.[1] He also thought of the idea of a player discovering it on accident by turning their console to be amusing.[2]
In addition to Inkay's evolutionary method being unique, it would have been impossible in any of the previous core seriesPokémon games, because the Nintendo 3DS is Nintendo's first handheld system with an internal gyroscope.
Inkay appears to be based on a squid, and it also seems to bear a small resemblance to a cuttlefish. Considering its flashing abilities, Inkay may have been inspired by the vampire or humboldt squids, or by deimatic behaviour in cephalopods as a whole.
Name origin
Inkay may be a combination of ink or inkfish and okay.
Maaiika is derived from 烏賊 ika (cuttlefish or squid) and a pun on まあ，いいか Mā, iika ("Well, whatever"; "Oh well").[4] It may also involve 魔 ma (demon) or 真烏賊 maika (Japanese flying squid).
In other languages
Language
Title
Meaning
Japanese
マーイーカ Maaiika
From 魔 ma, 烏賊 ika or 真烏賊 maika, and a pun on まあ、いいか Mā, iika
Aspear Berry (100%)
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For other sprites and images, please see Inkay images on the Bulbagarden Archives.
