Special Challenge

A Special Challenge (Japanese: スペシャルチャレンジ Special Challenge) is a type of special stage in Pokémon Shuffle that usually features Pokémon which are also available in main stages or Expert Stages. These stages can be move- or time-limited, and tend to have different stage data from their main or expert counterparts. These stages cost Coins ×300 to play.

A Special Challenge stage for Genesect.

If the Pokémon in a Special Challenge has already been caught, it may drop a Personalized Skill Booster or (rarely) a Raise Max Level.

For the game's end-of-service period, Special Challenges began running on a consistent 24-week cycle, with a Special Challenge running on each even-numbered week, and lasting for one week.

During the game's live service period, 27 different Special Challenges were held. However, few of these were kept in the end-of-service events. Stage costs were unified to Coins ×300, rather than previous events' varied amounts of Coins or Hearts. The Mewtwo and Tyranitar stages were adapted into Shiny versions of the two (though keeping parameters such as HP and move count), making those versions of the Pokémon available for the first time in any format. A stage for Rayquaza was also added, based on one of its previous Great Challenge releases.

Drops

Main article: Drop (Shuffle)

If these Pokémon have already been caught, they have a chance to drop items:

25% chance to drop Personalized Skill Booster ×1
25% chance to drop Personalized Skill Booster ×1
1.5625% chance to drop Raise Max Level ×1

Drop rates can be increased if the Drop Rate Increase (DRI) effect is purchased from the Special Shop.

**Default rates**
Drop rates			Average drops/run
PSB ×1	PSB ×1	RML ×1	Average drops/run
25%	25%	1.563%	0.5 PSB 0.016 RML

**DRI rates**
Drop rates			Average drops/run
PSB ×1	PSB ×1	RML ×1	Average drops/run
43.75%	43.75%	3.10%	0.875 PSB 0.310 RML

Rotating stages

Week 2

Pokémon		Type	HP	Moves	Catchability		EXP	Cost	Notes
Pokémon		Type	HP	Moves	Base	Bonus	EXP	Cost	Notes
	Xerneas	Fairy	11,555	16	13%	2%	5	Coins ×300	N/A

Week 4

Pokémon		Type	HP	Moves	Catchability		EXP	Cost	Notes
Pokémon		Type	HP	Moves	Base	Bonus	EXP	Cost	Notes
	Yveltal	Dark	8,606	16	7%	3%	5	Coins ×300	N/A

Week 6

Pokémon		Type	HP	Time	Catchability		EXP	Cost	Notes
Pokémon		Type	HP	Time	Base	Bonus	EXP	Cost	Notes
	Genesect	Bug	7,280	01:00	10%	2%	5	Coins ×300	N/A

Week 8

Pokémon		Type	HP	Moves	Catchability		EXP	Cost	Notes
Pokémon		Type	HP	Moves	Base	Bonus	EXP	Cost	Notes
	Mewtwo Shiny	Psychic	8,528	16	7%	3%	5	Coins ×300	N/A

Week 10

Pokémon		Type	HP	Moves	Catchability		EXP	Cost	Notes
Pokémon		Type	HP	Moves	Base	Bonus	EXP	Cost	Notes
	Tyranitar Shiny	Dark	8,060	18	11%	3%	5	Coins ×300	N/A

Week 12

Pokémon		Type	HP	Moves	Catchability		EXP	Cost	Notes
Pokémon		Type	HP	Moves	Base	Bonus	EXP	Cost	Notes
	Salamence	Flying	12,000	18	11%	3%	5	Coins ×300	N/A

Week 14

Pokémon		Type	HP	Moves	Catchability		EXP	Cost	Notes
Pokémon		Type	HP	Moves	Base	Bonus	EXP	Cost	Notes
	Rayquaza	Dragon	10,627	20	9%	3%	5	Coins ×300	N/A

Week 16

Pokémon		Type	HP	Time	Catchability		EXP	Cost	Notes
Pokémon		Type	HP	Time	Base	Bonus	EXP	Cost	Notes
	Luxray	Electric	5,500	00:40	7%	4%	5	Coins ×300	N/A

Week 18

Pokémon		Type	HP	Time	Catchability		EXP	Cost	Notes
Pokémon		Type	HP	Time	Base	Bonus	EXP	Cost	Notes
	Hydreigon	Dark	10,170	00:50	10%	3%	5	Coins ×300	N/A

Week 20

Pokémon		Type	HP	Time	Catchability		EXP	Cost	Notes
Pokémon		Type	HP	Time	Base	Bonus	EXP	Cost	Notes
	Porygon-Z	Normal	9,501	00:40	2%	4%	5	Coins ×300	N/A

Week 22

Pokémon		Type	HP	Time	Catchability		EXP	Cost	Notes
Pokémon		Type	HP	Time	Base	Bonus	EXP	Cost	Notes
	Goodra	Dragon	7,804	00:40	11%	2%	5	Coins ×300	N/A

Week 24

Pokémon		Type	HP	Moves	Catchability		EXP	Cost	Notes
Pokémon		Type	HP	Moves	Base	Bonus	EXP	Cost	Notes
	Hoopa Hoopa Unbound	Dark	10,800	20	3%	3%	5	Coins ×300	N/A

Live-service stages

Main article: Special Challenge/Live service period

Trivia

Hoopa's stage has Dialga, Palkia, Reshiram, and Zekrom as its default supports, with Regigigas as a 5th support. All of these Pokémon appeared in Hoopa and the Clash of Ages.

In other languages

Language		Title
Japanese		スペシャルチャレンジ
French		Défi spécial
Italian		Livello Speciale
Spanish		Fase Especial

Stages in Pokémon Shuffle
Main stages	Puerto Blanco • Sandy Bazaar • Night Festival • Isla Asul • Rainbow Park Galerie Rouge • Sweet Strasse • Silbern Museum • Mt. Vinter • Castle Noapte Jungle Verde • Wacky Workshop • Pedra Valley • Albens Town • Roseus Center Desert Umbra • Violeta Palace • Blau Salon • Graucus Hall • Nacht Carnival Prasino Woods • Zaffiro Coast • Marron Trail

Expert Stages	Expert Stages

Special stages	Daily (Daily Pokémon • One Chance a Day!) Challenge (Great Challenge • Ultra Challenge • UB Challenge • High-Speed Challenge • Special Challenge) Resource event (Meowth's Coin Mania • Skill Booster M Stage! • Tons of Exp. Points) Competitive Stage • Escalation battle • Pokémon Safari

Retired special stages	An Evolving Challenge! • Commemorative Event • Score Challenge • Try 'Em Items Stage

Survival Mode	Survival Mode

24-week event cycle	1 • 2 • 3 • 4 • 5 • 6 • 7 • 8 • 9 • 10 • 11 • 12 13 • 14 • 15 • 16 • 17 • 18 • 19 • 20 • 21 • 22 • 23 • 24

This article is part of Project Sidegames, a Bulbapedia project that aims to write comprehensive articles on the Pokémon Sidegames.