You're standing in the middle of a patch of tall grass on Melemele Island, your 3DS battery light is flickering red, and you’ve just burned through your last QR scan. If you've been hunting for Pokemon Ultra Moon island scan Pokemon, you know the frustration. It’s a mechanic that feels like a chore until that one rare silhouette pops up on your screen. Honestly, the QR scanner in the Alola region is one of those "love it or hate it" features that Game Freak introduced to keep us engaged with the Pokedex, but it's surprisingly deep once you stop just clicking buttons randomly.
The system is basically a treasure hunt. You scan random QR codes from the real world—cereal boxes, websites, even your friend’s fridge—to earn points. Once you hit 100 points, you trigger the Island Scan. But here is the kicker: what you find depends entirely on which island you are standing on and what day of the week it is. If you're looking for a Charmander on a Tuesday, you're going to be disappointed.
Why the Pokemon Ultra Moon Island Scan Pokemon List Matters More Than You Think
Most players breeze through the main story using whatever they find on Route 1. That's fine. But if you want a competitive edge or just want to fill out a living dex with classic starters, the Pokemon Ultra Moon island scan Pokemon are non-negotiable. We're talking about high-tier additions like Aegislash (via Honedge), Greninja (via Frogadier), and even the Johto and Sinnoh starters. These aren't just "filler" mons; they often come with a special move that they wouldn't normally have in the wild, which is a nice touch for collectors.
Take Honedge, for example. You can find it on Akala Island on Wednesdays. In the base game of Ultra Moon, finding a solid Steel/Ghost type early on is a nightmare. Using the Island Scan lets you bypass the standard encounter tables entirely. It’s almost like a legal cheat code, provided you have the patience to wait for the right day of the week.
The Math Behind the Scan
You need 100 points. Standard QR codes give you 10 points. Special "Wonder" QR codes, which are rarer but easily found online via databases like Pkmn.help or Serebii, give you 20 points. You can store up to 10 scans at a time, and they regenerate every two hours. This means if you're efficient, you can do two scans a day easily. If you’re a power user, you’re probably manipulating your 3DS clock, but be careful—messing with the internal clock can sometimes lock you out of time-based events for 24 hours. It's a risk. Is it worth it for a Samurott? Maybe.
Melemele Island: Your Starting Point for Rarity
Melemele is the first island, so you'd expect the encounters to be weak. You'd be wrong. This is where you grab your Kanto and Kalos starters.
On Sundays, you can find Cyndaquil at Route 3. Monday brings Squirtle to Seaward Cave. Tuesdays are for Onix at Ten Carat Hill. Wednesday? That's Horsea at Kala'e Bay. Thursday gives you Scatterbug at Hau'oli Outskirts. Friday is Bulbasaur at Route 2. Saturday is Litwick at Hau'oli Cemetery.
Notice the pattern? The game gives you a spread of types right out of the gate. If you missed out on a Fire-type because you picked Rowlet, the Sunday Cyndaquil is a lifesaver. Litwick is another standout. Having a Chandelure later in the game is basically a "win" button for many of the tougher Totem battles.
Moving to Akala and Ula'ula: The Power Spike
Once you hit Akala Island, the Pokemon Ultra Moon island scan Pokemon pool gets significantly more interesting. This is where the competitive players start paying attention.
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- Sunday: Ralts (Route 6). This is huge. Gardevoir and Gallade are staples.
- Monday: Spheal (Route 7).
- Tuesday: Combusken (Route 8). Yes, a middle-stage starter in the wild.
- Wednesday: Honedge (Suburbs). As mentioned, Aegislash is a beast.
- Thursday: Beedrill (Route 4).
- Friday: Sceptile’s pre-evolution, Grovyle (Route 5).
- Saturday: Marshtomp (Brooklet Hill).
Ula'ula Island ups the ante even further. You’re looking at Rhyhorn on Sundays at Blush Mountain and Swinub on Mondays at Ula'ula Meadow. But the real prizes are the Sinnoh starters. Tuesday gives you Prinplup at Route 16, Wednesday gives you Grotle at Ula'ula Meadow, and Thursday gives you Monferno at Route 11.
If you're a fan of Gen 4, Ula'ula is your playground. Honestly, the fact that you can catch a Monferno right before some of the hardest trials in the game feels like the developers throwing us a bone.
The Poni Island Endgame
By the time you reach Poni Island, you’re looking for the heavy hitters. This is where the Gen 6 starters reside.
Sundays on Poni Island feature Eelektross at Poni Grove. It has no weaknesses thanks to Levitate. Monday is Aggron (via Lairon) at Poni Cave. Tuesday brings Rotom to Poni Gauntlet. This is one of the only ways to get Rotom without an event. Wednesday is Chesnaught’s pre-evo, Quilladin, at Poni Wilds. Thursday is Delphox’s pre-evo, Braixen, at Ancient Poni Path. Friday is the fan-favorite Frogadier at Poni Wilds. Saturday? Togekiss (via Togekiss directly) at Poni Gauntlet.
Catching a wild Togekiss is wild. Usually, you have to deal with friendship evolution and Shiny Stones, but the Island Scan just hands it to you. Well, "hands it to you" is an understatement. These Pokemon have a high catch rate difficulty. Pack Ultra Balls. Lots of them.
Technical Nuances You Can't Ignore
There’s a catch. You only get one hour.
Once the scan is active, the Pokemon appears in a specific zone. You have 60 minutes to find it. If you faint it or run away, it's gone. You can't just try again immediately; you have to recharge those 100 points. This is why "False Swipe" is the most important move in your arsenal. Bring a Parasect or a Gallade with False Swipe and Spore. You don't want to accidentally crit a Shiny Honedge and lose it forever.
Also, these Pokemon do not have their Hidden Abilities. That’s a major point of contention in the community. If you were hoping for a Protean Greninja from an Island Scan, you’re out of luck. You’ll get Torrent every single time. For competitive players, this means Island Scan is mostly for breeding parents or just completing the dex, rather than finding the "perfect" battle-ready Pokemon.
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The QR Code Shortcut
You don't need "official" Pokemon QR codes. Any QR code works. I’ve scanned the back of a shampoo bottle and gotten 10 points. If you're in a hurry, just Google "Pokemon QR codes" and go to the images tab. There are massive grids of 100+ codes designed specifically for this. Just sit there for five minutes, scan your 10 codes, and you're good to go.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Scanning on the wrong island: You must be physically present on the island where the Pokemon spawns. If you want Bulbasaur (Route 2, Melemele), but you trigger the scan while standing in Konikoni City (Akala), you’re going to get a Ralts instead.
- Not having enough Poke Balls: These aren't standard encounters. They often have lower catch rates than the local Rattata.
- Ignoring the "Special" Move: Many of these Pokemon come with "Egg Moves" naturally. For example, the Squirtle you find on Melemele knows Aura Sphere. That is a massive advantage that you normally wouldn't get without complex breeding chains.
- Forgetting the Day Change: The game uses the 3DS system clock. If it’s 11:55 PM on a Monday and you trigger the scan, you have five minutes of Monday encounters before the "day" technically changes, but the scan remains locked to the Monday Pokemon until the hour expires.
Actionable Strategy for Efficient Hunting
To make the most of your Pokemon Ultra Moon island scan Pokemon hunt, follow this specific workflow.
First, stockpile your scans. Don't use them as soon as you get 20 points. Wait until you have the full 100. Next, check your calendar. If you want a specific Pokemon, say, Greninja, you need to wait for Friday and be on Poni Island.
When you're ready, fly to the specific route first. Don't trigger the scan and then fly there; travel time eats into your 60-minute window. Once you're standing in the grass of the target route, trigger the Island Scan. Use a "Repel" if your lead Pokemon is high level; the Island Scan Pokemon is an "interactable" encounter in some sense, but usually, it just becomes the very next random encounter you hit in the grass.
If you're shiny hunting, the Island Scan is brutal. The odds are the standard 1 in 4096 (or 1 in 1365 with the Shiny Charm). Since you only get one encounter per 100 points, "resetting" for a shiny isn't really a thing. You get one shot. Make it count.
Finally, once you catch the Pokemon, check its moves immediately. Often, these Island Scan captures are the best way to start a breeding project because of those aforementioned Egg Moves. You can pass Aura Sphere down from that Squirtle to a whole generation of competitive Blastoise.
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This mechanic isn't just a gimmick. It's a bridge between the Alola dex and the rest of the Pokemon world. It rewards players who know their schedule and have the patience to scan a few random barcodes. Get your 3DS, find a list of "Wonder" QR codes to speed up the process, and start filling those gaps in your Pokedex.
Your Next Steps:
- Verify the current day on your 3DS system settings to ensure it matches the Pokemon you're targeting.
- Travel to the specific island and route before activating the 100-point scan.
- Lead with a Pokemon that knows False Swipe and a status move like Thunder Wave or Spore to guarantee the catch.
- If you're looking for a specific nature, place a Pokemon with the "Synchronize" ability (like Abra or Ralts) in your first party slot. There is a 50% chance the wild Pokemon will inherit that nature.