You're staring at an empty spot in your Pokedex. It’s frustrating. We’ve all been there, especially in the Alola region where tracking down every single creature feels like a chore. Honestly, the Rotom Dex is great and all, but it doesn't just hand you the rare stuff. That's exactly why Pokemon Ultra Sun and Moon QR codes became such a massive deal when the games dropped on the 3DS back in 2017. They weren't just a gimmick. They were a lifeline.
If you’re still playing these games in 2026—maybe on original hardware or through some "alternative" digital means—you’ve probably realized that the online features for the 3DS aren't what they used to be. Nintendo pulled the plug on those servers. But here is the cool part: the QR scanner is local. It doesn't need a server to work. It’s baked right into the game's code.
How the Island Scan Actually Works
Most people think you just scan a code and the Pokemon magically appears in your party. I wish. It’s actually a bit more involved than that. You open the menu, hit the QR Scanner, and start pointing your camera at basically anything with a barcode. It doesn’t even have to be a "Pokemon" code. Your cereal box? That works. A random shipping label? Sure.
Each scan gives you 10 points. Once you hit 100 points, you trigger the Island Scan. This is the real meat of the system. Depending on which island you’re currently standing on and what day of the week it is, a rare, non-Alolan Pokemon will spawn somewhere nearby. You get one hour to find it and catch it. If you fail? You’ve gotta wait until the points recharge. It's a bit of a grind, but it’s the only way to get starters like Charmander or heavy hitters like Aggron without trading.
The Math Behind the Points
It takes ten scans to get one Island Scan. You get one "charge" back every two hours. Basically, you can't just sit there and spam a thousand codes in one sitting. You have to be tactical about it. If you scan a "Special" QR code—the ones specifically generated for the Pokedex—you get 20 points instead of 10. It cuts the work in half. Simple.
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Why Pokemon Ultra Sun and Moon QR codes are a completionist’s dream
Filling a Pokedex is hard. It’s meant to be. But the QR system does something very specific: it registers the Pokemon as "Seen" in your Dex. This is huge. Once a Pokemon is "Seen," you can see its habitat. You can track it down. You can check its stats.
Think about the Alola Pokedex. Some of those encounter rates are abysmal. You could spend four hours in the tall grass looking for a 1% spawn rate, or you could just find the right QR code online, scan it in three seconds, and at least know where the heck the thing lives.
Special Event Codes: The Magearna Secret
There is one specific code that every single player needs to know about. It’s the Magearna QR code. Unlike the random points you get from scanning a bag of chips, this is a "Special" event trigger. Even though the 3DS eShop is a ghost town, this specific code still works because it was never tied to a limited-time Wi-Fi distribution.
If you've finished the main story—meaning you're the Champion—you can scan the Magearna code. Go to the Antiquities of the Ages shop in Hau'oli City. Talk to the deliveryman. Boom. A Level 50 Mythical Pokemon for free. It’s probably the easiest Mythical catch in the history of the franchise. No Gamestop trips, no codes on the back of receipts. Just a scan.
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Mastering the Weekly Schedule
You can't just scan and hope for the best if you're looking for something specific. The Island Scan is a strict calendar. If you want a Bulbasaur, you have to be on Melemele Island on a Friday. Looking for a Squirtle? That’s Melemele on a Monday.
Melemele Island
- Monday: Squirtle
- Tuesday: Onix
- Wednesday: Horsea
- Thursday: Klink
- Friday: Bulbasaur
- Saturday: Litwick
- Sunday: Charmander
Akala Island
- Monday: Spheal
- Tuesday: Luxio
- Wednesday: Honedge
- Thursday: Venipede
- Friday: Gothita
- Saturday: Spheal (Wait, actually it's Sky-High Pokemon like Emboar's pre-evolutions in specific slots)
- Sunday: Mimikyu (Just kidding, it's usually Swadloon)
Actually, I should be precise here because the "Ultra" versions changed the pool from the original Sun and Moon. In Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon, Akala gives you things like Ralts on Sundays and Mawile on Tuesdays. It’s a much better list than the base games.
The Weird Glitches and Limitations
There’s always a catch. You can’t use these codes to get Shiny Pokemon directly. Scanning a Shiny Pokemon’s QR code will put the Shiny version in your Pokedex as "Seen," but the Island Scan Pokemon itself isn't guaranteed to be shiny. You still have to do the work. You still have to soft reset if you're hunting for those sparkles.
Also, don't try to change your system clock to trick the game. Pokemon games have a built-in penalty for time-travelers. If you change the date on your 3DS to skip to "Friday" for that Bulbasaur, the game will freeze all time-based events for 24 to 48 hours. You’ll just end up waiting longer. Just play it straight.
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Finding the Codes
Where do you actually get these? Since I can't show you a gallery here, I’ll tell you exactly where to go. The community has archived every single one. Sites like Imgur and Reddit have massive "Master Albums" of Pokemon Ultra Sun and Moon QR codes.
You’re looking for the 4k resolution grids. They usually have the entire Alolan Pokedex laid out in alphabetical order. You can just scroll through on your phone and point your 3DS at the screen. It works surprisingly well even through a layer of digital glass.
Modern Day Relevance
Why does this matter in 2026? Because the Switch doesn't have this. Pokemon Scarlet and Violet, and whatever comes next, they’ve moved away from this kind of physical interaction. There was something tactile and fun about scanning the world around you to find monsters. It made the "real world" feel a little more connected to the Alola region.
Plus, for those trying to move their collection up to Pokemon HOME (while the Bank is still operational), these QR codes are the fastest way to bridge the gap for those older generations of starters and rares that don't appear in the wild in Alola.
Actionable Steps for Your Next Session
If you're booting up your 3DS right now, here is the most efficient way to handle this:
- Finish the Game First: While you can use the scanner early on, the best Island Scan Pokemon (like the starters and Aegislash) are gated behind your progress or are just much easier to catch when you have Ultra Balls.
- The 10-Scan Routine: Make it a habit. Scan 10 random things while you’re waiting for a bus or watching a movie. Build up those points so when the right day of the week hits, you’re ready.
- Download the Master List: Find a high-res image of the full Pokedex QR list and save it to your phone. It beats searching for individual codes every time you want to see a new entry.
- Grab Magearna: Seriously. If you haven't done this, do it. It’s a free Mythical that helps immensely with the post-game Battle Tree.
- Check the Day: Always verify your in-game day before triggering the scan. Remember, the game day rolls over at midnight, and if you’re playing Ultra Moon, your time is offset by 12 hours from the system clock. Don't waste your 100 points scanning for a Charmander at 11:59 PM only for it to turn into a Squirtle day the second you hit "Go."
The QR system is a relic of a very specific era of Nintendo experimentation. It’s clunky, it’s a bit weird, and it’s definitely "of its time." But it remains one of the most clever ways to bypass the frustration of low encounter rates. Use it. It’ll save you dozens of hours in your quest to catch 'em all.