Pokémon Go: Throwback Challenge 2020 week two

Pokemon Go Throwback Challenge
Pokemon Go Throwback Challenge (Image credit: Niantic)

Pokémon Go's latest event, Throwback Challenge 2020, is here, and it's going to be a busy month for all you Pokémon Trainers! Each week will feature new Timed Research, and we here at iMore have all the details for week two — Johto Timed Research!

What is a Throwback Challenge?

Source: Niantic (Image credit: Source: Niantic)

Throwback Challenges are kind of like Special Research, only with the added difficulty of being timed. When you log in during a Throwback Challenge week, you will gain the Timed Research line in your Today View. From there, you can complete the research over a set period of time, after which anything left incomplete will disappear.

Each week in May 2020 will feature a different Timed Research line, and completing them all will unlock an additional line during the first week of June. The weeks are supposed to begin each Friday at 1 p.m. local time. The first week in Kanto just wrapped up on May 8, 2020 and now we're moving into week two in the Johto region.

Throwback Challenge 2020: Johto Timed Research

This week's special Timed Research line dropped early and is available now. It includes a lot of Pokémon from Gen II in the Johto region. We have Pokémon reward encounters for every step, as well as for a few of the individual tasks, and more of these Pokémon than not have the potential to be Shiny. Nearly every step of this Timed Research line can be completed without ever leaving home, and all of them can be completed solo. The only task that might require leaving the house is hatching an egg.

  • Asterisk denotes Pokémon with the potential to be Shiny

Step One

Pokemon Go 178 Xatu Male (Image credit: Niantic)
  1. Catch a Flying type Pokémon for 500 Stardust.
  2. Catch three Grass, Water, or Fire type Pokémon for 10 Poké Balls.
  3. Send a gift to a friend for a Dunsparce* encounter

Completion Rewards: Xatu* encounter, one Silver Pinap Berry, two Golden Razz Berries

Step Two

Pokemon Go 204 Pineco (Image credit: Niantic)
  1. Play with your Buddy Pokémon for a Spinarak encounter.
  2. Give your Buddy Pokémon three treats for five Razz Berries.
  3. Catch a Bug type Pokémon for 500 Stardust.

Completion Rewards: Pineco* encounter, two Silver Pinap Berries, one Golden Razz Berry.

Step Three

Pokemon Go 241 Miltank (Image credit: Niantic)
  1. Make three Great Throws for a Charged TM.
  2. Hatch an egg for a Snubbull* encounter.
  3. Catch a Normal type Pokémon for 500 Stardust.

Completion Rewards: Miltank encounter, one Silver Pinap Berry, two Golden Razz Berries.

Step Four

Pokemon Go 200 Misdreavous (Image credit: Niantic)
  1. Evolve a Pokémon for a Sudowoodo* encounter.
  2. Catch five different species of Pokémon for 10 Great Balls.
  3. Catch a Ghost type Pokémon for 500 Stardust.

Completion Rewards: Misdreavous* encounter, two Silver Pinap Berries, one Golden Razz Berry.

Step Five

Pokemon Go 237 Hitmontop (Image credit: Niantic)
  1. Take three snapshots with your Buddy Pokémon for a Shuckle* encounter.
  2. Make four Nice Curveball Throws for a Mantine encounter.
  3. Catch a Fighting type Pokémon for 500 Stardust.

Completion Rewards: Hitmontop encounter, one Silver Pinap Berry, two Golden Razz Berries.

Step Six

Pokemon Go 227 Skarmory (Image credit: Niantic)
  1. Catch an Electric type Pokémon for an Incense.
  2. Power up Pokémon three times for a Mareep* enounter.
  3. Catch a Steel type Pokémon for 500 Stardust.

Completion Rewards: Skarmory* encounter, two Silver Pinap Berries, one Golden Razz Berry.

Step Seven

Pokemon Go 221 Piloswine Male (Image credit: Niantic)
  1. Evolve a Pokémon for a King's Rock.
  2. Catch a Water type Pokémon for a Gligar* encounter.
  3. Catch an Ice type Pokémon for 500 Stardust.

Completion Rewards: Piloswine* encounter, one Silver Pinap Berry, two Golden Razz Berries.

Step Eight

Pokemon Go 232 Donphan Female (Image credit: Niantic)
  1. Take a snapshot of an Ice type Pokémon for a Dragon Scale.
  2. Battle another Trainer for 10 Ultra Balls.
  3. Power up Pokémon six times for 500 Stardust.

Completion Rewards: Donphan enounter, two Silver Pinap Berries, one Golden Razz Berry.

Step Nine

Pokemon Go 250 Ho Oh (Image credit: Niantic)
  1. Autocompleted for 3000 XP
  2. Autocompleted for 3000 XP
  3. Autocompleted for 3000 XP

Completion rewards: Ho-Oh* encounter with the event exclusive move Earthquake, and five Rare Candies.

Bonuses

To help you complete these Timed Research tasks, the following features and bonuses will be in effect all week:

  • Pokémon from the Johto region will be spawning more frequently, including Dunsparce and Skarmory.
  • Pokémon from the Johto region will also be in more Raids.
  • Pokémon from the Johto region will be featured in 7 KM Eggs, including Chinchou, Yanma, Girafarig, Pineco, Dunsparce, Gligar, Shuckle, Skarmory, and Phanpy.
  • PIkachu wearing an Umbreon hat will be available.
  • Shiny Dunsparce will be introduced.
  • Event-exclusive Field Research will reward players with encounters featuring Pokémon originally found in the Johto region.
  • Catch and Raid Stardust will be doubled all week.

What's next?

Once you've completed these Timed Research tasks, you can sit back, relax, and wait for next week's Throwback Challenge to unlock. Beginning Friday, May 15 at 1 p.m. local time, the Hoenn Timed Research line will unlock. As soon as it does, we'll be here to update you on every task involved.

Questions?

Do you have any questions about completing week two of the Throwback Challenge event? What Pokémon and rewards do you hope to see next week? Let us know in the comments below, and be sure to check out our Complete Pokédex, as well as our many Pokémon Go guides so you too can become a Pokémon Master!

Casian Holly

Casian Holly has been writing about gaming at iMore since 2019, but their real passion is Pokémon. From the games to the anime, cards and toys, they eat, sleep, and breathe all things Pokémon. You can check out their many Pokémon Go and Pokémon Sword and Shield guides and coverage here on iMore.