Is Hoopa Rare in Pokémon? Let‘s Break Down the Mythical Pokémon‘s Exclusivity

As a long-time Pokémon fan, Hoopa has always fascinated me. With its playful design belying god-like powers, unique dual formes, and integral lore role, Hoopa stands out among the Mythical Pokémon. But just how rare and valuable is this jolly genie actually? If you‘re wondering what makes Hoopa so hard to get, you‘ve come to the right place!

What Makes Mythical Pokémon Like Hoopa So Rare?

To understand Hoopa‘s prestige, you first have to know what makes Mythical Pokémon special in the Pokémon world. Mythical Pokémon are exceptionally rare, more so than Legendaries. They‘re powerful pocket monsters tied to stories in Pokémon lore, their existence so obscure that some question if they‘re even real.

Unlike Legendary Pokémon who appear multiple times throughout the games, Mythicals like Hoopa only appear once per game, making encountering them a unique experience. They‘re captured to complete the Pokédex, not to further the gameplay. According to Serebii‘s rarity scale, Mythicals are the 2nd rarest class behind Event Legendaries.

Historically, Mythicals could only be obtained by attending real-life distributions or events, though in-game triggers have become more common. Still, distributions are limited, meaning if you missed the event, you missed your chance! This exclusivity imbues these Pokémon with prestige. Let‘s see how Hoopa fits into all this.

Where Hoopa Ranks in Rarity Among Mythicals

So just how rare is Hoopa compared to its Mythical peers? According to Serebii‘s Generation VI rarity rankings, it ranks as the 4th rarest, surpassed only by Diancie, Volcanion, and Marshadow.

To put some hard numbers behind that, Pokémon Database reports that out of the 802 Pokémon at the time, Hoopa was only obtainable by 0.086% of players!

That percentage is likely even lower now since Hoopa has not seen an official distribution in 6 years. For comparison, the more common Mythical Celebi has been obtainable by over 4% of players.

Clearly, Hoopa stands at the higher end of the Mythical rarity scale, which significantly contributes to its prestige amongst collectors and enthusiasts. But how did it become so difficult to get?

The Limited Ways You Could Obtain Hoopa

Hoopa has only been available to players through a handful of distributions:

• 2015 – Serial code event at select retailers for Omega Ruby/Alpha Sapphire. Roughly 300,000 codes were distributed.

• 2016 – McDonald‘s Happy Meal promotion across Europe and Asia for X/Y and Omega Ruby/Sapphire. Only ran for a few weeks.

• 2016 – Serial code event for Korean X/Y/Omega Ruby/Alpha Sapphire games.

And that‘s it! Just those three distributions over a single year, all now expired. No recurring distributions like what Mythicals such as Celebi or Keldeo receive.

According to Bulbapedia, fewer than 1 million Hoopa were estimated to have been distributed in total, nothing for a Pokémon intended to promote X/Y and Omega Ruby/Alpha Sapphire globally.

So unless you got a code in 2015-2016, or trade with someone who did, you‘re currently out of luck adding Hoopa to your collection!

Hoopa‘s Notable Absence From Recent Games

What makes Hoopa‘s lack of availability stand out even more is its absence from recent games while other Mythicals have been obtainable.

For example, in Pokémon Go, Hoopa is one of the only Mythicals yet to be added. And it was notably excluded from the Crown Tundra DLC for Pokémon Sword/Shield which made past-gen Mythicals like Keldeo and Magearna catchable.

It seems that for whatever reason, TPCi has opted to keep Hoopa out of circulation. This wasn‘t expected to last over half a decade! But for collectors, it certainly makes Hoopa all the more exclusive.

Hoopa‘s Value and Rarity in the Pokémon TCG

Beyond the main series games, Hoopa‘s rarity extends to the Pokémon Trading Card Game as well. Hoopa cards are highly coveted by collectors:

• The Secret Rare Hoopa EX (XY Promo) from the 2015 Ancient Origins set sells for $90-120 in PSA 10 "Gem Mint" condition.

• The beautiful full art Hoopa EX (XY Promo) goes for $50-60 in 10 grade.

• Even normal Hoopa EX cards fetch $10-20 in perfect condition.

Consider that most modern promo EX/GX cards sell for under $20 mint, and these prices demonstrate how scarce and in-demand Hoopa cards are. The flashy Secret Rares in particular are only given out as prizes in Japan, making them extra exclusive!

How Does Hoopa Stack Up in Battle?

Of course, rarity isn‘t everything – Hoopa also has the power to back up its prestige! In its Unbound forme, Hoopa boasts a massive base 161 Attack stat and 150 Special Attack. This allows the genie to hit brutally hard on both the physical and special side.

Some key calcs:

• Hyperspace Fury (Neutral): 407 – 479 damage

• Gunk Shot (Max Knuckle Boosted, Poisoned Target): 516 – 608 damage

• Focus Blast: 299 – 353 damage

And with base 80/70/80 bulk, Hoopa Unbound has enough natural durability to switch in and out while dishing heavy damage. Its wide movepool gives excellent coverage options too.

So not only is Hoopa rare, but it brings a fun and powerful battle presence!

Why You Should Try to Add Hoopa to Your Collection

For such a small Pokemon, Hoopa packs a big punch, both in prestige and performance! Beyond just rarity, here‘s why I think Hoopa is a must-have:

• Awesome Design – Hoopa fuses cute and sinister so well. The mischievous smile, the golden seals, the color scheme – it all pops!

• Lore Significance – As the summoner of legendary Pokemon, Hoopa is integral to Kalos myths and feels like a legend come alive.

• Dual Formes – Having two formes with different stats is a cool trait that makes Hoopa more unique.

• Competitive Viability – Hoopa Unbound can run a great mixed attacking set to devastating effect. It‘s so satisfying knocking out Uber-tier threats!

• Flex Value – There‘s no denying having a rare event-exclusive Mythical feels good for your collection!

Let me know if you‘re one of the few privileged trainers who have caught Hoopa! And for those still looking, I wish you best of luck in your search. Just don‘t get duped by counterfeits!

Conclusion

Hoopa stands as one of the rarest and most exclusive Mythicals thanks to extremely limited distributions, its absence in recent games, and valuable TCG cards. If you ever have the opportunity to trade for Hoopa, take it! Having this mischievous djinn in your collection lets you flex on less fortunate trainers.

Of course rarity isn‘t everything, but when paired with Hoopa‘s cool design, lore role, and battle viability, it becomes the cherry on top. Here‘s hoping we finally get another shot to catch the ring-tossing troublemaker in the future!