Super Rocket Radar in Pokémon GO: How to Easily Get It?

If you’re wondering how to get Super Rocket Radar in Pokémon GO, you're not alone. This powerful item is the key to tracking down Giovanni, the leader of Team GO Rocket. Defeating him gives you the chance to catch rare Shadow Legendary Pokémon, making the radar highly valuable for Trainers.

As of 2025, the Super Rocket Radar is mainly earned by completing special research quests released by Niantic. These quests aren't always active, so you'll need to keep an eye out for events like Team GO Rocket takeovers. In this guide, we'll cover how to get the radar, how to use it, and more.

Part 1. What Is a Super Rocket Radar?

A Super Rocket Radar is a special item in Pokémon GO that helps you find the hideout of Giovanni, the boss of Team GO Rocket. It's an upgraded version of the regular Rocket Radar, which is used to locate Team GO Rocket Leaders like Arlo, Cliff, and Sierra.

How Super Rocket Radar Works?

When you equip a Super Rocket Radar from your bag, it won't immediately show you Giovanni's exact location. Instead, it will display the locations of various PokéStops and Team GO Rocket balloons that could potentially be Giovanni's hideout. Many of these will be decoys, with ordinary Team GO Rocket Grunts disguised as Giovanni. You'll need to visit these locations and battle the Grunts until you find Giovanni himself.

Once you find and defeat Giovanni, you'll have the chance to catch a Shadow Legendary Pokémon, which changes periodically with in-game events.

Part 2. How to Get Super Rocket Radar in Pokémon GO?

Method 1: Complete Team GO Rocket Special Research

The most reliable and official way to earn a Super Rocket Radar is by completing Team GO Rocket Special Research stories tied to Shadow Legendary Pokémon events.

For example, in early 2025 the Fashion Week: Taken Over quest awarded the Super Rocket Radar after defeating the three Rocket Leaders as part of the storyline.

Once you beat Arlo, Cliff, and Sierra, you'll receive the Super Rocket Radar, which you can then equip to locate Giovanni via balloons or corrupted PokéStops (though decoy Grunts may appear first).

Method 2: Stacking Special Research for Future Radars

While you can only hold one Super Rocket Radar at a time, savvy players use a strategy called research stacking:

• Don't progress past Page 1 of a Special Research quest that will eventually reward a Super Rocket Radar.
• This keeps the quest "active" but unstarted, allowing Niantic to issue you new Special Research quests in later seasons that also offer another Super Rocket Radar—without completing the current one.
• Once your preferred Shadow Legendary rotates into Giovanni’s pool, you can complete each pending research to receive multiple Super Rocket Radars for selective usage.

Method 3: Complete Giovanni-Related Timed Research

Here's how to complete Giovanni‑related Timed Research in Pokémon GO — the quests that reward a Super Rocket Radar and a showdown with Giovanni:

What Is Timed Research?

Timed Research tasks are limited-time missions available during major in-game events (like GO Fest, Halloween). These quests expire when the event ends.

Step 1: First of all, earn the research ticket. It typically tied to events like Crown Clash: Taken Over, you'll receive a research ticket when you purchase the paid Timed Research bundle (e.g., $4.99 during Crown Clash), or receive it automatically if included in a qualifying event bundle.

Step 2: Track progress during the event. Just open your Today View → Timed Research tab to view active Giovanni quests. Tasks often include defeating Rocket Grunts, beating Team GO Rocket Leaders, and completing specific catches or item usage. Since it's timed, finish early—these tasks vanish once the event ends.

Step 3: Once you complete the designated step (usually around Step 2 or 3), you'll be awarded a Super Rocket Radar. This unlocks the Giovanni encounter—equipping it is needed to locate his hideout.

Step 4: With the Super Rocket Radar equipped, you can check Rocket Balloons or corrupted PokéStops, investigate each (expect several decoy Grunts before finding Giovanni) and beat him to encounter the current Shadow Legendary and reap rewards.

Part 3. How to Use the Super Rocket Radar in Pokémon GO?

The Super Rocket Radar helps you locate and battle Giovanni, the Team GO Rocket boss. But it works a bit differently than regular Radars.

Step 1: Open your Item Bag. Tap on the Super Rocket Radar. Select "Equip" to activate it. Once equipped, it begins revealing Giovanni’s potential locations on the map.

Step 2: Red corrupted PokéStops (Team GO Rocket-controlled) may now show Giovanni or decoys. You may also see a Rocket Balloon with Giovanni (usually appears once per day).

Step 3: Travel to PokéStops highlighted by the Radar. Tap the PokéStop and battle the Team GO Rocket member. If it's a decoy, it'll be a regular Grunt pretending to be Giovanni. If it's real, the Giovanni battle begins immediately. Repeat until you find the real Giovanni.

Step 4: Once found, you'll battle Giovanni and his team. Winning grants you a chance to catch a Shadow Legendary Pokémon. After winning, the Super Rocket Radar is consumed.

Tips for Using the Super Rocket Radar

• Don't rush: Take your time. You can unequip the Radar if you're not ready.
• Check during events: Giovanni only appears during certain periods when special research is active.
• Use in rural areas: Balloons are more reliable than PokéStops if you don't want to travel.
• Plan your counters: Giovanni's Pokémon change seasonally, so prepare your battle team accordingly.

Part 4. Quick Tips to Speed Through Team GO Rocket Research

Struggling to find enough PokéStops or Rocket Balloons to complete your Team GO Rocket research quickly? Whether you're in a rural area or just want to speed things up, changing your location virtually can help you encounter more Team GO Rocket Grunts, Leaders, and even Giovanni—faster.

One popular tool that can help with this is TunesKit Location Changer, which allows you to spoof your GPS location without rooting or jailbreaking your device. It can also set up auto walk in Pokémon GO. Here's how to use it safely and effectively:

Step 1 Connect Your Device

Download and install TunesKit Location Changer on your PC, connect your iPhone or Android phone to PC using a USB cable. For iPhone, Bluetooth connection is supported. Just click the Start button on the main screen. For Android users, you can select Game Mode, just click the Pokemon GO icon to launch the game. For iPhone users, you can directly access to the map interface.

Step 2 Select a Location Spoofing Mode

2.1 There are 5 location spoofing modes for you to choose from, if you want to simulate movement in Pokemon GO, you can select two-spot movement, multi-spot movement or Joystick movement to start. If you want to Jump teleport to a new spot, just select the Jump Teleport mode.

2.2 Enter the a specific location or coordination in the search box, or drag a pin in the map, once confirmed, click the Start Moving button to simulate movement or change your phone's GPS location.

Step 3 Start Spoofing Location in Pokémon GO

Open Pokémon GO and start exploring the new area—PokéStops, Rocket Balloons, and Grunts will refresh based on your new position. After battling at one location, use TunesKit to jump to another hotspot. This helps you find all three Team GO Rocket Leaders and Giovanni faster, maximizing your Super Rocket Radar use.

Part 5. FAQs about the Super Rocket Radar

Part 6. Conclusion

This guide walks you through the official methods to earn the Super Rocket Radar by completing Team GO Rocket Special or Timed Research tasks. It also introduces TunesKit Location Changer as a helpful tool for players who want to speed up the process. By virtually changing your GPS location, TunesKit allows you to access more PokéStops and Rocket Balloons, helping you find Team GO Rocket Leaders and Giovanni more efficiently—especially in areas with limited in-game activity.