As Pokémon Sword and Shield release, revel in the beauty of all that Game Freak has included in their latest titles.
The Pokémon Sword and Shield release day is nearly here. Since the sequels were announced in February, fans have been wildly speculating about what Pokémon would be included in the game’s limited dex.
For the first time ever, Game Freak has committed to not including every Pokémon ever in the game’s Pokédex, and has instead traded quantity for quality.
Pokémon Sword and Shield are a revolution for the Nintendo Switch. With Pokémon: Let’s Go, Pikachu! and Eevee giving us a taste of what it would feel like to play a main series Pokémon game on the Switch, the real treat will come in the form of Pokémon Sword and Shield.
Here’s what will make Sword and Shield so exciting, and why these are must-play titles for fans of the monster-capturing RPG series.
‘Pokémon Sword’ and ‘Shield’ release day hype
New Galarian Pokémon forms/Gigantamax
Some of the magic of the Pokémon series comes from the concept that no given Pokémon is stagnant. It’s always possible that any given Pokémon from any Generation will receive a new evolution, baby, Mega Evolution, regional form, and now, a Gigantamax form.
As only a select few Gigantamax forms have been announced, we can only expect some surprise giant Pokémon alts for fan favorites. Whether they’re from Gen 1 or Gen 7, I can’t wait to see what new forms come about for Pokémon that I didn’t expect a change from.
The Galarian forms are a beautiful continuation off of the Alolan forms of Gen 7. On top of the concept that there are regional variants for given Pokémon, it has also been revealed that a new evolution for regional variants is now possible. As we’ve seen with Sirfetch’d and Obstagoon of the Zigzagoon line, the Pokémon Company sees no limits when it comes to bringing long-forgotten ‘mon back into the meta.
Quality of life
While we don’t have follow Pokémon as we did in the Gen 2 remakes and Let’s Go, we do have a ton of handy features that will make playing through the games all the easier.
One of the hottest upgrades in Pokémon Sword and Shield is the ability to skip through tutorials. Full stop. Ever since the sleeping man in Gen 1 that deemed it important to show you how to catch a Ratatat, the Pokémon games have made the tutorials progressively slower and more grueling. Now that we’re able to breeze right through what could have been a lengthy distraction, replaying these games will be all the more fun.
Just as you were able to in Let’s Go, you will be able to avoid all wild encounters, should you care to, as all wild Pokémon will appear in the overworld. While it is true that you will be able to battle wild Pokémon well over your own level, unfortunately, you cannot catch a ‘mon well over your Gym Badge threshold.
This is probably for the best because if you were able to spam an inexpensive Poké Ball at any wild level 50 Machoke out there, things might get a little too easy too fast.
Lastly, the games will offer the means to get Egg Moves and increased nature benefits a TON easier. If you’re familiar with the candy systems in both Pokémon GO and Let’s Go, then you’ll catch on to the mint and candy trends present in Sword and Shield.
‘Pokémon Go’ and everything in between
It feels like it’s been a while since we’ve had a main entry Pokémon game. Ever since the 2016 3DS release of Pokémon Sun and Moon, players have had side games like Pokémon Masters, Pokémon: Let’s Go and continued updates of Pokémon GO thrown in their faces.
Let’s face it: these side games have felt like cash grabs, with little new content worth getting excited about.
Thankfully, publisher Game Freak acknowledges that the hardcore Pokémon fans are still worth catering to. With Pokémon Sword and Shield, we will be treated to over 100 new Pokémon/forms, many more Pokémon Gyms than we’ve ever had before, a new evil team to take down, and the new battle mechanics of Giantamax/Dynamaxing.
It’s going to be a bit overwhelming at first, but all of these new elements will eventually become a cohesive part of the Pokémon narrative that we all know and love.
It’s my hope that you’re able to remain spoiler-free if that is your wish. If you want to be spoiled, you shouldn’t have any problems, as full playthroughs of the game have been floating around on the internet over the past week or so.
Cherish this feeling, because it’s not every day that you get to experience a brand new Pokémon adventure. Grab some potions and stock up on Poké Balls. Galar has been waiting for you.
‘Pokémon Sword’ and ‘Shield’ release date
Pokémon Sword and Shield release for the Nintendo Switch on November 15, 2019. They are available for purchase in a dual-pack, as well as individually both digitally and physically.
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