Pokemon Sword & Shield: launch date, starter Pokemon, setting, new options and extra

It’s time for a brand new Pokemon technology. Soon trainers will have the ability to journey in a brand new world in Pokemon Sword and Pokemon Shield – and there’s numerous new additions this time round.

Pokemon Sword and Shield symbolize a serious shift for Pokemon: it’s the primary time the sequence has ventured off Nintendo’s present handheld system to convey the principle sequence to a full-power console – although after all that switch is aided by the truth that Nintendo’s Switch is each transportable and TV-bound all of sudden. It’s theoretically one of the best of each worlds.

It all appears to be like fairly nice – and developer Game Freak says that they’re aiming to make this the “greatest Pokemon yet”. After a step again right into a extra simplistic, beginner-friendly design in Pokemon Let’s Go Pikachu and Eevee, this game is supposed to be a fully-fledged, correctly complicated Pokemon expertise as soon as once more.

On this web page, we’ll replace usually with every thing we find out about Pokemon Sword and Pokemon Shield – so bookmark it and maintain checking again as we get nearer to its launch on the finish of the 12 months, as new Pokemon and options are introduced.

Pokemon Sword & Shield launch date

Let’s simply get this one out of the way in which up prime: Pokemon Sword and Pokemon Shield will each launch on Nintendo Switch on November 15, 2019. This is a worldwide launch, and was introduced as a part of the particular July Pokemon Direct broadcast.

What precisely will you be having fun with come November? Well, enable us to present you a guided tour of among the options you may count on in Pokemon Sword and Shield…

Pokemon Sword & Shield: launch date, starter Pokemon, setting, new options and extra

Pokemon Sword & Shield starter Pokemon: meet Grooky, Scorbunny and Sobble

As all the time, trainers in Pokemon Sword and Pokemon Shield will get a alternative between one in all three all-new starter Pokemon as they start their journey within the Galar Region, an all-new space of the Pokemon World we’ve by no means seen earlier than. As all the time the three starter Pokemon fall into the Fire, Grass and Water sorts, although who is aware of how they’ll evolve. Which are you going to decide on? Here’s the brand new starter trio…

  • Grookey (Grass Starter): A mischievous Chimp Pokémon that is stuffed with boundless curiosity.
  • Scorbunny (Fire Starter): A Rabbit Pokémon that’s all the time working about, bursting with power.
  • Sobble (Water Starter): A considerably timid Water Lizard Pokémon that shoots out assaults because it hides itself within the water.

As it stands proper now, we don’t know something about what the evolutions of those new starter Pokemon might be like, or what secondary Pokemon sorts their developed types will tackle. As that turns into clear we’ll replace this web page, after all.

Pokemon Sword & Shield Setting: The Galar Region

As all the time, a brand new Pokemon game means a brand new area of the Pokemon world to discover. The Pokemon world is very similar to our personal, and previous games have seen areas of the land, areas, primarily based on locations from the true world. Pokemon X and Y befell in an space designed to evoke a part of France, as an illustration. Pokemon Black and White have been primarily based on New York City and the encompassing areas. Pokemon Sun and Moon was some of the apparent settings to decipher, clearly primarily based off Hawaii. Many of the unique games are likewise primarily based on varied areas of Japan.

In Pokemon Sword and Pokemon Shield, the area you’ll be exploring is the Galar area – and it seems to be primarily based off a part of the UK. The map has some recognizable nods to the UK and really appears to be like a bit just like the UK flipped the wrong way up in case you look fastidiously. On prime of that, there’s a definite old-English really feel to what we’ve seen of the world up to now. We’ll probably quickly be taught if that’s appropriate through interviews – and a affirmation that this can be a area close to to Kalos, which relies off France, would additionally verify that.

The Pokemon Company describe Galar as “an expansive region with diverse environments— an idyllic countryside, contemporary cities, thick forest, and craggy, snow-covered mountains. The people and the Pokemon who live there work together closely to develop the industries in the region. Fans will have the opportunity to visit various Gyms in the Galar region in their quest to become Champion.”

Galar will after all be house to new breeds of Pokemon – although we haven’t been launched to any aside from the starter Pokemon simply but.

New Features & Pokemon in Sword and Shield

It isn’t all nearly a brand new area and a few new starter Pokemon, after all – a brand new game and a brand new area means a raft of recent options and additions to the broader Pokemon world. Here’s an inventory of what new options to count on in Pokemon Sword & Shield – and what every does.

Pokemon Sword & Shield Pokemon List & New Pokemon

While we don’t know precisely what number of Sword and Shield will add to the Pokedex, we do know the journey to the Galar Region will introduce us to a variety of recent Pokemon of varied sorts. That’ll embody all-new Pokemon, we all know, however we wouldn’t be stunned to additionally see some new evolutions or types which might be Galar-themed for current favorites.

Here’s what we all know of Pokemon within the game up to now:

  • We don’t know what number of new species there might be – we solely know of a handful up to now. If you need to see a full new Pokemon list for Sword and Shield, we’ve bought a separate web page for that.
  • On prime of that, there are after all new Legendary Pokemon – Zacian (Sword) and Zamazenta (Shield), with leaks suggesting there may also be a 3rd legendary beast. Click right here to be taught extra in regards to the Pokemon Sword & Shield Legendary Pokemon.
  • One main reason behind debate is the truth that there will not be a National Pokedex in Sword & Shield – there’ll solely be the regional Galar Pokedex. That signifies that any Pokemon outdoors these discovered naturally in Galar gained’t have the ability to be transferred to the game – that means that of the 800-plus Pokemon species, solely round 400 (a minimum of) might be usable in Sword & Shield.

Dynamax helps you to battle large Pokemon

Every Pokemon game has some type of cute gimmick which you could’t assist however suspect was added as a result of it’d look nice in trailers, and for Pokemon Sword and Shield that characteristic is Dynamax. Dynamax helps you to battle Pokemon as regular – however on an enormous scale. Like, a big scale – simply have a look at that Pikachu within the picture a couple of headers above.

A dynamaxed Pokemon isn’t simply larger – it’s extra highly effective, dealing large harm. It works as soon as per battle and solely lasts three turns – and it additionally performs an enormous position in stadiums, that are the Galar Region’s model of Pokemon gyms. Pokemon which might be Dynamaxed may also acquire entry to new, particular ‘Max Moves’, that are in flip decided by a Pokemon’s broader transfer set.

Join forces with Friends in Raid Battles

In a twist maybe taken from the raid battles in Pokemon Go, Sword and Shield will characteristic raid battles that’ll make use of the very fact Switch is a correct house console with a correct web connection in addition to its portability. You’ll have the ability to hyperlink as much as different methods for native co-op raids, but in addition head on-line to sort out these exhausting boss Pokemon with different trainers on-line.

Officially known as Max Raid Battles, these battles are – you guessed it – in opposition to the Dynamaxed giant-size Pokemon. Four gamers will sort out them, and on the finish you’ll get the possibility to catch these Pokemon, too. Some Pokemon will solely seem through the Max Raid Battles.

Trainer Appearance Options, new NPCs and extra

Beyond the additions that affect moment-to-moment play, Pokemon Sword and Shield additionally convey new characters – together with new trainers and NPCs. Above, you may see the brand new participant character choices that you just’ll have the ability to select from on the onset of a brand new journey into the Galar Region.

Beyond that, there are different new characters to satisfy, together with Pokemon Champion Leon (with the cape), Rival Hop (with the fluffy collar), Professor Magnolia (the outdated woman), her assistant Sonia (the redhead) and your first Gym chief, Milo. See all of them on this gallery:


 
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