Pokémon Sword and Shield

Pokémon Sword and Shield
Developer	Game Freak
Publisher	Nintendo, The Pokémon Company
System	Nintendo Switch
Release Date	November 15, 2019
Rating	ESRB: E

Pokémon Sword and Pokémon Shield are a paired versions of a monster-collecting RPG that was released for the Nintendo Switch in 2019. These games mark the eighth generation of the Pokémon series and are the first fully original mainline Pokémon games for the Nintendo Switch. DLC for the games were released in 2020. These games are set in the Galar region, which is based on the United Kingdom.

Story

The player character is a youth living in Postwick within the Galar region. The trainer and their neighbor Hop receive Starter Pokémon from Hop's brother Leon, who is the region's current Pokémon League Champion. After an encounter with a mysterious Pokémon in the Slumbering Weald, the trainers receive the Pokédex app from Sonia and an endorsement from Leon to take part in the region's Gym Challenge. And so the trainer sets off on a journey to take on the eight gyms of Galar's major league to earn the badges necessary to take part in the Championship Cup. Along the way, they contend with multiple rivals: not just their neighbor Hop, but Marnie and Bede as well. They also have to contend with obstructions caused by Team Yell, a group composed of overzealous Marnie fans. In the course of the journey, they also help Sonia to study the Darkest Day, an ancient event connected to the region's Dynamax phenomenon.

Gameplay

This game follows the basic gameplay premise of the Pokémon games, in which players explore areas and take part in Pokémon battles against both wild Pokémon and other trainers. Wild Pokémon can be caught, and the player can train their Pokémon to become stronger, with many of them being capable of evolving into stronger forms. In these games, wild Pokémon appear in ways that are a mix of the traditional method and the overworld appearances from the Let's Go! games, as Pokémon encounters can randomly generate in open grass (and water) while Pokémon can also be generated in the overworld. These games also follow one precedent from the seventh generation by introducing new regional forms of some existing Pokémon.

Mega Evolution is excluded entirely for the first time since its introduction in X/Y, and it is replaced by a different gameplay mechanic known that is called Dynamax. This refers to a process in which a Pokémon transforms into a giant version of itself and becomes more powerful, with its moves also changing into stronger moves of the same element. Some Pokémon also have a Gigantamax factor, which means that they transform into an alternate form while Dynamaxing, which is known as a Gigantamax form. Trainers can only Dynamax one Pokémon per battle, and it only lasts for three turns. There are also Max Raid Battles against wild Dynamaxed Pokémon. During these battles, the Wild Pokémon will stay in Dynamax form for the entirety of the battle and can put up barriers to resist the player's attacks. Four trainers fight together against the Dynamaxed Pokémon in a Max Raid Battle, with only one of them being able to Dynamax their own Pokémon for a battle, with the same constraints as in a trainer battle. The wild Pokémon will escape if it is not defeated within ten turns, or if four of the trainers' Pokémon faint in a battle. After being defeated, the player will have an option to try to catch the Pokémon and will earn a number of items regardless of whether or not the catch was successful.

Another big feature of Sword/Shield is the Wild Area, which is a large expansive area that is a central part of Galar. It contains a variety of environments and numerous Pokémon whose availability shift depending on the weather and the time of day. The Wild Area contains Raid Dens, from which players can initiate Max Raid Battles and also gain Watts, which are used to exchange for items within the Wild Area. The Wild Area is also filled with ghost data of other players, who will give the player random items when spoken to. Some other features added for the game include a Camp feature in which players can interact with their Pokémon to build up their friendship and cook food for them. The Pokémon PC also now has a Poké Jobs feature in which Pokémon can be sent out to do jobs to earn experience, as a way of leveling Pokémon that are not actively being used by the player.

One other difference from past Pokémon games (though implemented in Let's Go!) is that there are limits on the Pokémon species included in the game and that could be transferred in from other games. Upon release, it was restricted to the 400 Pokémon featured in the Galar Pokédex, but the DLC added more than 200 more Pokémon to the game and allowed for additional Pokémon (including some of the starter, Legendary and Mythical Pokémon) to be transferred into the game.

As with most Pokémon games, the primary difference between the two versions is that some Pokémon are exclusive to each version, which includes the version's featured Legendary Pokémon. Sword and Shield also uniquely applies this to Gym Leaders, as two of the Gym Leaders are different depending on the version.

Connectivity

Sword and Shield can connect to each other, either locally or online, for trading and battling. This also extended to Max Raid Battles and Dynamax Adventures, where players of either game could come in locally or online. Most of the online functionality is managed through a feature called the Y-Comm. These games did not have any other connectivity until Pokémon Home went live in February 2020. Pokémon from Sword/Shield could be transferred to and from Pokémon Home. And through Pokémon Home, Pokémon from past Pokémon games could be transferred to Sword/Shield, with the exception of Pokémon unavailable in those games.

While these games could not connect directly to Let's Go!, there is a bonus available for players who have save data for one of the games on the Switch. Depending on which Let's Go! version the player has, the player can receive a Gigantamax Pikachu and/or Gigantamax Eevee as a gift from an NPC.

DLC

These games featured two DLC packs which featured storylines taking place in new environments and introduced some additional new Pokémon. Other Pokémon from past games were also added with each part of the DLC, and each featured area functioned as another Wild Area.

The first DLC pack was The Isle of Armor, which was released in June 2020. In that DLC, the player visits the Isle of Armor and trains with a former champion named Mustard. This DLC also introduced a new rival character who differed depending on the version (Klara in Sword or Avery in Shield). It featured the new Legendary Pokémon line of Kubfu/Urshifu and also introduced Galarian forms for Slowpoke and Slowbro. Max Soup was introduced, which could be made from Max Mushrooms that generated from taking part in Max Raid Battles, and the soup could be used to give the Giganatamax factor to compatible Pokémon. Other featured with this DLC included an item generator called the Cram-o-matic, a move tutor, new clothes and a sidequest in which the player had to find Alolan Diglett across the overworld to unlock prizes. The lead Pokémon of the player's party could also follow the player around while on the Isle of Armor, a feature from several past Pokémon games.

The second DLC was The Crown Tundra, which was made available in October 2020. This DLC was focused on Legendary Pokémon, and its story involved the player character working with an explorer named Peony to investigate mysteries connected to Legendary Pokémon on the tundra. This DLC brings back numerous Legendary Pokémon from past games and also introduced new ones. These include Galarian forms of the legendary birds from the first generation, which have to be pursued in the overworld after being awakened. It also includes new Legendary Pokémon for the "Regi" set, Regieleki and Regidrago. For the Regis and for another pair of Legendary Pokémon (Glastrier and Spectrier), the player can only choose to gain one of the two. One other feature included with this DLC was the Dynamax Advenures. These are expanded versions of Max Raid Battles in which a group of four trainers progresses through a cave and picks branching paths as they go through several Max Raid Battles, which ends in one that is against one of numerous Legendary Pokémon or Ultra Beasts. Players cannot use their own Pokémon for Dynamax Adventures and instead must choose from randomly-selected Pokémon. This DLC also brought in the Galarian Star Tournament, which was unlocked by completing the main game's story and both of the DLC's storylines. This was a special tournament in which players took place in Multi Battles involving various trainers from the game, and the player could pick one of those trainers as their partner.

In November 2020, a physical bundle was released which contained both versions of the game and both DLC.

Legacy

The game has been known to have a divisive reputations, as some fans were displeased with the quality of the game and story, as well as of the Pokémon unavailable for the game. Despite that, the games have been a success in terms of sales.

It has been indicated that Sword/Shield will not have additional versions, as the DLC takes the place of a potential third version. As a promotion for the game, some of the game's Pokémon were added into Super Smash Bros. Ultimate as Spirits. Pokémon introduced in this game would also be featured in spin-off games such as New Pokémon Snap. Pokémon Masters EX also introduced Galarian trainers and Pokémon eventually, as well as adding Dynamaxing.

Sequels

The next main games to be released would be Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl, the remakes of the fourth generation games. Unlike past remakes, these games were developed by a different company and replicated the style of the original games rather than emulating the style of the most recent games (which would be Sword/Shield). This was followed by Pokémon Legends: Arceus, which marked another departure from the norm in that it was set in a past version of an existing region and introduced new Pokémon and forms without being a new generation. Finally, it was followed by the ninth generation in November 2022 with Pokémon Scarlet and Violet.