POKEMON SWORD & SHIELD AN EXCITING NEW ERA FOR THE FRANCHISE ON SWITCH
With Pokemon Sword & Shield here, our hype is at a fever pitch. We break down the best parts of what you can expect from the new game.
November 15, 2019
Pokemon Sword and Shield ushers in an all-new era of the Pokemon universe on the Nintendo Switch. It’s been a long time coming, but it’s finally here. Players will head to the Galar region to find all new pocket monsters, a brand new quest full of fresh gyms to defeat, and so much more. If you’re wondering what to expect from this all-new adventure, we have the best of the best covered right here for you. Here’s what to look out for in Pokemon Sword and Shield.
The Galar Region in Sword & Shield
The Galar Region is vast land with plenty of amazing sites to see, from open countrysides, to bustling cities, to giant mountains.
The new Galar Region is Pokemon Sword and Shield’s fresh new land to explore. As each Pokemon era and region are often heavily based on certain areas of the world, the popular word going around is that Galar takes influences from the United Kingdom and London in particular. There are sweeping countrysides and vast mountains to explore on your journey and wondrous things hide in every corner of the land. Want to get around in a hurry? No problem. As you discover more of the land, you’ll find special stations featuring the Corvusknight Taxi service. These helpful (if not a bit intimidating) birds will be able to fly you around to places you’ve been before so you can move along with your expedition as much as needed. There could be other Pokemon that will help you along your journey with their special abilities as well.
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Shop NowAs usual, the Galar region is chock full of secrets in every nook and cranny of the environment. You never know what kind of interesting items or secret Pokemon you might find off the beaten path, so it’s important to look high and low if you want to see everything this land has to offer.
How many Pokemon are in Sword & Shield?
Grookey, Scorbunny, and Sobble are just the start of a world brimming with around 400 different Pokemon to collect.
Of course, the main reason you’re here is to discover all of the new Pokemon, right? Pokemon Sword & Shield is chockfull of new and old monsters alike. From the aforementioned flying Corvusknight to the adorable starters, Sobble, Grookey, and Scorbunny, Galar is full of new critters you’ve never seen before. That said, the big question is this: How many Pokemon are in Sword and Shield? Well, there are supposedly around 400 Pokemon between Sword and Shield with 81 all-new, never-before-seen monsters in the mix. Though there isn’t any way at this time to bring Pokemon over from previous games, you’ll find a grand collection of creatures along the wild roads and tall grass of the Galar Region.
What does Dynamax mean in Sword & Shield?
When Dynamaxed Pokemon is in play, you’re set to have a battle of epic proportions.
No doubt, if you’ve looked at Pokemon Sword and Shield for any amount of time, you’ve had a chance to see something called Dynamax, which is an all-new way to battle. If a Pokemon takes on a Dynamax form, they’ll transform into a super massive monster version of themselves, complete with new abilities and much greater power. Mega Evolutions from previous games have been entirely replaced by this new Dynamax system in the Galar region.
Throughout your battles in both the wild and in official Pokemon matches, you’ll come across trainers who will use Dynamax to power up their Pokemon. The only answer is to bring an equally-sized Pokemon of your own to the fight and deliver destruction upon your foe. Your Pokemon will gain all new Max abilities that can only be used while in that form. Just use Dynamax with your Pokemon carefully. A Dynamax form can only be maintained for three moves and it can only be done once per battle. You could get caught in a rough situation if you bust Dynamax out too early or even be bullied in submission if you let your opponent employ their Dynamaxed Pokemon to the fullest.
Want an even more special giant Pokemon that goes beyond even the Dynamaxed forms? Then you need to find yourself a Gigantamax Pokemon. There are only a few types of Pokemon that have Gigantamax forms, but these special forms are rare finds. They feature different looks and even more powerful “G-Max” moves that only they can learn. It won’t be easy to get them, but if you can, then they’re well worth it.
Max Raid Battles in Pokemon Sword & Shield
Max Raid Battles will be difficult to win, to say the least, but if you can wonderful rewards wait for you and other trainers at the end.
There’s more to the journey of Pokemon Sword and Shield than just gym battles and the Pokemon League. To become a true master will require joining together with other trainers to take on Max Raid Battles. Whether you go online and join up with other players or take NPC trainers into the fight with you, you’re going to need all the help you can get. Max Raid Battles feature very special wild Dynamaxed Pokemon that don’t transform back into normal forms after three turns. By teaming up with other trainers and using Dynamaxed Pokemon of your own at the right time, you can take on these special event battles and maybe even catch the special Dynamaxed Pokemon. Heck… you might even find a Gigantamax Pokemon on a Max Raid Battle if you’re lucky.
There’s a ton to look forward to when you enter the Galar Region in Pokemon Sword & Shield. Battles of epic proportions and a grand adventure await players ahead as they explore this brand-new land. What are you most excited to see in Pokemon Sword and Shield?
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