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Using the February 27th Nintendo Direct to announce biz information , ThePokémonCompany treated us to the latest addition to the mainline game : Pokémon Sword and Shield . AfterLet ’s Go PikachuandEevee , it seems like Nintendo ’s learn a set about how that gameplay experience , of what worked and what did n’t .
They were preparing us all for a new evolution in Pokémon . Now fully make the leap from handheld systems to console , Sword and Shieldhas some high expectation to live up to . Given how muchSun and Moonchanged the Pokémon expression , Sword and Shieldneeds to be in force , graphically beautiful , and continue solicit into that core spirit of Pokémon that keeps us coming back for more .
After rumor and some time to fully endure that dawdler , here are 10 matter we already know about the game .
10. The New Starters
As with any new Pokémon game , we ’re treated to three new crank : Scorbunny , Grookey , and Sobble . Fire , Grass , and Water type Pokémon are always the first to start any adventure ( minus that one time Pikachu was ) and due to how the character match - ups work , it ca-ca signified . Those three are the well-to-do to start your journey with , especially when your first gym has a disadvantage to at least one of the starter character .
We do n’t know their evolutionary chain yet , but given how past evolution have gone , they ’ll most probably finish as three-fold eccentric . Dual eccentric evolution really go back to Generation I of Pokémon , with Venasaur being a Grass / Poison type and Charizard being Fire / Flying . Poor Blastoise , at least make it part Rock . Blastoise deserves some dual love too .
9. The Galar Region
Unlike the Lashkar-e-Toiba ’s Go games , Sword and Shieldwill sum a raw region to the Pokémon world . The Galar region has a blend of very different environments , blending contemporary cities with older architecture . So far , it looks like it was invigorate by England which is adequate division awing and hilarious give that Kalos was inspired by France .
But it ’s cool to see Pokémon carry on to expand their mankind to speculate ours . In sure cases , The Pokémon Company base a region or city on a veridical - world equivalent . Alola was decidedly exhort by Hawaii and Unova draws from the NYC metropolitan area .
The first four regions fall more into fan speculation , but it ’s easy to draw the conclusion that they were based off sure areas of Japan . The Kanto region is fairly much a given , seeing as there ’s a Kanto region of Japan and for the most part , remain similar in geographics to its IRL equivalent . The Johto realm aligns with the Chubu region to the west , Hoenn with Kyushu in the south , and Sinnoh with the northernmost island of Hokkaido .
8. New Pokémon!
This one should be a give , but just in typeface : yes , there will be new Pokémon . normally , the only exclusion to this formula are remake of games , such as Alpha Sapphire and Omega Ruby , or the “ new and meliorate ” handout , like Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon .
So far , we can only officially confirm the three fresh fledgling . But we ’re getting our fair share of intimate look too ! Pikachu , Hoothoot , Wailmer , Tyranitar , and Flygon all made an appearance in the trailer . The games have slowed their pealing on adding more than 100 Pokémon to each newfangled genesis , which is plausibly for the skillful . An updated PokéRap would be impossible . But given the drift of the new mainline games , we can belike expect to see between 70 and 80 young Pokémon .
7. Gyms, Not Trials
Sword and Shieldhas us going back to the classical Gym conflict that made Pokémon so democratic . It ’s bittersweet . The creation of the trials and introducing hearty mini - boss battles into the taradiddle was a welcome change of pace . Going back to a Gym format feels like taking a step back rather than forward , though we still do n’t know how many gymnasium will be in this game .
For the most part , the Alolan trials were a welcome change of pace and introduced some fun construct like Z Powers and Guardian Pokémon as the pseudo - Legendaries . And it was skillful seeing a Legendary that ’s intact purpose was destroying the world . extolment to you if you kept the sobriquet “ Nebby . ”
6. Gym Masters?
In a now - deleted tweet from the official Nintendo of America Twitter , the company mentioned something about the cellular inclusion of Gym Masters rather than the typical Gym Leaders . There ’s not a bunch we can say on this topic , but given the possible title transposition , it could go to a different Gym experience .
A ripe portmanteau of trial run and Gym battles could be cool , given that some of the puzzle element of the trials were a mo wearisome . IfSword and Shieldcan refine that and merge it with the traditional frame-up and battles , it could work really well .
5. Changes fromLet’s Go Pikachu!andLet’s Go Eevee!
Tzunekazu Ishihara , head of the Pokémon Company , reassure us thatSword and Shieldwill be a complete Pokémon secret plan . TheLet ’s Gotitles refine many of the aspects from the more accessiblePokémon GOand accommodate the concepts well to cabinet - based play . But an entire , full - length secret plan of that ? mayhap not the best idea .
In the trailer , we see our character come across a barbaric Pikachu . So we definitely have intercourse the random brush are back , which many prefer over theLet ’s Gostyle . Hey , if it ai n’t broke , do n’t fixate it . Overall , Sword and Shieldlooks and feels like a more traditional Pokémon game and perchance that ’s on the button what the Switch need .
4. Only On The Switch
As of the Nintendo Direct announcement , Sword and Shieldwill only be uncommitted on the Nintendo Switch . Kind of a bummer for those of us still on the 3DS and living vicariously through them .
In all seriousness , the conversion make sense given theLet ’s Gogames . Pokémon makes a habit out of releasing sort of “ test ” games before finalizing a mainline plot or take the fourth dimension to finesse a mainline plot during the off year . So hopefully , we ’ll see the best fromLet ’s GoinSword and Shield .
3. That Late Year Release
The Pokémon Company confirmed thatSword and Shieldwill be strike down in late 2019 . give preceding experience and coarse sensory faculty , this will most likely be around mid - November . But Pokémon in reality corroborate this about a yr ago on their Twitter . We were just hop for , you bed , an actual appointment with the trailer .
Oh well , we can always resume Ultra Sun while we look . Only 7 more months to go !
2. 3D Graphics
We have n’t had a 2D Pokémon game since Generation III on the GameBoy Advance . Diamond and Pearlup toBlack and Whitesaw the start of the 3D environs , but still using 2D animations for the Pokémon battles . pop out with the Kalis region inX and Y , Pokémon fully transitioned to 3D graphics and they have n’t gone back since .
Though we may neglect the sure-enough art , the raw models offer good flexibleness considering the squad has to animate over 800 Pokémon . It ’s amazing that there are so many Pokémon models available in the Amie feature . Whoever animated a happy Giratina is a hero .
1. Pokémon World Cup?
One of the cardinal feature of speech in that deleted Nintendo tweet was a social structure that count like a football game ( soccer for Americans ) stadium . Outside of the States , football is a really giving business deal and among many , is considered the most popular fun worldwide . The FIFA World Cup is played every four years . Around 210 countries take part in the sportsman , though only 32 make it to the pass turn .
Galar in all likelihood wo n’t go that hardcore , but considering how popular football game is worldwide and where Galar is found on , it piss sense to ultimately premise the sport in a very Pokémon direction . The anime sometimes show wall bracket of competitors within the Pokémon League , why not transition some of that over to gameplay ?
NEXT : Gameplay Mechanics We Want ( And Do n’t Want ) In Pokémon Shield & Sword
