This article is about theGeneration VIIIgames. For theTCG set, seeSword & Shield (TCG).For the Asian TCG set, seeSword & Shield (ATCG). For thePokémon Adventures story arc, seeSword & Shield arc (Adventures).

Sw redirects here. For the past trade show, seeNintendo Space World.For the TCG expansion, seeSecret Wonders.

Pokémon Sword ポケットモンスター ソード
Pokémon Sword's boxart,featuringCrowned SwordZacian
Pokémon Shield ポケットモンスター シールド
Pokémon Shield's boxart,featuringCrowned ShieldZamazenta
Basic info
Platform:	Nintendo Switch
Category:	RPG
Players:	1-2, 4 players simultaneous
Connectivity:	Wireless,Nintendo Switch Online
Developer:	Game Freak
Publisher:	Nintendo/The Pokémon Company
Part of:	Generation VIIIcore series
Ratings
CERO:	A
ESRB:	E
ACB:	PG
OFLC:	PG
PEGI:	7
GRAC:	ALL
GSRR:	6+
Release dates
Japan:	November 15, 2019
North America:	November 15, 2019
Australia:	November 15, 2019
Europe:	November 15, 2019
South Korea:	November 15, 2019
Hong Kong:	November 15, 2019
Taiwan:	November 15, 2019
Websites
Japanese:	Pokémon.co.jp
English:	Official site Pokémon.com Nintendo.com (Sword) Nintendo.com (Shield)
Japanese boxart Pokémon Sword Japanese boxart Pokémon Shield Japanese boxart

Pokémon Sword (Japanese:ポケットモンスター ソードPocket Monsters Sword) andPokémon Shield (Japanese:ポケットモンスター シールドPocket Monsters Shield) are the primarypaired versions ofGeneration VIII. The games were released on theNintendo Switch worldwide on November 15, 2019 for both retail sale and download. All copies of the game are playable in nine languages: Japanese, English, German, Spanish, French, Italian, Korean, and Simplified and Traditional Chinese.

During E3 2017,Tsunekazu Ishihara announced that the next core series titles would be available on theNintendo Switch, but they were not prepared to release any more information at the time. On May 30, 2018, The Pokémon Company gave apress conference and announced that the new core games would have more traditional gameplay, as opposed to that found inPokémon: Let's Go, Pikachu! and Let's Go, Eevee!.

The games were formally announced onPokémon Day, February 27, 2019 at 11 pm JST during a worldwide announcement through aPokémon Direct hosted by Tsunekazu Ishihara,Junichi Masuda, andShigeru Ohmori. An official trailer was shown, giving information on the region and thefirst partner Pokémon players can choose from.

ThePokémon Sword and Shield Expansion Pass was revealed during aPokémon Direct on January 9, 2020; it adds two new areas to the game,The Isle of Armor andThe Crown Tundra.

Plot

Spoiler warning: this article may contain major plot or ending details.

Theplayer is a young child who lives withtheir mother in the town ofPostwick in theGalarregion. One day, the player's friendHop invites them to meet his big brotherLeon, theChampion of theGalar League, so that they both can receive afirst partner Pokémon from him. After receiving their first partner Pokémon, the player and Hop follow a runawayWooloo into theSlumbering Weald. Inside the foggy forest, they encounter a mysterious Pokémon that is completely unaffected bymoves. After being rescued by Leon, they set out to receive anendorsement from him so that they can participate in Galar'sGym Challenge. After some convincing byProfessor Magnolia, Leon agrees to give both the player and Hop an endorsement. Just then, twoWishing Stars fall out of the sky, and Professor Magnolia converts them intoDynamax Bands for the player and Hop, allowing them toDynamax their Pokémon. The player and Hop then travel together toMotostoke to attend the Gym Challenge's opening ceremony, where they meetRose, the president ofMacro Cosmos and the chairman of the Galar Pokémon League, as well as a band of hooligans known asTeam Yell.

After the opening ceremony, the player sets out to collect the eightBadges required to compete in the Champion Cup tournament fromGym Leaders across the region. Along the way, Professor Magnolia's granddaughter andassistantSonia tells them about Galar's history and a mysterious event known as theDarkest Day. The player ends up uncovering pieces of the Darkest Day's history during theirjourney, much to Sonia's pleasure. Eventually, the player manages to successfully collect the eight Badges and travels toWyndon, where the Champion Cup is held. They win their way through the Champion Cup semifinals, where they defeat Hop and end his dream of surpassing his brother. After confronting Macro Cosmos's vice-presidentOleana atRose Tower, the player participates in the Champion Cup finals and wins their way through it, earning themselves the right to challenge Leon.

However, just before the player and Leon'sbattle can begin, Rose makes a public announcement, revealing that he's going to bring about the second Darkest Day to save Galar from an energy crisis a thousand years in the future. To stop Rose's plans, the player and Hop travel to the Slumbering Weald again to seek help from theLegendary PokémonZacian andZamazenta, one of whom had been the mysterious Pokémon they saw at the start of their journey. They find and take along aRusted Sword and aRusted Shield from the heart of the forest and go to confront Rose inHammerlocke, where it is revealed that the Darkest Day is the result of Rose awakening a Legendary Pokémon known asEternatus. After defeating Rose, the player and Hop go to face Eternatus at the top of theHammerlocke Stadium, where Leon unsuccessfully tries tocatch it, forcing the player to battle it. Once Eternatus seems to have been defeated, however, it suddenly transforms into its even more powerfulEternamax form. Thanks to the sword and the shield they found, the player and Hop are able to summon Zacian and Zamazenta to their aid, and together, they defeat Eternatus in aMax Raid Battle, allowing the player to catch it and thus end the crisis. Three days later, the player finally takes on Leon in a battle atWyndon Stadium and defeats him, ending his career as the undefeated Champion and making the player the new Champion of Galar.

Epilogue

During the post-game, the player and Hop travel to the heart of Slumbering Weald to return the Rusted Sword and the Rusted Shield, only to be confronted by the rich brothersSordward andShielbert, who try to steal the artifacts. Although the player manages to defeat one of the brothers and recover one of the stolen items, the two still manage to get away with the other one. The player and Hop are then forced to travel around Galar to stop the Dynamax Pokémon the brothers have let loose at theGym Stadiums. They eventually confront them again at Hammerlocke Stadium, where they reveal their plan being to reinstate the Galarian monarchy and denigrate Zacian and Zamazenta. Using the artifact they stole, the brothers lure in one of the Legendary Pokémon and drive it berserk, forcing the player to battle it. After it has been defeated, the other Legendary Pokémon appears as well, which the player battles and catches. During the battle, Hop follows the first Legendary to the heart of Slumbering Weald, where he successfully calms it down. Deeming Hop worthy of its trust, the Legendary Pokémon then willingly joins hisparty. The player and Hop then battle for one last time, after which Hop declares that his new dream is to become aPokémon Professor, and Sordward and Shielbert briefly reappear to apologise for their actions.

The Isle of Armor

Main article:The Isle of Armor

The player travels to theIsle of Armor off the coast of Galar and becomes an apprentice in the localMaster Dojo, abattle facility run by former ChampionMustard. They also develop a newrivalry with a Gym Leader-in-training and fellow apprentice namedKlara^Sw/Avery^Sh.

The Crown Tundra

Main article:The Crown Tundra

The player travels to theCrown Tundra in southern Galar, where they meetPeony, an enthusiastic formerSteel-type Gym Leader, and take his daughterPeonia's place in his explorations of solving the legends lurking around the Tundra.

Blurb

A wild new adventure with Pokémon!

You can battle to be the best!

Carve a path to the future!^Sw / Protect the world from disaster!^Sh

Band together in new co-op battles!

Features

The games mix some of the changes introduced inPokémon: Let's Go, Pikachu! and Let's Go, Eevee! with the more traditional gameplay last seen inPokémon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon.Wild Pokémon now appear on the overworld, known as "symbol encounters", similar to the Let's Go games, as well as random encounters shaking intall grass.

Known as the Gym Challenge,Gyms that the player must battle with the goal of becoming theChampion return to the games, after being replaced bytrials inPokémon Sun, Moon, Ultra Sun, and Ultra Moon. The challenge culminates in the annual Champion Cup tournament where the player may challenge the Champion.

Wild Area

Main article:Wild Area

The Wild Area is a vast, open area that connects several towns in theGalar region. It is home to a wide variety ofwildPokémon.

Dynamax and Gigantamax

Main article:DynamaxandGigantamax

Dynamax is a new type of transformation that allows any Pokémon from the Galar region to power up and become larger using theDynamax Band. After Dynamaxing, a Pokémon can useMax Moves.

Gigantamax is a special phenomenon that also changes the appearance of a few individuals of certain species of Pokémon. Like Dynamaxing, the Pokémon is increased in power and becomes bigger. A Gigantamax Pokémon can use aG-Max Move.

Max Raid Battles

Main article:Max Raid Battle

Max Raid Battles are a new cooperative feature that allows up to four players to challenge a Dynamax Pokémon together over local wireless orNintendo Switch Online.

Rotom Phone

Main article:Rotom Phone

Replacing theRotom Pokédex of theGeneration VII games, the Rotom Phone acts not only as aPokédex but also has additional features, such as theTown Map. It also acts as the main interface for the game'smenu.

Y-Comm

Main article:Y-Comm

The Y-Comm serves as an interface to connect with other players over local wireless or on the internet throughNintendo Switch Online. Players cantrade (either a Link Trade orSurprise Trade),battle, swapLeague Cards, and joinMax Raid Battles.

Battle Stadium

Main article:Battle Stadium

Replacing theBattle Spot from theGeneration VI andVII games, the Battle Stadium allows players to participate in battles over the internet throughNintendo Switch Online. Players can participate in Ranked Battles, Casual Battles, and Official Competitions as well as host or joinFriendly Competitions.

Rotomi

Main article:Rotomi

Rotomi replaces thePCs in previous games and has several features, including allowing players to send their Pokémon onPoké Jobs, design theirLeague Card, and draw for theLoto-ID.

Pokémon Camp

Main article:Pokémon Camp

Pokémon Camp allows players can go camping and interact with their Pokémon, cookcurry, and visit other player's camps.

Gym Challenge

Trainers must receive anendorsement in order to participate in the Gym Challenge. Those who defeat the eightGym Leaders and collect the eightBadges can participate in the annual Champion Cup for a chance to challenge the current Champion of Galar. The Gym Leaders areMilo (Grass),Nessa (Water),Kabu (Fire),Bea (Fighting)^Sw/Allister (Ghost)^Sh,Opal (Fairy),Gordie (Rock)^Sw/Melony (Ice)^Sh,Piers (Dark), andRaihan (Dragon).

During the game, Opal andPiers retire from their positions as Gym Leaders and are succeeded byBede andMarnie, respectively. DuringThe Crown Tundra,Klara (Poison)^Sw/Avery (Psychic)^Sh is revealed to have become minor division Gym Leader.

Champion Cup

Unlike previous games, there is noElite Four in the Galar region. Their place is instead taken by the Champion Cup, a tournament where Trainers compete for the right to challenge the current Champion. In the semifinals,Gym Challengers compete against each other, and the winner proceeds to the finals, where they join a tournament otherwise completely occupied by the Gym Leaders. The winner of the finals is granted the right to challengeLeon the Champion who uses multiple types along with aCharizard which canGigantamax.

Pokémon

SeeCategory:Generation VIII Pokémon

Version-exclusive Pokémon

Main Game

Sword 0083 Farfetch'd Galarian Form Fighting 0273 Seedot Grass 0274 Nuzleaf Grass Dark 0275 Shiftry Grass Dark 0303 Mawile Steel Fairy 0338 Solrock Rock Psychic 0550 Basculin Red-Striped Water 0554 Darumaka Galarian Form Ice 0555 Darmanitan Galarian Form Ice 0559 Scraggy Dark Fighting 0560 Scrafty Dark Fighting 0574 Gothita Psychic 0575 Gothorita Psychic 0576 Gothitelle Psychic 0627 Rufflet Normal Flying 0628 Braviary Normal Flying 0633 Deino Dark Dragon 0634 Zweilous Dark Dragon 0635 Hydreigon Dark Dragon 0684 Swirlix Fairy 0685 Slurpuff Fairy 0766 Passimian Fighting 0776 Turtonator Fire Dragon 0782 Jangmo-o Dragon 0783 Hakamo-o Dragon Fighting 0784 Kommo-o Dragon Fighting 0841 Flapple Grass Dragon 0865 Sirfetch'd Fighting 0874 Stonjourner Rock 0888 Zacian Fairy

Shield 0077 Ponyta Galarian Form Psychic 0078 Rapidash Galarian Form Psychic Fairy 0222 Corsola Galarian Form Ghost 0246 Larvitar Rock Ground 0247 Pupitar Rock Ground 0248 Tyranitar Rock Dark 0270 Lotad Water Grass 0271 Lombre Water Grass 0272 Ludicolo Water Grass 0302 Sableye Dark Ghost 0337 Lunatone Rock Psychic 0453 Croagunk Poison Fighting 0454 Toxicroak Poison Fighting 0550 Basculin Blue-Striped Water 0577 Solosis Psychic 0578 Duosion Psychic 0579 Reuniclus Psychic 0629 Vullaby Dark Flying 0630 Mandibuzz Dark Flying 0682 Spritzee Fairy 0683 Aromatisse Fairy 0704 Goomy Dragon 0705 Sliggoo Dragon 0706 Goodra Dragon 0765 Oranguru Normal Psychic 0780 Drampa Normal Dragon 0842 Appletun Grass Dragon 0864 Cursola Ghost 0875 Eiscue Ice 0889 Zamazenta Fighting

The Isle of Armor

Sword 0127 Pinsir Bug 0692 Clauncher Water 0693 Clawitzer Water

Shield 0214 Heracross Bug Fighting 0690 Skrelp Poison Water 0691 Dragalge Poison Dragon

The Crown Tundra

Sword 0138 Omanyte Rock Water 0139 Omastar Rock Water 0250 Ho-Oh Fire Flying 0371 Bagon Dragon 0372 Shelgon Dragon 0373 Salamence Dragon Flying 0381 Latios Dragon Psychic 0383 Groudon Ground 0483 Dialga Steel Dragon 0641 Tornadus Flying 0643 Reshiram Dragon Fire 0646 Kyurem White Kyurem Dragon Ice 0716 Xerneas Fairy 0791 Solgaleo Psychic Steel 0800 Necrozma Dusk Mane Necrozma Psychic Steel

Shield 0140 Kabuto Rock Water 0141 Kabutops Rock Water 0249 Lugia Psychic Flying 0380 Latias Dragon Psychic 0382 Kyogre Water 0443 Gible Dragon Ground 0444 Gabite Dragon Ground 0445 Garchomp Dragon Ground 0484 Palkia Water Dragon 0642 Thundurus Electric Flying 0644 Zekrom Dragon Electric 0646 Kyurem Black Kyurem Dragon Ice 0717 Yveltal Dark Flying 0792 Lunala Psychic Ghost 0800 Necrozma Dawn Wings Necrozma Psychic Ghost

• Wild maleIndeedee is exclusive to Pokémon Sword, while wild female Indeedee is exclusive to Pokémon Shield. However, both genders can be obtained in either game throughbreeding.
• Wild maleMeowstic is exclusive to Pokémon Sword, while wild female Meowstic is exclusive to Pokémon Shield. However, both genders can be obtained by evolvingEspurr of the appropriate gender.
• WildSawk is exclusive to Pokémon Sword, while wildThroh is exclusive to Pokémon Shield. However, there is anin-game trade inCirchester where the player can trade aVanillish to obtain Throh^Sw or Sawk^Sh.
• WildEscavalier is exclusive to Pokémon Sword, while wildAccelgor is exclusive to Pokémon Shield. However,Karrablast andShelmet can be evolved in both games. Additionally, both evolved forms can be caught on theIsle of Armor in both games.
• Cosmoem evolves intoSolgaleo in Pokémon Sword, andLunala in Pokémon Shield.
• While Red-StripedBasculin andPassimian are exclusive to Sword and Blue-StripedBasculin andOranguru are exclusive to Shield without the Expansion Pass, all of these Pokémon can be found in theMax Lair in both versions.
• With the exception ofZacian andZamazenta, all of these Pokémon can be obtained in either version by joining other players'Max Raid Battles via theY-Comm orMax Lair.

Version-exclusive Gigantamax Pokémon

Sword 0068 Machamp Gigantamax Fighting 0839 Coalossal Gigantamax Rock Fire 0841 Flapple Gigantamax Grass Dragon

Shield 0094 Gengar Gigantamax Ghost Poison 0131 Lapras Gigantamax Water Ice 0842 Appletun Gigantamax Grass Dragon

• During normal gameplay,GigantamaxMachamp are exclusive to Sword, and GigantamaxGengar to Shield. However, they have been made available byWild Area News. Additionally, if the player has purchased the Pokémon Sword Expansion Pass or the Pokémon Shield Expansion Pass, they can obtain any Gigantamax Pokémon by feeding their PokémonMax Soup, regardless of which version they are playing.

Compatibility

See also:List of Pokémon by Galar Pokédex number → Compatible Pokémon not in any Sword and Shield Pokédex

As with other games on Nintendo Switch, the game is not compatible with other games in the same generation, outside of its pairing. Pokémon Sword and Shield can connect withPokémon HOME. This allows it to store and receive Pokémon from Pokémon HOME, including Pokémon from previousgenerations that weretransferred into Pokémon HOME. It can also receive Pokémon that were caught in laterGeneration VIII games as well asPokémon Scarlet and Violet, but once a Pokémon has been transferred to any other game starting withPokémon Legends: Z-A, it becomes incompatible with Sword and Shield. Users of HOME can transfer Pokémon freely between other Sword and Shield save files on the console, even if the files belong to different profiles.

Only Pokémon in theGalar Pokédex,Isle of Armor Pokédex, andCrown Tundra Pokédex, and aselect few "foreign" Pokémon can be transferred to Pokémon Sword and Shield. The Isle of Armor Pokédex and Crown Tundra Pokédex were released with the two iterations of thePokémon Sword and Shield Expansion Pass, but the Pokémon in those Pokédexes became compatible with the base game upon release even if the player has not purchased the Expansion Pass. Allregional forms of compatible Pokémon that existed at the time of release are also compatible.

When a compatible Pokémon from another game first enters these sets of games (except for Pokémon that were transferred fromPokémon Bank,Pokémon: Let's Go, Pikachu! and Let's Go, Eevee!, andPokémon GO), its moveset is changed to its four most recent level-up moves by default (though the player can make alterations as of HOME's version 3.0.0 (Released on May 30, 2023)). In addition, since the game does not recognize futureorigin marks, the Pokémon will have the Galar region symbol displayed instead. Any compatible Pokémon fromLegends: Arceus will also have their Poké Ball displayed as a standard one.

Unusable moves

Main article:List of moves by availability in Generation VIII

In Pokémon Sword and Shield, many moves are no longer usable. Pokémon do not normally learn these moves in the game, and if a Pokémon does know one of these moves (e.g. due to being transferred fromPokémon HOME), it will not be able to use it. If the move is forgotten,Jack will not be able to teach it again, even if it is a special move that the Pokémon normally would be able to relearn.

In lieu of their usual descriptions, most of these moves instead have the following generic description: "This move can't be used. It's recommended that this move is forgotten. Once forgotten, this move can't be remembered." The unusable moves that do not have this description are usually moves that cannot be legitimately known by any Pokémon that exists in Pokémon Sword and Shield, typically beingsignature moves or moves that only a small group of Pokémon can know. The only move without this generic description that can be transferred into Sword and Shield isPowder.

The situation where Pokémon can have unusable moves is exclusive to Pokémon Sword and Shield, as subsequent games reset the move list of Pokémon transferred fromPokémon HOME, and the precedingPokémon: Let's Go, Pikachu! and Let's Go, Eevee! removed moves but does not allow transfer from other core series games.

• In addition, allZ-Moves are also unusable in these games.

In version 1.2.0, which was released alongsideThe Isle of Armor, several previously unusable moves were made usable again. These were mostlysignature moves of Pokémon that were added in that update. Further moves were made usable in version 1.3.0, coinciding withThe Crown Tundra.

Save data bonuses

If the player has save data forPokémon: Let's Go, Pikachu! and Let's Go, Eevee!, a Pikachu and/or Eevee with the Gigantamax Factor is received at theMeetup Spot. The Pikachu specifically requires Let's Go, Pikachu!, while the Eevee requires Let's Go, Eevee!. Gigantamax Pikachu and Eevee are no longer exclusive to this method, asThe Isle of Armor expansion providesMax Soup as a means to give the Gigantamax Factor to other Pikachu and Eevee.

Pokémon Sword and Shield save data unlocks bonus content in the followingNintendo Switch games:

• Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl: TheMythical PokémonJirachi is available as agift Pokémon inFloaroma Town. This is currently the most reliable way to obtain Jirachi.
• Pokémon Legends: Arceus: The player receives exclusive clothing: Shaymin Fancy Kimono and Shaymin Fancy Bottoms. After thecredits, it also unlocksRequest 92: A Token of Gratitude, in which the player obtains theGracidea and catchesShaymin. This is currently the most reliable way to obtain the Mythical Pokémon.
• Pokémon Scarlet and Violet: The Ball Guy Case for the player'sRotom Phone is obtained through Rotometry inMesagoza.

Reception

The games received positive reviews among critics, but lower than most other core series releases. Both Pokémon Sword and Shield hold a rating of 80% onMetacritic.^[1][2]IGN rated the games an "Amazing" 9.3/10,^[3] praising the simple battling system and Dynamaxing, but criticizing the basic graphics and lack of a full Pokédex.Eurogamer criticized the games, saying that they lacked substance and did not live up to previous titles in the series.^[4] Gaming magazineFamitsu gave them a score of 38 out of 40.^[5]Nintendo Life gave them a score of 8/10, commenting how the games succeed in bringing some new ideas to the table, but they are also somewhat guilty of not pushing things far enough.^[6]

Sales

The games sold over 6 million units in their launch weekend.^[7] In the fiscal year of their release, they sold 17.37 million units.^[8] As of December 31, 2025, Pokémon Sword and Shield have sold 27.08 million copies worldwide, making them the third best selling Pokémon games of all time, behind only the original games, and Scarlet and Violet.^[9] These games mark the first time that the first set of new core series games on a Nintendo system wasn't the best selling Pokémon game for that system (of the Nintendo systems that had core series games released for them).

Japanese sales

Pokémon Sword and Shield sold 894,123 individual units on their first week on the Japanese market, being 534,306 from Pokémon Sword and 359,817 from Pokémon Shield, with asell-through of 84.96% and 90.26% respectively.^[10] By January 3, 2021, the end of their 60th week, they had sold 3,094,075 copies, being 1,851,319 from Pokémon Sword and 1,242,756 from Pokémon Shield.^[11]

Pokémon Sword and Shield Dual Pack sold 329,525 units on its first week, with asell-through of 73.46%.^[10] By January 3, 2021, the end of its 60th week, it had sold 545,200 copies.^[11] Combining all releases, the games sold 4,184,475 units, being 2,396,519 from Pokémon Sword and 1,787,956 from Pokémon Shield.

Staff

Main article:Staff of Pokémon Sword and Shield

Music

Main article:Pokémon Sword - Shield + Expansion Pass Super Music Collection

The game's music was primarily composed byGō Ichinose andMinako Adachi.^[12] Additional music was composed byKeita Okamoto andToby Fox, the latter only composing one track.^[13]

Version history

Beta elements

Main article:Pokémon Sword and Shield beta

Trailers

Teaser

First trailer

Gallery

Logos

The picture used in this section is unsatisfactory. Please feel free to replace it so it conforms to Bulbapedia conventions. Reason: The Korean logos need transparency

• 
  English Sword logo
• 
  English Shield logo
• 
  Japanese Sword logo
• 
  Japanese Shield logo
• 
  Korean Sword logo
• 
  Korean Shield logo

Title screens

• 
  English Pokémon Sword title screen
• 
  English Pokémon Shield title screen
• 
  Japanese Pokémon Sword title screen
• 
  Japanese Pokémon Shield title screen

Icons

• 
  English Sword Home Menu icon
• 
  English Shield Home Menu icon
• 
  Japanese Sword Home Menu icon
• 
  Japanese Shield Home Menu icon

Trivia

• These are the firstcore series games to:
  • Receive an Expansion Pass.
  • Feature version-exclusive GymBadges.
  • Feature aDark-type Gym.
  • Start with an introduction made by a character other than thePokémon Professor.
    • Start with an introduction made by an antagonist.
  • Add completely new Pokémon to the game through updates.
  • Not feature:
    • Thegame mascot on the title screen by default, instead using the most recent team the player entered theHall of Fame with (the game mascot will appear on the title screen if it was used in the most recent Hall of Fame run)
    • AVictory Road.
    • AnElite Four.
      • A similar role is fulfilled by the Champion Cup, although no new characters are introduced during the tournament.
    • Ace Trainers.
    • A notableElectric-typespecialist.
    • A malePokémon Professor.
    • APokémon academy.
• If one were to useGoogle Lens on the box art, it will play a short video.
• Including thePokémon Sword and Shield Expansion Pass, these games:
  • Are the only core series games whereZubat,Tentacool, and their respectiveevolutionary relatives are available without theGeodude evolutionary line.
  • Have the most obtainableLegendary Pokémon of all core series games.
  • Are the first core series games to feature version-exclusiverivals.
• This is the second pair of games to have thegame mascot be unable to be obtained withouttrading before entering the Hall of Fame, the first beingPokémon Black 2 and White 2.
• Aegislash is the only Pokémon to have its base stat total changed as of these games.
• None of the Pokémon introduced in these games are available in later core series games inGeneration VIII, nor are any of the Pokémon introduced inPokémon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon andPokémon: Let's Go, Pikachu! and Let's Go, Eevee!.
• These are the last core series games to have pixel graphics for Pokémon and item icons.
• These are the only core series games where the player cannot catch wild Pokémon above a certain level without appropriate Badges.
• The choice to not make every existing Pokémon available in these games has become known by fans asDexit, derived from a portmanteau of "Pokédex" and "Brexit", the withdrawal of theUK (which is the basis ofGalar, the setting of these games) from theEuropean Union.
• These are the last core series games to release before the COVID-19 pandemic, which started shortly after the release of these games.

In other languages

References

Related articles

• Sword and Shield walkthrough

This game-related article is part ofProject Games, aBulbapedia project that aims to write comprehensive articles on thePokémon games.

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