Shiftry is a strong Grass and Dark-type players can add to their team in Pokémon Sword & Shield. You will receive a verification email shortly.

Pokémon Sword players will battle Fighting-type gym leader Bea and Rock-type gym leader Gordie, while Shield owners will fight Ghost-type gym leader Allister and Ice-type Gym leader Melony. He has previously written gaming articles for websites like Cracked, Dorkly, Topless Robot, and TopTenz. This is especially useful if you want to get a Pokemon not found in your version of the game! Today's best Nintendo Pokemon Sword and Pokemon Shield deals, We check over 130 million products every day for the best prices. Every entry, or set of entries, in the series has followed suit, all the way up to Pokémon Sword and Shield in 2019. Exclusive Gyms: As a first for the series, certain cities will have different gyms depending on which version you’re playing. Pokémon Sword & Shield will be continuing this tradition, which might leave fans wondering which edition they should purchase. The ability to take on their Gigantamax form comes at a cost, though, as they cannot evolve. I cover social games, video games, technology and that whole gray area that happens when technology and consumers collide. Here are all of the differences we know so far. We’ll start with exclusive Pokémon, which make up that core difference that we’ve had ever since the beginning. Scott has been writing for The Gamer since it launched in 2017 and also regularly contributes to Screen Rant. There may be more. Pokémon Sword & Shield will be released for Nintendo Switch on November 15, 2019. There is at least one version-exclusive Gym Leader in Pokémon Shield (though there may be more) in the form of Allister the Ghost-type leader. Back with Pokémon Red and Blue, Game Freak had an idea that would reverberate throughout gaming history.What if we … Please refresh the page and try again. However, again, it is likely that Zamazenta will also be exclusive to Pokémon Shield. can receive a Gigantamax Pikachu, while people with save data from Pokémon: Let's Go, Eevee! I'm a freelance writer whose work has appeared in The Atlantic, The New York Times, The New Republic, IGN.com, Wired and more. Tom's Guide is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher.

RELATED: Convincing Pokémon Sword & Shield Leaks Show Starter Evolutions. Opinions expressed by Forbes Contributors are their own. Pokémon Sword (Japanese: ポケットモンスター ソード Pocket Monsters Sword) and Pokémon Shield (Japanese: ポケットモンスター シールド Pocket Monsters Shield) are the primary paired versions of Generation VIII.The games were released on the Nintendo Switch worldwide on November 15, 2019 for both retail sale and download. Thank you for signing up to Tom's Guide. Pokemon that you acquire via a trade will be able to earn more Exp during battles! The cover Legendary Pokémon have been version-exclusives since Pokémon Ruby & Sapphire, so Zacian will also likely be exclusive to Pokémon Sword. Receive news and offers from our other brands? Future US, Inc. 11 West 42nd Street, 15th Floor, Back with Pokémon Red and Blue, Game Freak had an idea that would reverberate throughout gaming history. The go-to source for comic book and superhero movie fans. Doing so would require both versions. Gigantamax Raids: This one isn’t about exclusivity, per se, but it’s still a major difference between the games. All Rights Reserved, This is a BETA experience. Max Raid battles are a new thing for the series, and players will encounter some Gigantamax opponents more frequently than others during special events. Pokémon Shield's Legendary Pokémon is Zamamenta, a similarly large wolf-like creature whose armor looks like one big shield. The Pokemon Sword and Shield Expansion Pass is available to purchase now for $29.99 - this pass will grant you access to both The Isle of Armor and The Crown Tundra on release. He pretends that sorcerer is his favorite Dungeons & Dragons class in public but he secretly loves bards. The Pokémon franchise has been splitting its mainline entries into two different games since the beginning of the series, with the intention of promoting cooperation between players, as it was necessary to find someone with the other version of the game in order to complete the Pokédex. READ NEXT: Pokémon Sword & Shield Will Feature Music From Undertale Designer. games will also have their version choice taken into consideration, as this will allow them to gain a free Pokémon with the power to take on a Gigantamax form. Fans who purchase Pokémon Sword & Shield before January 15 can download a Gigantamax Meowth for free, which means that those who receive the games as a Christmas gift will still have plenty of time to claim it. Note that this is what we know right now, and constitutes the major differences. In this entrance, the connections to the game titles are pretty explicit: Pokémon Sword gets Zacian, a wolf with a sword, and Pokémon Shield gets Zamazenta, a wolf with a shield. The reasoning was simple: the series was meant as a showcase for the Game Boy link cable, and releasing the two games ensured that people would have to use it. © Best cell phone plans in 2020: The best options for your monthly smartphone service, Galaxy S21 leak reveals new camera — here's your best look yet, iOS 14 review: The best iPhone changes in years, Best Android launchers for customizing your phone in 2020, Ariana Grande releases new single Positions — how to stream it. This guide will help players learn every code for each Ash's Hats. A Nintendo Switch Online subscription is not required to download Gigantamax Meowth. The idea was that each version had exclusive Pokémon, and, as they say, gotta catch ‘em all. He has been gaming since the days of the ZX Spectrum, when it used to take 40 minutes to load a game from a tape cassette player to a black and white TV set. There was a problem. Some will no doubt buy both, no doubt to Game Freak’s excitement. So if you like Psychic-types, go with Sword I suppose. I write about video games and technology.