Pokemon Sword and Shield: What Are the Biggest Changes?
The Best of the Best – What’s New In Pokémon Sword & Shield?
Whether you’re an uber-fan or new to the franchise, you’ve no doubt heard about Pokémon Sword & Shield.
Each installment of the RPG series gives trainers a chance to explore the world with their own custom Pokémon team, looking for adventure and taking on other, stronger trainers. But what sets Pokémon Sword & Shield apart from the rest? What makes it different from other Pokémon titles? Let’s have a deep dive into the game and see what noteworthy changes have been made!
Wild Areas
In contrast with past entries in the series where the majority of the game is spent moving from town to town, Pokémon Sword & Shield introduces a massive open area that trainers can explore in search of new Pokémon – the Wild Area! This area, which changes dynamically depending on the weather and time of day is made up of several small, individual areas, all of which contain multiple different Pokémon species.
In each section there are Pokémon of the area’s type, giving the player a chance to find one that they like and begin training it up in-game. This adds a much greater diversity of Pokémon you can find in a single game for a total of hundreds of species.
Dynamax & Gigantamax
The power of the Pokémon you can find in the wild has been multiplied thanks to new forms of Evolution: Dynamax & Gigantamax. With the help of special Dynamax Bands, trainers can cause their Pokémon to grow to a massive size.
This increases their stats, gives them access to powerful new moves called Max Moves, and grants them a new appearance. But the effect doesn’t last long, only lasting for a few turns in battle before the Pokémon returns to its original size.
And should a lucky few players own a one-of-a-kind Gigantamax Pokémon, the effects are even greater, with the Pokémon transforming into much larger and specialized forms. This new style of battling can give even the smallest Pokémon the power to compete with the toughest opponents.
Gyms & Scouting
The battle aspect of the game has also undergone some changes, one of the biggest of which is the introduction of the Pokémon League. In the past, the aim was to challenge 8 Gym Leaders in order for a trainer to gain access to the Pokémon League and compete against the Elite 4. To attempt getting in, a trainer must collect a series of Gym Badges from each of the leaders.
But in Sword and Shield, the player is tasked with collecting a series of “Warm-Up” badges from a selection of challengers known as the “Gym Challengers”. Once they have enough badges, they can apply to the Pokémon League and battle it out to see if they have what it takes to make it through.
The other major addition to the battle system comes in the form of the Pokémon Scout. This allows players to scout out worthy opponents and add them to their team temporarily, giving them a chance to try out some new combinations of Pokémon while also providing a new challenge to face.
Conclusion
With all these changes and additions, Pokémon Sword & Shield promises to be a much more exciting experience than any Pokémon game before it. With its new Wild Area and the ability to Dynamax & Gigantamax, as well as the addition of the Gym Challengers and the Pokémon Scouts, it’s obvious that Game Freak have really gone all out to make this the best Pokémon experience yet.
So pick up your copy of Pokémon Sword & Shield and join millions of trainers around the world as you explore the Galar Region and experience the best adventure that the franchise has ever put forward!