Pokémon Sword and Shield

Pokémon Sword and Shield
Title	Pokémon Sword and Shield
Developer	Game Freak
Publisher	Nintendo, The Pokémon Company
Director	Shigeru Ohmori
Producer	Junichi Masuda, Hitoshi Yamagami, Takanori Sowa
Artist	James Turner
Composer	Minako Adachi, Go Ichinose, Hitomi Sato, Toby Fox
Series	Pokémon
Engine	Proprietary
Released	November 15, 2019
Genre	Role-playing
Modes	Single-player, multiplayer
Platforms	Nintendo Switch

Pokémon Sword and Shield are a pair of role-playing video games developed by Game Freak and published by Nintendo and The Pokémon Company for the Nintendo Switch. Released worldwide in November 2019, they are the first installments in the eighth generation of the main Pokémon series. The games are set in the Galar region, a land inspired by the United Kingdom, and introduce new gameplay mechanics such as Dynamax and the Wild Area.

Gameplay

Building upon the core mechanics established in previous titles like Pokémon Sun and Moon and Pokémon X and Y, the games feature the traditional loop of capturing creatures, battling Gym Leaders, and challenging the Pokémon League. A major new feature is the Wild Area, a vast open zone where players can encounter Pokémon roaming freely, with weather and Pokémon spawn rates changing dynamically. The Dynamax phenomenon allows Pokémon to grow to enormous size for three turns during battles, while Gigantamax provides certain species with altered appearances and unique G-Max Moves. Other notable additions include Pokémon Camp for bonding with one's team and the streamlined Pokémon Box system accessible anywhere. Connectivity features support Link Battles, Surprise Trade, and Max Raid Battles where up to four players cooperate to defeat a powerful Dynamax Pokémon.

Plot

The player character, a young trainer from the town of Postwick, embarks on a journey across the Galar region with their friend Hop, the younger brother of the reigning Champion, Leon. Their goal is to participate in the Gym Challenge, a televised sporting event where they must defeat eight Gym Leaders, including Milo of Turffield and Raihan of Hammerlocke. Concurrently, the player encounters the legendary Pokémon Zacian and Zamazenta, which are tied to the region's history and a mysterious energy known as Galar particles. The story also involves the corporation Macro Cosmos and its chairman, Rose, whose plans to solve an impending energy crisis inadvertently trigger a crisis involving the legendary Eternatus at the Rose Tower in Wyndon.

Development

Development was led by director Shigeru Ohmori and producer Junichi Masuda at Game Freak, marking the first main series titles developed for a home console. The Galar region's design was inspired by the United Kingdom, with landmarks like the Hammerlocke stadium reflecting structures such as Big Ben. Artist James Turner served as the art director, becoming the first Westerner to hold that role for a main series game. The development team aimed to balance innovation with the series' traditions, leading to the creation of the Wild Area and the controversial decision to not include every past Pokémon species, a policy often referred to as "Dexit" by the community. Compositions were provided by series regulars like Go Ichinose and Hitomi Sato, with a guest track contributed by Toby Fox, composer of Undertale.

Release

The games were officially announced in a Pokémon Direct presentation in February 2019. A special edition Nintendo Switch Lite console themed after Zacian and Zamazenta was released alongside the games. Prior to launch, a playable demo was featured at events like the 2019 Pokémon World Championships. Pokémon Sword and Shield were released globally on November 15, 2019. A dual-pack containing both versions was also made available, and players who purchased the games early received a special Gigantamax Meowth as a bonus.

Reception

Upon release, the games received generally favorable reviews from critics, with praise directed at the new Wild Area, the quality-of-life improvements, and the appealing designs of the new Pokémon and characters like Opal. However, criticism focused on the graphical presentation, the limited Pokémon roster due to the Dexit controversy, and perceived linearity in parts of the routes. The games were a massive commercial success, selling over six million units in their first weekend and becoming one of the fastest-selling titles on the Nintendo Switch, alongside launches like Super Smash Bros. Ultimate and Animal Crossing: New Horizons. They later won awards such as "Best Family Game" at The Game Awards 2019.

Post-release content

Instead of releasing a third version, Game Freak expanded the games through downloadable content in the form of an Expansion Pass, comprising two major areas: The Isle of Armor and The Crown Tundra. Released in June and October 2020 respectively, these expansions introduced new locations, characters like Mustard and Peony, and over 200 returning Pokémon species not originally available. New features included the Cram-o-matic, Dynamax Adventures, and the ability for certain Pokémon to attain a new form called Gigantamax. The expansions also added new legendary Pokémon such as Kubfu, Urshifu, Calyrex, and the return of classic Legendary Pokémon from earlier games like Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire.

Category:2019 video games Category:Nintendo Switch games Category:Pokémon video games Category:Role-playing video games