Author: Trafficblast

Cocktails

One of the biggest pieces of news about Galaxy’s Edge is that it ushers in the era of alcoholic beverages within the confines of Disneyland–something previously only available in the ultra-exclusive Club 33. But what’s a Star Wars cantina without a few cocktails? All told, there’s eight regular cocktails and two alcoholic breakfast concoctions to choose from. For the most part, they’re intergalactic takes on bar staples–a Bloody Rancor is Battu’s version of a Bloody Mary. However, a number of drinks have tweaks that make them truly unique to look at. The Bespin Fizz, for instance, includes dry ice in its recipe to mimic a boiling drink.

And don’t worry, there’s also a selection of beer and wine that’s exclusive to Oga’s, as well. Of note, Toniray is a teal-colored wine that has been mentioned here and there throughout Star Wars canon. In reality, it’s a decent white wine that happens to be blue. And if you want to get really nerdy, this wine was offered to Queen Amidala in the novel Thrawn: Alliances. Drink like Padme!

Available at: Oga’s Cantina

Since their initial reveal, Pokemon Sword and Shield have become two of the Nintendo Switch games fans are looking forward to most. Thanks to a new Nintendo Direct, we now know the games’ global release date has been set for November 15.

In addition, developer Game Freak shared more details on the gameplay innovations seen in Sword and Shield. A new battle mechanic named Dynamax turns Pokemon far bigger than they’ve been seen before. Like Sun and Moon‘s Z-Moves, Dynamax can be triggered once per battle. It boosts your Pokemon’s power and turns all their moves into Max Moves. The creature returns to normal after three turns.

Additionally, Sword and Shield will feature Max Raids, a new battle type seemingly inspired by the raids seen in Pokemon Go. There are sections of the game world in which you can team up with up to three other human players and battle a Pokemon which is permanently in Dynamax form, and hence is very powerful. You’ll need to work together to bring down the wild Pokemon and then catch them for yourself. The creatures seen in these wild Dynamax battles vary by area and weather, Game Freak said.

Finally, the developer revealed the box art for Sword and Shield, which features two new legendary creatures, Zamazenta and Zacian. Alongside the two separate games, a dual pack will be available that includes both games together. In Europe, this includes an exclusive gold steelbook, which is currently unconfirmed for other territories. The standard editions of the game will cost $60 / £50 each, while the dual pack is $120 (international pricing is yet to be revealed).

Sword and Shield mark the eighth generation of Pokemon games and are set in an entirely new region with all-new Pokemon. That region is named Galar, and it’s primarily made up of picturesque countryside inspired by the UK.

Not only will players encounter an assortment of returning Pokemon here–including fan-favorites like Tyranitar, Lucario, and, of course, Pikachu–the region will also be home to many new kinds of Pokemon. We’ve already gotten a look at the three new starters, and the latest Pokemon Direct presentation gave us a glimpse at a handful of other Gen 8 monsters, with many more undoubtedly still waiting to be revealed.

For more on the new games, check out our roundup of all the Pokemon confirmed for Sword and Shield. There is a chance we might learn even more about the two Switch games during Nintendo’s E3 press conference, along with all these Nintendo games confirmed for E3 2019.

The June 5 Pokemon Direct showed off a new trailer and more details for Pokemon Sword and Shield. One of those new details was a bit unclear; the trailer and subsequent clips showed Pokemon roaming the overworld, similar to Let’s Go Pikachu and Eevee, but we also saw a random-style encounter in the tall grass. So are there random encounters or not?

From what we can tell so far, it seems like random encounters are mostly, if not totally, gone. The Direct showed a variety of Pokemon roaming the overworld, much like in the Let’s Go games. You encounter these wild Pokemon in something called the Wild Area, which refers to the expanse of nature between cities; in the Wild Area, you’ll encounter different Pokemon based on your specific location and the weather. You initiate battles with these Pokemon by running into them, though some will chase you down once they spot you.

The Direct also showed a more typical wild Pokemon encounter in the tall grass. As it turns out, you have some control over these encounters as well. A small exclamation point will appear in the grass, indicating that a Pokemon is there, and then you can initiate the battle by running into it–just like with the Pokemon that physically appear in the overworld. It’s unclear if there are any occasions where Pokemon will attack you totally at random and as a surprise, but it seems like that’s unlikely. We’ve reached out for clarification and will update this story once we hear more.

For more news from the Pokemon Direct, see our explanation of the new Dynamax mechanic and all the new Galar Pokemon. Pokemon Sword and Shield are set to release on November 15; you can learn more about that in our pre-order guide.

A Whole New Generation Of Pokemon

Nintendo’s latest Pokemon Direct revealed a bunch of new details for the upcoming Pokemon Sword / Shield. Among the two games’ new features, one of the more notable additions is Dynamax evolutions, which up the scale of Pokemon battles to gigantic sizes.

Similarly to Mega Evolutions and Z-Moves, Dynamax Evolutions are temporary moves you can activate in battle. Doing so grows your Pokemon to giant sizes and boosts their overall power, transforming all their moves into Max Moves. “Max Moves are powerful, and some can even trigger additional effects,” Nintendo wrote in a press release. “For example, the Normal-type Max Move, Max Strike, has the additional effect of lowering the Speed stat of an opponent it hits. The Max Moves the player’s Pokemon can use are determined by the kind and types of moves they knew before Dynamaxing.”

Much like Mega Evolutions, Dynamax Evolutions can only be activated once per battle. The transformation only lasts for three turns as well so you’ll need to be strategic in deciding when to activate it. You’re not the only one who can tap into Dynamax’s power either. Gym Leaders will use the transformation on their strongest Pokemon, adding a challenging new hurdle to defeating them in battle. You can also encounter Dynamax Pokemon in Sword / Shield’s new Wild Area–a location where you encounter wild Pokemon in the open world, much like in Pokemon, Let’s Go! Pikachu / Eevee.

To battle against these giant wild Pokemon, you and up to three other players (or NPC-controlled trainers) join forces. These new types of battles are called Max Raid Battles, and they’ll see your team of trainers take on a Dynamax Pokemon in a challenging fight that will require coordination. Only one of the trainers in your group will be able to Dynamax Evolve their Pokemon to match the wild giant Pokemon, so you’ll have to choose wisely. These wild Dynamax Pokemon vary by area and weather, so you’ll have to explore the entire region to beat and catch ’em all.

In case you missed the Nintendo Pokemon Direct, we’ve compiled all the information in a series of articles, which you can find listed below. Pokemon Sword / Shield is scheduled to release for Nintendo Switch on November 15.

Pokemon Sword / Shield Nintendo Direct Breakouts

As promised, The Pokemon Company shared a ton of new details about Pokemon Sword and Shield during the latest Pokemon Direct broadcast. Along with confirming the games’ release date, we got a look at some of the new characters players will encounter on their journey, as well as a handful of new Gen 8 Pokemon you’ll be able to catch.

First is the Grass-type Gossifleur, whose pollen has healing properties. Gossifleur is able to evolve into Eldegoss, the Cotton Bloom Pokemon. We also got a look at Wooloo, an adorable sheep Pokemon covered in fluffy wool, as well as the vicious snapping turtle-like Drednaw. Finally, The Pokemon Company revealed Corviknight, the raven Pokemon. Interestingly, Corviknight will be able to taxi players back to any town they have previously visited, much like the Fly HM of old.

Those aren’t the only new Pokemon we got a look at. The Pokemon Company also revealed Sword and Shield’s Legendary Pokemon, the wolf-like Zamazenta and Zacian. Few details about the Legendaries were revealed, but the former is covered in armor that resembles a shield, while the latter wields a sword in its maw. In their reveal trailer, the Legendaries could be briefly seen fighting each other before a sound catches their attention.

That certainly isn’t all we learned about Pokemon Sword and Shield during Wednesday’s Direct. As speculated, the games are introducing a new battle mechanic called Dynamaxing. Like Mega Evolution and Z-Moves before it, Dynamax is triggered via its own button and can only be used once per battle. This causes your Pokemon to grow into a massive size, giving them a power boost and turning their attacks into Max Moves. However, Dynamax Pokemon will only remain in that state for three turns. Players will also be able to team up with others and battle wild Dynamx Pokemon in Pokemon Go-like Raids while exploring the Wild Area, an open-world like environment between cities in Galar.

Pokemon Sword and Shield launch for Nintendo Switch on November 15. You can learn more in our Pokemon Sword and Shield pre-order guide.