Category: Games

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.

In the June 5 Pokemon Sword and Shield Direct, we got our first look at the characters and overall story of the upcoming Nintendo Switch games. This included the Galar region’s Pokemon professor, your rival, and the Champion, all mainstays of the Pokemon series. And while we didn’t get a look at a Team Rocket equivalent or any overall mysteries to the story, we did get a better idea of what the Galar region is all about: Pokemon battles, of course.

In the new Galar region, Pokemon battles are an especially big deal. The stadiums shown in the reveal trailer are, in fact, Gyms, and tons of people gather to watch challengers take on Gym Leaders. According to The Pokemon Company, “Pokemon battles are regarded as the most popular form of entertainment” in Galar. Pokemon are also important in the Galarian economy and actively participate in the workforce when they’re not battling.

Of course, the main goal of Sword and Shield is to take on the Pokemon League and become the Champion. The current Galar Champion is an exuberant anime-looking guy named Leon who’s shown with a Charizard. His younger brother, Hop, is your rival and, in classic fashion, wants to train to be the best. You’ll be helped along the way by Professor Magnolia–who studies the new Dynamax phenomenon–and her granddaughter and assistant Sonia, who is also Leon’s childhood friend. All roads seem to lead back to Leon.

Finally, we were briefly introduced to the Grass-type Gym Leader, Milo. Gym Leaders have powerful Dynamax Pokemon, a big new battle mechanic introduced in Sword and Shield. It also appears that Milo uses at least one of the new Galar Pokemon, Eldegoss.

In other Pokemon Direct news, we were introduced to Sword and Shield’s legendary Pokemon, Zamazenta and Zacian. The Direct also revealed the games’ release date: November 15. They’ll be sold both individually and as a double pack, the latter of which includes a special steelbook.

In the Nintendo Direct presentation for Pokemon Sword and Shield, Nintendo introduced a new mechanic called Dynamax. This makes your Pokemon huge and boosts their abilities, but it also plays into another brand-new feature: cooperative raid battles.

The Wild Area is all of the territory between towns where you can encounter Pokemon, and some special areas in the Wild have nodes where you can join up with other trainers to fight in Max Raid Battles. While your own Pokemon can only go Dynamax for three turns and can only be triggered once, these Max Raid Battles will have you face off against a mega-sized Pokemon for the entire encounter. You’ll need to coordinate with other players to bring them down, and only one of the trainers will be permitted to use a Dynamax of their own. If you manage to beat them, you can catch them.

These Max Raid Battles will vary by area and weather, and some Pokemon can only be caught by participating in a Max Raid Battle. You can team up with three other players, but if three humans aren’t available, AI support trainers will be automatically added to your team. It all seems inspired by the Raid battles in Pokemon Go, albeit with a super-sized twist.

Dynamax Pokemon swap their abilities for Max abilities, and during the presentation we saw several Dynamax battles taking place in specialized Pokemon arenas full of fans. Other details from the Nintendo Direct include new character and story details, and our first look at the two new Legendary Pokemon that represent the Sword and Shield.

Pokemon Sword and Shield is coming on November 15.

As part of a special Nintendo Direct for Pokemon Sword and Shield today, Nintendo introduced us to the newest Legendary Pokemon to grace your Pokedex. As you might expect, the two new Legendaries represent the “Sword” and “Shield” aspects of their titles.

The two Pokemon, named Zamazenta and Zacian, look like similarly colorful wolves. Zamazenta has a fur pattern on its face and chest that looks like a shield, while Zacian carries a sword-like object in its mouth. In the brief trailer, the two are seen fighting with each other, before something else attracts both of their attention.

Presumably, Pokemon Sword and Shield will follow the pattern of prior Pokemon games and make one Legendary available in each version. Nintendo also announced a double-pack available for pre-order that will include both versions when the games release on November 15.

Other details from the Nintendo Direct included other new Pokemon, multiplayer raid battles, and the new kaiju-sized Dynamax system that can make a Pokemon grow to massive size.