Pokémon Sword and Pokémon Shield were released on November 15, 2019 on Nintendo Switch. The first games of the eighth generation, they take players to Galar, a region inspired by the United Kingdom where Gym battles take place in huge stadiums and Pokémon can grow giant thanks to Dynamax. The Wild Area, an open zone at the heart of the region, and four-player Max Raid Battles make them a pivotal entry, extended in 2020 by a two-part Expansion Pass: the Isle of Armor and the Crown Tundra.
The guide
- Getting started: our review, the fact sheet, tips for getting started and the FAQ.
- The complete walkthrough, in ten chapters, with the teams of the eight Gym Leaders, from Milo to Raihan, and the Ultimate Match against Leon.
- The Wild Area: zones, weather, raids and Watts, on our dedicated page.
- After the League: Sordward, Shielbert, Zacian, Zamazenta and the Battle Tower.
- The expansions: the walkthrough for the Isle of Armor and for the Crown Tundra.
- The Pokémon: all the legendaries, with Dynamax Adventures.
- Behind the scenes: the gallery and our 2019-2020 archives.
Sword or Shield?
The story is the same. Sword features Zacian and offers the Gyms of Bea (Fighting) and Gordie (Rock); Shield features Zamazenta with the Gyms of Allister (Ghost) and Melony (Ice). Thirty-five Pokémon are exclusive to one version or the other.
Playing it today
Sword and Shield are available on Nintendo Switch and playable on Nintendo Switch 2. The Expansion Pass is sold separately on the Nintendo eShop; it turns the game into a much more complete adventure, with most of the legendaries from previous generations. The games are compatible with Pokémon HOME.
