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Pokémon SwordandShield

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  • Pokémon Sword
  • Pokémon Shield
  • Left:Box artforSword,depicting the legendary PokémonZacian
  • Right:Box art forShield,depicting the legendary PokémonZamazenta
Developer(s)Game Freak
Publisher(s)
Director(s)Shigeru Ohmori
Producer(s)
  • Junichi Masuda
  • Hitoshi Yamagami
  • Akira Kinashi
  • Takanori Sowa
  • Mikiko Ohashi
  • Shin Uwai
Designer(s)Kazumasa Iwao
Programmer(s)Tomoya Takahashi
Artist(s)
  • James Turner
  • Suguru Nakatsui
Writer(s)Toshinobu Matsumiya
Composer(s)
SeriesPokémon
Platform(s)Nintendo Switch
Release15 November 2019
Genre(s)Role-playing
Mode(s)Single-player,multiplayer

Pokémon Sword[a]andPokémon Shield[b]are 2019role-playing video gamesdeveloped byGame Freakand published byThe Pokémon CompanyandNintendofor theNintendo Switchconsole. They are the first instalments in the eighth generation of thePokémonvideo game series.First teased atE3 2017and announced in February 2019, the games were released in November 2019. The games were accompanied by adownloadable content(DLC)expansion passconsisting of Part 1—The Isle of Armor(released in June 2020) and Part 2—The Crown Tundra(October 2020); its launch marked the first ever DLC released as part of thePokémonvideo game series.

Like previous instalments, the games follow a young Pokémon Trainer as they train and battle Pokémon, aiming to defeat the Champion, the strongest trainer in the region, and gain the title for themselves. The games introduced many new features including the Dynamax and Gigantamaxmechanic,which causes a player's Pokémon to grow to a significantly larger size and use more powerful attacks in battle. Conceptualization of the game began immediately following the completion ofPokémon SunandMoonin 2016, while full development began a year later. The games were designed around the intent of utilizing the improved hardware capabilities of the Nintendo Switch. The Dynamax mechanic was similarly designed around the ability to see larger battles than previously possible in the series.

Pokémongames feature a system where Pokemon from past games are able to be transferred into newer installments; when it was announced thatSwordandShieldwould exclude many pre-existing Pokémon from being usable in the games, it triggered a backlash from fans and resulted in an extensive controversy.SwordandShieldreceived generally positive reviews from critics, who praised the games' gameplay, exploration, and mechanics, although the visuals, as well as the lack of depth and innovation, received some criticism. As of June 2024, the games had sold more than 26.35 million copies worldwide, making them the second best-selling titles in thePokémonvideo game series.The games won awards at theSXSW Gaming AwardsandFamitsuDengekiGame Awards 2019.

Gameplay

[edit]
See also:Gameplay ofPokémon
The player character travelling through the game's Route 1.
The player character travelling through the game's Route 1.

Pokémon SwordandShieldareRPGswithadventureelements.[1]They are presented in afixed camera,third-personperspective, though some areas allow forfree camera movement.[1]The player controls a young Pokémon trainer who goes on a quest to catch and train creatures known as Pokémon and winbattlesagainst other Pokémon trainers. By defeating opposing Pokémon inturn-basedbattles, the player's Pokémon gainsexperience,allowing them to level up and increase their battle statistics, learn new moves, andevolveinto more powerful Pokémon. The player can capture wild Pokémon through wild encounters by weakening them in battle and catching them withPoké Balls,adding them to theirparty.The player can also battle andtradePokémon with other players via theNintendo Switch's connectivity features. As is with otherPokémongames, certain Pokémon are only obtainable in eitherSwordorShield,and the player will have to trade with others to obtain every Pokémon from both versions.[1]

PokémonSwordandShieldare set in the Galar region, inspired by theUnited Kingdom.Galar consists of numerous cities and towns, with a route system separating major settlements.Random encounterswith wild Pokémon typically occur in tall grass or bodies of water along routes and they might chase or run away from the player depending on their disposition. The driving force bringing the player to travel around the Galar region is to participate in the "Gym Challenge", an open tournament to decide the greatest Pokémon Trainer (the Champion) in the region. Eight of the game's cities and towns are homes to stadiums housing "Gym Leaders", powerful trainers specializing in certain types of Pokémon; beating a Gym Leader will grant the player a "Gym badge".[1]After collecting all eight Badges, the player will be allowed to participate in the "Champion Cup", where they will face off in atournamentagainst the previously faced Gym Leaders in the Gym Challenge. After they emerge victorious, the player will face the reigning Champion of the Galar region, Leon.[1]

New features

[edit]
See also:List of generation VIII Pokémon

The games introduce temporary transformations known as Dynamax and Gigantamax. Dynamax allows Pokémon to transform into gigantic-sizes during a Pokémon battle and use special "Max Moves", more powerful attacks that have unique in-battle effects.[2][3]Gigantamax, which is limited to selected Pokémon, additionally alters Pokémon's physical appearance and replaces one of their Max Move battle techniques with a G-Max Move exclusive to the selected Pokémon.[4][5]Players can battle in teams of four, either with other players or withnon-playable characters,in cooperativeraidsagainst wild Dynamaxed or Gigantamaxed Pokémon, who have significantly larger health bars and can summon protective barriers to limit damage dealt to them. If players succeed in defeating the Raid Boss, they are granted the opportunity to catch the Pokémon and receive rewards; if four Pokémon on the player's side are knocked out during the battle or enough turns pass in the battle, the player will lose the Raid. Players can use Dynamax during these Raid Battles, though which player can Dynamax on a given turn is rotated once per turn.[6]

The Wild Area is a fully explorableopen worldarea with free camera movement. Pokémon will appear in the game's overworld, and which Pokémon can appear will depend on weather conditions in the Wild Area,[7]which changes every real-world day.[8]The Wild Area's Pokémon fluctuate wildly in terms of their in-game level, and players will be unable to catch Pokémon of a certain level until they obtain certain Gym Badges by progressing through the main story.[9]Players can find collectable items and battle non-playable characters in the Wild Area, and can additionally interact with Raid Dens, which allow players to initiate raid battles with Dynamaxed opponents.[7]

Players can also use a new "Camp" feature, which allows players to set up camps with their Pokémon. Players can play and interact with their Pokémon in the camps, and can additionally use food items to preparecurry.Curry can be used to increase various statistics associated with the Pokémon, such as their friendship with the player, as well as giving them experience points. Depending on the difficulty of the curry recipe and ingredients used by the player, the curry will have a different final ranking, which will affect the amount of bonuses granted to the player's Pokémon.[10]Players can participate in online multiplayer in camps with up to four players. In multiplayer camps, players can cook curry cooperatively and play with other players' Pokémon.[10]

Other new mechanics include "Poké Jobs," which tasks the player's Pokémon with completing requests around Galar to gain experience or rare items.[11]Regional variants, variations of Pokémon from past games in the series that have different appearances due to regional adaptation, return after being introduced inPokémon Sun and Moon,which featured regional variants exclusive to the game's main location of Alola.[12][13]The games additionally have content exclusive to certain versions of the game, with certain Gym Leaders and Pokémon species being available only inSwordorShield.[4]

Connectivity

[edit]

Internet connectivity to other players is supported for functionality such as trades, battles, and encountering other trainers in the Wild Area; these functions however require a paid subscription to theNintendo Switch Onlinesubscription service.[14]SwordandShieldonly support direct game-to-game connectivity between themselves. The games are also compatible withPokémon Home,an onlinecloud storageservice for storing Pokémon, released in February 2020.[15]Supported Pokémon can be transferred to the games from theNintendo 3DSappPokémon Bank,Pokémon Go,andPokémon: Let's Go, Pikachu!andLet's Go, Eevee!,Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl,Pokémon Legends: Arceus,andPokémon Scarlet and VioletviaPokémon Home.[15][16][17][18]If save data is detected on the Nintendo Switch system fromLet's Go, Pikachu!orLet's Go, Eevee!.a Pikachu or Eevee that can Gigantamax will be available inSwordandShieldto the player as in-game gift.[19]

Plot

[edit]

Setting

[edit]

SwordandShieldare set in Galar,[20]a fictional region inspired by theUnited Kingdom,[21]with several of its landmarks resembling places such asBath, SomersetandYork.[22]Within the Galar region lie countryside towns featuring cottages andVictorian architectureto the south.[23]There are alsoIndustrial Revolutionandsteampunkreferences.[24]Many of the region's towns and cities feature Pokémon Gyms stylised like footballstadiums,showcasing the games' Dynamax and Gigantamax mechanic.[25]Snow-covered mountains dominate much of the northern areas of the region.[20]

Story

[edit]

Similar to many previous games in thePokémonfranchise, the player travels across the region to become the strongest Pokémon Trainer in the region, fighting eight powerful trainers called Gym Leaders and eventually the region's Champion, Leon. Leon is the older brother ofHop,the player's childhood best friend. The player and Hop receive one of threestarter Pokémon:Grookey,Scorbunny,orSobblefrom Leon as a gift. Afterward, the two explore a forest called the Slumbering Weald but are driven off by a powerful Pokémon. During their subsequent visit to the region's Pokémon Professor, Magnolia, and her granddaughter Sonia, they convince Leon to endorse the player and Hop to take part in the Gym Challenge. After travelling to the next city to register for the Gym Challenge, they encounter rivals Bede and Marnie, along with Team Yell, a devout group of hooligans who act as Marnie's unintentional fanbase and are determined to stop anyone else from completing the Challenge. The player also meets Chairman Rose, who, in addition to endorsing Bede as a Gym Challenger, presides over the Galar Pokémon League and the region's main energy company, Macro Cosmos.

As their quest continues, the player assists Sonia in her research on two Legendary Pokémon who saved Galar from an ancient crisis called the Darkest Day and deduces that they are the same Pokémon previously encountered in the Slumbering Weald. After beating the eight Gym Leaders, the player makes their way to Wyndon where they win the Champion's Cup, earning an opportunity to battle Leon. The next day, before the final battle between the player and Leon can commence, Chairman Rose awakens the legendary PokémonEternatusin an attempt to harness its power to provide unlimited energy to Galar, purposefully triggering a second Darkest Day. The player and Hop secure the aid of the legendary Pokémon,ZacianandZamazenta.The four defeat Chairman Rose and Eternatus, after which the player catches Eternatus and Rose hands himself over to the authorities. Three days later, the player faces and defeats Leon in a final battle and becomes the new Champion of the Galar Region.

The game's post-game has the player and Hop confront Sordward and Shielbert, two brothers who attempt to drive Zacian and Zamazenta berserk. The player and Hop capture the two Pokémon and the brothers are arrested. Hop chooses to train to be a Pokémon Professor with Sonia.

Development

[edit]
Director Shigeru Ohmori, pictured in 2007.
DirectorShigeru Ohmori(Pictured in 2007)

Conceptualization

[edit]

Conceptualization ofPokémon SwordandShieldbegan immediately following the completion ofPokémon SunandMoonin the months preceding their release in November 2016.Shigeru Ohmori,who previously directedSunandMoon,formed a team to brainstorm ideas for the title. Kazumasa Iwao, director ofPokémon Ultra SunandUltra Moon,later joined the project as planning director. One of the first ideas the team had was making Pokémon gigantic in size to capitalize on the Switch's high resolution and TV connectivity. Ohmori suggested a sword and a shield Pokémon to defeat this gigantic Pokémon; these concepts formed the games' titles.[26][27]

Game Freakapproached the games based on the theme of strength and striving to be the "greatest or the strongest"; this was expressed through the Switch's status as the most powerful console to run aPokémongame, the Dynamax mechanic, and in-game references to various elementsBritish folklorefeaturing giants and other mythical creatures.[27]The concept of "growing and evolving" is an important theme in the games, and it was heavily emphasized in the story.[28]

Production

[edit]

Full production began in September 2017. Approximately 1,000 people from multiple companies were involved in the development, marketing, localization, and public relations. Around 200 Game Freak employees worked directly on the games, while about 100Creatures Inc.employees worked on 3D modeling. An additional 100 worked on debugging and game testing.[29]Game Freak assembled a small team to systematically plan and design the game, enabling them to seamlessly incorporate all desired elements; this approach replaced their previous iterative method, which became impractical due to the complexities of the game's 3D graphics.[26]

Before developing the games, Game Freak worked onPokémon: Let's Go, Pikachu!andLet's Go, Eevee!as a research project to study the Switch, incorporating a similar code base structure forSwordandShield.[30]The developers explored various ways to improve and innovate the traditional random encounter mechanic, and after several experiments, they redesigned it to have the player encounter Pokémon freely roaming around the environment. Similarly, they considered allowing the player to freely control the camera to enhance the games' exploration experience, before consulting the staff members in the form of an internal debate, and it was ultimately included.[27]

With the transition to the Switch fromprevious iteration,Game Freak had to meticulously design Pokémon models from scratch to adapt them to the higher fidelity and more expressive graphics of the Switch when compared to theNintendo 3DS.[31][32]The Pokémon design process involved planners and concept designers creating settings for each Pokémon, which were compiled into a text file outlining the vision for each Pokémon's placement in the game. They designed the Wild Area as a "wide-open space" that is different from the traditional route systems and is constantly changing where "it would be interesting to come back every day and see what has changed—something that would feel different each time."[27]

Go Ichinoseand Minako Adachi composed the music, incorporating elements of UK rock music; a track was composed byToby Fox,creator ofUndertale.Ohmori stated that they included fairly short loop tunes for the route music, as opposed to the longer, more dynamic songs in the Wild Area.[27][33]The games are the first Pokémon games with a title theme that features lyrics.[34]

"Cutting" Pokémon

[edit]

Unlike previouscore seriesgames, many pre-existing Pokémon are not available inSwordandShield,and only Pokémon that appear in the Galar region can be transferred from previous titles viaPokémon Home.[16][35]ProducerJunichi Masudaaddressed this as a potential issue in a 2018 interview withGameSpot,saying that "it does get complicated when you talk about the details and we're still figuring it out, but we do have plans to find ways to let players use their Pokémon in the next game."[36]In 2019, he explained that the sheer number of Pokémon, combined with the need to produce assets for new features such as the Dynamaxing mechanic, and maintaining a goodgame balanceand high quality standard made it infeasible to include all pre-existing Pokémon without extensively lengthening development time.[37][38]He stated all three companies involved in the development,Nintendo,Game Freak,andThe Pokémon Company,agreed to reduce the games' amount of Pokémon.[39]

Release and marketing

[edit]

SwordandShieldwere first teased through a special message by The Pokémon Company presidentTsunekazu Ishiharaduring Nintendo'sE3 2017presentation,where Ishihara mentioned that Game Freak was working on a newcore seriesPokémonrole-playing game for the Nintendo Switch but that it would not be released for more than a year.[40]During a press conference held by The Pokémon Company in Japan on 30 May 2018, Game Freak announced that the games would be released on Switch in the second half of 2019.[41]The games were fully unveiled in a specialNintendo Directpresentation on 27 February 2019, introducing the games' region and starter Pokémon. The presentation coincided with Pokémon Day, a fan celebration ofPokémonon the anniversary of the Japanese release ofPokémon RedandGreen.[42]A second Nintendo Direct about the games was held on 5 June 2019, and it further revealed the games' new features, characters, and Pokémon. A release date of 15 November 2019, was also announced as part of this presentation.[43]

Game Freak intentionally limited the number of new Pokémon they revealed through promotional materials to encourage players to discover them in-game.[44]For the reveals of new Pokémon, several promotional stunts were used. An event in September involving the a glitched graphic on the official Pokémon website led to the reveal of the PokémonSirfetch'd.[45]A 24-hour livestream released in October, set in the games' Glimwood Tangle location, led to the reveal of a regional variant for the PokémonPonyta.[46]

A promotional crossover betweenSwordandShieldandTetris 99occurred from 8–11 November, during which a limited-time unlockable theme based on the games was available.[47]A web app was also released, allowing the viewer to explore the Wild Area online.[48]InSuper Smash Bros. Ultimate,an online tournament themed aroundPokémonwas held from 15 to 18 November to promoteSwordandShield'srelease, while an event occurred from 22 to 27 November, with some Pokémon from the games being available as collectible spirits.[49][50]

Leaks

[edit]

Prior to the release of the games, images showcasing Pokémon featured in the games, including various unreleased designs, were leaked via aDiscordchat, and subsequently spread over the internet.[51]The Pokémon Company filed a lawsuit against the leakers, having identified four Discord accounts associated with the leaks. A further request for asubpoenawas issued by The Pokémon Company against Discord and image board website4chan,requesting information on those who leaked information regarding the games.[52]The claim was settled in 2021. The leakers were required to individually pay $150,000 USD to the Company.[51]A Portuguese website, which also published a series of leaks prior to the games' release, was blacklisted byNintendo.[51]

A believed early build of the games, believed to be dated from sometime in 2018, was leaked by a hacker who breached Nintendo's servers. The build was distributed around various internet forums, such as4chan,following the release of the game. The build features numerous Pokémon cut from the final game's release, such asGreninjaandEkans,a form of the PokémonRayquaza,and several other Pokémon. Various visual aspects were unfinished, as were several models for the scrapped Pokémon. The game's Wild Area was also incomplete, and various music tracks had different variations to the final release.[53][54]When asked about the build,The Pokémon Companysaid it would "not comment on leaks and speculation," though the build was widely believed to be an actual early build of the games by many.[55]

Expansion pass

[edit]
Main article:Pokémon Sword and Shield Expansion Pass

During thePokémon Directon 9 January 2020, anexpansion passwas announced consisting of two parts,The Isle of Armor,andThe Crown Tundra,and they were released on 17 June 2020 and 22 October 2020, respectively.[56]The expansion pass added additional storylines, locations, characters, new and returning Pokémon species, and other features not present in the base game.[57][58]A physical bundle, which included both expansions as well as the base game, was released on 6 November 2020.[56]

Reception

[edit]

Critical response

[edit]

Reception of the games was largely positive.[c]According to thereview aggregatorMetacritic,SwordandShieldreceived "generally favourable" reviews from critics based on 94 critic reviews.[59][60]

Critics praisedSwordandShield'sgameplay, exploration, and mechanics.[d]Game Informercritic Brian Shea praised the games for their captivating battle mechanics and sense of exploration.[61]Similarly, Casey DeFreitas ofIGNpraised their engaging gameplay, complemented by compelling battle and exploration experiences.[62]Writing forGameSpot,Kallie Plagge praised the dynamic exploration aspect and streamlined gameplay.[63]Just Lunning, writing forInverse,similarly responded positively to the games. They stated that despite the cuts to the amount of Pokémon featured in the games, the games had improved various quality of life aspects, allowing for the games to be more accessible to new players.[67]

Lowell Bell, writing forThe Escapist,praised the games' gameplay, but felt the games lacked difficulty. They additionally criticised the games' story, believing Chairman Rose's plot to be illogical and that several story beats were not given enough weight.[68]Alex Olney ofNintendo Lifeenjoyed the game and praised various new aspects of the game, such as the new Pokémon, quality of life improvements, and the Wild Area. Despite this, he felt that the game did not take full advantage of the Nintendo Switch's more advanced hardware, and found various visual aspects underwhelming.[69]Alex Donaldson, writing forVG247,responded positively to the game, finding it charming and believing the game to successfully encapsulate various aspects of the series. He criticised various incomplete or mediocre aspects of the game, believing that they prevented the game from reaching its full potential.[70]

Some critics felt thatSwordandShieldlacked in depth and innovation.[e]In their review forEurogamer,Chris Tapsell criticised the games for their lack of depth, absence of complex dungeons and intricate lore, limited exploration option, and a restricted Pokédex, creating an illusion of scale and ambition that ultimately fails to provide a satisfying Pokémon experience of depth and substance that characterized previous iterations.[64]In theirGQreview, James Grebey and Tom Philip criticised their lack of challenge, depth, and innovation, expressing disappointment in the games' execution and their failure to fully utilize the capabilities of the Switch.[66]Mack Ashworth ofGameRevolutioncited the subpar visuals and mediocre story execution, and he compared the games' underperformed, inferior visuals to other top Switch games.[65]

Controversy

[edit]

The decision to exclude many pre-existing Pokémon in the games drew criticism from many fans, who referred to it as "Dexit", aportmanteauof "Pokédex" and "Brexit"(tying in with the Galar region's British theme),[71]and used thehashtag"#BringBackNationalDex" to discuss the matter onsocial media.[72]Fan backlash focused on the removal of a long-standing aspect of the franchise, the discouraging of its former English tagline "gotta catch 'em all,"[72][73]and a perceived lack of improvements in other areas of the games, such as graphics and animations.[74]Some fans called for the games to be delayed until all of the Pokémon could be added.[75]

Writing forPolygon,Patricia Hernandez commented that "to some degree, the backlash makes sense" while adding that it had "gotten out of hand".[72]Alex Donaldson ofVG247noted thatfeature creep—where an increase in new features over time may lead to removal of previous ones—had finally reachedPokémon,and long-overlooked design shortcomings of Game Freak were brought to the forefront as a result.[76]Kotaku'sGita Jackson summarized the backlash as "the tension of a desire to indulge in nostalgia against a desire to experience more complexity."[77]Joe Merrick, the webmaster of fansiteSerebii,considered the controversy to have caused the most unrest amongPokémonfans since the troubled launch ofPokémon Bankin 2013.[71]

Masuda formally responded to the criticism on 28 June 2019, two weeks after it erupted, expressing appreciation for the love and passion shown by fans.[78]He reiterated that the removal of certain Pokémon was a difficult decision to make and that they would be available in different games in the future. Michael McWhertor ofPolygonnoted that while Masuda's statement acknowledged the fans' discontent, it "did not amount to much".[79]

After the game's release, fans strongly criticized the games for their graphics, story, and characters. Further criticism came fromdata minersaccusing Game Freak of reusing the same models and animations from the 3DS games, resulting in the games beingreview bombedon Metacritic and the hashtag #GameFreakLied trending on Twitter.[80][81]Game Freak denied this, stating that these elements were in fact redesigned.[31]The announcement of theIsle of ArmorandCrown Tundraexpansion packs drew further outrage, with some fans believing that the packs should have been free or part of the base game due to "Game Freak's actions".[82]

Sales

[edit]

In Japan,SwordandShieldsold two million copies during their first three days on sale, 1.36 million retail copies alone, surpassingSuper Smash Bros. Ultimateas the fastest-selling Switch games in that region.[83][84]In the US, they sold more than two million copies in their opening weekend. During its opening weekend,SwordandShieldhad sold more than six million copies worldwide, surpassingSuper Smash Bros. Ultimateas the fastest-selling Switch games.[85]As of June 2024, the games had sold26.35million copies worldwide,[86]becoming the second best-selling titles in thePokémonvideo game series,behindPokémon RedandBlue.[86][87]

Awards

[edit]
List of awards and nominations forPokémon SwordandPokémon Shield
Year Award Category Result Ref.
2019 Game Critics Awards Best Role-Playing Game Nominated [88]
Best Family/Social Game Nominated
Gamescom Best Role Playing Game Nominated [89]
Best Nintendo Switch Game Nominated
Titanium Awards Best Family/Social Game Nominated [90]
2020 New York Game Awards Central Park Children's Zoo Award for Best Kids Game Nominated [91]
Tin Pan Alley Award for Best Music in a Game Nominated
23rd Annual D.I.C.E. Awards Role-Playing Game of the Year Nominated [92]
NAVGTR Awards Game, Franchise Family Nominated [93]
SXSW Gaming Awards Trending Game of the Year Won [94]
FamitsuDengekiGame Awards 2019 Game of the Year Won [95]
Best RPG Won

Notes

[edit]
  1. ^Japanese:ポケットモンスター ソード,Hepburn:Poketto Monsutā Sōdo
  2. ^Japanese:ポケットモンスター シールド,Hepburn:Poketto Monsutā Shīrudo
  3. ^Attributed to multiple references:[61][62][63][64][66][65]
  4. ^Attributed to multiple references:[61][62][63]
  5. ^Attributed to multiple references:[64][66][65]

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[edit]
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