Screen Rant

ScreenRant logo

Pokemon Sword & Shield

Pokemon Sword and Shield represents the eighth generation of the long-running monster catching and battling RPG franchise. These releases take place in the Galar region and feature an array of new Pokemon, including the Legendary Zacian and Zamazenta.

+ See More
Pokémon Sword and Shield
RPG
Adventure
8/10
Top Critic Avg: 80/100 Critics Rec: 65%
Released
November 15, 2019
ESRB
e
Developer(s)
Nintendo
Publisher(s)
Nintendo
Engine
codebase

Franchise
Pokemon
ESRB
e

latest

Gloria and Victor, the default main characters from Pokémon Sword and Shield, wearing their Isle of Armor DLC outfits in front of a background showing a close up of Pokémon Scarlet's Koraidon.
Pokémon Scarlet & Violet DLC Release Date Predictions Based on Sw/Sh's
Pokémon Scarlet and Violet

Pokémon Scarlet & Violet have yet to get any official information on DLC, but Sword and Shield's DLC could help with speculation on release dates.

By 
Image of Marnie in Pokémon Sword and Shield in front of a Gigantamaxing Grimmsnarl.
Pokémon Scarlet & Violet Kept Sword & Shield’s Best Gym Battle Feature
Pokémon Scarlet and Violet

Pokémon Scarlet and Violet made an excellent decision in keeping Pokémon Sword and Shield’s best improvement to the series’ gym battles.

By 
Professor Turo from Pokémon Violet, standing in a chamber with kaleidoscopic walls and holding a Master Ball toward the camera while his eyes are completely a bright blue.
Pokémon Scarlet & Violet Are Still Doing Separate Versions Wrong
Pokémon Scarlet and Violet

Scarlet & Violet differ more than most games in the series, but Pokémon can do more to distinguish games while telling coherent stories.

By 
Split image showing Victor in the Wild Area and Hop in Pokémon Sword & Shield.
10 Harsh Realities Of Replaying Pokémon Sword & Shield
Gaming

Replaying Generation VIII of Pokémon can be quite the eye-opening experience, especially now that Generation IX is out in all its open-world glory.

By 
Zacian, Zamazenta, and Urshifu in front of Wyndon Stadium from Pokémon: Sword & Shield
Things To Do In Sword & Shield Before Playing Scarlet & Violet
Gaming

Pokémon Scarlet & Violet are fresh, but Sword & Shield still have plenty of lofty goals for players to achieve after becoming Galar's champion.

By 
A split image of Charizard VSTAR from UPC Charizard and Charizard Secret Rare V from Champion's Path - Pokemon TCG: Sword and Shield.
Pokémon TCG: Sword & Shield: 10 Best Charizard Cards, Ranked
Pokemon

Charizard has received some truly epic cards throughout the Sword & Shield expansions. But overall, which ones are his best?

By 
Pokemon-Sword-Shield-Chairman-Rose
The Pokémon Anime Fixed Sword & Shield's Biggest Plot Hole
Pokemon

Pokémon Sword and Shield's villain plot didn't make much sense, but the anime version of events clears up one of the game's biggest story problems.

By 
A split image of Charizard VMAX Secret and Charizard V Secret - Pokemon TCG: Champion's Path.
10 Best Cards In Pokémon TCG: Sword & Shield — Champion's Path, Ranked
Pokemon

Champion's Path was a small expansion but it gave some of the most memorable cards for the Sword & Shield series like the secret rare shiny Charizard.

By 
The Pokémon Spiritomb is superimposed over an image of the Spectral-Express.
How Pokémon's Anime Fixed Sword & Shield's Huge Sidequest Problem
Pokemon

Pokémon's anime often expands on the regions from the games, and the Spectral Express is the perfect expansion that the vaguely empty Galar needed.

By 
Pokémon Sword and Shield's three starters over a map of Galar.
Pokémon TCG Monsters Sword & Shield Has Made Us Sick Of
Pokémon Trading Card Game

The Gen 8 era of the Pokémon Trading Card Game has been full of different Pokémon cards, but some monsters have been featured too prominently.

By 
Pokemon TCG: Shining Fates with shiny Gigantimax Charizard.
10 Best Cards In Pokémon TCG: Sword & Shield — Shining Fates, Ranked
Pokemon

Sword & Shield — Shining Fates gave Pokémon TCG players amazing new cards depicted shiny Pokémon such as Gigantamax Charizard.

By 
A split image of VMAX Single Strike and Rapid Strike Urshifu - Pokemon TCG: Battle Styles.
10 Best Cards In Pokémon TCG: Sword & Shield — Battle Styles, Ranked
Pokemon

The Pokémon TCG Battle Styles expansion brings dozens of amazing new cards focusing on Rapid Strike and Single Strike cards.

By 
A split image of VMAX Umbreon's alt art secret and VMAX Leafeon's alt art secret - Pokemon TCG: Evolving Skies.
10 Best Cards In Pokémon TCG: Sword & Shield — Evolving Skies, Ranked
Pokemon

Pokémon TCG: Sword & Shield — Evolving Skies saw fantastic new Eevee evolution cards alongside other new cards.

By 
A split image of Charizard and Mew (Secret) from Pokemon TCG: Celebrations.
10 Best Cards In Pokémon TCG: Sword & Shield — Celebrations, Ranked
Pokemon

Pokémon Celebrations saw the return of many well-loved cards from the beginning of the TCG, as well as new vibrant cards.

By 
Gigantamax Charizard from the Pokémon anime.
Pokémon Sword & Shield Announces End Of (Some) Online Features
Pokemon

The Pokémon Company has announced that some of Pokémon Sword and Shield's online features will be closing down in November, making way for Gen 9.

By 
The Mythical Pokémon Genesect, Volcanion, and Marshadow, against a backdrop from Pokémon Sword & Shield.
Free Pokémon Codes For Genesect, Volcanion, & Marshadow Coming Soon
Pokemon

Three new Mythical Pokémon distribution codes will be released for Genesect, Volcanion, and Marshadow for players of Pokémon Sword & Shield in the US.

By 
A split image of Gengar and Mew - Pokemon TCG: Fusion Strike.
10 Best Cards In Pokémon TCG: Sword & Shield — Fusion Strike, Ranked
Pokemon

Pokémon TCG: Sword & Shield contains multiple cards that each other with Fusion Strike and Rapid Strike.

By 
A split image of Giratina and Zoroark from Pokemon TCG: Lost Origin.
10 Best Cards In Pokémon TCG: Sword & Shield — Lost Origin
Pokemon

The Sword & Shield — Lost Origin expansion for Pokémon's TCG possesses incredible cards, with many involving the Lost Zone.

By 
Pokemon Elgyem
Elgyem Has One Of Pokémon's Creepiest Abilities
Pokemon

The Psychic-type Elgyem has a Pokédex entry in Pokémon Sword that reveals it to have one of the series' most strange and eerie abilities.

By 
Pokemon Ash Lucario
Pokémon Sword & Shield: How To Claim Ash’s Lucario
Pokemon

Ash's Lucario is now available as a Mystery Gift in Pokémon Sword & Shield, ending a promotion involving his team appearing in the games.

By 
See More