Skip to content

POKEMON SWORD & SHIELD

Written By:

Stephen J. Boothroyd
Switch_Pokemon-SwordShield_05

POKEMON SWORD & SHIELD / DEVELOPER: GAME FREAK / PUBLISHER: NINTENDO / PLATFORM: SWITCH / RELEASE DATE: OUT NOW

It’s been one of the biggest-selling franchises in videogame history and now, after over twenty years as a handheld exclusive, Pokemon Sword & Shield becomes the first games in the main series to come to home console.

Like most of the previous games, you pick one of three starter Pokemon and then begin your journey to become a Pokemon master by beating each of eight gym leaders. It’s a very linear narrative with the side quest being to catch all the Pokemon – or, as there’s four hundred of them now, more likely just catch a load of them.

The world is expansive with plenty of side streets and houses to explore, enabling you to find helpful items and hidden Pokemon. Like last year’s Let’s Go! games, random encounters are no longer an issue. You’re able to see most of the Pokemon wondering around and can just avoid them if you don’t wish to battle. You also now receive XP from catching Pokemon as well as just defeating them. These are welcome improvements, removing tedious parts of the franchise and making grinding really unnecessary if you’re trying to fill out your Pokedex.

The game has a few new standout features. Dynamax moves allows certain Pokemon to turn into Godzilla-sized versions of themselves for three turns during battle. It’s impressive to see your Pokemon dwarf everything else with their massive attack animations.

The second big new feature is wild areas. These are much more open environments where you’ll find extra-strong Pokemon. It’s also where you’ll find another new feature – Max Raid Battles – where players can team up with up to three other people to battle and capture various Dynamax Pokemon.

If Pokemon games have never appealed to you before, it’s hard to see why this would be any different. Sword & Shield improve upon the previous games in the series, but in small subtle ways rather than reinventing the wheel. Kids, Pokemon fans and JRPG fans, however, will all have great time throughout.

Stephen J. Boothroyd

You May Also Like...

chinese remake of anaconda drops trailer

ANACONDA Trailer Grants First Look At Remake Of 1997 Horror Flick

Three sequels and a spinoff-crossover film wasn’t enough for the 1997 creature feature Anaconda, which not only has a new movie in development, but is getting a Chinese remake! From
Read More
black widow star scarlett johansson in talks to lead new universal jurassic world film

Scarlett Johansson In Talks To Join JURASSIC WORLD Film

Another MCU star appears to be taking up the reins for Universal’s new Jurassic World movie: two-time Oscar nominee Scarlett Johansson is reportedly in talks to lead the franchise that
Read More

Exclusive Reveal! Titan Comics to Deliver Prehistoric Hysterics in First 2 DUMB DINOS Collection

Titan Comics have exclusively revealed to STARBURST that they’re gearing up to publish the first-ever collection of the hilarious cult digital comic strip 2 Dumb Dinos, and we’re not the
Read More

New Dates For Lovecraftian Key of Dreams

Key of Dreams has announced new spaces for its titular immersive luxury horror event. The critically acclaimed company is known for its overnight experiences that dunk you into a strange
Read More

FAB Café to Host Free Film Screening of New Indie Comedy SECRETS OF A WALLABY BOY

We’re well known for our championing of truly independent filmmakers here at STARBURST, so it’s doubly exciting to be writing about one of our own! After joining the crew in
Read More
colin farrell returns as oswald cobblepot in the penguin series trailer

Colin Farrell Returns In THE PENGUIN Trailer

Colin Farrell returns as Gotham City’s answer to Tony Soprano in the first trailer for Max series The Penguin, which spins out of the world of the 2022 DC film
Read More