'Pokémon Sword' and 'Shield' come to Nintendo Switch on November 15th
A new 'Dynamax' ability will super-size your Pokémon temporarily.
The next core titles in the Pokémon franchise, Sword and Shield, will be released on November 15th, 2019. Developer Game Freak confirmed the news in a 15-minute Direct that also included a host of gameplay and story tidbits. One of these, Dynamax, will boost your monster's size and attack power for three turns in battle. In addition, it will be possible to fight Dynamax-sized Pokémon in the wild through a new, co-operative Max Raid Battle system. Details are scarce at the moment, but the Direct showed four trainers meeting near a portal and fighting a giant Pokémon in what appeared to be another dimension. So yeah, basically Pokémon Kaijū.
"If you and your allies manage to emerge victorious, you will get a chance to catch the Pokémon in a truly dynamic catch sequence," Kazumasa Iwao, planning director for Pokémon Sword and Shield explained.
Of course, the presentation showed a whole lot more than that. Game Freak revealed two new legendary Pokémon -- Zacian and Zamazenta -- which look like wolves and have (surprise!) a sword and shield-like mane respectively. Other Pokédex additions include Wooloo, a fluffy sheep, Drednaw, a vicious creature with a huge jaw, Corviknight, a raven that doubles as a flying taxi, Gossifleur, a flower-like Pokemon, and its evolution Eldegoss. During the Direct, Game Freak also confirmed that the games will have a fully-movable camera system (no more locked perspective!) and a 'wild area' that features a dynamic weather system.
The Direct covered some new characters, too. The story will feature a purple-haired Pokemon champion called Leon, and his brother Hop, who serves as your rival during the game. There's also Professor Magnolia and her assistant, Sonia, who will help you out throughout your journey.
Hyped yet?
