PLAY | Pokémon Sword and Shed Pokémon Sw d an 1 2


and Shiielld


3


POKÉMON SWORD AND SHIELD


For their next outing, Pikachu and pals are visiting a rather familiar location


Forma Switch | Release date 15 November | Publisher Nintendo | Developer Game Freak Format T


here's something strangely familiar about the setting for the eighth generation of Pokémon.


Admittedly, we've never been to Galar but the region bears an immediate and striking resemblance to Britain. It’s not just the rolling hills, thatched cottages, and the suspicio


e clock tower that looks


suspic usly like Big Ben – some of the Poké as British a vinega Co


the P kémon themselves are as


itish as a pigeon with gar-soaked chip. Corviknight, an


arm off


armoured crow, gives off serious Tower of


London vibes, for example


example, while Yamper the corg be


be right at home scur bu


you' you're free to explore its charming towns and rolling meadows. Wandering wild ’mon replace the traditional random encounters, though there’ll still be the


has fr


mon enco


rgi looks like they'd scurrying around the Buckingham Palace.


burnished halls of


This Blighty-tinged region also has the feel of an open world, and


odd creature hidden away, waiting to be revealed once you jump into battle.


Go for it World-conquering app Pokémon Go has had a particularly big influence on Sword and Shield's Raid Battles, which let four players gather at Pokémon dens to battle a Dynamax boss creature. These behemoths can do multiple superpowered attacks in a single turn, but you’ll be able to turn the tables by Dynamaxing one of your own Pokémon – growing a Raichu into a Kaiju, a Diglett to a Biglett. If you're victorious, everyone gets a chance to catch the critter by hurling beach-ball-


sized Poké Balls at it. Along with hugely expanded


multiplayer options, a bigger world to explore, and battles that look more like the anime than ever before, Sword and Shield are shaping up to be the best Pokémon titles yet. Here's hoping Pikachu's picked up a cockney accent.


GAME.CO.UK Crush this rival trainer's youthful optimism by destroying her Pokémon in battle


Perfect Partner Pika, Pika,


Pika-choose to


use the Pokémon Controller for Switch to play Sword & Shield


Gotta caption ’em all! 1 If you Dynamax in a battle, be warned that the embiggening effect will only last three turns. 2 We had the chance to play as all three new starters in our hands-on, but the adorable Scorbunny was our favourite. 3 This is Gossifleur, a grass Pokémon that specialises in healing.


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Summer 2019 19


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