The Pokemon Company briefly showed off some new aspects of Pokemon Sword and Shield today, including new teams, new Pokemon, and new regional forms.
First up is the addition of Galarian Forms to the regional Pokedex. These are a follow-up from Pokemon Sun and Pokemon Moon‘s Alolan Forms, only unlike the Alolan variants, Galarian forms aren’t restricted to Gen I Pokemon.
Galarian Forms
The trailer initially shows off Galarian Weezing, which means there will probably be Galarian Koffing as well. The regional variant of Weezing is Poison and Fairy type, sporting huge smokestacks on its head and faces that look as if it indulged in a bit too much mint ice cream. Its ability is, as always, Levitate, though there’s an empty spot for another, unknown ability, too.
Galarian Zigzagoon and Linoone were next, both of which retain their Normal type from Ruby and Sapphire. However, they gain the Dark type here. Along with an accompanying sinister appearance, the regional form grants them the Gluttony ability, too.
Some Galarian Pokemon will get brand-new evolutions, including Galarian Linoone. The species originally had just one evolution.
Form Changing ‘Mon
Galar will also host Pokemon who can change form depending on certain conditions. Today’s trailer showed off Morpeko.
Morpeko is another Electric mouse Pokemon, but where Pikachu is cute and cuddly, Morpeko is constantly hungry because of the energy its electric sacs use up.
It has two forms related to this type of hunger: Full Belly Mode, where Morpeko is an Electric type, and Hangry Mode, which turns the little guy into a very grumpy Dark type.
Reportedly, the Mode change is random, with Morpeko’s ability — Hunger Switch — having a chance to change its mode each turn.
New Rivals
Along with the player’s friend showcased in earlier reveals, Pokemon Sword and Shield will have at least two more rival characters.
The first is Bede, a pun on the medieval English historian known as the Venerable Bede. He aims to be Champion of the Galar League but apparently has hidden motives as well. It seems he might specialize in Psychic types, with the trailer showing Bede battling with a Solosis.
Then there’s Marnie, the Goth/Punk girl. She also wants to be Champion, and over the course of her many battles, she and her Morepeko have earned a good many fans.
These fans are the typical rowdy groupies and call themselves Team Yell. Team Yell shows up at various venues where Marnie is and tries their best to make sure she wins — whatever the cost.
Now Hiring
Finally is a new mechanic called Poké Jobs, which are basically like Merc tasks in Xenoblade Chronicles 2.
Various corporations and entities in the Galar region will post requests at terminals in Pokemon Centers, and the player can take these requests on. They require sending out certain Pokemon of a specific type, and not only will these Pokemon grow in the process, but the player often gets special rewards as well.
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That’s all the new Pokemon Sword and Pokemon Shield information for now, but with the games launching on Nintendo Switch in just a few short months, there’s sure to be more soon.
