Updated Title Publisher
Updated Title Publisher
Updated Title
Published Title Score Editor's Choice
Published Title Score

Pokémon: Sword & Shield

Purchase on Amazon

Starting the Game

By
Ben Chard
&
Vincent Lau

The first time you boot up the game (with no save data present), you’ll be presented with a choice of in-game language. This includes English, various European languages, two options for Japanese, Korean and two options for Chinese. Obviously, you probably ought to pick the one you’re most familiar with.

Alright, which of these mugs is you?

Next, the game will ask you for your character’s appearance. Similar to the previous games, Let’s Go "Pikachu" IconPikachu/"Eevee" IconEevee, you can pick from 8 preset options. The main difference is gender: 4 of the options are guys (on the left side) and the other 4 are girls (on the right side). Otherwise, the skin tone, eye and hair colour differ.

During the course of the game, you can change your character’s eye and hair colour, so don’t fret too much about those. However, do be sure to pick the gender and skin tone that you want, because there’s no way to change these, shy of restarting the game.

Lastly, you’ll have to decide your character’s name. If you selected English as your language, you can enter up to 12 symbols. Conveniently, that’s enough space for “GamerGuides”, which is what we’ll pick for our character!

GamerGuides is here to make sure your adventure in Galar is as smooth as possible!

In a break from tradition, the very first face you see won’t be the region’s Professor figure. Instead, you’ll be watching a televised speech by Chairman Rose. We then learn that this is an opening speech for an exhibition match between the Galar region’s champion, Leon, and a challenger known as Raihan. The scene ends just as the battle is about to start.

No Comments
Guide Information
  • Publisher
    Pokemon Company International
  • Platforms,
    Switch
  • Genre
    RPG
  • Guide Release
    15 November 2019
  • Last Updated
    21 March 2024
    Version History
  • Guide Author

Share this free guide:

Welcome to our comprehensive strategy guide for Pokémon: Sword and Shield, the latest entries in the Pokémon video game franchise. Our guide also incorporates all the DLC, including the Isle of Armor and brand new Crown Tundra DLC.

In Sword and Shield, you explore the Galar region, based on the United Kingdom, alongside rivals Hop, Bede and Marnie, with the aim to dethrone the Pokémon League Champion.

The games introduce several new features such as Dynamaxing and Gigantamaxing, functions that increase size and change forms of certain Pokémon; the Wild Area, a large open world with free camera movement; and raids with co-op battling. They also reintroduce features previously seen in Sun and Moon and Let’s Go, Pikachu! and Let’s Go, Eevee!, such as regional variants and roaming Pokémon depicted in the overworld.

Brand New October 2020:

Version 1.2

  • A Complete Walkthrough of the Isle of Armor.
  • Details of all 16 new Wild Areas, including Pokémon encounter rates.
  • All the new Max Raid Dens: Locations and Featured Pokémon.
  • Images and Locations of All 150 of the Missing Diglett.
  • The Isle of Armor Pokédex (featuring 100 Returning Pokémon).
  • Recipes for the Cram-o-matic.
  • A Full Walkthrough featuring Pokémon encounter rates.
  • All Gym Encounters and Strategies.
  • New Items: Mints & Natures Explained.
  • Post Game content including Champion Cup.
  • Dynamaxing and Gigantamaxing.
  • The Galar Region Pokédex (featuring 400 Pokemon).

Get a Gamer Guides Premium account: