First off, let us say WOW!

The scheduled Pokémon Sword and Shield video announcement that we discussed in our last post has now come and gone and the amount of new information that we have learned is truly stunning.

It not only met ALL of our expectations, but then went even further by exceeding them, with new trailers, content spoilers and so much more!

Throughout the course of this article, for those of you who have not yet seen the video, or even for those who have, but just can’t get enough, we are going to break down exactly what was revealed and what it means for the Pokémon franchise moving forward.

New Gameplay Trailer

Almost immediately in the Pokémon direct video announcement, we were presented with a new Pokémon Sword and Shield trailer, which showcased just how amazing this soon to be latest installment to the Pokémon franchise is going to be.

The power of the Nintendo Switch as a platform was on full display and the graphics were truly stunning, as we watched the character navigate through various towns and landscapes.

What immediately caught our attention was how the wild Pokémon in Sword and Shield freely roamed around the countryside and swam through the open water. This gave the world an incredible feeling of being alive and open.

Various biomes were showcased throughout the video and as could both be seen and heard, this directly affects which Pokémon the player is going to encounter.

In addition to this, we learned that the weather being experienced within the game would also directly affect which Pokémon are more, or less likely to be encountered.

Also seen throughout the course of this trailer was some of the key characters, stadiums and towns that we will be able to visit in the Galar region.

New Pokémon

Although the developers were rather tight lipped about all of the new Pokémon that will be making their debut appearances within Pokémon Sword and Shield, they did however not leave us hanging completely and spoiled a few amazing looking new Pokémon.

These are as follows:

• Corviknight
• Drednaw
• Gossifleur
• Wooloo

In addition to the new Pokémon shown above, the developers made sure to reassure us that many of our favorite classic Pokémon would once again be returning to Pokémon Sword and Shield.

Finally, there were two more Pokémon that made a surprise appearance, much to our delight…

Pokémon Sword and Shield Legendaries Revealed

Next, we have to talk about the last two Pokémon revealed in the Pokémon direct video, the Legendary Pokémon Zacian and Zamazenta.

Towards the end of the video we are treated to a fight scene between these two Legendary Pokémon, as they nimbly dance around each other, looking for any weakness.

Zacian represents the “sword” in Pokémon Sword and Shield and Zamazenta represents the “shield”, as can be plainly seen through their designs.

Zamazenta features a powerful, regal mane, while Zacian carries a hefty broadsword in their mouth.

Intentionally, not much further is discussed about these two new Legendary Pokémon, as the game designers are keeping the lid on their stories and how they are going to play into the Pokémon Sword and Shield game.

Galar Region Professor, Gym Leaders and Champion Revealed

One of the most exciting aspects of each and every Pokémon game are the characters that the player encounters throughout their journey.

Most notable of all of these are typically the gym leaders, professor, starting rival and champion of the region.

This is where the Pokémon direct video really blew away all of our expectations, as we truly didn’t expect to meet so many of the new faces from the Galar region.

First off we have the professor of the Galar region that will help you along with your journey and get you on your way, Professor Magnolia, assisted by her granddaughter Sonia.

Professor Magnolia is an expert in the newest mechanic that will be presented in Pokémon Sword and Shield, of which we will discuss shortly.

Next up, we have Leon, the reigning Champion of the Galar region, who is loved and adored by his fans. He is undefeated and waiting for a worthy challenger.

Aspiring to be the next Leon is Hop, your starting rival in the game and also Leon’s younger brother.

Finally, the last key character that made an appearance is Gym Leader Milo, one of the many gym leaders that we will encounter in Pokémon Sword and Shield and a specialist in grass type Pokémon.

Dynamax, the Newest Pokémon Mechanic

The last gameplay feature that we are going to discuss is the newest mechanic to make its way into the Pokémon series, Dynamax.

Dynamax, or Dynamaxing as the developers sometimes referred to it as, is a unique feature of the Galar region and is an ability that players are going to be able to unlock within the game.

This feature can only be used once per battle and only for three turns, after which your Pokémon will return to normal.

While using the Dynamax ability, your Pokémon will grow to gargantuan sizes, making them immensely powerful and unlocking new moves and abilities.

Be aware however, Gym Leaders are also shown to possess this ability, as can be seen via the image of Gym Leader Milo above.

Also, players will be able to team up and take on Dynamax Pokémon in the wild, with up to four players doing battle against one of these powerful Pokémon.

Dynamax Pokémon in the wild act a bit differently however, as they can stay in this form indefinitely, while only one of the four players attempting to capture this Pokémon can Dynamax their Pokémon throughout the course of the battle.

This feature is the first of its kind and is truly unique to the Pokémon series.

Pokémon Sun and Shield Official Release Date

Gamefreak, the developers of Pokémon saved the best for last and so did we!

The official release date for Pokémon Sword and Shield has been revealed and luckily for all of us, is coming out even sooner than many of us anticipated it would.

Pokémon Sword and Shield is not coming out in early December, as is typical for many of Nintendo’s biggest hit titles, but rather on November 15th, 2019, meaning that many players are going to be able to get a head start before the holidays break!

Also revealed was the “Double Pack”, which features both the Pokémon Sword and the Pokémon Shield versions of the game. As indicated, this is exclusively available to pre orders, at least for now.

In Conclusion

The hype for Pokémon Sword and Shield was already in the stratosphere, but has now shot off into another galaxy!

We learned about numerous new Pokémon, new characters, new gameplay features and even the official release date of Pokémon Sword and Shield.

We can’t wait to for Pokémon Sword and Shield to spawn the next generation in the Pokémon Trading Card Game series and to see the new Legendary Pokémon Zacian and Zamazenta come to life!

How about you? What did you enjoy most about the Pokémon direct spoiler video? What has you most excited? We’d love to hear!