So as we enter the end of 2019, we start to approach the time of the year where the latest video games get released just in time for the holiday season. I don’t know about you, but I always look forward to the new Pokemon games, and this year is no different. On November 15th, Pokemon Sword and Pokemon Shield will be released worldwide. Ever since it’s announcement we have received trailer after trailer, giving us glimpses at new features, and brand new Pokemon . Now even though we didn’t get much information in the first trailer, GameFreak has certainly made up for it with their most recent ones. So let me catch you guys up on we can expect when playing these new games.

Starting off with the info we have from the very first trailer, the region that we’ll be having our Pokemon journey on is the Galar region, a region that’s based on the real life United Kingdoms. Like past Pokemon games there will be tons of references to the real life country Galar is based on. So keep an eye out for Pokemon and towns based on real life animals and places from the UK. Next up, we have the Starter Pokemon, and in these games we have some good options to choose from. We have the water starter, Sobble, a sad lizard that likes to hide in water. The grass starter, Grookey, a curious monkey that likes to make a rhythmic beat with a stick. And finally. the fire starter, Scorbunny, an energetic bunny that can’t stop moving.

Every Pokemon game since Pokemon X and Y, has introduced some sort of new gimmick, and in Sword and Shield, that gimmick is Dynamaxing. Dynamaxing is something that every Pokemon can do. With the help of a special item, your Pokemon can grow in an enormous size, and it’s attacks gets replaced with one super attack that does major damage. Some Pokemon can even go one step above and do something called Gigantamaxing, where they gain a new form on top of growing in size. This also leads into a new feature called Max Raid Battles. This is a special event where you and up to four other players can work together to defeat a wild Dynamax Pokemon. You’ll have to team up, and be strategic if you want to take one of those Pokemon down.

Something else coming to Pokemon Sword and Shield, that a ton of fans are happy about, is the return of regional variants. First starting in Pokemon Sun and Moon as Alolan Forms, regional variants are coming back into Pokemon Sword and Shield as Galarian Forms. For those of you who don’t know, regional variants are new forms of already existing Pokemon. So far we have Galarian Wheezing, and Galarian Forms for Zigzagoon’s Evolution line. Officially, 17 brand new Pokemon have been revealed or hinted at. Not including the new Galarian Forms and the Starter Pokemon. To list them all in detail would probably make this post way too long, so I recommend looking them up on the official Pokemon Sword & Pokemon Shield website.

The last bit of features that I do have time to talk about are the most recent ones, Pokemon Camp, and an upgraded character customization. Pokemon Camp is an adorable new feature where you can take your Pokemon out into the wild and bond with them. While in the Wild Area, an area where wild Pokemon roam in the overworld, you can visit other players’ Pokemon Camps and see their Pokemon. And finally, the ability to customize your trainer is back, and better than ever. When starting the game you have 8 presets to choose from, 4 girls, and 4 boys. In past games, you were only able to change your shirt, pants, hair, and eye color, with very limited options. But now, Pokemon Sword and Shield has added footwear, hats, gloves, jackets, make-up, and so much more. It’s features like these that really will make your Pokemon journey feel special and unique.

So, that was what we know so far about Pokemon Sword and Pokemon Shield. Now, I didn’t exactly go over everything, there are a lot of leaks and rumors floating around about these games. But I did cover everything that was confirmed for these games so far, via a trailer by Nintendo, or an official announcement by Gamefreak. Regardless, whether your a veteran Pokemon fan, or someone just getting into the series, I hope this article tells you what you what you wanted to know about these games. November 15th will be a day to remember for Pokemon fans everywhere.