NintendoPokemon Sword & Shield is officially coming to Nintendo Switch on November 15, alongside a whole batch of entirely new monsters to enslave and train on our quest for personal glory.
Yesterday’s Nintendo Direct Presentation confirmed all manner of cool new features, including giant Pokemon, co-op raids, and open world-style Wild Areas where Pokemon roam freely, similar to Let’s Go Pikachu & Eevee.
Today, I’ll be running through the new monsters that have been revealed for Sword & Shield so far. Counting the three Starter Pokemon who were announced alongside the original reveal, we now have 10 newcomers to fawn over and/or complain about. Let’s take a look.
Grookey
NintendoGrookey is the grass type Starter Pokemon for Gen 8. As you can see, it’s a pretty cheeky looking monkey that makes use of a stick that is apparently imbued with “magical powers.” If Grookey drums near dead plants, it can bring them back to life. Mah heart.
Sobble
NintendoThe water typer starter Sobble has gotten a lot of bad press from people who reckon it looks like a bit of a wet lettuce. I say boo to those people, because Sobble is on a level I can get on board with. The chameleon Pokemon often uses its tears as a distraction or excuse to escape. Relatable.
Scorbunny
NintendoThe fire type starter Pokemon (and probably my first choice when I get the game), Scorbunny can use its fiery feet to deliver lightning fast attacks. I’m assuming this critter will evolve into a fighting/fire type, because we’ve never seen that before. That was sarcasm, to be clear.
Wooloo
NintendoWooloo is a normal type with a great name and an even better energy. An adorable lil sheep, aparently its wool is used for clothing and carpets around the Galar region. It also dislikes conflict, and prefers to simply roll away from fights. These Gen 8 Pokemon really do speak my language.
Corviknight
NintendoCorviknight is a steel/flying type that patrols the skies of Galar region. A number of them are employed by the Galar Taxi service and help transport people from town to town. That’s not a joke by the way, they are legit a form of fast travel in the game, presumably to replace the Fly HM.
Drednaw
NintendoDrednaw is a water/rock type with a powerful bite that can cut through steel. It’s an aggressive, speedy Pokemon that, according to the official description, is said to be quite tough to train. I’m eager to see what this one evolves into.
Gossifleur
NintendoGossifleur is, if you couldn’t tell by looking at it, a grass type Pokemon. This lil fella prefers areas free from pollution, and its pollen has a healing effect, making it a commonly sought after Pokemon for healers everywhere. I’d imagine it’s a real boon for the Galar equivalent of the NHS.
Eldegoss
NintendoGossifleur evolves into Eldegoss, which sounds like a posh gin. Eldegoss develops a thick head of cotton that protects it from attacks, an it typically travels the Galar region sewing seeds and being cute.
Zacian and Zamazenta
NintendoFinally, we have our two Legendary Pokemon, and the cover stars of Sword & Shield; Zacian (left) and Zamazenta (right). No, I have no idea how to pronounce their names properly either.
Not much is known about these Pokemon yet, but I’d assume that Zacian has a higher attack stat, given the big sword in its mouth, while Zamazenta is who you’d go if you’re looking for defence. The reveal trailer for these critters also briefly implies that Zacian is a water type, while Zamazenta is fire – but this hasn’t been confirmed.
There are plenty more Pokemon yet to be revealed, as well as a number of classic monsters to be found in Sword & Shield, including Raichu, Charizard, Rhydon, and Gyrados. I think I’m ready to catch ’em all for the umpteenth time.
Ewan Moore is a journalist at UNILAD Gaming who still quite hasn’t gotten out of his mid 00’s emo phase. After graduating from the University of Portsmouth in 2015 with a BA in Journalism & Media Studies (thanks for asking), he went on to do some freelance words for various places, including Kotaku, Den of Geek, and TheSixthAxis, before landing a full time gig at UNILAD in 2016.