A mythical reward for Sword / Shield owners

The release date for Pokemon Legends: Arceus is just a few months away, and today, Nintendo announced some extras that players of previous Pokemon games can pick up. Those who boot up Pokemon Legends: Arceus with play data from Sword or Shield will get a chance to catch Shaymin.

The Mythical Pokemon will be available in its Land Forme to join your team. A special research request for Shaymin will be available after you've rolled credits on Pokemon Legends: Arceus.

//tw?itter.com/NintendoAmerica/status/1458472041351364608?s=20

Alongside the Pokemon, there's a cosme??tic Shaymin Kimono Set available to claim too.

Another Pokemon game coming soon also has some tie-ins for those with previous save data. Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl will have a few Pokemon to pick up for those with previous save data. Jirachi can be acquired if you have Sword or Shield save records, and Let's Go, Pikachu! or Let's Go, Eevee! nets you a Mew.

Pokemon Legends: Arceus is set to put a new spin on the world of Pokemon in January, with a little more action, exploration, and some terrifying wild Pokemon chases. Some of the new Pokemon in the region have also been shown off recently, like the Hisuian variant of Zorua and Zoroark.

Pokemon Legends: Arceus will hit Nintendo Switch on Jan. 28, 2022.

The post Pokemon Legends: Arceus players can get Shaymin if they ??have Swo??rd or Shield data appeared first on Destructoid.

Hardly a scheme worthy of Team Rocket

A Japanese man has been arrested by authorities for allegedly generating and selling hacked critters from Nintendo Switch release Pokémon Sword & Shield. The 23-year-old was apprehended in Nagoya City, A??ichi Prefecture after being caught allegedly selling a hacked Sobble.

The suspect is accused of having used a "jailbroken" Nintendo Switch console to run a service online in which they would create hacked Pokémon to order, with each critter retailing for around ¥500, with a commission fee of up to ¥800 should an individual order six Pokémon or more. It is alleged that the man has made somewhere in the region of ¥1.15 million (or roughly $10,000 USD) since Pokémon Sword & Shield's release in November 2019.

The arrest comes shortly after Nintendo Japan's January statement where the publisher announced its intention to come down hard on players who utilize titles such as Pokémon Sword & Shield, Pokémon GO, and the Pokémon Home service for nefarious or criminal purposes, ?banning accounts, restricting access to the service or, in this case, sending in Five-O.

"We have confirmed that some users are playing Pokémon Sword & Shield and Pokémon Home using illegally modified data," said Nintendo. "We will regularly monitor and respond to fraudulent an??d annoying acts so that our users can enjoy themselves with peace of mind. We look forward to your continued support of t??he Pokémon series."

So, if you're on a mission to be the very best, li??ke no-one ev??er was, better stick to the rules.

Man arrested?? after selling hacked Sobble from Pokémon Sword &? Shield [Asahi News / Kotaku]

The post Man arrested for selling hacked Pokemon Sword & Shield Sobble appeared first on Destructoid.

Card Tricks

The long-lost Pokemon Kadabra i?s set to return to the Pokedex after the end of a dispute that has lasted some two decades. The Psi Pokemon has been missing from the famous card game decks since 2003,? when British-Israeli illusionist Uri Geller claimed that the spoon-carrying creature infringed upon his brand and likeness.

At the weekend, the "originator of spoon-bending" apologized for ever kicking up a fuss,? and stated that it was now up?? to Nintendo whether it wanted to bring Kadabra - originally known in Japan as "Yungerer/Yungeller" - back into the fold.

"I am truly sorry for what I did 20 years ago," said Geller on Twitter. "Kids and grownups I am rele??asing the ban. It's now all up to Nintendo to bring my Kadabra Pokemon card back. It will probably be one of the rarest cards now! Much energy and love to all!"

Speaking with The Gamer, Geller cited the voluminous amount of emails he has received over the years, which encouraged him to contact Nintendo and give them "permission to relaunch the Uri Geller Kadabra/Yungeller worldwide." Nintendo is yet to comment on the situation, so we'll just have to w??ait?????????????????????????? and see whether Kadabra makes a mystical comeback.

Uri Geller ??gives p??ermission to print Kadabra on Pokemon cards again [TheGamer]

I am truly sorry for what I did 20 years ago. Kids and grownups I am releasing the ban. It’s now all up to #Nintendo to bring my #kadabra #pokemon card back.
It will probably be one of the rarest cards now! Much energy and love to all!//t.co/Rv1aJFlIKS pic.twitter.com/5zDMX5S8WA

— Uri Geller (@TheUriGeller) November 28, 2020

The post Kadabra might return to Pokemon decks followi?ng Uri Geller apology appeared first on Destructoid.

Mystery Gifts Galore!

Pokémon Sword & Shield. Reme?mber those games? They're the ones most Switch owners were obsessed with before trying to master the stalk market or lure Raymond to their island. In a couple of weeks, players around the world will dive back into the Galar Region when the Isle of Armor?? DLC launches. To get everyone ready, The Pokémon Company is dropping some dope Mystery Gifts over the next few weeks.

Starting today, you will receive a Galarian form Pokémon with a special ability, as well as some Poké Balls, when you download the Mystery Gift. Each week bri??ngs new gifts to receive. ??Here is a breakdown of everything being given away:

• Week 1: Galarian Form Mr. Mime w/ Hidden Ability Ice Body
• Ice Body Ability heals 1/16 of its HP when it's hailing during battle. Also protects the Pokémon from being damaged by hail.
  
• Will also receive a Moon Ball, Heavy Ball, Dream Ball, Lure Ball.
• Starts May 21 at 5:00 pm PST.

• Week 2: Galarian Form Ponyta w/ Hidden Ability Anticipation
• Anticipation alerts the Pokémon if their opponent has a one-hit K.O. move.
• Will also receive Level Ball, Love Ball, Fast Ball, Beast Ball, Friend Ball.
• Starts May 28 at 5:00 pm PST.

• Week 3: Galarian Form Corsola w/ Hidden Ability Cursed Body
• Cursed Body has a 30% chance of disabling a damaging move from your opponent for four turns.
• Will also receive the Evolution Item Set, which includes Sweet Apple, Tart Apple, Chipped Pot, Cracked Pot, Whipped Dream, and Sachet.
• Starts June 4 at 5:00 pm PST.

• Week 4: Galarian Form Meowth w/ Hidden Ability Unnerve
• Unnerve prevents opponents from eating berries in battle.
• Will also receive 50 Big Nuggets and 100 EXP Candies.
• Starts June 11 at 5:00 pm PST.

Get Galarian Form Pokémon, Loads of E??XP Candies, and ?a Massive Haul of Nuggets in this Special Promotion! [Pokémon]

The post Pokemon Sword & Shield are giving out Galarian form Pokemon, EXP Candies, and more appeared first on Destructoid.

Promoted from our Community Blogs

_{[I’ve always been fascinated with peoples’ stories about how smaller or potentially overlooked elements of a video game can resonate with them in a unique and personal way. Not only is it just interesting to hear about, but it can at times help me gain a newfound appreciation for a feature or design element that I may have otherwise missed. In this case, Zalno explains why they’re appreciative of the Pokémon Camp feature in Sword and Shield -- Dennis]}

For the past several months leading up to its release, I’ve been upset at Game Freak and The Pokémon Company for their decision to, amongst other things, cut a large swath of Pokémon from the newest games Sword and Shield. For months, I’ve poked fun at the graphical hiccups, laughable animations, and Game Freak’s questionable responses to valid concerns. For months, I proclaimed that I would skip this pair, preferring to wait until the next pair of games come out and pass the time by going back to the older Pokémon games or finding some alternative. And come release d??ay, I stuck to my word.

One week later, I’m throwing pretend ??balls ??at my pretend dog in my pretend camp. So much for sticking to my guns.

In the first few weeks of Pokémon Sword and Shield’s release, I’ve spent a ??lot of time traveling through Galar. The game is fine, I suppose. The core gameplay loop of finding new Pokémon, catching them, and battling them against other wild Pokémon and trainers is still satisfying. Despite my irritation at the game’s many shortcomings, I found myself having fun. Although, most of that fun came from a relatively smaller feature that most people wouldn’t even pay attention to: Pokémon Camp.

Of all the gameplay features that were shown off in promotional material, Pokémon Camp is the one I was most interested in. Not the Wild Area, not the co-op Max Raid battles, and certainly not Dynamaxing. That’s not to say they didn’t look neat. Indeed, playing through the game, there was some fun to be had with all these new features. While those features were fun in their own way, none of them felt as enjoyable to me as playing with my Pokémon in Camp. Hell, I just played with my doggo in Camp to get more screenshots for the final draft, and I'm still spending too much time in it.

Ever since the jump to 3D with Pokémon X and Y, the main games included a somewhat rudimentary way to interact with your favorite Pokémon. Pokémon-Amie let you pet them, feed them cupcakes, and play little mini-games with them. Sun and Moon kind of expanded on it with Pokémon Refresh. While you’re no longer able to play mini-games with your favorite Pokémon, you are able to cure status ailments w?ith various utensils without having to use consumable items. The backgrounds were also changed to resemble whatever part of the world you were in rather than the overly happy void from Pokémon-Amie. That ?was neat!

There have also been a couple ways to express yourself with your Pokémon throughout the 3DS era. Speaking as someone who cares way too much about self-expression, I was all about that. X and Y let you create your own short videos of yourself and your Pokémon. I didn’t use it very much, but it was pretty neat. Pokémon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon introduced the Alola Photo Club, which allowed you to have pictures taken of your trainer with your favorite Pokémon. This is something I got waaaaaay more mileage out of. I loved getting?? pictures of with my various favorites that I’ve t??ransferred over the years.

The first time I used Pokémon Camp in the Wild Area, it was rather plain. My party members hadn’t formed any kind of bonds with anyone else, least of all me. Tha?t all changed when my Yamper??, Beatrice, evolved into a Boltund. Beatrice was the name of my favorite childhood dog. Boy, was that the right name for her.

Though I spent the majority of my time with Beatrice, I made sure to spend plenty of time with the rest of my party. Before I knew it, my party was opening up to each other. I’d frequently see party members racing each other, someone nodding off with a cute snoozing animation, getting into arguments, having nice conversations, or my Obstagoon Halford being socially inept. That may sound like me reading too much into very rudimentary interactions between Pokémon. Don't worry, that's exactly what it is.

I’m a sad, overly-sentimental chungus. Perhaps it’s because I like animals and inanimate objects more than actual human beings, but I’ve grown very attached to certain clouds of ones and zeroes in Pokémon games over the years. Hell, I still have my Porygon from Let’s GO in my Poké Ball Plus. And Beatrice is no exception. The simple act of throwing a ball for her and watching her fetch it (or sometimes just excitedly running in circles) is very enjoyable. Mind you, a lot of it comes from a combination of being unable to afford or care for a pet, missing my favorite childhood dog and living alone. But being able to play with a pretend dog whenever I want? ?It helps. It helps a lot.

I guess all it takes is the right Pokémon in the right circumstances to make all the difference in the wor?ld.

To be clear, this does not make up for all the features and content that have been cut up to this point. It doesn’t make up for the lack of any side activities to do with your Pokémon (contests, Pokéathlon, musicals, etc), the Battle Tower being stripped down, the lack of multi-floored dungeons, the practically non-existent post-game content, and it certainly doesn’t make up for not being able to bring my ?Por??ygon2 to Galar.

Some of these issues seem like they’ll be rectified somewhat in the coming expansion packs, but that remains to be seen. Game Freak mentioned that The Isle of Armor and The Crown Tundra were “two key examples” of w??hat they were working on, so I’m hopeful there’s at least one more expansion in the works. Maybe something that builds on Pokémon Camp? With more toys and features? Maybe a minigame or two? And maybe something that lets me pet my Pokémon again? That’d be ni??????????????????????????ce.

I’ve already forgotten most of Pokémon Sword by this point. Hell, if the upcoming DLC doesn’t do anything for me, I’ll have forgotten the Galar region entirely by the time Gen IX comes out. But I’ll never forget the time I spent with Beatrice. She w??ill always be my girl. I just hope she’ll be with me wherever I wind up next.

_{[Image credit: @beaveresque]}

The post My Pokemon Adventures Through Galar with Beatrice appeared first on Destructoid.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare ends the year on top

The final UK video game chart listings for 2019 have been released, and there has been little movement over the last seven days. Activision's Call of Duty: Modern Warfare remains in the number one spot, closely followed by Electronic Arts' FIFA 19 and Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order.

Nintendo has three major titles in the Top Ten in the form of Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, Luigi's Mansion, and Pokemon Sword. Take 2's Grand Theft Auto V has returned at number six - and, as a side-note, is also the most downloaded game of Decembe?r in Europe. 2K Games' Borderlands 3, Activision's Crash Team Racing Nitro-Fueled and Ubisoft's Just Dance 2020 round out the Top Ten.

The real story of 2019 has been the continued decline of physical sales, with almost all major sequels seeing huge number drops on their previous entries. As reported by the number-crunchers over at Ga??mesIndustry.biz, physical sales as a whole have dropped almost 20% on last year, and it seems that th??ese numbers are likely to fall further in 2020.

The UK Charts themselves are also undergoing a change. As of next week, European body GSD hopes to compile a new chart that includes both physical and digital sales numbers. The unfortunate issue here is that digital sales must be volunteered ??directly by the publishers, with companies such as Nintendo and Bethesda holding out. Until everybody is on board, a fully-accurate representation of sales figures might not ever be truly possible.

U.K. video game sales chart w/e: December 28, 2019
(Chart reflects in-store physical sales only)

1. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare - Activision
2. FIFA 20 - Electronic Arts
3. Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order - Electronic Arts   
4. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe - Nintendo
5. Luigi's Mansion 3 - Nintendo
6. Grand Theft Auto V - Take 2
7. Borderlands 3 - 2K Games
8. Just Dance 2020 - Ubisoft
9. Pokémon Sword - Nintendo
10. Crash Team Racing Nitro-Fueled - Activision

U.K. video game charts [GamesIndustry.biz]

The post Fi??nal UK Charts of 2019 show physical sales continue to slump appeared first on Destructoid.

Galar's most wanted

Back when Pokémon Sun and Moon released, I hopped onto Smogon.com and took a stroll around the Uncharted Territory forum to explore the potential of a lot of the newer Pokémon. A lot of them held down their position as powerful Pokémon, like Mimikyu and Araquanid. Others, like Salazzle, went down in history as being more of a gimmick than anything else. So now is the time to take a look at what's going on the ladder and see what's really cooking on Pokémon Sword and Shield's battles.

Note that most of these choices are personal observation through the lens of most common single battle formats. A lot of it is also informed by Smogon, one of the most researched and scholarly places for competitive Pokémon battling.

The interesting part of exploring the newest metagame of Pokémon is examining the fresh contenders. But a large part of any Pokémon game's generation is going to revolve around older, more established characters, regardless of the decisions of who gets included with the most up-to-dat?e Pokédex. So really quickly, let's bring up older Pokémon who are big threats, either due to new toys they got or because certain competition in the meta is no longer prese??nt alongside them.

A good example of the latter is Durant. Durant was introduced after Scizor and was immediately ?seen as an inferior version of the bug/steel Poké;mon. Scizor was stronger and bulkier in every way, its most infamous staple being Bullet Punch: a priority move guaranteed to go first while also having its power boosted by Scizor??'s Technician ability. But now Scizor is no longer present in Galar and Durant is here to act as the rebound in the breakup. With a very powerful First Impression attack boosted by Hustle, Durant now reigns as Galar's bug/steel revenge killer, even if Hustle trades power for accuracy.

Gyarados is a safe example of a powerful Pokémon from previous games not just retaining their power but thriving off new mechanics??. While Gigantamax Pokémon look cooler, Dynamax Gyarados has many key qualities that push this classically powerful Pokémon over the edge. One option ??in particular that lends itself to Gyarados really well is one of its abilities, Moxie. Moxie still triggers in Dynamax form, raising his attack after a KO. Find a turn to set up with Dragon Dance, pave the road with Dynamax boosted moves, and watch the situation snowball out of control with Moxie.

Gengar is also back baby, and now he has Nasty Plot this generation for absurdly powerful boosting and wall breaking. I also think it's hilarious Mega Gengar with Shadow?????????????????????????? Tag is gone and in its place is Gigantamax Gengar with a G-Ma?x Move that traps the target.

Lastly are Ferrothorn and Toxapex with the dreaded FerroPex core. If you don't know what a core is, at its most basic, a core is a strategic pair or even trio of Pokémon put together to specifically alleviate and switch into their respective weaknesses to support each other. If your first reaction to Ferrothorn is a fire or figh??ting attack, any trainer w?ith half a mind in this situation simply switches to Toxapex, who proceeds to laugh at the incoming damage and steal some momentum for themselves in a favorable matchup. If Toxapex gets threatened by electric or psychic damage, simply switch to Ferrothorn. See how it's pretty hard to get super effective damage on these two? Well, the addition of a new Galarian Pokémon down below ensures that this pair isn't going to budge anytime soon.

Let's start the newcomer list with the most popular Galarian poster child for ridiculous damage, Dracovish. Its signature attack, Fishious Rend, doubles in power if Dracovish moves first. This move counts as a biting attack for the purpose of boosting power with its ability, Strong Jaw. Now throw in a water boost from rain or maybe a choice band instead, and you get an attack with borderline the same attack power as Self-Destruct or Explosion. I think it's important to note that if Dracovish's plan gets messed up in any way, like status ailment or facing priority moves, he immediately becomes mediocre at best. Dracovish isn't all that speedy without investment either, so he needs either a choice scarf for extra speed or a trainer with good knowledge of the speed tiers to switch him out if things look dicey. But Dracovish gains more leeway with a very strong defensive typing of water/dragon,?? preventing almost all super-effective damage except for fairy and dragon type attacks.

Dragapult is this generation's newest high-spec dragon Pokémon and, oh baby, is it flashy. It's one of the fastest&nbs??p;Pokémon around with good offensive stats on both sides of the physical/special spectrum. It even has a neat signature move that hits twice for a total of 100 base power, allowing more possibilities like more critical hits or breaking substitutes and dealing damage around them. Dragapult also has a diverse move pool, so it's difficult to get away from him before taking super effective damage. Dragapult is fairly straightforward but powerful nonetheless with stats to back it up.

Galarian Corsola is sure to be the bane of many peoples' existence. Despite not being fully evolved, it has higher defenses than its evolved form, Cursola. Slap an Eviolite on it, boosting both defenses by 50% if the Pokémon isn't fully evolved, and you have the third member of the FerroPex core to create a brick wall. With Stealth Rocks, Spikes, Toxic, and Will-O-Wisp between them, they're sure ??to drive any opponent to a slow and agonizing death.

Galarian Darmanitan is an ex?ample of hilarious overcompensation. Its ability, Gorilla Tactics, boosts its power by 50% but locks it into the first move it uses. You know why that sounds familiar? Its ability is basically a choice band, but it can still stack an actual choice band on top of that. On top of 145 attack, it can hit for 2.25 times damage turn one, no set up necessary. Or give it a choice scarf and let it clean house late game when nothing is left to contes??t it with full health. If you have one with its zen mode hidden ability it only gets more obscene. Ice is viewed as a defensively weak type and offensively minded force, and Galarian Darmanitan is definitely as offensive as they come.

Orbeetle is interesting, as psychic-types rarely get much whenever they're in the spotlight. This defensively minded bug/psychic type does, however, get access to a fairly powerful Stored Power set. Every boost makes Stored Power a stronger attack, and Orbeetle has access to Iron Defense, Calm Mind, Agility, and can even use Recover after boosting all those stats. However, most discussion I've come across simply want to emphasize that Orbeetle is probably the best user of Sticky Web this generation, seeing as how 110/120 defenses allow it to do all of the above without dying to a glancing blow like Galvantula does. Orbeetle is the kind of setup lead Dracovish loves, since every enemy Pokémon setting foot on Sticky Web will immediately lose speed, which is exactly what Dracovish wants.

I personally like Toxtricity, despite it lacking defensive bulk and speed to give it any real direc?tion. Being electric/poison is its one saving grace defensively, being able to resist a lot of different attacks. Its other saving grace is its ability, Punk Rock, which boosts sound-based attacks. Not only is its signature electric attack, Overdrive, affected by this, it finally brings Boomburst into the realm of viability and turns it into one of the strongest normal type attacks of this generation. I've loved the idea of using Boomburst for years, since with STAB (same type attack bonus), it becomes a 210 base power attack. Unfortunately,?? the only real user of this move before, Loudred, just plain sucks. Toxtricity doesn't even get STAB with Boomburst and its by far his strongest attack.

The last choice I want to highlight is one I wasn't expecting, Indeedee. Indeedee fills the Psychic Surge void left behind by the absence of the Tapu Guardians from the last generation, amping the power of psychic attacks by 50%. If that weren't enough, it gets the weirdest coverage move possible against the steel typ??es that usually wall psychic types, Mystical Fire. While Hatterene is a more interestingly designed Pokémon, Indeedee having Psychic Surge allow it to do things Hatterene simply can't in its space as a bulky psychic type. It also helps that Psychic Surge blocks all priority attacks, so something with Extreme Speed or Aqua Jet ca??n't just revenge kill it easily.

But those aren't?? the only strong Pokémon in the Galar ??region. Have you found some success with your own unique selections?

The post Here are Pokemon Sword and Shield’s most competitive Pokemon so far appeared first on Destructoid.

Don't judge my child. My child wants to grow a beard.

I'm on the precipice of finishing the Galarian Gym Challenge in Pokémon Shield, after catching a wide array of Pokémon and scoring copious amounts of EXP Candy from Max Raid Battles I've grinded in the Wild Area. Even though there are plenty of older Pokémon on my team really carrying their weight like Katsu the Bewear, Bobert the Crustle, and Kevin Durant, I've taken a real shine to the new Galarian Pokémon.

I'm quite attached to Yukki, my Frosmoth, as some Pokémon games tend to introduce high-spec bug Pokémon. Though I will admit, I don't love it as much as her previous form, Snom. And the first time I saw Grapploct, I knew I had to catch him but he continues to elude me thanks to his difficult catch rate. I really need to up my critical catch rate the way that guy breaks out of my?? pok&??eacute;balls.

They're great, but my absolute favorite new Galarian Pokémon in Sword and Shield has to be Galarian Meowth and its evolution, Perrserker, so don't even come at me?? with your contentious opinions on its hair.

I knew I liked this shit eating grin for some reason pic.twitter.com/0N4Mp41Au7

— Strider (@StriderHoang) December 4, 2019

Meowth is the baseline, I have to hand it to him for existing to give rise to Galarian Meowth. Alolan Meowth proved putting a regional spin on an older Pokémon can lead to int??eresting results, hen?ce turning the alley cat design into a proper and pampered rich cat. But Galarian Meowth is amazing, turning the street cat flavor to eleven until he becomes an almost feral, wild child of a feline that's barely contained in its own fur.

Its Dex entry states Meowths in the Galar region have hung out in the rough and tumble sailor scene so much that their fur has turned to iron. The normally small silhouette of Meowth has ballooned out as it grew a huge beard. When it evolves, it becomes even more ridiculous, as its horns aren't horns at all but merely hair that has hardened into the shape of a horned helmet. When you see Perrserker in motio??n, you'll even see its cat claws merge together as they extend and transform into one, giant dagger.

Its design and lore, combined with some nice battle design, make me really love Pokémon like Meowth and Perrserker. It's simple and straightforward in battle, as a no-frills steel monotype and abilities devoted to letting it easily hit above its weight class. All of this comes together to make Galarian Meowth and Perrserker my favorite new Pokémon to come out of Sword and Shield.

But I know plenty of people think he's icky and gross and it's ok to be wrong. So what is your favorite new Pokémon in Sword and Shield? Yamper? Polteageist? If Destructoid's unofficial favorite Pokémon is Gardevoir and she can be t??sundere sometimes, might I direct ?you towards the new yandere Pokémon, Hatterene?

The post My favorite Pokémon in Sword and Shield is a dirty, smelly, metal cat. What’s yours? appeared first on Destructoid.

Now with 100% less chest and facial hair!

Dreezy continues his conquest in Pokémon Sword to become the best there ever was in the Galar region and now with as little body hair as possible! As always, we'll als??o be giving away copies of whatever is currently streaming or Amazon gift cards to lucky viewers! To be eligible to win, you'll first need to type “!raffle” into the Twitch chat to enter and complete two simple ??steps:

• You need to be following the Destructoid Twitch channel.
• As well as join/be a member of the Destructoid Discord group.

The current schedule for this week:

Monday (November 25, 2019)
Time: 11:00pm - 1:30am
Game: Pokémon Sword

Tuesday (November 26, 2019)
Time: 9:30pm - 1:30am
Game: Borderlands 3

Thursday (November 28, 2019)
Time: 9:30pm - 1:30am
Game: Pokémon Sword

Saturday (November 30, 2019)
Time: 9:30pm - 3:00am
Game: Pokémon Sword

Don't forget to also check out the VOD for last week's TUESDAY NIGHT WAXDOWN! Featuring Nanerboots who was tasked with waxing Dreezy's chest for the glory of internet viewage! So, r??elax, pull up your favorite chair, and listen to the sights and sounds of a man who sacrificed body hair (on numerous oc??casions now) for video games live on the internet. Just as things were always intended to be.

The post We’re live on Twitch this week with even more Pokemon Sword! appeared first on Destructoid.

The pen is mightier

I don't envy Game Freak. It's a weird statement to make because for more than 20 years, the company has been part owner of one of the most successful video game franchises on the planet. Game Freak has guided Pokémon since its inception, creating m?ore than 800 different and memorable creatures across eight different generations of ??games. 

A big part of the reason why it's been so successful is it's always been tied to Nintendo's most popular hardware. From the Game Boy to the 3DS, Pokémon has enjoyed worldwide success on handheld consoles even though the hardware was considerably weaker than their home console counterparts. But now there isn't an underpower??ed handheld to develop for, no outdated graphics technology to hide behind. Now there is only the Switch, and with higher quality hardware come higher standards of what players expect from the world's ??most popular JRPG.

_{[Read our review of Pokémon Shield here.]}

Pokémon Sword (Switch)
Developer: Game Freak
Publisher: Nintendo
Released: November 15, 2019
MSRP: $59.99

The Galar Region makes a great first impression in the opening of Pokémon Sword. Rolling hills extend into the distance and sheep-like Wooloos roam the paths without care. It's a delectable beginning to an adventure that will take trainers to stone cities, castles, glowing forests, and beyond. Based on the United Kingdom, Galar Region features unique British sensibilities, bowler hats, and dialogue that wouldn't feel out of place in a Professor Layton game.

Galar is home to a few unique features that are the major selling points for Pokémon Sword. The most prominent of these is the Wild Area, a sizable open-world space where tall grass is plenty and pow??erful Pokémon roam free. Taking up most of the middle section of the region, the Wild Area is split into different portions that each contain their own weath??er patterns. The type of weather in the area affects the type of Pokémon you encounter. While you can spend as much time in the Wild Area as you like, you can only catch Pokémon of a certain level that correlates to how many gym badges you've collected. It's an understandable decision, as without it, players would be able to practically complete the Galar Region Pokédex before facing off against their first Gym Leader.

But even with that restriction in place, the journey through the Galar Region is an enjoyable one with interesting places to discover and a few neat characters to meet. While most of the inhabitants of the region are forgettable, a few stand out including Opal, the best Gym Leader in the game, and Ball Guy. The journey from gym to gym may not venture into unexplored territory, but that classic Pokémon formula is still too good to ignore. A majority of the new Pokémon created for Sword are appealing in their own unique ways and there is always joy to be? found reading the Pokédex?? entries for each new 'mon.

There is also immense joy to be found in seeing the look on my Pokémon's face when I bite into a bit of curry. Camping is another addition to Sword where you and your team of six pocket monsters can just chill for a while in the Wild Area or on any of the routes you trek. Trainers can amuse their Pokémon with a few toys, "talk" to them, or cook up a nice batch of curry for the whole campground. I'll admit, after cooking about 20 dishes I'm still not sure how the Curry Dex works but I do know every meal I've made has been a winner. And seriously, seeing a Pokémon's mouth open in anticipation of my reaction to the curry is simply splendid. It's a shame I can't see that look on the face of every Pokémon.

Yes, "Dexit" happened. Pokémon Sword contains less than half of all the Pokémon that have been created in the series, leaving it without a National Dex. It's a bold move for a franchise that's most famous slogan is "Gotta catch 'em a??ll." For the most part, this isn't noticeable during? the adventure. Game Freak mixes in adorable new faces with classic 'mons to always keep players curious about what they'll find in the next route or gym. It's only when you reach the post-game that their absence is truly felt.

But in the lead up to that post-game, trainers will be treated to a pretty routine and unsurprising quest. Pokémon Sword doesn't break any new ground with its format or its various story subplots. There is a mystery surrounding the two Legendary Pokémon of the region and a secondary plot with an environmental theme. There are a lot of discussions about providing power to the Galar Region, following in the footsteps of family, and forging your own destiny, but pretty much every storyline found throughout Sword ends in a whimper. Which is a shame because, in terms of the environmental aspects, it seems like Game Freak was attempting to make some sort of statement about pollution through the Galarian form Pok&eacu??te;mon.

While creatures like Sirfetch'd and Ponyta got most of the attention pre-launch, Corsola and Weezing variants actually tell their own tale of the region. Weezing, with its smokestacks, mimics the coal-burning factories that used to line the skies of London during the industrial revolution. In fact, according to the Pokémon Shield Pokédex, Weezing changed its form due to polluting factories. However, the Sword Pokédex entry makes it clear it only exhausts fres??h air. 

Corsola is a far more serious indictment of the pollution people cause. In previous games, it's a Water/Rock Pokémon with a smile and bright pink skin that resembles a healthy coral reef. In Sword, it's pale white, sad, and a Ghost-type. When coral dies in the ocean, it loses its color. Corsola's Galarian form seems to point to a coral Pokémon that's been polluted to death, which would have been a great addition to the environmental storyline if Game Freak had only chosen to pursue it. Instead, it o??pts for a far simpler, less damning plot that ends with what appears to be a head-in-the-sand a?pproach to environmentalism.

The focus on the environment in Sword revolves around the ph??enomenon known as Dynamaxing. Introduced fairly early in the story, Dynamaxing is a special ability all Pokémon in the Galar Region have. It allows them to grow to massive sizes, changing their unique attacks into simplified type attacks. So if your Scorbunny has three unique fire attacks and a flying attack, when you Dynamax, those fire attacks will transform into "Max Flare" while your flying attack will become "Max Airstream." These attacks do massive amounts of damage when you have type advantage, but don't think just because you're Dynamaxed you can't be knocked out.?? As I was shown time and time again, it's easy to one-hit a Dynamax Pokémon with one that hasn't enlarged.

Dynamaxing can only happen in certain places of the Galar Region. You'll encounter Dynamax Pokémon at nearly all of the gyms in predictable form and in the various dens that are scattered throughout the Wild Area. If you see a red light shining into the sky, it's a sign there is a Dynamax or potentially Gigantamax Pokémon waiting to be battled in a Max Raid. You can only take one of your party into a raid, requiring trainers to team up either with other players or NPCs chosen at random. In my first trip through the Wild Area, I had tro??ubles connecting with other players but didn't think much of it. I was able to power through most of the raids I attempted with the NPCs. When I returned after I'd become champion, it became crystal clear how broken this mode is.

As I said, you have two options when trying Max Raids: you can partner with other players or use NPCs. If you take the latter route for more challenging raids, you'll be at the mercy of the game and it can often feel lik??e it's trying to sabotage you. Challenging a Dynamaxed Water Pokémon? There's a good chance your A.I. partners will bring a Rock Pokémon or a Fire Pokémon into battle with you. Hope you like seeing Wobbuffets and Magikarps because NPCs got those in spa?des.

Now, I wouldn't have to rely on NPCs if I could actually link up with other players. And I do try. Every time I attempt a raid, I'm connected to the internet, inviting other players. How?ever, I can only seem to get other people on board with a raid roughly 10% of the time. The other 90% is split between various error messages or simply nobody showing up, possibly because they received an error message. If the constant errors weren't bad enough, the way you search for potential raid partners is ou?tright terrible. 

When connected to the interne??t, you see a Twitter-like feed that showcases accomplishments made by other players, requests for trades, or call-outs for help with a Max Raid. You can whittle the list down to just raid requests if you want, but there is no guarantee the raids that appear on your screen will be any good. Some I si??mply wasn't able to connect to, others had already been filled but were still on my feed. 

Outside of the raids, connecting online in the Wild Area can result in massive slowdowns in framerate when sharing the screen with other players and wild Pokémon. The worst I experienced could be compared to a slide show, complete with other player avatars appearing and disappearing at random. I honestly cannot recall a time I've encountered an online mode this shoddy, this poorly thought out and frankly, it's unacceptable. Pokémon is the biggest JRP?G franchise on the planet. It should not have an online mode that operates as though it's held together by duct tape.

One thing Pokémon Sword does do well is spectacle. While the game was clearly developed using the framework of Pokémon Sun/Moon, it does use the power of the Switch to its advantage in a few ways. There is much less slowdown during battles, the art di?rection is spectacular throughout, and the scale of the Dynamax bouts is absolutely riveting. Seeing a 10-story tall fat Pikachu fight an enormous Sobble is a sight to behold if only for a few secon??ds. Even if there is little to no sense of accomplishment in winning these fights with how easy this game is, they're still eye-popping on the big screen, even now when I'm several hours into the post-game.

Speaking of the post-game, there isn't much to it. After completing a short and uneventful epilogue that lands trainers their Legendary, players will get access to the Battle Tower and the Wild Area will become more diversified in terms of Pokémon available and weather patterns. Where past games emphasized filling out that National Dex, the post-game in Sword is all about perfecting your team. Hyper Training allows you to max out stats and mints let you change the nature of your Pokémon however you like. You can barely swing a Meowth in Galar without hitting a Move Reminder, so getting the most out of Sword's post-game lies in tinkering with each Poké??;mon in the Pokédex until you have them just right.

If that doesn't sound fun to you, you're probably not going to like Pokémon Sword. If you were hoping for a massive shake-up in how Game Freak approaches Pokémon games the same way other series on the Nintendo Switch have experimented with new directions, you may need to wait for Generation IX. Pokémon Sword is very much built with the tried-and-true franchise blueprint, resulting in an enjoyable if innocuous title, which makes it a diff??icult game to score.

On one hand, the online is absolutely broken and embarrassing. On the other, anytime I'm not dealing with that nonsense, I'm having fun with the game. Maybe in a couple of months, when I've min-maxed every Pokémon? in the Dex and am just focusing on raids, I'll feel more antagonistic toward the game and its woeful online, but right now, when I'm doing ??literally anything else in it, I'm having a good time.

_{[This review is based on a retail build of the game provided by the publisher.]}

The post Review: Pokemon Sword appeared first on Destructoid.

Tuesday night waxdown!

Dreezy is live this week on the Destructoid Twitch channel with Pokémon Sword and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare! We're also gonna be giving Dreezy another round of waxing this Tuesday with special guest Nanerboots! But, what games do you wanna see? We're always in need of more community requested games for every Monday, so, feel free to let us know in the comm?ents down below or in the?? Destructoid Discord channel!

We'll also be giving away copi?es of whatever is currently streaming to lucky viewers! To be eligible to win, you'll first need to type “!raffle” int??o the Twitch chat to enter and complete two simple steps:

• You need to be following the Destructoid Twitch channel.
• As well as join/be a member of the Destructoid Discord channel.

The current schedule for this week:

Monday ( November 18, 2019)
Time: 9:30pm - 1:30am
Game: Pokémon Sword & Call of Duty: Modern Warfare

Tuesday (November 19, 2019)
Time: 9:30pm - 3:30am
?Game: Getting chest waxed Live on strea?m and then Yoga with Nanerboots!

Thursday (November 21, 2019)
Time: 9:30pm - 1:30am
Game: Pokémon Sword & Call of Duty: Modern Warfare

Saturday (November 23, 2019)
Time: 9:30pm - 3:30am
Game: Pokémon Sword & Call of Duty: Modern Warfare

So, relax, pull up your favorite chair, and listen to the sights and sounds of a man who will once again sacrifice chest hair and sanity for video games live on the internet. Just as things were always?? intended to be.

The post We’re live on Twitch this week with Pokemon Sword and another round of chest waxing! appeared first on Destructoid.

#ScorbunnySquad

As we told you a few days ago, our reviews of Pokémon Sword and Pokémon Shield are going to be a little bit late. We didn't get our code until about 07:30 PST and it wasn't until I got home from work that I was actually able to start it up. And once I did start it up, I didn't stop. For nearly six straight hours I dove into the newest region of the Pokémon franchise. I explored the Wild Area. I teamed up with strangers in Max Raid Battles. I ran from a swarm of angry Wingulls. ??And I've made some delicious curry.

Six hours is only a small dent in what is shaping up to be a sizable adventure, but it's enough of a dent for me to acknowledge that I'm quit??e enjoying what Game Freak has cooked up here.

Pokémon Sword (Switch)
Developer: Game Freak
Publisher: Nintendo
Released: November 15, 2019
MSRP: $59.99

With rollings hills and rolling Wooloos, the Galar Region makes a beautiful first impression in the opening moments of Pokémon Sword. After a brief run-in with Zacian in the mysterious woods near my house, I slowly set off on my adventure with my BFF-cum-rival Hop, ?a boy from down the street who just happens to be brother to Leon, the champion of the region. It's Leon who gives me my first Pok&eac?ute;mon; I go with Scorbunny because everyone else I know with the game picked one of the other two.

After a quick trip to meet Professor Magnolia and her granddaughter Sonia, my rival and I set off for Motostoke for a really underwhelming opening ceremony to the Gym Challenge. We're sidetracked, however, by some Wooloos on the train tracks, forcing us to venture into Sword's big new addition to the Pokémon formula: the Wild Area.

Located just outside the gates of Motostoke, this sizable open-world environment is filled with plenty of tall grass, wild Pokémon, as well as other players, if you choose to connect to the internet. It's also where you'll find various dens that grant players Watts, a form of currency used in the Wild Area, or house Max Raid Battles with Dynamax pokémon. In these battles, you choose a single 'mon from your team to join up with three other players to battle these massive beasts. If you don't connect to the internet you'll be joined by three A.I. controlled partners. The first few times I attempted one of th??ese battles with other ?players yielded no responses, but after about two or three tries I was able to hook up with other real-life people.

When connected to the internet in the Wild Area, the land becomes far livelier with other players running about but not in ways that are always beneficial to the experience. The frame rate tends to stutter when there are too many characters on screen and other player avatars will appear and vanish with no rhyme or reason. It's not the best look for ?an area that can be pretty barren. Hooking up with other players to do Max Raid Battles hasn't always worked, as I've been hit with a "No communication partner was found" error on multiple occasions, but when it does work it's a pretty neat set-up. One player will be allowed to Dynamax their Pokémon of choice while the others have to make do with their normal attacks. Type advantage still plays a major role here, so you can have the tiniest of Pokémon absolutely wipe the floor with one that's three stories tall.

You can spend as much or as little time in the Wild Area as you want. I probably took a full hour exploring it, finding TMs, and expanding my Pokédex before moving onto Motostoke. After the opening ceremony and a quick introduction to trainers Marnie and Bede, as well as the sure-to-be-annoying Team Yell, I set off for the first stadium on my adventure. Turffield Stadium is home to Milo, the game's requisite Grass-type gym leader, who doesn't stand a chance against my team of fire- and flying-type Pokémon. After completing the gym challenge of herding Wooloos, I faced off against Milo and beat him in less than a minute. This dampened victory highlighted what so far has been the only sore spot of Pokémon Sword.

Simply put, this game is too easy. Six hours in ??and there hasn't been a battle I've struggled with or a Pokémon I've failed to catch. I understand the idea of ramping up the challenge as players go along, but I feel like the difficulty should have started to push back just a bit by now. Scorbunny is far too powerful in these opening hours and with the Wild Area, it's quite easy to become overpowered as the land is lush with wild Pokémon to battle, especially when you consider EXP Share is an automatic feature of the game and switching out party members is easier than ever before. Max Raid Battles also provide little challenge as I'm often paired up with one player who's always able to one-shot our opponent.

I can only hope the game starts to present more of a challenge as I venture further in the campaign, because other than the lack of difficulty, I'm quite enjoying my quest through the Galar Region. The art direction can be quite lovely, the design of the towns and cities is ornate, and many of the new Pokémon designs are outright adorable. My Scorbunny has just evolved into his angsty Raboot form and other members of my team feel as though they're getting to a high enough level that an evolution is only moments away. While the various routes I've been on may not house as many wild Pokémon in the tall grass as the Let's Go games, the world is still well-populated with Pokémon, trainers, and plenty of?? small details cooked into the environments.

Now, I have read about some problems other players have had with the game crashing and potentially deleting files off their MicroSD card. I have not run into any issues with Pokémon Sword outside of the aforementioned failure to connect with other players. It's been a mostly smooth ride when docked or in handheld mode and I can only hope it rema??ins so the further I travel into? the Galar Region.

I know it's early, but Pokémon Sword has sunk its hooks into me in ways the series hasn't since Pokémon X. Sure, the central sub-plot is ?far simpler here than in past entries with?? its not-yet-interesting investigation of the mysterious Zacian, but the first six hours have done a great job of getting me invested in the idea of becoming the next Galar Region Champion.

_{[This review in progress is based on a retail copy of the game provided by the publisher.]}

The post Review in Progress: Pokemon Sword appeared first on Destructoid.