Pokémon Sword and Shield Expansion Pass announced
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Nintendo has just released a new Nintendo Direct earlier today providing two major announcements regarding the series: the announcement of Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Rescue Team DX, as well as an expansion pass for Pokémon Sword and Shield, bringing over 200 more Pokémon to the game, including new Pokémon.
The Nintendo Direct begins with Tsunekazu Ishihara, President and CEO of the Pokémon Company, greeting viewers of the Direct and bringing up that there will be two topics to the direct, the first of which being Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Rescue Team DX for the Nintendo Switch, a remake of 2006's Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Red and Blue Rescue Team for the Game Boy Advance and Nintendo DS. The game will receive a 3D graphical overhaul to look more in line with the 3DS installments, Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Gates to Infinity and Pokémon Super Mystery Dungeon, as well as watercolor-inspired graphics. It is currently unconfirmed if all Pokémon, including those from after Generation III will be returning to this game, though a Lucario is shown in the player's party in one clip. A Charizard is also seen Mega Evolving into Mega Charizard X in another clip. The game has a set release date for March 6, 2020, though a demo for the game was also made available today. Similar to the demo for Gates to Infinity, save data can be transferred into the full version.
Afterwards, Ishihara switches focus over to Junichi Masuda and Shigeru Ohmori of Game Freak to discuss the second topic of the direct: a two-part expansion pass for the Generation VIII core series games, Pokémon Sword and Shield. This contrasts previous releases such as Pokémon Platnium and Pokémon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon by expanding an already existing title instead, allowing players of Sword and Shield to continue their adventure with their current save data. The two parts of the pass are named The Isle of Armor, planned for June 2020, and The Crown Tundra, planned for Fall 2020.
Hiroyuki Tani of Game Freak later goes into detail on both parts of the expansion pass, going over designs and concept art, as well as many of the new characters, in these two parts. The Isle of Armor focuses on the theme of "Growth" and takes place in the titular island, just off the shore of the Galar region. On the island is a dojo for Pokémon battles, where the player takes up apprenticeship under Mustard, who once mentored Champion Leon and is also a former champion of Galar. The player will also gain a new rival depending on the version. In Pokémon Sword, the player trains with Klara, who uses Poison-types, while in Pokémon Shield, Avery, who uses Psychic-types, will be their training rival instead. Both seek to one day have gyms and stadiums to call their own. Of significance to the game is a Legendary Pokémon that Mustard entrusts the player with, Kubfu, which evolves into Urshifu once the training is complete. Urshifu has a brand new ability, as well as two different fighting styles, the Fighting/Dark-type Single Strike style and the Fighting/Water-type Rapid Strike style. Urshifu also has a Gigantimax form, having a different appearance and G-Max Move depending on the style. Alongside Urshifu, the final evolved forms of the Galar starters will also be able to Gigantimax during the adventure in the Isle of Armor. Concept art of Gigantimax forms for Venusaur and Blastoise were also shown earlier in the Direct. More content aside from all this is also planned in the works, such as Tutor Moves, Apricorns (returning from Generation II, and the Exp. Charm. New fashion items and looks for the Rotom Bike will also be made available.
The Crown Tundra, meanwhile, focuses on the theme of "Exploration" and takes place in the titular tundra. In this frigid winter area, with its towering mountains, people live in small communities that support and rely on each other. A certain person will appoint the player as the leader of their exploration team in the Crown Tundra. Blizzard-swept fields and even Pokémon Dens can be explored in this second part of the expansion pass. The Legendary Pokémon of this part is Calyrex, whom legends say once ruled over a part of Galar that included the Crown Tundra and is characterized by its graceful, regal movements. The Crown Tundra also comes with a new Co-op mode as well, allowing players to explore Pokémon Dens deep underground of the Crown Tundra and meet Legendary Pokémon from past games Dynamaxing before their eyes, as well as make allies with them. Other new Legendary Pokémon were teased as well, including what appear to be new members of the Legendary titans and Galarian forms of the Legendary birds. More clothing items will also be added in The Crown Tundra, including accessories belonging to Team Plasma and Team Flare.
Both the Isle of Armor and Crown Tundra allow the player to move freely and explore Pokémon Dens similar to the Wild Area in the base game. Furthermore, both parts will also add over 200 new Pokémon not previously seen in the Galar region into the game. The expansion pass is not needed in order to obtain the new Pokémon from the DLC, as players can trade with others who have them as well as import Pokémon from previous installments via Pokémon Home, planned to launch as a paid service in February 2020. Starting today, players are more likely to run into Gigantimax Coalossal and Flapple (Sword), as well as Gigantimax Lapras and Appletun (Shield). An update was also released today introducing Klara and Avery to the game, as well as letting the player catch a Galarian Slowpoke in Wedgehurst Station, which can evolve into Galarian Slowbro with an item from the Isle of Armor or Galarian Slowking with an item from the Crown Tundra. The expansion pass is available for pre-purchase starting today. The Nintendo eShop can also be accessed directly from the game after installing the latest update. Special clothing items featuring Pikachu and Eevee are also available as a purchase bonus from launch.