While they've both become massive hits and share quite a few similarities, the AR mobile phenom Pokémon Go is a vastly different experience than the Switch release, Sword & Shield. These Switch Pokémon titles rely on (relative) depth and a glitzier presentation with more traditional RPG elements.
Meanwhile, the mobile game, for all its simplicity, utilizes a neat AR feature and hinges on keeping you active, as you have to actually walk to seek out monsters. In this sense, the game emphasizes immersion rather than a more fleshed-out presentation or gameplay.
These similar, yet distinct ways to enjoy Pokémon definitely have their own "turf" that they cover and excel in their own way.
With this list, we'll map out five great qualities and strengths of each, and help you determine which is likely the better appeal for you.
10 Pokémon Go: Simpler, More Universal Appeal
As this is meant to be more of an "app" used while going about your day versus a traditional game, Pokémon Go is meant to provide a quick, easy, accessible experience, as well as appeal to a wide demographic. You can quickly bust out the app when taking a walk, during a lunch break, or when hanging out with friends.
The AR, gyro/touch controls, and ability to track your steps all come together to make for a completely streamlined experience that requires very little learning. It's really about venturing out and collecting Pokémon rather than being a skilled gamer that must train their party and learn strategic nuances. This makes it so just about everyone with a mobile phone can be a Pokémon trainer-in-the-making.
9 Pokémon Sword & Shield: Visuals And Presentation
As you'd expect with a minimalistic app that uses AR for its backdrops, the overall presentation for Go isn't much to look at. Turning off AR functionality reveals a rather bland, cartoony background, and the overhead map you see while walking resembles a very basic RPG map.
While Sword & Shield isn't going to knock your socks off visually, it's certainly the biggest leap we've seen when it comes to mainline Pokémon titles. The colorful cell-shaded aesthetic is easy on the eyes, and the crisp, vibrant graphics of the vast environments, along with impressive draw distances, dazzle on the big screen. Aesthetically speaking anyway, this is about the most immersive Pokémon adventure you can experience.
8 Pokémon Go: (Mostly) Free
In fairness, Pokémon Go does utilize the "freemium" model that's common in mobile games, which coaxes you to buy endless streams of additional assets/items to really get the most out of it most efficiently. Still, at the end of the day, the entirety of the game can be experienced without ever spending a dime.
You'll need to dedicate quite a bit of time to walking around, tossing your fighters into gyms, and collecting PokéCoins by having them hold the fort there. Still, such feats are achievable, and make for a fun way to collect some cash without having to shell out real money for it. The only limitations Pokémon Go boil down to your own skill, time investment, and dedication.
Compare this to the $60 asking price of Sword & Shield and the difference becomes clear.
7 Pokémon Sword & Shield: More All-Inclusive Content
The recently-announced DLC packages (Isle of Armor and Crown Tundra) notwithstanding, Pokémon Sword & Shield gives you all the content you'll need in a single package, and gives you the means to obtain everything you'll need in-game without the hassle of traversing your whole town in order to do so. And the best part is, you'll have a whopping 83 hours worth of content to burn through (for completionists), with no strings attached.
The initial payment may be a bit steep, but doing so ensures you won't be shelling out 5 bucks here and $20 there for bundles of PokéCoins - most of which likely won't do much for you in the long haul.
6 Pokémon Go: The Unique Social Element
One of the biggest draws of Pokémon Go is its ability to get people out and about, traveling by foot from one point of interest to another. This can be a uniquely joyful and rewarding experience when solo, but it's even more entertaining when embarking on these real-life Pokémon quests with friends or family. There's something about closing in on that rare Dragonair or taking part in an epic Raid battle together that a traditional Pokémon game can't quite match.
Oh, there are light multiplayer features in Sword & Shield, but being confined to the virtual realm just doesn't have that same immersive or social impact.
5 Pokémon Sword & Shield: Wild Areas
You can argue that technically the whole of Pokémon Go can be viewed as a "Wild Area," with its GPS allowing real locations to serve as the open worlds in-game. Even if this is the case, the open-world areas in Go tend to be massively empty aside from the smattering of creatures roaming. This is especially the case if you happen to live in a smaller town with less going on. Basically, this app isn't ideal if you live in a rural area.
The Wild Areas in Sword & Shield, on the other hand, are brimming with all sorts of things to do, various trainers to fight, goods to collect, and tons of cool monsters to fight and catch. You can even meet up with fellow players and engage in Raid battles here, just like in Go, from the comfort of your home. These dynamic Wild Areas really are Sword & Shield's main attraction.
4 Pokémon Go: Virtually Endless
With an ongoing app meant to bring an ongoing stream of revenue, Nintendo and Niantic must incentivize people to keep playing - and they've done a great job of this overall.
Between the constantly rotating Pokémon in different locations (with constant new additions), ongoing Go events, and the vast areas to cover when playing, this is about as close to an "endless" game as it comes. Assuming you get around on a regular basis, there's always something to do, as you can hunt creatures in the area, lock down gyms, hatch eggs, and engage in Raid fights.
Even the level cap - which currently stands at 40, takes tons of time to reach even if you're active on the app, as each level takes exponentially more xp to reach.
3 Pokémon Sword & Shield: More Depth And Variety To The Gameplay
As you'd probably expect from a mainline Pokémon game - let alone the newest rendition on Switch, the gameplay here is vastly more in-depth and diverse. Sword & Shield takes on many of those same appealing triats of Go, giving you the satisfaction of venturing out and nabbing over 400 colorful critters. Yet, the actual gameplay is more in line with a traditional turn-based RPG.
Between battling/training Pokémon, facing trainers in gym battles, embarking on Raids, cooking, and taking in the storyline, this is an vastly more "3-dimensional" experience in more ways than one. Go is more of a "short burst" game, as it can get repetitive fairly quickly.
2 Pokémon Go: Its Unique, Innovative Features
One of the reasons Go became so massively popular following its '16 launch was its unique set of features. The integration of the GPS, camera, and the gyro controls of mobile devices allowed Niantic to create a truly immersive experience that felt like being inside a Pokémon adventure. Seeing these critters in real time when looking through your camera, hitting real locations, and journeying to catch Pokémon creates a distinct feel in gaming unlike any other.
Not only this, but it's perhaps the biggest game-centric motivator to stay active and burn calories since Wii Fit.
1 Pokémon Sword & Shield: More Elaborate Battles
If there's one area that Go is still rather weak in - even with its recent refinements - its the simplistic, repetitive battle system. Catching Pokémon boils down to flicking your finger to toss berries and Pokéballs at your target, and while the actual combat is a bit more fleshed out, it's still incredibly basic.
While Sword & Shield's battles aren't too elaborate either, this turn-based combat looks quite nuanced compared to just tapping furiously on your phone screen and launching the same 2 attacks over and over. Your speed and sheer power of your Pokémon reside over strategy or excitement here.