Only a couple of days ago, Nintendo and The Pokemon Company promised that new details about their upcoming titles - Pokemon Sword and Shield - would be revealed very soon. And as of today, a new trailer was released which does exactly that, showing off new rivals to battle against and, perhaps most importantly, new Pokemon to capture. In order to keep fans up to speed, we've handily compiled the full list here, along with official screenshots and descriptions.
Galarian Weezing
Firstly, we have the Galarian Form of the Poison Pokemon Weezing, the first Galarian form Pokemon revealed for Pokemon Sword and Shield. This form, however, is part Fairy (making it the first dual Poison/Fairy type). It will retain its Levitate ability that prevents it from being damaged by Ground type attacks, as well as have a brand new ability but it's not yet known what it is. Its new design is obviously meant to emulate smoke stacks from factories but Weezing actually consumes polluted air and poisonous gases.
The official descriptions reads "The by-product of this consumption is purified air, which is spewed out from the tops of its heads. The toxins accumulated within Weezing’s body form into concentrated poison gas clouds that leak out and drift around it. This gas is so potent that even a whiff is enough to stun and immobilize an opponent, making it Weezing’s best weapon during battles." It's not yet known if its pre-evolution, Koffing, will also have a Galarian Form.
Galarian Zigzagoon
Secondly, we have another Galarian Form. This one is a new version of the Gen 3 Pokemon Zigzagoon, which is a dual Dark/Normal type. It keeps its Pickup and Gluttony abilities but certainly looks a lot more ferocious than the original, though it apparently may have existed first. "There is some speculation that the zigzag movements of the Zigzagoon in other regions stem from the restless nature of Galarian Zigzagoon, considered to be the oldest branch of the species. Galarian Zigzagoon enjoy battles and will charge at people and other Pokémon in an attempt to provoke a fight. This behavior usually succeeds in starting a battle with other Pokémon, but humans tend to think Galarian Zigzagoon is just playing or showing affection."
Galarian Linoone
In addition, Galarian Zigzagzoon can evolve into a Galarian Form of Linoone, which is described as being able to "reach speeds of over 60 miles per hour and can deliver devastating Tackles and Headbutts. With enough destructive force to knock away a car, these attacks can also throw Linoone off-balance if they miss. Galarian Linoone are rash and fearless and will recklessly pick fights even with opponents stronger than themselves. Their boldness and their tendency to attack opponents head on make Galarian Linoone very popular among the disaffected youth of the Galar region."
Obstagoon
But that's not all. Linoone can evolve again into a completely new Pokemon called Obstagoon. Dubbed the Blocking Pokemon, it can have the Reckless ability, which powers up the damage of attacks that deal recoil damage. It's not known how players can trigger this evolution (leveling up, using a certain item etc.) but, in-universe, it's said that "Linoone of the Galar region live in harsh conditions and engage in fierce competition with others of their species. As a result, their survival instincts have been honed, leading to their Evolution into Obstagoon. Though Obstagoon is extremely combative, it often does not launch the first attack. It will taunt an opponent, goading it into attacking. When it does, Obstagoon will cross its arms and meet the oncoming attack with its Obstruct move. Obstagoon is especially skilled at throwing its opponents off guard and counterattacking with its sharp claws."
Morpeko
The trailer did reveal one other brand new Pokemon, though many have already noticed its obvious similarity to Pikachu. Called Morpeko and listed as the Two-Sided Pokemon, this one can change its form mid-battle. Every turn, its Hunger Switch ability activates, switching it between Full Belly Mode and Hangry Mode. Not only does its appearance change, its signature move, Aura Wheel, changes its typing. In Full Belly Mode, it's an Electric attack, whereas in Hangry Mode, it's a Dark attack. It's description reads "The sacs in Morpeko’s cheeks constantly generate electricity. This consumes energy, causing Morpeko to be constantly hungry. To satisfy this hunger, Morpeko always carries around Berry seeds to snack on. When experiencing prolonged hunger, Morpeko’s hormone balance changes. This causes its fur to change colors and triggers more aggressive and volatile behavior."
This may not seem like a lot, but these Pokemon are still a fraction of the many new creatures players will encounter during their trek through the Galar region. And there are plenty more yet to be revealed, like the evolutions for the Starters and no doubt some more Galarian Forms. Pokemon Sun and Moon introduced 18 Alolan Forms of pre-existing Pokemon, so we can expect to see a similar number of Galarian Forms.
Unfortunately, it's unlikely that these new additions will please those who have expressed their disappointment with the upcoming titles due to the decision to remove the National Dex, meaning not every Pokemon in the series will be able to appear in the games. The backlash has been quite strong, and many fans have even stated they intend to boycott the games when they release. Though given the series' overwhelming popularity, it's doubtful that this will have much of an impact on initial sales.
Pokemon Sword and Shield will release exclusively on the Switch on November 15th.