Pokémon Sword and Pokémon Shield are on their way to Nintendo Switch next month, and Nintendo are tricking us details and teases about which Pokémon will be exclusive to each game. If you aren't familiar with the Pokémon games, usually they're released in a set and the games will be very similar with some slight differences — the main one being that each game has a set of exclusive Pokémon you can't find in the wild in its partner.
So exclusives are how most of us make our decision about which game to get! Nintendo, however, are proving that this is going to be a tricky choice by showing us some really cute Pokémon from either game. Don't do this to us; don't make it difficult!
10 Gothita - Sword
Gothita is a gen four Pokémon and this just appeals to our dark side. A cute little Pokémon, its evolutions become increasingly impressive too. Gothorita is pretty elegant and Gothitelle, the grown up goth, is awesome looking. Aesthetics aside, it's also a pretty impressive psychic Pokémon and we really want this one on our team. One point for Sword?
9 Galarian Ponyta - Shield
Recently, Galarian Ponyta was revealed and boy, is it magnificent! Since it's been confirmed that both of these games will have limited Pokémon from gen one, we'll take anything we can get here, but we love the revamp of Ponyta. The flames have become pastel and colorful, and the Pokémon itself looks as regal as ever. This is one that makes us want to abandon the idea of getting Sword altogether because as far as gen one goes, Shield is coming out on top.
8 Farfetch’d - Sword
Farfetch'd was a Pokémon in gen one that didn't inspire a lot of desire — until Pokémon Go. The Niantic mobile game made it so that Farfetch'd could only be caught in Asia, one of the regional exclusives across the world and now Farfetch'd has more of a feeling of being special. Farfetch'd is sticking to its exclusive nature by only coming to Sword.
Is Farfetch'd as pretty as Galarian Ponyta? No — not anywhere close. But those who've been frustrated by Pokémon Go's exclusives for long enough may just be tempted to give Sword a point here.
7 Goodra - Shield
We love a good dragon-type Pokémon. Goodra is a generation six Pokémon that takes some rather specific requirements to evolve (or at least, did in previous Pokémon games) but it's a very powerful one to have on the team and Shield is gaining points pretty rapidly here. The two previous evolutions are cute too, and presumably the first is the one that will actually be catchable, but if you can take it all the way up to level fifty and get a Goodra out of the deal, your Shield party will be unstoppable.
And cute, too.
6 Hydreigon - Sword
Speaking of dragon-types...
Generation five's Hydreigon is coming to Sword, and it might be enough to beat out the confirmed dragon type available in Shield that we know of right now. It's a dark/dragon type Pokémon that's extremely tough to beat in any party, and is also pseudo-legendary. You might have Galarian Ponyta, Shield, but just look at this badass.
5 Tyrannitar - Shield
Tyrannitar has always been one of the toughest Pokémon to battle in the games, and it's been confirmed that it'll be coming to Shield. Sure, its first two forms aren't too impressive, but if you can stick with it and keep training them up and up then you'll one hell of a Pokémon on your team. We can all get distracted by the cuteness of the other Pokémon, but if you're going for a tough party as your main aim — which it really should be — you're gonna want this guy.
4 Braviary - Sword
Braviary is the evolved form of Rufflet, achievable in Sword. Every Pokémon game has their classic bird types — need to learn Fly to get places, after all! — but Braviary is a particularly impressive looking one and Sword just may win when it comes to the flying types. Rufflet is pretty cute too, but we're all here for the evolution.
3 Drampa - Shield
Drampa is a gen seven Pokémon that's going to add to Shield's dragon roster with a normal/dragon type. It doesn't have any evolutions and exists just on its own, but if you're looking to build the ultimate dragon team, it's starting to look like you're going to want to buy Pokémon Shield rather than Sword.
2 Zacian - Sword
The legendaries that will be available in each game haven't actually been confirmed, but we can assume from the covers and promotions for each game that Zacian will be available for Sword — especially as it's a wolf-like Pokémon carrying a sword in its mouth. It'd be a little nonsensical if this was the Shield exclusive.
Zacian even sounds badass but other than its name and appearance, nothing is known about this legendary type. Despite that, people are already making opinions on which game they want to buy based on the appearance of the legendary on the cover. We just have one question: is it carrying a sword, or is that actually attached to its mouth at all times? Does this Pokémon literally have a sword body part? We're kinda here for it, if so.
1 Zamazenta - Shield
Much like Zacian, not much known is about Zamazenta quite yet. The front of its body is shaped like a shield so if we're going for common sense, it seems that Zamazenta will be the Shield exclusive legendary. Or even better, perhaps it'll be a Ho-oh and Lugia Gold and Silver kind of situation where both will be available in either game and one will just appear first.
We can dream, right?