- [Madz] Pokemon Sword and Shield is out
and I gotta tell you, I am very excited
to be a surly little Scottish girl,
roaming the British countryside,
training sheep to fight dragons.
It's gonna be awesome.
Oi, I'm Madz with The Leaderboard,
and we're here to take a deep dive
into Pokemon Sword and Shield.
We've gathered 107 Facts about
what's been added and removed
from the upcoming Pokemon games,
and they only got me to host
this because I'm British.
Literally the only reason.
Oh, and I like Pokemon.
(logo chimes)
All right, for our first fact.
It was believed that
Game Freak didn't include
any other starter Pokemon
from the previous games
except for the Charmander line.
However, people have since
discovered that the other
starters from the Kanto region
are actually in the game.
Trust me, I would've been very
upset if they weren't there.
Number two, okay, I've
calmed down a little.
The new Pokemon region is Galar,
and like most Pokemon regions,
Galar's Pokemon draw
inspiration from the real world.
Galar is based on the United Kingdom,
so you can find lots of references
to the UK in the new Pokemon.
Number three, stepping up
to the role of Art Director
is James Turner, who's previously
designed several Pokemon,
such as the slightly controversial
Vanillite evolution line,
as well as Phantump's line,
and several Ultra Beasts.
Because of his English background,
Turner was consulted about the region,
even during early stages
of the game's development.
Number four, let's talk Pokemon.
The new fire-type starter, Scorbunny,
uses its powerful legs to
run around and generate heat.
It's feet become hot,
but it also stores fire
in it's fire sac, which
acts like it's second heart.
When Scorbunny is full of flames,
increases all it's physical abilities.
Number five, the new
grass-type starter, Grookey,
he's the best by the way,
has a special energy in it's body
that it can channel through its stick.
When it bangs its stick to make music,
the sound has the power
to heal nearby plants,
or, as Director Shigeru Ohmori
states, "Instills life."
Number six, the new
water-type starter, Sobble,
is already famous for being a crybaby.
But did you know its tears
are actually contagious?
A crying Sobble will make other people
and Pokemon cry around it.
When it comes to making
people cry, Sobble's tears
are as powerful as 100 onions.
Number seven, according to
Director Shigeru Ohmori,
Scorbunny was energetic
and Grooky set the mood.
They wanted a more subdued
Pokemon, which inspired Sobble.
He also thinks that people
who pick Sobble are kind and caring.
Number eight, the Galarian starters
all take cues from UK pop culture.
Scorbunny's evolution
line is based on sports,
from football or soccer to track,
Sobble's evolution line is modeled
after spies like James Bond,
and Grookey's evolution line
is inspired by music culture.
Number nine, of the three starters,
James Turner likes Sobble the most,
Shigeru Ohmori likes Grookey the most,
since he likes to party,
(speaking in foreign language)
and Producer Junichi Masuda
considers Scorbunny his favorite.
Number 10, one the easiest UK references
to spot in the new Pokemon, Yamper,
which looks a lot like
a Pembroke Welsh Corgi,
the Queen's favorite loaf
of bread and, apparently,
The New York Post's hottest dog of 2019.
Number 11, Yamper will
also catch Pokeballs
that failed to capture a wild Pokemon.
This means you could use
an expensive Ultraball
on a wild Pokemon and, even if you miss,
Yamper will return the ball to you.
That's really cool.
Number 12, Corviknight
and its evolution line
are based on common ravens,
which are native to Britain.
Ravens supposedly protect
the Tower of London and the crown.
There's a superstition
that if the Tower of London
ravens are lost or fly away,
the Crown will fall and Britain with it.
Number 13, Corviknight is a
flying/steel-type Pokemon,
and is more than just a Skarmory 2.0.
It actually plays an important role
in the public transportation
system in the Galar region.
It's used as a flying taxi
to fly from town to town,
replacing the TM Fly from earlier games.
Its character design
could even be a reference
to the silhouetted bird
used in the fly animation
from past games.
Number 14, similar to Alola,
the Galar Region is host
to different forms of
old, familiar Pokemon.
These are known as Galarian forms,
and similar to Alolan
Forms, these Galarian forms
differ in both looks and typing.
Number 15, the new grass-type Pokemon,
Gossifleur, which evolves into Eldegoss,
is a rare healing-focused Pokemon.
It's ability Regeneration heals damage
any time it's switched out of battle.
It's nutritious seeds are also said
to have healing properties.
Number 16, if you combine
the names of Gossifleur
and it's evolution, Eldegoss,
you get Elderflower,
which is a common wild plant
and popular flavor in British cuisine.
Eldegoss also looks a lot like a thistle,
which has been used as
a symbol for Scotland
and the Stuart family.
Number 17, while on his UK trip,
Shigeru Ohmori heard the legend that,
if you catch a floating cotton ball,
you will have good fortune.
This was used as
inspiration for Gossifleur.
Number 18, in the Galar region,
a Farfetch'd can evolve into Sirfetch'd,
who looks like a knight ready
to protect the royal family.
Sirfetch'd has the signature
move Meteor Assault.
The move works similar to Giga Impact,
it delivers a big hit on
the first turn and requires
Sirfetch'd to rest on the next turn.
Number 19, if you're into ancient history,
Stonehenge finally gets it's own Pokemon,
in the form of Stonjourner.
The Pokemon resembles a section
of the ancient monument.
Number 20, in the 18th century,
the industrial revolution
caused technology to go boom.
Game Freak gave Weezing
an industrial revolution makeover.
The Galarian form of this Pokemon
has smoke stacks on it's heads,
which also look a lot like top hats.
Y'know, too, drive home
the English stereotype.
Thanks Game Freak.
Number 21, while the classic
Weezing was a pure poison-type,
the new Galarian Weezing
has poison/fairy typing,
giving it extremely high defense against
fighting, bug, and dragon attacks.
Though it's smoke may
look like toxic pollution,
the smoke that it emits from it's,
hat is actually purified steam.
Number 22, in keeping
with the pollution theme,
the Pokemon Rolycoly's
evolution line is, well, coal.
Seriously, it only evolves into more coal.
Rolycoly, has a new signature
ability called Steam Engine
that gives it a speed boost after it's hit
with fire or water attacks.
Until about a hundred years ago,
every house in the Galar
region had a Rolycoly
to handle their cooking and heating needs.
Number 23, the Generation 2 Pokemon,
Corsola, makes an appearance
in Sword and Shield as Galarian Corsola.
Unlike it's pink counterpart,
the Galarian Corsola is white and grey,
and it's a ghost type, referencing
bleached, or dead coral.
Coral bleaching is actually
a real world problem
caused by pollution,
and what a bleak way to end this section
of pollution-inspired Pokemon.
Number 24, the new Galarian
ghost-type Pokemon,
Polteageist, references
Britain's love for tea.
Thank you, Game Freak, Polteageist, jeez.
Polteageist, is based on black tea.
They reproduce by spreading
into non-living tea,
and then splitting it's liquid
up into smaller containers.
It's tea pot is not part of it's body
and it can be shed in battle
using the ability Weak Armor.
Number 25, another new food-based Pokemon,
Applin, along with its evolution
line, looks like an apple.
It's final form, Appletun, looks
like an adorable apple pie.
Number 26, to keep with the food theme,
the new fairy-type Pokemon, Alcremie,
is based on strawberries and cream,
a popular dessert in the UK.
Alcremie has the ability Sweet Veil,
which allows it to temporarily
blind it's opponent
with a sweet-smelling cream
so it can make it's escape.
Number 27, Alcremie also
comes in different flavors!
It's alternate flavor
giving off a minty vibe
with cookies in it's hair
as opposed to berries.
What is this?
Number 28, Obstagoon, which
evolves from Galarian's Linoone,
represents the UK's rock culture.
I know it looks like a member of KISS,
which is an American band,
but it's probably because
KISS has one of the most
recognizable looks from that genre.
Thank you for joining me
in my mental gymnastics
trying to justify this fact.
Number 29, joining the countless
ranks of Pikachu clones,
we have the new electric/dark-type
Pokemon, Morpeko.
It can switch between two forms:
Full-Belly Mode and Hangry Mode.
When it's in Full-Belly Mode,
it's move Aura Wheel is electric type,
but in hangry mode, it
switches to dark-type.
Interestingly, the word
hangry was only added
to the Oxford English
Dictionary last year.
It means hungry and angry, if
you don't already know that.
Number 30, on October
5th, The Pokemon Company
hosted a livestream
inside the Glimwood Tangle area of Galar,
and it was during that livestream
that Galarian Ponyta was revealed.
The Galarian Ponyta is a unicorn
that comes with a fluffy
tail or no tail at all,
depending on its gender.
Number 31, the curious
new Pokemon, Impidimp,
is the first-ever Pokemon to
have a dark-and-fairy typing.
This grants it full immunity to both
dragon and psychic type attacks,
and very strong resistance
to dark attacks.
Impidimp trolled the
Glimwood Tangle livestream
by obscuring the view of Galarian Ponyta
before it got officially revealed.
Number 32, the new normal-type,
and fan favorite Pokemon, Woo-loo,
was one of the first Galar
Pokemon to be revealed.
Wooloo's fur is so fluffy,
that it halves damage
from any attack that
makes contact, however,
this fluffy fur causes it to take
double damage from fire attacks.
It's obviously inspired by,
to all the bloody sheep we have here.
Number 33, the new
water/rock-type Pokemon, Drednaw,
has powerful jaws and access
to the Strong Jaw ability,
which increases the power
of biting-type attacks.
This includes moves like Crunch,
Bite, Fire Fang, Ice
Fang, and Thunder Fang.
Number 34, the new water/flying-type
Pokemon, Cramorant,
has an ability called Gulp Missile,
where it can swallow a fish
after using Dive or Surf.
It will then spit the fish
as a counter-attack when it's hit.
Sometimes it'll even spit out
a Pikachu, which is hilarious.
This is one of the first
times we've actually seen
a Pokemon eat another animal
on-screen in a Pokemon game.
Number 35, the new
legendary Pokemon, Zacian,
holds a powerful sword its mouth.
It's name seems to be a
play on the word Cyan.
It's color scheme consists
of cyan, yellow, and magenta,
colors that are typically used as ink
in the printing process.
Number 36, the new legendary
Pokemon, Zamazenta,
can block any attack with
it's shield around its mane.
It's name seems to be a
play on the word Magenta,
and it's color scheme is
slightly darker than Zacian's.
Number 37, Junichi Masuda
said that, "if Zamazenta
"picked up Zacian's sword
and held it in it's mouth,
"it would become the most
powerful Pokemon in the world."
He was probably joking, but
still, could you imagine?
Number 38, Turner had two
goals for the Galar region.
First, he wanted to convey
the beauty of the UK.
And second, he wanted to
capture the smaller details
of the region so it didn't seem
like a rough interpretation.
Number 39, one of the artists paying
close attention to details
were the signboards on routes,
they originally had a
medieval or fantasy design,
but Turner requested they
look more modern instead.
Number 40, the Galarian
Pokemon Center designs
are partially inspired by
the pubs that the designer,
Shigeru Ohmori saw while visiting the U.K.
The idea behind using pubs
was that they were places
that people could gather together.
Number 41, Ohmori's visit
to Windermere, England
gave him the idea for the
first town in Sword and Shield,
with all of the sheep,
and stacked stone walls.
Number 42, the team couldn't
make everything realistic.
Unlike the UK, Galar includes more extreme
locations to make the region more fun.
Number 43, if you needed more evidence
of all the UK influence,
the shape of Galar
is basically that of the UK,
just flipped upside down.
Number 44, when Sword and Shield's
region and player
characters were revealed,
fans took a liking to the
female player character,
with some even making videos of her,
as an angry Scottish girl.
Hey editor, can you, show the memes.
Number 45, speaking of
the player characters,
the canon male character's name is Victor,
while the female
character's name is Gloria.
Number 46, as with Pokemon
games since Gen 6's X & Y,
there's a major new
feature in Sword and Shield
called Dynamax, a Dynamaxed Pokemon
can have very different battle mechanics
than it's normal counterpart.
When a Pokemon's Dynamax
ability is activated,
it grows into a towering goliath,
gaining stat increases
and powerful new moves.
You can begin to Dynamax your
Pokemon once you collected
the key item called Dynamax Band.
Number 47, unlike Sun and
Moon, where you can Mega Evolve
and use Z-Moves, Dynamax
replaces both of those,
as Sword and Shield's signature
game-changing gimmick.
Number 48, when your
own Pokemon use Dynamax,
the effect will only last for three turns.
When a Pokemon is
Dynamaxed, all of its moves
become Max Moves, these moves typically
have lingering effects, such as changes
to the weather or terrain.
Number 49, when Pokemon Dynamax,
they aren't really growing
in size unfortunately,
they're actually becoming more like
a giant holographic projection.
Number 50, unlike
mega-evolutions and Z moves,
Dynamax Pokemon can be found
outside of trainer battles,
making it possible to encounter wild
Dynamax Pokemon in Max Raid battles.
Number 51, wild Dynamax
Pokemon can create barriers
around them that need to be taken out
by attacking a certain number of times,
you can only begin to chip away
at the Pokemon's HP once
the barrier is resolved.
Number 52, wild Dynamax
Pokemon can cancel out
the abilities of a
player-character's Pokemon.
Number 53, if you catch
a wild Dynamax Pokemon,
there's a chance it can
have a hidden ability.
Number 54, a special
version of Dynamaxing,
known as Gigantamaxing, not
only makes the Pokemon larger,
but also transforms its looks.
Number 55, as a special early bonus,
you can get a Meowth that can Gigantimax
as a Mystery Gift by choosing
the get via internet option.
Number 56, if you have any play history
with Let's Go Pikachu!
you will also be able to receive
a Pikachu that can Gigantimax!
Gigantimax Pikachu bears
a strong resemblance
to his slightly chubbier Pikachu design
from Red, Blue, and Yellow days.
Number 57, the same goes for folks
who have Let's Go Eevee!
game history on their switch,
except they will receive an
Eevee that can Gigantimax.
Number 58, the three special Pokemon
I just mentioned may
be able to Gigantimax,
but they won't be able to evolve.
Number 59, Pokemon in this
game appear on the overworld,
much like how they did in
Let's Go Pikachu and Eevee.
The game may still have random encounters,
but all random encounters
come with an exclamation mark alert,
if you react to the
exclamation mark alert in time,
you can avoid the battle altogether.
Number 60, the Wild Area is a new feature
in Pokemon Sword and Shield,
where trainers can explore
a vast open world of
interconnected wilderness.
It also features dynamic
weather conditions,
including sunshine,
rain, and thunderstorms.
And that means, you'll
find different Pokemon
depending on the weather.
Number 61, the Wild Area was inspired by
the vast landscapes of the UK
that director Shigeru Ohmori
saw when he was doing
interviews for Sun and Moon.
He saw the lakes, rivers, and towns
in the distance while riding a train.
Number 62, it's a simple feature,
but one that I've personally
wanted for a long time.
While in the Wild Area, you'll
be able to freely control
the camera with the right analog stick.
Number 63, the concept behind a singular,
large Wild Area as opposed
to traditional routes
was this idea of returning
to a familiar place,
and spotting the differences
every time you came back.
Number 64, when they say
large, they actually mean it.
The Wild Area is roughly
the size of two regions
within Breath of the Wild.
Number 65, the team's need
for a large enough area
to include multiplayer
also played into the
decision for the creation
of the Wild Area.
Whilst in the Wild Area,
you'll be able to access
multiplayer features at any time
to interact with other players.
Number 66, you can also trade and battle
with strangers that you connect
within the Wild Area
using the Y Comm feature.
Number 67, you'll be able to
set up a camp in the Wild Area,
where you and your friends can hang out
with your Pokemon outside
of their Pokeballs.
Number 68, while camping
you'll be able to make curry
for your Pokemon in a
minigame that's reminiscent
of the Poffin-making minigame
from the 4th generation of Pokemon games.
Why curry, well, it's a
popular dish here in the UK.
Number 69, Pokemon Sword
and Shield is the first game
in the series that lets
the player eat meat!
Yeah seriously, you can
put sausage in curry.
No, I don't know what kind
of sausage, don't ask me.
Number 70, Pokemon can also
have jobs in the Galar region,
and are often employed along side humans,
which kinda reminds me of Rime
City from Detective Pikachu.
In Sword and Shield, trainers
can send their own Pokemon off
on Poke-Jobs, which allow them,
to earn experience and rewards.
Number 71, when asked
if Pokemon are sentient,
Sword and Shield's director
Shigeru Ohmori said,
"They're just getting
by, they're just living."
Same here, Ohmori, same here.
Number 72, in the Galar region,
Pokemon battles are a
popular spectator sport.
Gym leaders and champions
are celebrated like famous athletes.
The numbers on their jerseys
use a form of Japanese
wordplay called Goroawase,
which means each number has meaning.
Number 73, Milo is the
new grass-type gym leader,
and he looks like he's eaten
his vegetables like Popeye.
His League Number is
831, meaning vegetable.
Number 74, Nessa, well
known for being stuck
in your Twitter timeline is an
expert water-type gym leader.
She's athletic and competitive,
but maintains a calm, cool,
and collected demeanor.
Her League Number is
049, meaning, to swim.
Number 75, Sword and Shield is the first
in mainline Pokemon games to
feature exclusive Gym Leaders.
Gym leader Bea is
exclusive to Pokemon Sword,
and the spooky little
Shy Guy-looking dude,
is a Ghost-type gym
leader, named Allister,
and he is exclusive to Pokemon Shield.
Bea's League Number is
193, which means to fight,
whilst Allister's league number
is 291, meaning hateful.
Number 76, this game's
answer to Professor Oak
is Professor Magnolia,
her research focuses
on the Dynamax phenomenon.
Her name is the first in the main series
to be of a plant instead of a tree.
Number 77, Sonia is the
granddaughter to Professor Magnolia,
she's also the childhood
friend of the Champion, Leon.
Number 78, Chairman Rose
is the chairman of the
Galar Pokemon League,
as well as the president of a
large business conglomerate.
It's hard to tell if
this guy is a millionaire
with a heart of gold, like Steven Stone,
or if he's a more sinister
CEO, like Lysandre.
Number 79, Chairman Rose has
endorsed one of your rivals,
Bede, to take on the gym challenge.
Bede also seems to have other plans
outside of the competition.
Could he be connected
to the game's villain?
That's my guess, that kid.
Number 80, Oleana is
Chairman Rose's secretary,
who is largely in charge of running
his day-to-day business operations,
I don't trust her one
bit guys, she's scary!
Number 81, the champion of the
Galar region is the trainer
named Leon, his partner
Pokemon is a Charizard,
which I guess is why Charizard
is the only starter that got included
Leon's younger brother is named Hop,
and he's one of your rivals.
He dreams to be a champion
some day, just like Leon.
His league number is 189, which can
be translated to leaping.
Number 82, Marnie is
another one of your rivals.
Her league number is 960, which can either
be read as hardship or black.
Number 83, Team Yell, the
villainous team for this gen,
are super fans of Marnie.
They'll do whatever it takes
to help her become champion.
They also appear out of nowhere
it seems to cheer Marnie on in battle!
Some people have suggested that Team Yell
represents a toxic fanbase,
but take it as you will.
Number 84, Sword and Shield introduces
the very first Dark-type gym
leader in the main series.
It's gym leader also has
their own main theme,
and it's amazing.
Number 85, due to a
statement by Shigeru Ohmori
during an interview with Game Informer,
it was once believed that
there was going to be 18 gyms
in the Galar region.
However, this was a misunderstanding.
People will only ever face eight gyms,
but because of the
version-exclusive gyms in each game,
the total gyms between games is 18,
rather than 18 unique gyms per game.
Number 86, Pokemon Sword
and Shield has a feature
called Battle Stadium,
which lets you connect with others online
to battle with either your own team,
or a rented team of Pokemon.
Number 87, this time you can
play Ranked Battles online,
and slowly make your way up the ranks.
Similar to a lot of other games,
you'll be paired against
trainers of a similar ranking.
Improving your rank
will increase your tier.
The final tier is the Master Ball Tier.
Once you've maxed out your ranking,
you'll only face off against
the strongest trainers.
Your ranking will reset
at the end of each season,
but a portion of your ranking
will carry over to the new season.
Number 88, you'll receive
rewards for participating
in online battles, for example,
you could get a Pearl String as a reward
for completing several
consecutive battles.
Number 89, you can use the
Pokemon HOME smartphone app
to view more detailed information
about the Battle Stadium participants.
Number 90, you can play in Casual Battles,
where anything goes, you can
even use banned legendaries.
Number 91, you can participate
in official online competitions.
If you do well enough, you can be invited
to the Pokemon World
Championships in real life!
That's so cool!
Number 92, you can upload
your own rental teams,
and easily rent teams from other players.
All you have to do is
enter a 14-digit ID code.
Which sounds easy, Friend
Codes all over again.
Number 93, you can even
battle against other players
in Ranked Battles using rental teams,
which means even if you
don't have top-shelf Pokemon
yourself, you can still stand a chance
in the competitive meta.
Number 94, with the Surprise Trade feature
you can put Pokemon up for trade,
and the game will automatically
find a trading partner
in the background while
you continue to play.
Number 95, Max Raid battles
are a new co-op multiplayer
experience in Pokemon Sword and Shield.
They allow up to four
players to fight against
one Dynamaxed Pokemon.
Number 96, EXP Share is baked
into Pokemon Sword and Shield.
In past games, like in
X & Y and Sun & Moon,
you'd have to use an item to
share EXP across your party,
but now it happens by default.
Number 97, there are no HMs
in Pokemon Sword and Shield.
They were absent from Sun and Moon,
and I don't think anyone
will really miss them.
Number 98, a new system
in Sword and Shield
allows players to modify
the invisible stats
that determine a Pokemon's viability.
Mints were also added to the game
to change a Pokemon's
personality, or nature,
something that was never possible
in previous Pokemon games.
The goal was to allow players
to make any Pokemon viable,
even if it's the first one
they caught of the species.
Number 99, Pokemon Sword
and Shield is the first game
of the series to include
an auto-save feature.
You can still save your game like normal,
but if you power off without saving,
you'll have a recent
auto-save to load into.
Number 100, Pokemon
trainers in the Galar Region
can make custom trading
cards of themselves.
You can make your own card
at the Pokemon Center,
and you can even get cards
based on Gym Leaders.
Afterwards, you'll be able to trade
your personal card with other players.
Number 101, card customizaton
allows you to change
the background, frame and
even your trainers pose!
Your card is displayed
during Linked Battles,
so make sure it looks good!
Number 102, over 250 Pokemon are confirmed
to appear in the Galar Pokedex.
Unfortuntely for some fans, the new games
will not come with a National Pokedex.
However, the Pokemon Company
has confirmed that all of the
Pokemon cut from this game
will appear in future games.
Number 103, the game
initially faced harsh backlash
after it was revealed
that you can't capture
the entire back catalogue of Pokemon.
You will only be able
to import old Pokemon
that could be captured
normally in the Galar region.
Number 104, Pokemon
director Junichi Masuda,
has said that, "These cuts
were made to balance gameplay
"and conserve resources for
high quality animations,"
which proved to be a
controversial statement
among the fanbase.
Number 105, this will be the
first main-line Pokemon game
to appear on home consoles.
According to a Game Informer interview,
Game Freak essentially had to double
the amount of staff
working on Sword & Shield,
going from around 100 people to 180-200.
Number 106, composers Minako
Adachi and Go Ichinose
return for Sword and Shield.
However, this time around,
they're not the only ones
making music for the game!
Toby Fox, creator of Undertale,
is a guest composer for
Sword and Shield, yes!
He recently composed music for another
Game Freak IP, Little Town Hero.
Can you believe this
man started making music
for a Mother fan game, and
is now working with Nintendo?
Here's to hoping for another MEGALOVANIA.
Number 107, this time around,
the Pokemon's cries will sound
as if they are living creatures,
which means this may be
the first Pokemon game
in 20 years where you
never hear this sound.
(Zubat screech)
I'm Mads and thanks for watching
107 Facts About Pokemon Sword & Shield.
What do you think?
Did we miss anything?
Did the Pokemon Company mess
up by cutting the national dex?
Or do you think the new Pokemon
and features make up for it?
Let us know in the comments!
And don't forget to click the bell icon
to become part of the Notification Squad.
