Well, thanks Nintendo. Cause, you know, my wallet wasn’t already crying enough as it were, now you had to go and announce a brand-new Pokémon video game for the Nintendo Switch… two games actually: Pokémon Sword & Pokémon Shield; both releasing later this year. Just what I need to do, waste another thirty plus hours trying to catch every Pokémon I come across. And what’s this, the three new starters are super cute as well! Why Nintendo? When will I be able to use my free time to do something productive like, well, umm… actually, I don’t really do much with my free time except come on here and present some geek culture news and sometimes opine on a few subjects. So, I guess I actually need a new game to fill up my free time. Oh, so yeah, really, thanks Nintendo.
But all kidding aside, the news that broke this week of two new Pokémon games for the Nintendo Switch was really music to my ears. And if what I understand so far is correct, these will be two brand new adventures in the Pokémon series and not remakes or remasters the way Pokémon Let’s Go Eevee & Pokémon Let’s Go Pikachu were. These will be all new adventures for Pokémon Trainers to enjoy as they make their way across the Galar Region, a Pokémon region seemingly inspired by the United Kingdom – and I am totally down for that as the vistas in the release trailer look really pleasant and exciting. But aside from that, as is the norm with new Pokémon games, we’re also getting three new starter Pokémon for us to raise and train as we journey across this new region in the Pokémon world.
The first new starter Pokémon that we were introduced to was the monkey-like Grass-type Pokémon, Grookey. Admittedly, I have never been particularly fond of grass-type Pokémon after using Bulbasaur in Pokémon Red & Pokémon Blue, but Grookey looks like a really cute Pokémon that I could see some trainers gravitate towards.
The next starter Pokémon we were introduced to was the white rabbit-looking Fire-type Pokémon, Scorbunny. As a long-time fire-type Pokémon trainer, Scorbunny is definitely the new starter that I will use as my main throughout these new games. And since I am also particularly fond of rabbits, this is one new starter that I can really get behind.
The last new starter Pokémon that we were introduced to was the lizard-like Water-type Pokémon, Sobble. I’m not quite sure how I feel about this new starter yet, but my wife really seems to like it, so I’m figuring that this one is going to be her starter Pokémon when she starts playing these new games.
Even though I may not be using either Grookey or Sobble when I play these new Pokémon games, I can’t wait to see what the evolutions for them will be. Of course, I really want to see what Scorbunny is going to look like because I have always been a fan of what the final evolutionary forms for all the fire-type Pokémon I have seen. But you all do you – choose the Pokémon that best suits you and have fun.
Pokémon Sword and Pokémon Shield will be available for the Nintendo Switch in late 2019. Be sure to pre-order your copy (or copies) today to make sure you can start your new Pokémon adventure the day it’s released.
