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Outbyte PC Repair FREEClear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Outbyte Driver Updater FREEFix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Pokémon Sword and Pokémon Shield are paired Nintendo Switch RPGs set in Galar, and the cited reviews are broadly positive. Their strengths include exploring a new region, more visible Pokémon encounters and battles, and a streamlined take on the series. Their limitations matter too: the critical coverage raises questions about innovation, uneven locations and content depth. Choose an edition based on its version-specific content, then make sure any Expansion Pass matches that game.
What are Pokémon Sword and Shield?
Pokémon Sword and Pokémon Shield are separate Nintendo Switch role-playing games in which you begin as a Trainer and explore the Galar region. At the start, you choose Grookey, Scorbunny or Sobble as your partner Pokémon. The official Pokémon site presents features including regional Pokémon, battles, player customization, camping and online interactions; Nintendo’s Shield store page also describes the Galar adventure.
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
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| 1 |
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Pokémon Sword - Nintendo Switch | $54.98 | Buy on Amazon |
| 2 |
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Pokemon Shield - Nintendo Switch (European Version) | $52.99 | Buy on Amazon |
| 3 |
![Nintendo Pokémon Sword Expansion Pass or Pokémon Shield Expansion Pass (Retail Version) - [Switch Digital Code]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51l34qxMYhL._SL160_.jpg)
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Nintendo Pokémon Sword Expansion Pass or Pokémon Shield Expansion Pass (Retail Version) - [Switch... | $29.99 | Buy on Amazon |
What do the reviews say?
The cited coverage is generally favorable, but that does not mean every aspect was praised. GameSpot’s review page lists a score of 9 for its launch-era review of Pokémon Sword and Shield (retrieved October 8, 2026). Its review roundup describes a positive trend around preserving the series’ central appeal while streamlining some elements. Read GameSpot’s review.
Metacritic maintains separate critic-review pages for Sword and Shield, with outlet scores and excerpts. Those pages are dynamic, so an exact aggregate score should be checked on the date it is quoted rather than treated as a permanent figure. Metacritic: Pokémon Sword · Metacritic: Pokémon Shield.
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- Catch, battle, and trade Pokémon on an all-new adventure in the Galar region
- Choose from three new partner Pokémon and encounter never-before-seen Pokémon
- Unravel the mystery behind the Legendary Pokémon Zacian and Zamazenta!
- Team up with other Trainers to participate in Max Raid Battles***!
- Battle wild Dynamax Pokémon in Max Raid Battles and try catching them***
Where the games appeal
Review coverage highlights the appeal of exploring Galar, seeing Pokémon in the environment and watching battles presented more visibly. The streamlined elements may suit players who want the familiar collection-and-battling loop without every older convention intact. These are critical impressions, not a guarantee that the changes will suit every series fan.
What may disappoint
Some reviews question how ambitious the games are, and raise concerns about route or city design and content depth. These are not universal verdicts, but they point to the main preference test: if you want a major reinvention, exceptionally varied locations or a particularly deep post-game, the cited praise alone may not settle the decision. Treat those judgments as review opinions rather than objective defects.
Rank #2
- New entries in the main series of Pokémon RPGs arrive on Nintendo Switch simultaneously in late 2019
- The Pokémon Sword and Pokémon Shield games take place in the newly discovered Galar Region
- Galar is an expansive region with diverse environments - an idyllic countryside, contemporary cities, thick forest and craggy, snow-covered mountains
- Fans will have the opportunity to visit Gyms in the Galar region in their quest to become Champion
- Newly discovered partner Pokémon join in this new iteration of the games - Grookey, Scorbunny and Sobble
Should you get Pokémon Sword or Shield?
Pick the base game first, then choose based on the version-specific Pokémon and content that interest you. The available evidence confirms that these are distinct editions, but it does not establish a complete inventory of every exclusive, so a comprehensive exclusives list would require checking a current, edition-specific guide.
Once you have chosen, buy the corresponding Expansion Pass only if its added areas and features appeal to you. The official Expansion Pass page identifies the Isle of Armor and Crown Tundra, and describes additions including new Pokémon, Gigantamax forms, Dynamax Adventures and the Galarian Star Tournament. That is a feature list, not an independent assessment of the quality or amount of content.
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Rank #3
- Continue your Pokémon Sword or Pokémon Shield adventure in The Isle of Armor and The Crown Tundra, two new areas to explore that will be added to the Galar region as part of the Pokémon Shield Expansion Pass or Pokémon Sword Expansion Pass
- Redeem your download code in the Nintendo eShop for either the Pokémon Sword Expansion Pass or the Pokémon Shield Expansion Pass. Upon redeeming the code, you will be prompted to select one Expansion Pass. Only redeemable for one Expansion Pass.
- You'll also see some familiar Pokémon that didn't appear in the Galar region before, a total of over 200 Pokémon
- Part 1: The Isle of Armor is available now; Part 2: The Crown Tundra is scheduled for release during the fall of 2020
- If you purchase the Pokémon Sword Expansion Pass or the Pokémon Shield Expansion Pass, you'll receive two codes redeemable to get two special uniform sets of in-game apparel as a bonus
How do the Expansion Passes and bundles work?
The Sword Expansion Pass works with Pokémon Sword; the Shield Expansion Pass works with Pokémon Shield. They are not interchangeable. Nintendo’s pages make the matching-game requirement explicit: Sword Expansion Pass and Shield Expansion Pass.
Nintendo also offers a physical bundle pairing a base game with its corresponding Expansion Pass. Its page says the bundle contains the same content as buying that game and pass separately, with the included software preloaded on one game card. The bundle is an option, not a requirement; current regional availability and pricing are not established here. Nintendo’s Sword bundle page.
What about online features?
Nintendo says a Nintendo Account and Nintendo Switch Online membership are required for some online features. The official feature description does not enumerate every affected activity, so check the requirement for the particular online feature you plan to use rather than assuming that every interaction has the same condition. Pokémon Sword and Shield official site.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
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