The Pokemon Sword and Pokemon Sword Expansion Pass launches today, and recently I was lucky enough to be invited by Nintendo of Canada for a one-on-one virtual preview. In case you were unaware, there are two big DLC expansions releasing for Pokemon Sword and Pokemon Shield this year: The Isle of Armor and The Crown Tundra.
The Isle of Armor launches today and The Crown Tundra launches fall 2020. Both DLC bring new content, characters, Pokemon, storylines, locations, and new gameplay features to both games. Correspondingly, I was treated to a 30 minute preview session of the Isle of Armor story as well as a 15 minute tour of the wild area. And, from what I saw, Pokemon fans are in for a big treat!
Pokemon Sword and Pokemon Shield Expansion Pass Details
Platform:Â Nintendo Switch
Developer: Game Freak
Publisher:Â Nintendo
Genre:Â Role-playing game
Modes: Single-player, multiplayer
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone)
Additional details about the Pokemon Sword and Pokemon Shield Expansion Pass
First, I want to talk a little bit about some details of the Pokemon Sword and Pokemon Shield Expansion Pass. To clarify, it is important to know that you must own either Pokemon Sword or Pokemon Shield base games in order to play the expansion pass. As I mentioned above, there will be two big DLC expansion passes coming this year for Pokemon Sword and Pokemon Shield.
You’ll be happy to know that when you buy the Pokemon Sword and Pokemon Shield Expansion Pass that you get both DLC expansions as when they release. Additionally, each Pokemon game requires its own expansion pass. So, that means if you own both games, you’ll have to buy their respective expansion passes. Â
More than 200 returning Pokemon
Nintendo has announced that there are more than 200 existing Pokemon will be added to both Sword and Shield across both DLC expansions. Furthermore, part of the returning 200 Pokemon include a substantial amount of Legendary Pokemon from previous games. And, for those that do not purchase the expansion pass, a free update will be made available that includes these Pokemon.
And, gamers can obtain these Pokemon via trades or through Pokemon Home. However, only those that purchase the expansion pass will encounter these returning Pokemon in the wild.
The Isle of Armor preview
The first new adventure in the expansion pass takes place on the Isle of Armor. The island is home to a dojo for Pokemon battles and the master of the dojo is named Mustard. Don’t worry, I won’t spoil any of the big surprises and story in the first 30 minutes of the game.
A not so warm welcome
My preview began as Victor is whisked away to the Isle of Armor. After arriving, Victor is hesitantly greeted by an up and coming Pokemon Trainer named Klara. Sent out by the dojo to meet and greet new Master Dojo students, it’s clear Klara is a hotshot wanna be.
After a not so warm welcome, Klara challenges Victor to a battle. After losing, she plays off Victor’s win as accidental. Furthermore, she tries to put doubt in Victor’s mind by telling him he’s not good enough for the dojo and maybe he should just go home.
As Klara retreats to the Maser Dojo, I was briefly shown some of sights and sounds of the Isle of Armor. It was easy to see that the island is huge, and there is lots to see and do.
Master Dojo
As Victor arrives at the Master Dojo, we see Klara telling the lady of the house that Victor changed his mind about joining the dojo and ran off. It’s not long before Klara wipes the egg off her face and we make our way inside the Master Dojo.
Once inside Ms. Honey and the students give Victor a proper welcome. And, we are greeted by the master of the dojo, Mustard. Mustard is very pleased with Victor and says he is like one of his greatest former students.
Three challenges await
Next, Mustard announces to the students that with Victor’s arrival signals that the dojo is now full. He proclaims that everyone will be facing three trials. And, the student that succeeds will receive a very prestigious reward. The first trial occurs, I don’t want to spoil it for you, and Victor is the only student successful.
After returning to the Master Dojo, Victor is handsomely rewarded for completing the first trial with a choice between two very capable Pokemon—I won’t spoil the surprise for you. Klara is even more jealous than ever and it looks as though she might be trying to one up you through the entire adventure on the Isle of Armor.
A tour of the wild area
Finally, after a very eventful 30 minutes, I was given a tour of the wild area on the Isle of Armor. I traversed across the island on my bike through forests, wetlands, beaches, deserts, dark caves, caverns and tunnels. Moreover, each area seemed massive in size. And, even after 10 minutes of making my way around the island, according to the map, there was still quite a bit that I hadn’t seen.
Pokemon Sword and Pokemon Shield Expansion Pass is available now
The Pokemon Sword and Pokemon Shield Expansion Pass is now available for download. From my one-on-one preview, the first DLC expansion, the Isle of Armor looks massive. The first 30 minutes of gameplay is filled with epic battles and humour. If you are a Pokemon fan, there is no way you are going to want to miss out on this!
Look for our full in-depth review of the Pokemon Sword and Pokemon Shield Expansion Pass right here on the Best Buy Canada Blog soon.
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This expansion looks great! The pass will definitely add more enjoyment for those players who pick it up!
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