These five Pokemon Sword and Shield features made huge changes, taking the RPG series from handheld to the big screen for good

A Gigantamax Machamp appears - from Pokemon Sword and Shield's entry in The Story of Pokemon bookazine — (Image credit: Nintendo, The Pokemon Company, Game Freak)

Pokemon Sword and Shield is the first mainline Pokemon game that launched on a home console instead of just on a handheld. That's thanks to Nintendo Switch itself, a hybrid console that merged Nintendo's home and portable console lines into being one and the same, which means a lot of the changes that came to this eighth generation of Pokemon revolve around reckoning with crossing both of those styles of play.

For instance, Pokemon Sword and Shield experiments with wild areas, where the more linear, classic-style routes fully open into huge areas with roaming Pokemon. On the other hand, battle changes play with the 'bigness' afforded by the move to Nintendo Switch, Dynamax and Gigantamax transformations taking the concept of Mega Evolutions from Pokemon X and Y even further, with huge gym challenges and battles that felt like set pieces. And, if you simply want to visit the Pokemon take on the UK, the Galar region, this is one of the best Pokemon games for doing so. Stick around and read on as we count down the biggest changes Pokemon Sword and Shield brought to the series with the eighth generation.

5. Wild area

The player explores a large green field - from Pokemon Sword and Shield's entry in The Story of Pokemon bookazine — (Image credit: Nintendo, The Pokemon Company, Game Freak)

The Wild Area marked a major departure from other Pokemon locations by giving you a vast stretch of land to explore. Here you'll find all types of Pokemon to catch, some of which are too high-leveled at first but are ideal for fleshing out and improving your team later on.

4. Dynamax and Gigantamax

Drednaw used G-Max Stonesurge - from Pokemon Sword and Shield's entry in The Story of Pokemon bookazine — (Image credit: Nintendo, The Pokemon Company, Game Freak)

A handful of species can Gigantamax and gain access to exclusive G-Moves.

Sword & Shield made it possible for you to temporarily increase the size and stats of every Pokemon. While every one can Dynamax, however, a handful of species can Gigantamax and gain access to exclusive G-Moves to help turn the tide of Trainer battles.

3. Gym challenges

The player traverses a water gym - from Pokemon Sword and Shield's entry in The Story of Pokemon bookazine — (Image credit: Nintendo, The Pokemon Company, Game Freak)

Gym Leaders and Badge collecting make a welcome return in Pokemon's full Nintendo Switch debut, but an element of Sun & Moon's Island Trials cross over in the form of Gym Challenges. These precede every Gym Leader battle and often revolve around a unique minigame or puzzle.

2. Max raid battles

A Raichu battles a Gigantamax Snorlax - from Pokemon Sword and Shield's entry in The Story of Pokemon bookazine — (Image credit: Nintendo, The Pokemon Company, Game Freak)

Pokemon had been searching for ways to let Trainers play co-operatively for a while. Well, in Sword & Shield the series cracked it by implementing what's known as Max Raid Battles. These you will find in the Wild Area, allowing teams of four to challenge a Dynamaxed Pokemon.

1. Expansion packs

The train to the Isle of Armor has arrived - from Pokemon Sword and Shield's entry in The Story of Pokemon bookazine — (Image credit: Nintendo, The Pokemon Company, Game Freak)

Despite being the case for most mainline instalments, Sword & Shield didn't receive an expanded standalone third entry. Instead, Game Freak continued the games' story, introduced new locales and expanded the Pokedex via two separate DLC expansions: The Isle Of Armor and The Crown Tundra.

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