Everything Pokémon Fans Need to Know About Sword & Shield’s Galar Region (2024)

Pokémon Sword & Shield is one of the best Pokémon games to be developed by the Nintendo Company and Game Freak in recent years. Bold and imaginative in its storytelling, the RPG, of course, kept to the formulas and rules of the traditional Pokémon series, but has managed to find a niche area of exploration that introduced new characters, locations, and secrets to uncover. The Galar Region in particular really stands out compared to some of the other backdrops of prior Pokémon titles.

Inspired by old Arthurian legends, UK culture, and fantasy concepts, Pokémon Sword & Shield almost embraces the medieval in its designs much to the excitement of players. But there's a lot more to learn about the mysteries that the Galar region holds, as fans continuously find new points of interest to expand upon. With a new Pokémon title on the way in the form of Pokémon Legends: Z-A, there's certainly a lot to take inspiration from when it comes to building compelling regions.

The Region Boasts An Exciting New Pokédex Full Of Bold Pokémon Designs

400 Pokémon Join The Franchise

• The very first region in the Pokémon series was Kanto.

There's an endless array of Pokémon designs in the franchise, and each new title brings with it a Pokédex inspired by the region where it is set. The Galar Region boasts all the tropes and formulas that players have come to expect, with an exciting new set of Starter Pokémon to help players on their adventure. When first joining the game, players are given a choice between the grass-type Grookey, the fire-type Scorbunny, and the water-type Sobble. The Pokédex is packed full of returning favorites like Hoothoot and Ludicolo, which match the terrain and varying territories of the Galar Region.

However, there are some significant standouts and newcomers that will stick in the mind of fans years after the title's release. The adorable Yamper, the inventive Golett, and the shadowy Nickit are just a couple of examples of exclusives that helped to shape the tone of this entry into the saga. The Pokédex is well-balanced, and perhaps more varied than usual, with an eye to arming players with the tools and techniques to build a party that's worth using in battle. The Pokédex naturally contains a few legendary Pokémon too, which tie into the narrative of the title. The Switch game introducesZacian and Zamazenta the two prominent, cover Pokémon of the games, which are intrinsically linked to the story that players progress through. Powerful and terrifying, these are beasts that fans are going to fight hard to catch. The third Legendary of the title is Eternatus, a being of great strength, which, luckily, players can easily bring into their collection.

Some Pokémon also have a Dynamax upgrade in Pokémon Sword & Shield where they briefly transform for a portion of the battle, at the player's request. Growing in size and boasting new abilities, a Dynamax Pokémon is hard to overcome and takes the conflict to the next level. Each new entry into the saga tries to do something a little different with the characters present, and the Dynamax addition certainly adds a unique element to play, that isn't replicated elsewhere in the franchise. Galar's regions take the Dynamax power into account, with specific areas dedicated to these Pokemon.

There Are Notable Locations That Build Up This Fascinating Region

Hammerlocke, Postwick & Stow-on-Side Are Just Some Of The New Areas Featured

• The Galar Region is inspired by the United Kingdom.

As with any Pokémon region, the Galar Region has some towns, cities, and other hidden locations of significance. It would be remiss not to firstly make mention of Gyms making their return. Pokémon Sword & Shield boasts the Galar League, a competitive battle tournament that allows players to collect badges and eventually confront the Elite Four. Consisting of 8 different Gyms, players will find the usual array of type-based combat accompanied by location-specific puzzles to break down, before heading into that final fight. Those Gyms include Turffield, Hulbury, Motosoke, Stow-on-Side, Ballonlea, Circhester, Spikemuth, and Hammerlocke.

Eagle-eyed readers will have immediately spotted that many of these locations feel very much based on real-world names, with the likes of Stow-on-Side for instance sounding as if it has come straight from the UK. That's a trend that continues throughout the title, with Nintendo and Game Freak clearly looking to the British Isles when forming their areas. The variation across the cities and towns of the Galar Region also shows great innovation and imagination. Look to the quaint farm town of Postwick for that cozy feel. Explore Freezington, and its snowy exterior, to discover those Pokémon that like a colder climate. Jump into the industrial Motostoke or the oceanic Hulbury for those large-scale locations.

For many though, this particular generation is defined by the neon Ballonlea and the castle-like city of Hammerlocke; those locations that specifically take the geography of the land into account and are altogether different. The Galar Region thus isn't afraid to experiment and features some truly memorable towns and cities that break away from the formulaic approach of past Pokémon games. That spirit of exploration is therefore rewarded with territories that are genuinely worth going off-map for.

The Galar Region Holds Some Massive Secrets

Riddles & Hidden Zones Are Just Some Of The Mysteries To Uncover

• Pokémon Sword & Shield is the second best-selling Pokémon game ever.

Anyone venturing to the Galar Region will have to contend with Team Yell, the antagonists of the area. This particular generation breaks away from tradition with a plot that specifically focuses on the Galar Region League itself, and Team Yell's desire to see Marnie become the true champion. But there's also a mystery to uncover, concerning the dark days of the Galar Region and the ancient kings who ruled there. Leading to an encounter with the Legendary Pokémon, players will be asked to translate ancient runes and uncover the secrets of the past, as they travel through cities and towns that are steeped in history.

The best games of the Pokémon series have more mysteries throughout gameplay for the player to unravel. Pokémon Sword & Shield is no different. For instance, head to Circhester and travel through the hotel and players will uncover an unfolding riddle to solve, concerning the missing berries that the locals are so concerned about. Hammerlocke also has a surprise of its own, with players encountering an actual ghost on the premises, speaking to the storied history of the area. In Turffield a girl will share a riddle with the player, which, if solved, will reward them with an Expert Belt.

Again and again, players are finding fun side quests and small narratives to interact with, each of which adds depth to the Galar Region. Pokémon Sword & Shield features one of the franchise's best regions thanks to its varied Pokédex, stunning locations, and gripping storylines. Players shouldn't be afraid to take risks, go off-map, and speak with NPCs to find more moments of magic.

Pokemon Sword and Shield

Pokémon Sword and Pokémon Shield are 2019 role-playing video games developed by Game Freak and published by The Pokémon Company and Nintendo for the Nintendo Switch console

Franchise

Pokemon

Platform(s)

Switch

Released

November 15, 2019

Developer(s)

Game Freak

Publisher(s)

Nintendo

Genre(s)

RPG

ESRB

E for Everyone: Comic Mischief, Mild Cartoon Violence

How Long To Beat

26 Hours

Metascore

80