Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Gaming
  3. News

Catch Pokémon Sword and Shield at a discount before expansions arrive

By
Pokemon

Ahead of Pokémon Sword and Shield’s upcoming expansions, both games are on sale on Amazon for anyone who hasn’t had a chance to play yet.

Pokémon Sword and Shield are $49 each, with free one-day shipping to eligible Amazon Prime members. This deal only applies to physical versions, however, so those looking to get a digital code will pay the standard $60. Because Nintendo’s games go on sale so infrequently, it might be wise to bite the bullet and order the cartridge to take advantage of the deal.

Both Sword and Shield feature lengthy stories filled with new monsters to catch, gym leaders to battle, and areas to explore, as well as an endgame section that unlocks after defeating the Galar Region’s champion. As with all mainline Pokémon games, several Pokémon are exclusive to one version or the other and can be traded between the two to get a complete collection.

Pokémon Sword and Pokémon Shield Expansion Pass—Announcement Trailer

This generation’s releases also mark the first traditional Pokémon games playable on a home console, as previous titles launched on handheld-only systems. Pokémon: Let’s Go, Pikachu! and Let’s Go, Eevee! came out in 2018, but were streamlined remakes of Pokémon Yellow that ditched wild battles in favor of catching mechanics lifted from Pokémon Go rather than fully realized mainline games. It also contains integration with Go, and players can take their Pokémon on a walk with the Poké Ball Plus accessory.

Related

Though the new game buzz surrounding Sword and Shield died down since the late 2019 launch, it’s sure to pick back up when the Isle of Armor and The Crown Tundra expansion packs debut. Coming in June and this fall, respectively, the DLC adds more Pokémon, characters, stories, and brand-new areas not included in the base game. Some of the additional Pokémon are classics that were missing from the original release, including Venosaur. An Expansion Pass containing both DLC items is available for $30.

The new Pokémon Home service launches later this month, allowing players to access an online bank that lets them transfer monsters between the different Switch games, trade them more efficiently, and receive extra “battle points” and mystery gifts. It costs $3 a month or $16 for the year.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Gabe Gurwin
Gabe Gurwin
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Gabe Gurwin has been playing games since 1997, beginning with the N64 and the Super Nintendo. He began his journalism career…
Red Dead Redemption on Switch is already discounted in holiday sale
A screenshot of Red Dead Redemption running on Nintendo Switch.

Nintendo is running a Switch sale for the holiday season -- and it's full of discounts. Chief among those is a 30% price cut on the recently released Red Dead Redemption port for Switch, alongside deals on new releases like Sonic Superstars.

Nintendo's annual holiday eShop sale features discounts on over 30 games. While new Nintendo games like Pikmin 4 and Super Mario Bros. Wonder aren't included, a lot of classic third-party games are available for a bargain.

Read more
All new and returning Pokémon in Scarlet and Violet: The Indigo Disk
A Pokémon trainer holding a glowing Pokémon ball.

It's finally time, trainers. The last DLC for Pokémon Scarlet and Violet, The Indigo Disk, will put a firm cap on the latest Pokédex. The DLC not only adds a handful of new critters to the list but also brings back a huge swath of returning favorites from past generations that make exploring Paldea a fresh experience all over again. Your new adventure will have you attempting to solve the mystery of an ancient myth in Kitakami, and perhaps these new Pokémon hold some answers.

Here are all the new Pokémon you can look forward to battling and catching, as well as the list of returning ones to see if your childhood favorite made the cut.
All new Pokémon
Just like in the Teal Mask DLC, this final expansion only adds four new Pokémon. Here's a breakdown of each:
Terapagos
This is the poster child for this DLC, and is going to play a major part of the game's story. Because of its importance, we don't know almost any details about it, including what type it is, except that it does have a Terastal Form.
Raging Bolt

Read more
Pokémon Scarlet and Violet: The Indigo Disk is a true master’s degree program
A trainer stands in front of two Alolan Exeggutors in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet: The Indigo Disk.

After a rocky year, Pokémon Scarlet and Violet’s story is coming to an end next month. Its second DLC, The Indigo Disk, will conclude its bonus Hidden Treasure of Area Zero arc on December 14. That’ll close out the series’ most scrutinized set of games to date, which were lambasted at launch for performance issues and poor visual quality. The Indigo Disk certainly won’t reverse that narrative, but it at least has a shot at sending disappointed fans home happy -- especially after the underwhelming Teal Mask expansion.

Ahead of its launch, I got a hands-on preview with the upcoming DLC that showed me a bit of what to expect. I explored its new open-world area, saw some familiar monsters, and fought in one of the toughest battles I’ve ever had in a mainline Pokémon story. Every technical problem in the base game still reared its ugly head during my hour of playtime, but The Indigo Disk at least brings some high-level challenges to the mix that will test even the most seasoned competitive players.
Same problems, new challenges
The Indigo Disk picks up right after The Teal Mask’s conclusion (players will need to beat it to start the new DLC). In it, I’m sent to Blueberry Academy, which is a massive biodome floating in the middle of the ocean. It houses a round, open-world area split up into four distinct environments. One corner has your standard grassy plains, while another is a massive snowy mountain full of ice Pokémon. It’s significantly bigger than Teal Mask’s bite-sized open world, though the general design isn’t too different.

Read more