More details revealed about Pokemon Sword and Shield’s wild area

Paul Cot

Nintendo’s Pokemon Sword and Shield E3 demo has revealed fresh details about the game’s expanded wild areas. Streamed from Nintendo Treehouse following the company’s Direct broadcast, the demo showed the player exploring the vast nature zones between cities.

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The demo revealed the types Pokemon which players will encounter in the long grass, weather changes and more details about max raid battles.

Wild area hosts powerful Pokemon

The wild area is home to the largest variety of Pokemon in the Galar region, many of them powerful. Nintendo showed off some of the new ones in the demo, including a a level 26 Machoke encounter.

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Whether the Pokemon in these wild areas are more powerful than those in the city remains to be be seen, but the trainer playing the demo had a team of Pokemon that were mostly at level 12, with a Corviknight at level 45. This would suggest that you, hopefully, won’t find too many over-powered Pokemon.

The Pokemon Sword & Shield website has confirmed that you won’t be able to throw Pokeballs at Pokemon found in the wild area. This suggests that the wild area will be accessible early on in the game as the Pokemon Company wouldn’t want players to catch these powerful Pokemon early as that could make the game too easy.

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Weather changes everything

As well as showing off new Pokemon, Nintendo revealed that different Pokemon will appear in the wild areas depending on the weather at the time. As a result, each time you travel through the wild area, it should provide a different experience, keeping it fresh and exciting as you explore the large, beautiful landscape, which features many trees and lakes.

Also, the weather will affect which Pokemon are effective in battles. For example, during a thunderstorm, water and electric-type Pokemon will become more effective, adding a new layer of strategy to catching.

More details about max raid battles

Remember the red beams of light that were shown during Pokemon Direct on June 5? Nintendo have confirmed that they are actually called Pokemon dens. The red light shows a Dynamax Pokemon is waiting inside which you take on with up to four other trainers in max raid battles, before attempting to capture it.

PokemonThe red beam of light indicates a Dynamax Pokemon is waiting inside…

The battle background completely changes for these max raid battles, making it look like they take place underground. Exploring them can lead to max raid battles, but only when the red light is showing.


Elsewhere, many more details have been rumoured following a Pokemon Sword and Shield leak from a credible source. These include new details on gym leaders, regional evolutions and another legendary Pokemon.

We’re sure to find out more info before Pokemon Sword and Shield is released on on November 15, 2019 for the Nintendo Switch.