Sword versus Shield

Deciding between Pokemon Sword and Shield? Compare exclusive Pokemon, Gigantamax forms, and unique Gym Leaders to pick the version that's right for you!

Alright, so you're diving into the world of Pokémon Sword and Shield, huh? One of the first big decisions you'll make is which version to get. It's not just about a different title; each version has its own set of Pokémon and even some unique challenges, especially when it comes to Gyms. If you're wondering which one to pick, let's break down what makes each version special so you can make the best choice for your adventure.

The biggest difference, and probably the most important for any Pokémon trainer, is the exclusive Pokémon. While you can always trade with friends to get Pokémon from the other version, it's way easier to catch them yourself. This is especially true for the super-powerful Legendary Pokémon – those are pretty rare to get through trading. So, if you're on the fence about which game to buy, definitely check out which Legendary Pokémon you like more, as that's a huge deciding factor.

Here's a look at some of the Pokémon you'll only find in each version:

Exclusive to Sword	Exclusive to Shield
Seedot, Nuzleaf and Shiftry	Lotad, Lombre and Ludicolo
Flapple	Appletun
Swirlix and Slurpuff	Spritzee and Aromatisse
Galarian Farfetch’d and Sirfetch’d	Galarian Corsola and Cursola
Scraggy and Scrafty	Croagunk and Toxicroak
Gothita, Gothorita and Gothitelle	Solosis, Duosion and Reuiniclus
Rufflet and Braviary	Vullaby and Mandibuzz
Mawile	Sableye
Galarian Darumaka and Darmanitan	Galarian Ponyta and Rapidash
Passimian	Oranguru
Turtonator	Drampa
Solrock	Lunatone
Stonjourner	Eiscue
Deino, Zweilous and Hydreigon	Larvitar, Pupitar and Tyranitar
Jangmo-o, Hakomo-o and Kommo-o	Goomy, Sliggoo and Goodra
Zacian	Zamazenta

Beyond just regular Pokémon, there are also exclusive Gigantamax forms. These are special versions of Pokémon that change their appearance when they Dynamax. You'll only find these specific Gigantamax Pokémon in Max Raid Battles within their respective versions. The cool thing is, even if you have one version, you can still team up with players of the other version to participate in their Max Raid Battles, so you're not completely locked out!

Here are the Gigantamax forms exclusive to each version:

Exclusive to Sword	Exclusive to Shield
Machamp	Gengar
Coalossal	Lapras
Flapple	Appletun

And then there are the Gyms! This is where things get really interesting and shake up your journey. Two of the Gyms you'll encounter – specifically the 4th and 6th Gyms – are completely different depending on whether you're playing Sword or Shield. This means you'll face different Gym Leaders and even tackle different types of Gym challenges. You won't even see the Gym Leaders that are exclusive to the other version.

Here’s a look at the version-exclusive Gyms and their Leaders:

Exclusive to Sword	Exclusive to Shield
Fighting Gym (led by Bea)	Ghost Gym (led by Allister)
Rock Gym (led by Gordie)	Ice Gym (led by Melony)

So, when you're deciding, think about which Pokémon you really want to catch, which Gigantamax forms appeal to you, and even which Gym Leaders you'd rather battle. It's all part of the fun of choosing your own adventure in the Galar region!