Nintendo and Game Freak have unveiled Dynamax Pokemon, a new Pokemon form that will feature in Pokemon Sword and Shield. During Wednesday’s Nintendo Direct that focused on the upcoming Switch titles, humungous Pokemon were shown off as part of a new dynamic of Pokemon battles.
The livestream event revealed exactly how Dynamax Pokemon will work. Players are able to turn their Pokemon into gigantic forms of themselves, during battles, by pushing a button labeled “Dynamax” in the bottom right-hand corner of the screen. Doing so increases your Pokemon’s size, give them a power boost, and turns all of their moves into “max moves.” Your Pokemon’s moves do massive damage and can cause any enemy type to faint with one blow.
Trainers can only use the Dynamax function once per battle, however, so learning the best time to use this could be the difference between victory or defeat. If you don’t manage to defeat your opponent’s Pokemon after three turns, your Dynamax Pokemon will return to its normal size too.
Players will also be able to encounter Dynamax Pokemon in the wild. By connecting with three other players in the Wild Area of Pokemon Sword and Shield, you have the chance to encounter wild Dynamax Pokemon. These are known as “Max Raid Battles”, and require you to team up with three other trainers to defeat them.
During these encounters, the wild Dynamax Pokemon keeps its gigantic form for the entire battle, and have special moves that will make them formidable opponents for even the most experienced trainers. Only one trainer will be able to use their own Dynamax Pokemon during fights too, so you’ll need to decide whose Pokemon is best equipped to go up against these foes.
Game Freak confirmed that you’ll be able to catch these Pokemon once they’re weak enough, but didn’t elaborate on if everyone or only one player can catch them. Wild Dynamax Pokemon encounters will also depend on what part of the Wild Area you’re exploring, and what the weather is like.
Pokemon Sword and Shield are out on Nintendo Switch on November 15.
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