Legendary Absentees: Which Pokémon Legends Missed the Galar Train?

The Galar region, the setting for Pokémon Sword and Shield, introduced a fresh wave of Pokémon adventures. But as trainers geared up to catch ’em all, a glaring reality emerged: not all Pokémon, especially Legendary Pokémon, made the cut. So, which legends were left out in the cold? Prepare to be surprised.

The truth is that a substantial portion of the legendary pantheon didn’t grace the lands of Galar in the base game of Pokémon Sword and Shield. While some could be transferred in later with updates or DLC, initial releases were missing Pokémon like Arceus, Darkrai, Shaymin, Deoxys, Hoopa, Manaphy, and many others from previous generations. Several powerful Pokémon were conspicuously absent, leaving trainers longing for the full breadth of the legendary experience.

Legendary Pokémon Missing From Sword and Shield

The absence of certain Legendaries felt especially significant. Let’s break down some of the most notable omissions:

• The Mythical Brigade: Arceus, often considered the God Pokémon, was nowhere to be found. Similarly, Darkrai, the embodiment of nightmares, and Shaymin, the Gratitude Pokémon, were also MIA. Hoopa, with its interdimensional rings, and Manaphy, the Seafaring Pokémon, further added to the list of Mythical Pokémon that didn’t make the Galar cut.

• Unova’s Icons: While Reshiram and Zekrom could eventually be transferred, they weren’t natively available initially. Other Unova legendaries like Kyurem, who combines with Reshiram or Zekrom, were absent.

• Other Generation Giants: Deoxys, the DNA Pokémon from Hoenn, was another notable absentee.

The absence of these Legendaries wasn’t necessarily a reflection of their popularity, but more likely a design choice by Game Freak. The technical challenges of implementing every Pokémon with high-quality 3D models, animations, and unique gameplay mechanics are considerable. Resource allocation likely played a significant role in which Pokémon made the cut.

It’s worth noting that Dynamax Adventures in the Crown Tundra DLC did bring some, but not all, missing Legendaries to the game. But a lot of Pokémon are still missing from the Nintendo Switch.

Frequently Asked Questions About Legendaries in Sword and Shield

To further clarify the situation, here’s a deep dive into some frequently asked questions:

1. Are all Legendary Pokémon catchable in Sword and Shield?

No, not all Legendary Pokémon are catchable in Pokémon Sword and Shield. The base game and even the DLC expansions did not include every Legendary Pokémon from previous generations. While some could be transferred in via Pokémon HOME, they couldn’t be natively caught in the Galar region without DLC.

2. Why isn’t every Pokémon in Sword and Shield?

The primary reasons for not including every Pokémon revolve around design choices and technical limitations. Creating detailed 3D models, animations, and gameplay mechanics for each Pokémon requires considerable time and resources. Game Freak had to prioritize which Pokémon to include based on their vision for the Galar region and available development capacity.

3. Is Deoxys in Sword and Shield?

Deoxys is not available in Pokémon Sword and Shield and cannot be transferred into those versions. It remained absent even with the DLC expansions.

4. What Legendary Pokémon are exclusive to Shield?

The Legendary Pokémon exclusive to Pokémon Shield are Zamazenta (though Zacian can be traded for), along with certain version-exclusive Pokémon like Goomy, Sligoo, Goodra, Drampa, and Appletun. It’s important to distinguish version-exclusive legendaries from those entirely absent.

5. Is Hoopa in Sword and Shield?

Hoopa is not available in Pokémon Sword, Shield, Brilliant Diamond, or Shining Pearl. This Mythical Pokémon has been absent from recent generations, leaving many trainers hoping for its return.

6. Is Reshiram in Sword and Shield?

Yes, Reshiram can be transferred to Pokémon Sword and Shield via Pokémon HOME if you have it in a previous compatible game. However, it couldn’t be caught natively in the Galar region without transferring.

7. Can I get Darkrai in Pokémon Sword?

Darkrai is not available in Pokémon Sword or Shield and cannot be transferred to those versions. Fans of the nightmare-inducing Pokémon were disappointed by its continued absence.

8. Are Zacian and Zamazenta sisters?

The Pokedex entries in English indicate that Zacian is the elder sister of Zamazenta, even though both are considered genderless. The relationship is described as sibling rivalry and protection.

9. Is Porygon-Z in Sword and Shield?

Yes, Porygon-Z is available in Pokémon Sword and Shield, having been added with the Isle of Armor DLC. This allowed trainers to evolve their Porygon2 into Porygon-Z within the Galar region.

10. Is Pokémon Sword and Shield shutting down?

Pokémon Sword and Shield are no longer receiving new content or updates after November 1, prior to the release of Pokémon Scarlet and Violet. However, the games are not shutting down and remain playable.

11. What Pokémon can’t be caught on Switch?

The Pokémon not available to catch in the Nintendo Switch games depend on which games one is talking about. Some examples are: Snivy, Servine, Serperior, Tepig, Pignite, Emboar, Patrat, Watchog, Pansage, Simisage, Pansear, Simisear, Panpour, Simipour, Blitzle, Zebstrika, Furfrou, Trumbeak, Toucannon, and Minior.

12. Is Zygarde in Pokémon Sword?

Yes, Zygarde is available in Pokémon Sword and Shield through the Dynamax Adventures in the Crown Tundra DLC. This allows players to encounter and catch the powerful Legendary Pokémon.

13. Is Zarude a Legendary?

Zarude is a Mythical Pokémon available in Pokémon Sword and Shield via distribution events. Although Mythical Pokémon are often grouped with Legendaries, they have distinct distribution methods.

14. Why is Zacian female?

Zacian is described as the elder sister of Zamazenta in the Pokedex in the English and Japanese languages, implying it has a female gender. Despite this, Zacian is gender-unknown/genderless mechanically and uses a gender-neutral term in most other languages.

15. Is Arceus in Sword and Shield?

Arceus is not available in Pokémon Sword or Shield and cannot be used in or sent to those versions. Its absence was keenly felt by many trainers.

The Ever-Evolving Pokémon Landscape

The list of missing Legendaries in Pokémon Sword and Shield highlights the ever-evolving nature of the Pokémon franchise. While it’s disappointing not to have every single Pokémon available in each new installment, the limitations underscore the significant effort required to bring these creatures to life on modern gaming platforms. As technology advances and new Pokémon titles are released, the roster will likely continue to shift, bringing both familiar faces and exciting new additions to the world of Pokémon.

You can learn more about the educational aspects of gaming at the Games Learning Society website: GamesLearningSociety.org. These games impact the way we view learning and engagement, and the Pokémon franchise is no exception.