Pokemon Sword and Shield: Pokedex update is great news for Nintendo Switch

Pokemon Sword and Shield fans have been delivered some great Pokedex news. Here's the latest on the hugely popular Nintendo Switch title. Pokemon Sword and Shield has been a huge hit for the Nintendo Switch, with the latest Pokemon game selling six million copies in its opening week. This made Pokemon Sword and Shield the fastest selling Switch game ever, beating the previous record held by Super Smash Bros Ultimate.

And this week Pokemon Sword and Shield fans have been delivered some surprise - and exciting news.

In a Pokemon Direct held on Thursday Nintendo and Game Freak revealed brand new DLC for Sword and Shield that is launching this year.

In 2020 Pokemon Sword and Shield will be getting two pieces of DLC - The Isle of Armor and The Crown Tundra.

In total these new pieces of Pokemon Sword and Shield DLC will be bringing with it over 200 extra pocket monsters to catch.

READ MORE: Nintendo Direct January 2020 LEAK: Major Switch games news revealed EARLY

Pokemon Sword and Shield - Pokedex update is great news for Nintendo Switch (Image: NINTENDO)

Pokemon Sword and Shield fans this year will be getting new DLC (Image: NINTENDO)

The first piece of Pokemon Sword and Shield DLC - The Isle or Armor - is out in June 2020.

While The Crown Tundra will be available in autumn 2020.

Pokemon Sword and Pokemon Shield are getting separate Expansion Passes that include these two pieces of DLC.

And these Pokemon Expansion Passes are available for pre-purchase right now.

But if you don't decide to grab the DLC, then fret not - as we explained you will still thankfully be able to get the new Pokemon via other means.

In case you're wondering then here are more details on the Pokemon Sword and Shield DLC…

POKEMON SWORD AND SHIELD DLC - THE ISLE OF ARMOR

Get ready to venture through a giant island off the shores of the Galar region, the Isle of Armor! Filled with beautiful nature, you'll find beaches, bogs, forests, caves and dunes.

Take up an apprenticeship under the former Galar Champion, Mustard, who's also the mentor of Champion Leon! Meet new rivals, hone your skills and master new fighting styles with the Legendary Pokemon: Kubfu.

You'll also be able to Gigantamax the final Evolution of the partner Pokemon you chose to start your journey with. Look forward to discovering Rillaboom, Cinderace or Inteleon in their new form, and a new G-Max Move to boot!

POKEMON SWORD AND SHIELD DLC - THE CROWN TUNDRA

Lead an expedition in the snow-swept realm of the Crown Tundra and unravel the mystery of the Legendary Pokemon Calyrex who once ruled over it.

Through a new form of co-op play, your voyage will even allow you to explore deep within Pokemon Dens, which you could only previously get a glimpse of during Max Raid Battles.

You may even see Legendary Pokemon from past games Dynamaxing before your eyes, and you'll be able to catch them!

• Stay tuned to Express.co.uk for more Pokemon news and Nintendo Switch updates

Pokemon news - Sword and Shield DLC, Mystery Dungeon Switch REMAKE and demo

Pokemon Direct has just taken place, with Sword and Shield DLC announced as well as the surprise Pokemon Mystery Dungeon Rescue Team DX reveal.

The Pokemon Sword and Shield DLC is coming in two parts, the first called The Isle of Amor and the second dubbed The Crown Tundra.

The Isle of Amor will be out in June 2020 with The Crown Tundra out in fall 2020.

Both pieces of Pokemon Sword and Shield DLC can be purchased as part of the brand new Nintendo Switch expansion pass.

There will be separate Pokemon expansion packs available for Sword and Shield.

The Pokemon Sword and Shield DLC will be available for pre-purchase from the Nintendo eShop later today.

During the Pokemon Direct a brand new Pokemon remake was also announced which fans will surely love.

That's Pokemon Mystery Dungeon Rescue Team DX, a remake of the original Nintendo DS title.

Pokemon news - Sword and Shield DLC, Mystery Dungeon Switch remake and demo (Image: NINTENDO)

The new Pokemon Mystery Dungeon game will be out in March with a demo available later today.

Any progress you make in the Pokemon Mystery Dungeon Rescue Team DX demo will carry over to the full version of the game.

Pokemon Mystery Dungeon Rescue Team DX will be out on the Nintendo Switch on March 6 2020.

Here is the official Nintendo description for the upcoming Pokemon Mystery Dungeon remake…

Two pieces of Pokemon Sword and Shield DLC are releasing in 2020 (Image: NINTENDO) POKEMON MYSTERY DUNGEON RESCUE TEAM DX

Get ready to explore a beautiful, reimagined world in Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Rescue Team DX – a remake of the original Nintendo DS and Game Boy Advance titles.

Build your rescue team from the likes of Pikachu, Eevee and Charmander and complete missions to save Pokemon in the ever-changing mystery dungeon!

DOWNLOAD POKEMON MYSTERY DUNGEON DEMO

• Answer questions about yourself to see which Pokemon you'll become

• Live the life of a Pokemon and talk to, befriend, and fight alongside other Pokemon

• Build your team of Pokemon and fight to save the world from natural disasters

The Pokemon Sword and Shield DLC expansion pass will be available for pre-purchase (Image: NINTENDO)

• Explore Mystery Dungeons that change every time you re-enter

• Go on adventures with your rescue team and meet many kinds of Pokemon

Discussing the demo which is available today Nintendo added: "Can't wait to play? You can pre-order Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Rescue Team DX from Nintendo eShop on your Nintendo Switch system.

"If you pre-order, you can preload ahead of release, and the game's data will be downloaded to your Nintendo Switch automatically. Then, at midnight on March 6th, the game will unlock3, so you can jump in without delay!"

While here are more details on the Pokemon Sword and Shield DLC that's releasing this year…

POKEMON SWORD AND SHIELD DLC - THE ISLE OF ARMOR

Get ready to venture through a giant island off the shores of the Galar region, the Isle of Armor! Filled with beautiful nature, you'll find beaches, bogs, forests, caves and dunes.

Take up an apprenticeship under the former Galar Champion, Mustard, who's also the mentor of Champion Leon! Meet new rivals, hone your skills and master new fighting styles with the Legendary Pokemon: Kubfu.

You'll also be able to Gigantamax the final Evolution of the partner Pokemon you chose to start your journey with. Look forward to discovering Rillaboom, Cinderace or Inteleon in their new form, and a new G-Max Move to boot!

GET POKEMON SWORD EXPANSION PASS

POKEMON SWORD AND SHIELD DLC - THE CROWN TUNDRA

Lead an expedition in the snow-swept realm of the Crown Tundra and unravel the mystery of the Legendary Pokemon Calyrex who once ruled over it.

Through a new form of co-op play, your voyage will even allow you to explore deep within Pokemon Dens, which you could only previously get a glimpse of during Max Raid Battles.

You may even see Legendary Pokemon from past games Dynamaxing before your eyes, and you'll be able to catch them!

GET POKEMON SHIELD EXPANSION PASS

Best iPhone Game Updates: ‘Temple Run 2’, ‘AI Dungeon’, ‘Pokemon Masters’, ‘AFK Arena’, and More

TouchArcade Rating:

Hello everyone, and welcome to the week! It's time once again for our look back at the noteworthy updates of the last seven days. Well, seven days-ish. It's been a bit since the last article of this sort, mostly because of where holidays and the App Store freeze fell this time around. But hey, we are back! And I will be going on vacation in two weeks! So we will miss another one soon. But for these shining two weeks, let us enjoy a selection of game updates, okay? Of course, you can keep an eye out for updates yourself using AppShopper or by participating in the TouchArcade forums. This weekly summary is just here to fill you in on the things you might have missed. Let's go for it!

Knives Out, Free Ha, it's funny how there's now a popular movie that has the exact same title as this but has nothing to do with it. Ah well. Knives Out remains incredibly popular in Japan, but not so much in North America. Luckily, it's still getting updates in any form. This one sees the start of Season 9, and it's decidedly winter-esque. You can even get a throwable snowball. Sure, that sounds fun enough.

AI Dungeon, Free I've been enjoying AI Dungeon quite a bit. Sure, it's less of a game and more of a goofy toy, but it entertains me, and isn't that what this wild hobby of ours is all about? The latest update adds support for custom prompts and the Creator Studio that allows you to build your own adventures. As I don't see anything else that is particularly exciting this week, I'll be giving this the coveted UMMSotW award. How lucky!

Typeshift, Free After a certain amount of time, many puzzle games stop getting new content and players largely settle into the groove of solving daily puzzles and what-not. If that's where you're at with the word puzzle Typeshift, you'll be happy to know that the latest update adds in support for daily puzzles from 2020 to 2029. Wow! That could be longer than the survival of humanity. Now that's what I call future-proofing.

Pokémon Masters, Free I feel like Pokemon Masters hasn't been quite the game people were hoping it would be prior to release. Along a similar line, I think the game hasn't done as well for its publisher as expected. Well, that's how things go sometimes. The latest update continues to try to improve the experience, adding in some new Bingo-style missions, reducing battery drain, and addressing load times and the overall slow speed with some fixes. Load screens will also contain hints, which at least gives you something to look at while you wait.

Subway Surfers, Free The kids from Subway Surfers have headed to the next destination on their never-ending world tour. This time, they're off to the Windy City, surfing the rails during twilight. Unlock the Jazz board and show off your love of music, and pick up new surfer E.Z. and his special Jive Outfit. Collect musical instruments and unlock a variety of rewards as you enjoy the beautiful Chicago scenery. Now, when do I get a job as a writer for travel guides?

Gardenscapes, Free I know the app icons don't usually update immediately through our backend anymore, but I really do want to mention how clever Playrix is with how they change them according to trends. Like, I'm pretty sure the current one is meant to evoke Untitled Goose Game. Anyway, new year, new events. Right now bedroom renovations are going on as Austin is suffering from insomnia and needs some help to get a bit of shut-eye. The Lunar New Year is right around the corner, and this update also makes the necessary preparations for that. Some new story content has been added, along with a new puzzle element in the form of Picnic Blankets that need to be removed from the field by collecting mushrooms.

Rules of Survival, Free We checked in on Japan's favorite battle royale game, so let's have a look at one that's popular in China while we're at it. Rules of Survival actually gets a ton of updates on a fairly regular basis, but I like to keep things varied around here a bit. The latest version of the game adds new heroes: Surreal Dream and Surreal Boy. There's a new Credit system that aims to encourage good manners and behavior by rewarding players who are keeping their noses clean. There's also a new mode called ROStopia where you can just mess around and practice by yourself or with friends. Add in some bug fixes and optimizations and you're all set.

Temple Run 2, Free Volcano Island sounds like the name of one of those overly-elaborate board games from the early 1990s that seemed super-awesome on the commercial but was such a pain to set up that you ended up just playing Connect-4 instead. It's also the name of the new map in Temple Run 2, with new obstacles, music, and more. There are two new characters in the form of King Fafnir and Queen Astrid, and three new artifact sets with hats. Also, new Volcanic Coins which I presume can be exchanged for something nice if you get enough of them. Now that's hot!

Toon Blast, Free Hey hey, it's requisite free-to-play puzzle game update! Toon Blast is the game of choice this time around, and as usual it adds 50 new levels with some bizarre story built into the update notes that almost certainly is not reflected in the game itself. Apparently the toons are heading to the countryside for a little rest and relaxation away from the city? Sure, that's enough context for some extra levels. I guess. Not really looking for Tolstoy here or anything.

AFK Arena, Free AFK Arena is off on its way again this year, adding some new content for players to dig into. A new Hypogean Hero, Khazard – The Frozen Terror, has been added, along with the new Heroes of Esperia event which is happening right now. This very minute. You're already missing out, get on it. Also, there's a new campaign chapter in this version, Chapter 33 – The Fallen Stones. Somebody pick up those freaking stones already!

That about wraps it up for last week's significant updates. I'm sure I've missed some, though, so please feel free to comment below and let everyone know if you think something should be mentioned. As usual, major updates will likely get their own news stories throughout this week, and I'll be back next Monday to summarize and fill in the blanks. Have a great week!

Pokemon Gives Ash a Major Battle Frontier Victory

Ash Ketchum is on a roll these days. The Pokemon hero made a name for himself decades ago when his show went live, and it is thriving still today. Not long ago, the franchise stepped out with a new series that paired Ash with a new co-lead, and they are out having all sorts of adventures. So it only makes sense for Ash to revisit one of the areas he has been the most successful in...

Yes! That is right! If you guessed Ash returned to the Hoenn region, then give yourself a big high five. The hopeful Pokemon Master returned to the area with Go at his side, and he left with a big prize in hand.

As it turns out, Ash decided to pay the Battle Frontier a visit when he returned to Hoenn. For those of you who remember, the boy hit up the area seasons ago and came out as a victor in the end. For some fans, the win marked the first regional champion under Ash's belt, and he decided to add another win to that list with the Flute Cup.

The latest Pokemon episode saw Ash and Go enter the cup even if the latter was a bit scared. Ash, the ever-seasoned trainer, took things on headfirst with Pikachu at his side. He also roped in Mr. Mime as his other team member, and Mimey slayed the day. In fact, it was thanks to Mr. Mime that Ash took home the trophy, leaving fans to cheer on the rather unexpected underdog.

With a new trophy in hand, it will not take long before Ash gets a second wind going. He won the Alola Championship at the end of Pokemon Sun and Moon, but there is more to explore. In a future Pokemon episode, the trainer will get to meet the champion of Galar, and Ash has yet to tackle that region's gym scene. So if the boy has learned anything, he will take note of how Galar's current champion fights... you know, for future reference.

Are you surprised Ash took this prize home...? Let me know in the comments or hit me up on Twitter @MeganPetersCB to talk all things comics and anime!

Pokemon: The Series, is now airing new episodes weekly in Japan, but unfortunately is still not officially licensed for an English language release as of this writing. Staff confirmed for the new series include Daiki Tomiyasu serving as chief director for OLM, Maki Odaira as series director, and Kunihiko Yuyama as creative supervisor.

10 misfit Pokemon cut before game release

Since Satoshi Tajiri created Pokemon in 1995, a surprising number of Pokemon concepts were developed, then cut before official release. For one reason or another, Pokemon of many sorts have made their way into a sort of alternate universe, an Island of Misfit Toys, if you will. Today we're taking a look at 10 of these "failed" Pokemon.

Before we go any further, I need to give a shout out to Dr. Lava, a master of video game history and a finder of lost relics. His work with Dr. Lava's Lost Pokemon and Lava Cut Content was integral to the creation of the list you see below. He'll likely continue to find "new" forgotten or otherwise cut Pokemon in the future. For now, take a peek at the most excellent oddities below.

10. Petilil middle stage

According to Lead Pokemon Designer Ken Sugimori in a 2011 interview, "Petilil and Lilligant were originally meant as a three-stage evolutionary line." Sugimori suggested that Gen 5 (Black and White) families of Pokemon were made to "mirror" families from Gen 1. As suggested by Dr. Lava, it would appear that Petilil's family would mirror that of the Oddish family – concept by Briggs!

9. Monja – pre-evolution of Tangela

This lil' baby was meant to be the pre-evolution, the most Basic of forms of the grass-type original noodle beast Tangela. Pokemon Gold and Silver's "Demo" version was leaked in 2018 and revealed this cutie in all its glory.

NOTE: The sprite "recreation" you see here was created by Rachel Briggs. Rachel Briggs has been working with Dr. Lava to create a wide range of "lost" Pokemon – you'll see her work featured throughout this list!

8. Baby Zubat!

It's time to get REAL with 3-stage evolutions and the TRUTH about the odd 1-2-3 choices made with the first Pokemon game. As mentioned by Dr. Lava, a (translated) Yomiuri interview revealed that a bunch of Pokemon in Gen 1 actually had thre stages of evolution, but a bunch had to be cut down to two.

In the video above, you'll see an awesome animation made using original pixel imagery of the pre-Zubat and work from Briggs. Isn't he cute?!

7. Beta Porygon 2

You know Porygon – the sharp-edged original digital Pokemon from the original 150. In 1999, the release of Gold and Silver brought us the balloon-like Porygon2 (as seen in the lower right of this image). The 2018 leak of the 1997 demo for Gold and Silver showed the original version of Porygon2 – more like a lion!

6. Madame – not so far-fetched

Farfetch'd had an evolution in an early version of Pokemon Gold and Silver. That 1997 demo mentioned earlier had a Pokemon called MADAME! This is different from what we eventually saw with SirFetch'd in Pokemon Sword and Shield. Smash the patriarchy with a scepter, smash it!

5. Jaggu – the shark

Jaggu was another Generation 1 Pokemon that didn't end up in the final collection for Kanto. This monster is basically a shark with a big arrow-like appendage on its snout. There was a shark Pokemon later in the series with Sharpedo, but this elder shark beast is a whole different sort of weird.

4. Plux, or PURAKKUSU

Pinsir was meant to evolve into the Pokemon called Purakkusu, aka PLUX. This was meant to appear in the Pokedex after Scizor, but missed the cut. As with Jaggu, it would appear that the head-mounted appendage got pushed to the Pokemon that looks very much to have been made a combination of many elements: Heracross!

3. The other Blastoise

Per a leaked set of Gen 1 Beta assets leaked in early 2019, we've got a brand new – different – version of the third-level Squirtle. It'd be Squirtle, Wartortle, and … whatever this is, instead of Blastoise. He didn't give his name before he disappeared into the wild unknown.

Below you'll get a bit of back-story from Dr. Lava. Props to Atsuko Nishida! Blastoise was the name of the beast that inspired the final Blastoise – the water cannons came last.

2. Ditto Evolution: Animon!

Ditto is a blob, and has always been a blob. It doesn't make sense for Ditto to have an evolution, because Ditto can transform into any Pokemon it sees. But… there was an evolution of Ditto called Animon nonetheless. Here it is, animated, courtesy of Niall Stenson.

1. CROCKY

The fabled freaky dragon Crocky was first revealed to the world in the manga called Satoshi Tajiri: The Man Who Created Pokemon!

In addition to work from Briggs, we've got some artwork here from Shenanimation @dbMisadventure too – as seen in part well above. The Pokemon named Crocky was originally part of Pokemon Gen 1, but never made it to the game – other than one very strange rendering, per the Manga mentioned.

UPDATE: We had a brainstorming session today about the Pokemon you see above. What do you think of the idea that Niantic could (if they had the means and the permission) release these Pokemon to Pokemon GO exclusively? What if they were the first to bring these odd monsters to the Pokemon universe officially? That'd be madness… wouldn't it?

Pokemon Sword and Shield BP update following new Pokedex warning

Pokemon Sword and Shield update (Image: NINTENDO)

Pokemon Trainers have a new surprise update to enjoy this week on Nintendo Switch. As many gamers will already know, developers Game Freek have been adding new bonuses and rewards to Pokemon Sword and Shield since it released back in 2019. This has included a number of different items, as well as new ways to upgrade your Sword and Shield Pokedex. The latest offer allows gamers who have not yet reached the end-game Battle Towers to score some Battle Points.

These are used to claim special items like Held Battle Items, EV Training items and Breeding items.

There's plenty you can do with BP but the problem for most early gamers is that they can't claim any until they complete the main storyline.

Game Freak is making it easier this week for Pokemon Sword and Shield gamers by offering up some free Battle Points.

Anyone who wants to grab 20 Battle Points can do this by choosing the Mystery Gift option from the menu screen, and collecting the Mystery Gift Codes on offer.

By connecting online and then entering the download code "G1GANTAMAX" or "KAMPFTEAM" will make it possible to claim your free Battle Points.

And gamers have also been warned that some other Pokemon Sword and Shield rewards will be disappearing from the game this week.

And some of these are pretty important to your Sword and Shield Pokedex if you're looking to collect as many variants as possible.

If you purchase Pokémon Sword or Pokémon Shield before January 15th, 2020, you can receive a special Gigantamax Meowth.

Unlike others found in the Galar region, this Meowth can Gigantamax to take on an imposing, elongated appearance capable of using a mighty G-Max Move.

Nintendo also confirms that this special Meowth cannot evolve and is still available to claim by selecting the Get via Internet option in Mystery Gift.

They have also warned that Pokemon Trainers only have until January 15 to claim this Cat Scratch Pokémon.

Another reward that will be disappearing next week is the present of 12 Quick Balls. These are available to player who purchased and downloaded the digital version of either Pokémon Sword or Pokémon Shield from Nintendo eShop.

Quick Balls are special Poké Balls that are more likely to catch Pokémon if you use them as soon as a battle begins.

Fans recently saw the end of other Pokemon deals this week, including the chance of encountering a Shiny Magikarp.

This doesn't mean that Shiny Magikarps have been removed entirely from the game but they will no longer be as common as they were.

Pokemon Sword and Shield players may have also noticed that Ranked Battles have returned to the game.

These will be available throughout the month and will allow Trainers to earn some top prizes, including Battle Points.

"In the second season, a handful of Gigantamax Pokémon will be allowed in head-to-head battle for the very first time," a message from the Pokemon Company reads.

"Charizard, Butterfree, Pikachu, Meowth, Eevee, Snorlax, Corviknight, Drednaw, Sandaconda, and Centiskorch will be allowed to Gigantamax in battle.

"You'll be matched up with other players of similar rank to ensure even competition. And the higher you finish when the season concludes, the greater in-game rewards you'll earn.

"Prizes include Battle Points, Ability Capsules, mints, and even valuable Bottle Caps (including Gold Bottle Caps!) for top performers. Try to reach the Master Ball Tier by the end of the month to earn the best rewards.

"To start a Ranked Battle, select VS in the X menu, then choose Battle Stadium, then choose Ranked Battles.

"You can press the Y Button to see what the current rules and regulations are before you begin your match. There are both Single Battles and Double Battles for you to participate in."

Pokémon Masters Update Includes Legendary Solgaleo

Heads up, Pokémon Trainers! A new update has been released for the free-to-play mobile app Pokémon Masters. Trainers can now recruit two new sync pairs to their team. Furthermore, the legendary Solgaleo from the Alola region has arrived! Players will have a limited time to recruit these new characters.

Pokémon Masters: Legendary Pokémon and Champions

According to a press release, the new limited-time event The Beast That Devours the Sun lets trainers catch Solgaleo. Play the quest and earn special items to unlock the level cap and learn new techniques. A special New Year's Rally event is also available in Pokémon Masters, with rewards including up to 7000 gems. Furthermore, the Pokémon Center is receiving a festive theme for those who are not quite ready to say goodbye to the holidays just yet.

In addition, two all-star champion sync pairs are arriving on Pasio. First, there's the Sinnoh champion Cynthia from Pokémon Diamond and Pokémon Pearl. She brings the Dragon/Ground-type Garchomp with her. Also, Elite Four member and Dragon Trainer Lance from Pokémon Red and Pokémon Blue lands on the island! He joins the fray alongside his trusty Dragonite, a Dragon/Flying-type. Play the event Two Champions to recruit them to your side in Pokémon Masters and crush your competition!

Pokémon Masters has had a rocky start. Many fans were dissatisfied with what they perceived as minimal content and lackluster rewards. Therefore, the developer has apologized to players, promising to address the issues. December saw the release of the first legendary Pokémon, Mewtwo. A fan-favorite, it seems as though the developer is trying to keep the momentum going with this new update.

All three limited-time events will be available to play until January 21, 2020. How do you feel about Pokémon Masters? Is there anyone or anything you would like to see in the game going forward? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!

Andrew loves gaming and has been playing since the SNES era. He likes to play most genres, from RPGs to shooters. Andrew is also a comic book fan. He enjoys reading DC and Marvel and his favorite character is Nightwing. The only thing Andrew loves more than gaming and comics is music, which includes rock and metal. *Guitar riff*