Pokémon Sword and Shield players on the hunt for one of the Switch games’ rarest creatures are finally in luck.
Despite being officially announced way back in February with a brief trailer, developer Game Freak has left Trainers in the dark concerning how to go about getting their hands on the Mythical Zarude for almost a year, much to fans’ frustrations. Many had assumed the ‘Mon would eventually show up as part of the then-unreleased Isle of Armor and Crown Tundra DLCs, suspicions that ultimately proved ill-placed, considering both have been available for a while with not even an unconfirmed sighting of the mischievous monkey to speak of.
Thankfully, The Pokémon Company has decided that now is the right time to share more details, including release dates and methods of obtaining the Grass/Dark-type and, as it turns out, you won’t have to wait long.
From today until December 13th, collectors whose goal it is to Catch ‘Em All can visit their nearest participating retailer to pick up a code for Zarude. These differ by region and country, however, so you’ll want to give the handy list below a look before heading out.
US, Canada, Australia, & Latin America – Through the Pokémon Trainers Club Newsletter. Sign up by November 20th to receive it in December
UK – GAME Stores
Germany – Gamestop – In-Store now
Austria, Switzerland – Gamestop – In-Store now
Italy – Gamestop Online Store
Spain – GAME retail
Belgium, Netherlands – GameMania – Sign up on their website, codes sent out every Friday
France – Micromania – Sign up on their website to get a code
Portugal – FNAC Stores
Sweden – Through Spelochsant or Webhallen’s online portal
Ireland – Gamestop Website
It’s worth noting, of course, that many parts of the world are currently enforcing lockdown measures to combat the spread of COVID-19, meaning stores in some territories will be closed. In these situations, The Pokémon Company says various online alternatives will be available throughout the promotional period, though not necessarily straight away.
As for the Mythical Pokémon itself, see below for a summary of Zarude’s abilities and moves:
Good luck on your hunt!
