Pokémon Sword And Shield Trailer Reveals New Gigantamax Forms For Pikachu, Charizard And More

Pokémon Sword and Shield developer Game Freak has just dropped a new trailer for the upcoming Switch exclusives, and, well, let’s just say there’s some giant reveals this time around.

That incredibly poor pun is, of course, a reference to the two games’ new Gigantamax feature which, while similar to the equally ridiculously-named Dynamax mechanic, boasts a number of key differences. First and foremost, Pokémon that undergo a Gigantamax transformation don’t just balloon in size but take on an entirely new form. The changes are subtle enough to not be comparable to a full-fledged evolution but are certainly reminiscent of Mega Evolutions from the X & Y era.

As for today’s new arrivals, you can see them all in action via the video below:

And here I was thinking that Game Freak couldn’t make Charizard look any more intimidating. The iconic Kanto starter’s Gigantamax form is a colossal version of its usual self, with its most notable feature being a pair of colossal flaming wings. Pikachu, Meowth, Eevee and Butterfree are the remaining four critters to undergo a size upgrade, all of which gain access to an exclusive ability upon doing so. Pikachu’s G-Max Volt Crash, for example, will paralyze all opponents in a single attack.

Without a doubt, each of today’s new reveals is a visual spectacle on the battlefield, but how on Earth does Game Freak intend to balance such an overtly powerful system? Well for starters, not all Pokémon are able to tap into the awesome power of Gigantamax and second, finding Pokémon with the ability to do so will require luck and persistence.

Only by battling, defeating and capturing Raid bosses in Sword and Shield‘s Wild Area will players be able to obtain said rare specimens, though there will be some exceptions to that rule. Pikachu and Eevee, for example, can only be Gigantamaxed via special versions of each rewarded through having save data for either of last year’s Let’s Go games on your Switch console.

Fans can likely expect to see more of Pokémon Sword and Shield in the run-up to launch but for now, that’s your lot. Enjoy!