New details were revealed about The Isle of Armor and The Crown Tundra.
Trainers, it’s almost time to go on a new adventure in Pokemon Sword and Pokemon Shield, as a video on the official Pokemon YouTube channel revealed the Sword and Shield Expansion Pass will be released on June 17.
If you purchase the Expansion Pass (it costs $29.99), you’ll gain access to two different content expansions for Sword and Shield: The Isle of Armor and The Crown Tundra. When the Expansion Pass launches, only The Isle of Armor will be available. The Crown Tundra expansion is expected to be released this fall.
In The Isle of Armor, players will travel to a dojo where they’ll become the apprentice of a man named Mustard. Players will be able to collect a new Legendary Pokemon called Kubfu as part of this storyline.
Meanwhile, in The Crown Tundra, trainers will make their way to a snowy area of the Galar region, where they can explore Pokemon Dens and more.
Ahead of the release of the Expansion Pass, the Pokemon Company revealed lots of new details about both expansions. Here are the highlights.
The Isle of Armor
The Isle of Armor will introduce new features and items, including an Exp. Charm and new tutor moves, such as Burning Jealousy and Grassy Glide. You can teach these moves to your Pokemon by using Armorite Ores. According to the official Pokemon website, you can collect these ores “through Max Raid Battles and other means.”
The dojo on the Isle of Armor will have a device called the “Cram-o-matic,” which you can use to “recycle” items and create new ones. Specifically, when you feed the machine four items, you’ll receive a new item in exchange. These items may include Poke Balls, PP Ups, and more.
Urshifu, the evolved form of Kubfu, will have a Gigantamax form. The Gigantamax version of Single Strike Style Urshifu will be able to use the move G-Max One Blow, while the Gigantamax version of Rapid Strike Style Urshifu will know the move G-Max Rapid Flow.
As you collect “rare ingredients” on the Isle of Armor, you can use them to make “Max Soup.” The Pokemon website provided more details about this feature:
“If a Pokémon with great hidden potential drinks Max Soup, it will become a special Pokémon capable of Gigantamaxing.”
Restricted Sparring will be introduced in The Isle of Armor. Here’s what the Pokemon website says about this feature:
“With Restricted Sparring, you’ll be limited in what types of Pokémon you can use and forced to battle under set conditions! Give it a try, and give some of your Pokémon that are normally overlooked a chance to shine!”
New and familiar Pokemon will appear in The Isle of Armor, which weren’t featured in the base game of Sword and/or Shield. These include pocket monsters like Chansey, Azurill, and Kingdra, among others.
The Crown Tundra
Galarian Articuno, Galarian Zapdos, and Galarian Moltres will appear in The Crown Tundra expansion. These Pokemon look different from their “normal” versions, but they will still have the same “Type.” That is, Galarian Articuno is an Ice-type, Galarian Zapdos is an Electric-type, and Galarian Moltres is a Fire-type.
Once you reach a certain point in The Crown Tundra’s storyline, you’ll be able to enter the Galarian Star Tournament, which is held in Wyndon. This tournament will allow you to team up with another character and participate in the competition as a pair.
Similar to The Isle of Armor, The Crown Tundra will also introduce players to new and familiar Pokemon that weren’t available in the main game of Sword and/or Shield. Some of these Pokemon include Crobat, Elekid, Beldum, and Sealeo (though this isn’t the full list).
Brandy Berthelson has been writing about video games and technology since 2006, with her work appearing on sites including AOL Games, Digital Spy, and Adweek. When she’s not gaming, Brandy enjoys crafting, baking, and traveling with her husband.
