Honestly, it is hard to believe it’s been over six years since we first stepped into the Galar region. When Pokémon Sword and Shield launched back in late 2019, the internet basically exploded. People were genuinely furious about "Dexit"—the decision to cut the National Pokédex—and the graphics were getting memed to death because of a specific tree in the Wild Area. But looking back from the perspective of 2026, those games were actually a massive turning point. They weren't perfect. Far from it. Yet, they laid the foundational stones for how the modern era of the franchise functions.
The Galar Legacy and the Wild Area Experiment
Before Galar, Pokémon was mostly a series of narrow hallways. You walked from point A to point B, fought a youngster with a Rattata, and moved on. Pokémon Sword and Shield changed that dynamic with the Wild Area. It was the first time we saw giant Pokémon wandering around in a semi-open world environment. It felt huge at the time, even if it looks a bit sparse compared to the sprawling fields of Scarlet and Violet.
What most people forget is how revolutionary the Max Raid Battles were for the community. Suddenly, you weren't just playing a solo RPG; you were teaming up with three random people online to take down a Kaiju-sized Drednaw. It brought a sense of scale that the 3DS games never quite mastered. Sure, the online connectivity was, well, classic Nintendo—which is to say it was often a laggy mess—but the core loop of hunting for those beams of purple light in the sky was addictive.
Beyond the Controversy of the National Dex
The "Dexit" drama was probably the loudest the Pokémon fanbase has ever been. Junichi Masuda and Shigeru Ohmori from Game Freak had to explain that they couldn't keep up with the ballooning number of monsters while also upgrading animations and models for a home console. Fans didn't buy it. They pointed at reused animations from the Sun and Moon era.
But here is the reality: the gameplay in Pokémon Sword and Shield was incredibly refined for competitive players. They introduced "Mints" to change Natures. They made it so you could feed a Pokémon a soup to give it the Gigantamax factor. They basically lowered the barrier to entry for the VGC (Video Game Championships) to the point where anyone could build a viable team without spending 400 hours breeding eggs. That shift towards accessibility is a huge reason why the competitive scene grew so much during the Galar era.
The British Charm of Galar
Galar itself was a vibe. It was based on the United Kingdom, and Game Freak nailed the aesthetics of British football culture. The gyms weren't just dusty rooms in the back of a house; they were massive stadiums filled with screaming fans and chanting soundtracks. When that gym leader theme kicks into high gear as you Dynamax your last Pokémon, it still hits differently. It felt like a sport. It felt like it actually mattered in the context of the world.
Leon, the champion, was a bit of a meme because he was "unbeatable" and "bad with directions," but the rivalry with Hop felt more personal than many previous games. Hop wasn't just a jerk or a blank slate; he was a kid struggling under the shadow of his legendary brother. You could see his confidence crumble every time you beat him. It was kind of dark if you really think about it.
Regional Variants and the Expansion Pass
One of the smartest things Pokémon Sword and Shield did was double down on regional forms. Galarian Weezing with its top-hat smokestacks and Galarian Ponyta looking like a literal unicorn were instant hits. But the real game-changer was the DLC.
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Instead of releasing a "Pokémon Sharp Sword" or "Sturdy Shield" as a third version, Game Freak gave us The Isle of Armor and The Crown Tundra. This was a first for the main series.
The Isle of Armor felt like a focused training ground, introducing Kubfu and Urshifu, who basically dominated the competitive meta for years. The Crown Tundra, on the other hand, brought back almost every legendary Pokémon from previous generations through Dynamax Adventures. It was a brilliant way to fix the "Dexit" problem without actually putting every Pokémon back in the base game. It also gave us Calyrex, a weird floating deer-king that rode a ghost horse, which is easily one of the strangest and most powerful legendaries ever designed.
Technical Hiccups and Modern Comparisons
Let's be real for a second. The technical performance was a point of contention. We saw pop-in issues where a Copperajah would just materialize ten feet in front of you. The textures in some areas were undeniably muddy. Compared to other 2019 titles like The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild (which came out years earlier), Galar felt a bit behind the curve.
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However, compared to the technical state of Scarlet and Violet at launch, Pokémon Sword and Shield was actually remarkably stable. It held its frame rate reasonably well and didn't have nearly as many "falling through the floor" glitches. It occupied a middle ground between the old-school grid-based movement and the full open-world chaos we have now.
Why You Should Still Play It Today
If you’re a newcomer to the series or someone who skipped the Galar region because of the early bad press, it’s worth going back to. The "quality of life" features are top-tier. You can access your PC boxes from almost anywhere. The move reminder is in every Pokémon Center for free. The game respects your time more than the older titles did.
Also, the character designs by James Turner and the team were some of the best in years. Allister, Bea, Nessa, and Raihan have become fan favorites for a reason. They have personality. They feel like people living in this world, not just obstacles for the player to overcome.
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Actionable Steps for New Galar Trainers
If you're picking up the game now, here's how to get the most out of it:
- Don't ignore the Raids. Even if you're playing solo, the NPCs are slightly better than they used to be, and the rewards (TRs and Exp. Candies) make the game much smoother.
- Get the Expansion Pass. Honestly, the base game feels a bit unfinished without it. The Crown Tundra alone is worth it for the Dynamax Adventures.
- Experiment with the "No-Exp-Share" Workaround. The game doesn't let you turn off the shared experience points, which can make you overleveled. To keep the challenge, rotate a team of 10 or 12 Pokémon instead of just sticking to six.
- Dive into the Battle Tower. Once you beat the main story, Leon’s Battle Tower is a great way to earn BP for Mints and Ability Capsules. It’s the fastest way to make your favorite story Pokémon actually strong enough for high-level play.
- Check the Mystery Gift. Even years later, Nintendo occasionally drops codes for special Pokémon or items. It’s always worth a quick check in the menu.
The Galar region isn't just a footnote. It was the bridge between the 2D past and the open-world future. It had growing pains, sure. But it also had a heart, a killer soundtrack, and some of the most memorable gym battles in the history of the franchise. Whether you're a "Dexit" hater or a Galar apologist, there is no denying that the series changed forever once we stepped onto those grassy fields and saw a Max Raid beam shooting into the sky.