Rather than release a third companion game for Pokemon Sword and Shield to complete the eighth generation of Pokemon a la Pokemon Yellow or Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon, Game Freak and The Pokemon Company tried to do something a little different with the latest games. To keep players invested in the game long-term, the Pokemon Sword and Shield Expansion Pass adds new content and stuff to do once the main story is over including brand new Pokemon, new regions, activities, cosmetic items, and Max Raids.
The first expansion for Pokemon Sword and Shield, the Isle of Armor, released midway through June and, despite being criticized for its lacking story content, was a great new addition thanks to the new Wild Area. Pokemon Sword and Shield‘s second expansion, the Crown Tundra, looks to be upping the ante with a lot more content this time around, from a new co-op mode to Galarian forms for the original Legendary bird trio. Due to launch for Expansion Pass owners sometime this Fall, here’s everything that we currently know about the upcoming Crown Tundra expansion.
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Just as the first expansion took players to the Isle of Armor, the second expansion will introduce another brand new area called the Crown Tundra. Inspired by Scotland, the Crown Tundra is themed around the concept of exploration and introduces a new “snow-swept” areas for players to explore. Closer to launch, players will get access to the Crown Tundra Pass (same as the Isle of Armor) in-game and will be able to get a train to the new area once it’s released worldwide. A new character name Peony will greet players upon arrival and send them on an investigation to discover the “truth behind tales of Legendary Pokémon in the area.” Peony won’t likely be the only new character introduced in the Crown Tundra; however, Game Freak and The Pokemon Company are yet to make any official announcements.
The Crown Tundra will bring back over 100 Pokemon from previous generations including Nidoking, Metagross, Walrein, Crobat, and Electabuzz, as well as the majority of Legendary Pokemon from all previous generations. Perhaps even more exciting, while most returning Pokemon will be coming back in their original forms, players will be able to find and catch new Galarian forms of the original Legendary bird trio: Moltres (Dark/Flying), Zapdos (Fighting/Flying), and Articuno (Psychic/Flying). Finally, there will be a total of three brand new Legendary Pokemon: the Psychic/Grass-type Calyrex (which is featured on the expansions cover artwork), the Electric-type Regieleki, and the Dragon-type Regidrago.
The first brand new game mode that will be introduced in Pokemon Sword and Shield: The Crown Tundra is Dynamax Adventures, a co-op mode where players can explore Pokemon dens. In the new mode, players will be able to team up with three other trainers, explore Pokemon Dens, and compete in Max Raid battles. Dynamax Adventures will be a must-play experience for completionists as this is where players are able to find and catch all of the returning Legendary Pokemon including Mewtwo, Giratina, Lugia and Ho-Oh, and many more.
The second new game mode coming in the Crown Tundra is called the Galarian Star Tournament. Set in the London inspired city of Wyndon, the Galarian Star Tournament is unlocked during the Crown Tundra’s story and will allow players to compete in a 2v2 battle against a variety of trainers including Pokemon Sword and Shield‘s expanded Gym leader roster, the Galar Champion Leon, and even rivals like Hop. Unfortunately, Game Freak and The Pokemon Company have yet to comment on what rewards players will be able to earn by competing in the tournament or whether it’ll tie-in to the Battle Tower.
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Lastly, just like the Isle of Armor expansion, the Crown Tundra will add a range of new cosmetic items for players to mess around with in order to make their character unique. There will be brand new clothing items that are exclusive to the expansion including a new winter-themed explorer outfit, and all-new League Card designs ranging from backgrounds to effects, and frames.
The decision to release post-launch expansions for Pokemon Sword and Shield was a first for the series and one that could keep the games going for years to come. With so many Pokemon yet to be added to the new games, the Pokemon Home companion app for storage, the ongoing success of the Pokemon Championships, and new online functionality that makes trading and battling other players around the world incredibly easy, Game Freak and The Pokemon Company are in a good position to continue supporting the latest generation for quite some time.
Pokemon Sword and Shield are available now on Nintendo Switch.
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