Your Pokémon Sword and Shield adventure can finally begin!
As usual, after selecting your preferred language for the game, you can choose the appearance of your hero (eight possibilities here) and your nickname (12 characters maximum).
Don't worry about your choices — your appearance can be completely modified afterwards, including hair colour and cut, eye colour, make-up, and clothes.
This time it's not a Professor who introduces you to the world of Pokémon, but Rose — chairman of the Galar Pokémon League.
After showing you a new Pokémon and the Galar Region, he asks you to welcome Leon, the greatest trainer in the region and Pokémon League Master.
Leon and his Dynamaxed Charizard then face off against another trainer, Raihan, and the game cuts to the title screen.
The cut-scene then continues with a Wooloo and your home.
With your Rotom Phone in hand, we see that the presentation was a video!
Your friend Hop then rings the doorbell. He's Leon's younger brother, and serves as your Rival in Sword and Shield.
Your mother arrives and, as always, we come to understand that today is the big day — when you become a Pokémon Trainer.
Before going out for some fresh air, make sure to go to your room, on the far right, to collect your backpack.
The game then introduces the Adventure Guide. This feature allows you to see a map of locations and tells you where you need to go.
Hop and his Wooloo await you outside. Together, you see a wild Wooloo try to bash a nearby gate in vain.
Follow the path to the east. It will take you straight to Hop's huge house.
Leon is supposed to be the one who gives you your first Pokémon. The only problem? He hasn't come home yet.
Together with Hop, you'll have to go and pick him up at Wedgehurst Station, a little further away.
Leave the house and head north. Hop is waiting for you at the beginning of Route 1.
Route 1
Be careful — you don't yet own any Pokémon. Try to avoid the tall grass as much as possible. Hop will stop you from going in, anyway.
The station is straight ahead. Leon is there, in front of a crowd of fans.
After performing his famed Charizard pose, you all go home. Leon introduces you to the three starters — Grookey, Scorbunny, and Sobble.
Choose carefully!
After a good night's sleep, matters turn to the traditional rival battle.
Wooloo's Tackle will cause you to lose some HP, but offers nothing to worry about — after knocking him out, you will climb to Level 6 and learn an attack with the same type as your chosen Pokémon:
- Grookey — Branch Poke
- Scorbunny — Ember
- Sobble — Water Gun
Hop will choose the Pokémon that has a type disadvantage over your choice, so this move will be super effective.
400 Pokédollars
Wooloo: Level 3
Weak starter against your Level 5 Pokémon.
After the battle, Leon presents the Gym Challenge. It is the largest sporting event in Galar. But before you start conquering the Gyms, Leon invites you to pick up the Pokédex in Motostoke.
Before you go to meet the Professor, you must return and see your mother. Surprisingly, the Wooloo which was trying to break down the gate has succeeded — and promptly disappeared.
Your mission? Find the Wooloo which fled into the forest. Be careful, this forest has a reputation...
Slumbering Weald
In the tall grass, you will encounter:
- Skwovet
- Rookidee
As you venture deeper into the forest, you will hear a strange noise.
As you sink into the mist, you will come face to face with the Legendary Pokémon appropriate to your version of the game — Zacian for Sword, or Zamazenta for Shield. Be careful, however, as these are special forms.
A battle starts, but none of your attacks seem to do anything. After two or three attacks, the mist thickens and both you and Hop pass out.
Leon will then come to your rescue.
Back home, you are next tasked with acquiring the Pokédex.
