This article was originally written for TheNintendoVillage.com, a website I founded and ran from 2018 to 2021.

In a series first, Pokémon Sword and Shield is getting additional DLC, in place of the traditional replacement game that has followed mainline entries in the past (think Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon to Sun and Moon).

The DLC is available as an Expansion Pass, with two parts dropping later this year. The first, named The Isle of Armor, is scheduled for June 2020, with The Crown Tundra arriving in the fall. Both expansions feature open, free-roaming areas similar to the Wild Area in the base game and will cost $29.99 / £26.99 for the pair.

The Isle of Armor sees you train at a dojo under Leon’s former mentor. You’ll train with a new legendary Pokémon called Kubfu, which you can then evolve into Urshifu. The latter can evolve into two different fighting styles with different types, either a combination of Fighting and Dark or Fighting and Water. Urshifu can also be Gigantamaxed for even more damage.

Depending on whether you’re playing Pokémon Sword or Pokémon Shield, you’ll also have a different rival to contend with throughout the additional story too. If you own both copies of the game though, you will have to buy the expansion pass twice, one for each addition.

As for the Isle of Armor, there was less information available on this second addition, but it will allow you to explore the Pokémon Dens seen in Max Raid battles with a friend in co-op play. These dens will also see the return of legendary Pokémon from previous games for you to battle and catch, plus a new legendary in the form of the Psychic/Grass type Calyrex.

They’re not the only new Pokémon being added though. In fact, there will apparently be over 200 new Pokémon added to the game. Many of these are monsters that were originally cut from the Galarian Pokédex, but there’s also a handful of new legendaries and a Galarian Slowpoke that can be evolved using an item found on the Isle of Armor.

For those balking at having to pay to access old favourites, a free update will allow you to transfer Pokémon from Pokémon Home (which is launching in February) into your base game of Sword or Shield, or receive the additions via trading with players who have bought the expansion pass.

There’s also a raft of customisations being added in in the form of clothes, hairstyles and even new looks for your bike. You can rewatch the Direct below.

What do you think of Pokémon Sword and Shield’s DLC? Let us know down in the comments!

Source: YouTube