Was Pokémon: Sword and Shield’s tutorial too long?

If you’ve play Pokémon: Sword and Shield you probably have some feelings about the beginning of the game. Was the tutorial too long, or did you enjoy the refresher course?

Pokémon: Sword and Shield came out on Nov. 15, 2019. Almost a month after its release, we reflect back on the very beginning of the game. If you’ve played Sword and Shield, or if you’re familiar with the memes that have come out of it, you know that the beginning of the game is a little bit frustrating.

From the very beginning of the game you meet up with your Rival, Hop. From the second you meet him, he begins teaching you how the game works. He explains the Pokémon Championship and the gym challenge, which is all very useful information.

However, after collecting your starter Pokémon, you’re often allowed to go off on your own and start your exploration of the region. That’s not so much the case with Sword and Shield. Because the storyline is so different with the inclusion of Gym Challenges, Gigantamax and Dynamax Pokémon, there’s a lot more that needs to be learned.

But where is the line, and does Pokémon: Sword and Shield cross it? When playing the game it does feel like there’s a lot of information to get through. There’s a few solid hours of play that involve following someone around or listening to them talk at you. It isn’t until you get to the first Gym Challenge that you’re really on your own.

That seems like an awful long time, and it’s enough time for some Pokémon trainers to put the game down and forget about it. Just because they’re not interesting in listening to Hop talk so much.

But what they didn’t know was that it’s possible to skip some of the tutorial parts. For example, when your Mom gives you money in the game, she also slips you 5 poké balls. If you catch a Pokémon before you get to route 2, Leon won’t show you how to catch a Pokémon.

Should Pokémon use this tactic in the future, or is it too hard to figure out without a google search? If the skipping tutorial mode was more clear, many fans wouldn’t be complaining. The hidden aspect almost makes it seem like it’s taunting you. Oh, you didn’t like how long the tutorial was? Well, didn’t you know that you could have caught a Pokémon with the secret balls we didn’t tell you we gave you?

However, this seems like a small hill for an overall amazing game. It’s beautiful, and the rest of the story plays like a dream. If you’ve stopped playing in the middle of the tutorial, carry on. It gets better.