Ranking groups of missing Pokemon from Sword and Shield

The greatest complaint about Pokemon Sword and Shield from fans is the lack of a National Dex and missing Pokemon. The Viridian Forest ranks what Pokemon should have been included of the missing species.

With Pokemon Sword and Shield being the latest installment of the core series, there are mixed reviews amongst the dedicated community that feel different about the games. The most recent generation that was introduced to the Nintendo Switch as the latest addition to the Pokemon franchise set new boundaries for exploring a new region, yet abandoned some features that left fans frustrated. The first time in the history of Pokemon, the National Pokedex was not programmed for trainers to use. With almost 900 species that have been introduced by the franchise, it could be understandable that the developers at Game Freak were pressed shirt on time to get every Pokemon readily available in the game. Here at the Viridian Forest, we can highlight who are the biggest snubs of missing Pokemon from the game and where the developers missed the mark, not including them.

1. Missing starter Pokemon from prior games

There is some unrest that not all of the starter Pokemon from prior games were missing from being included after the release of Pokemon Home. It was inevitable that the Kanto starters were going to allow with Charizard featured as a Pokemon used by Champion Leon, and it was a bigger incentive to have the final evolutions of these Pokemon were able to Dynamax. Starter Pokemon from Hoenn and Alola was also featured, but Johto, Sinnoh, Unova, and Kalos starters were all missing Pokemon not included. Where it makes sense to include the prior generation’s starters to bring in familiar Pokemon for the younger audience, it is unclear why Hoenn of all regions was given the green light over everyone else. Even with the concept of Sinnoh starters included as missing Pokemon, this is a controversial concept that silences the theory of remakes featured as the next titles. Still, a good majority of fans include starters as their favorite Pokemon, and the fact that they’re missing is gravely disappointing.

2. Missing Mythical Pokemon

By now, every trainer has played the main story of Pokemon Sword and Shield and have probably continued the story with the DLC that has featured extended landmasses of the Galar region. In the second major part of the content with the Crown Tundra, trainers have the opportunity to go Dynamax Adventures in the Max Lair. Completing each adventure in the Max Lair allows the trainer to challenge legendary or mythical Pokemon. Not all Pokemon of this caliber were included in these adventures for trainers to catch. Missing Pokemon include Deoxys, Phione, Manaphy, Darkrai, Shaymin, Arceus, Meloetta, and Hoopa. Where some of these are understandable, it feels like there is a missing link not including Arceus, the “god creator” of Pokemon to not have the power of dynamaxing. If Arceus is the ultimate creator of Pokemon, shouldn’t have the same power of maximum potential that is featured In Pokemon Sword and Shield? A question that will be left unanswered by Gamefreak and the developers.

3. Missing Flying-type Pokemon

Where it is understood that the region of Galar is inspired by the geographical features of the Great British Isles, it seems like that the largest group of Pokemon that are missing are flying types. It almost seems like some Pokemon that are bird based would have fit the mold being in Galar, like the Murkrow family line that would mesh well with Team Yell being Dark-type users, or Ducklett and Swanna being featured in the wild area. Even Gamefreak missed the total opportunity to include Taillow and Swellow (or even have Galarian forms) to pay homage to Monty Python and their English humor when they poked fun about different breeds of ‘swallows’ in their comedy. Perhaps it has to do with the natural order of survival in Galar. When Corviknight rules the skies of Galar, it is hard to have any kind of aviation creature migrate to the region.

4. Missing Water-type Pokemon while biking on the surface

Another area of criticism that does not hold water is the lack of surrounding bodies of water in Galar. Referring to the point made that the region is inspired by the Great British Isles, it does happen to be an island and Galar does not look at it as an island of the same structure. With the first DLC that was released included the Isle of Armor, the majority of this adventure forced the player to travel on more water than anywhere else in the region. Only avoiding any wild Sharpedos that swim to ambush you, the lack of water Pokemon that would be spread out all over the sea seems that there are plenty of species missing. Could it be possible that Galar has a major pollution problem and the missing water-types had to migrate elsewhere? Something the lack of Pokemon researchers in Galar also could not answer.

5. Missing Pokemon in the Glimwood Tangle

Now, this is a form of criticism that there could have been bigger expectations from in a very interesting area in Galar. In past Pokemon games, any structured forest areas of every region were more developed and contained more obstacles. It feels like the Glimwood Tangle was too easy to navigate through from a player’s point of view, and even more so with limited Pokemon that are catchable in this area. Where the argument of the article states that the developers did not include past Pokemon, a bigger loss here is that the Glimwood Tangle could have included more new Pokemon that called the forest home. Alongside Impidimp and Galarian Ponyta, there should have been more mysterious Pokemon featured that were either Fairy, Psychic, Dark, Ghost, or Grass-type Pokemon. Of course, including other missing Pokemon that should have been taken advantage of here include Flabébé’s and Misdreavus’ evolutionary line.

Do you agree with our list? Let us know in the comments or respond to the writer on their Twitter page. With Pokemon’s anniversary right around the corner, perhaps it is not too late for a patch update to include the National Dex and let trainers transfer missing Pokemon from their Pokemon Home profiles. Who knows what else is in store for future Pokemon titles and if they will also have the absence of the National Dex? Only time will tell with what Gamefreak has prepared for Pokemon fans.