Nintendo shared a wealth of details about Pokemon Sword and Shield during last week's dedicated Pokemon Direct, but that didn't mean Tuesday's livestream didn't have some new information about the upcoming Pokemon RPGs. One of the new tidbits we learned during Nintendo's E3 Direct is that Pokemon Sword and Shield will be compatible with the existing Poke Ball Plus.
The Poke Ball Plus is the Poke Ball-shaped controller that released alongside last year's Pokemon games, Let's Go Pikachu and Eevee. As we learned during the Direct, you'll be able to send some of your Pokemon from Sword and Shield to the Poke Ball Plus and take them with you on walks, just as you could in Let's Go Pikachu and Eevee. Nintendo teases that something good may happen if you bring your Pokemon with you.
However, it doesn't appear you'll be able to use the Poke Ball Plus as a controller for Sword and Shield. The Let's Go games could be played entirely using the Poke Ball Plus, but it seems its functionality with Sword and Shield is limited to taking monsters with you on walks. The Poke Ball Plus retails for $50 USD / £45. If you use it with Let's Go Pikachu or Eevee, you'll also receive the Mythical Pokemon Mew.
That wasn't the only Pokemon news we got. During the Treehouse livestream that followed the E3 Direct, Nintendo shared some new details about Raid Battles in Sword and Shield. These Raids are cooperative battles in which up to four players can team up to battle a giant-sized Pokemon. You'll be able to take part in Max Raids either locally or online.
Pokemon Sword and Shield launch for Switch on November 15. We learned a lot about the games during last week's Pokemon Direct. We met some of their new characters, as well as a handful of new Gen 8 Pokemon. We also got a glimpse at a new battle mechanic called Dynamaxing, which can supersize Pokemon for a limited time during combat. You can read more about the games in our Pokemon Sword and Shield pre-order guide.
More E3 news:
- New Xbox console, Scarlett, revealed
- Xbox Scarlett details: 8K, 120 FPS, SSD
- Elden Ring is From Software and George RR Martin's new game
- Cyberpunk 2077 release date announced
- Final Fantasy VII Remake release date announced
- Marvel's Avengers revealed
