Is Pokémon Sword Worth Playing in 2024? An In-Depth Look
As an avid Pokémon fan and gaming enthusiast, this is a question I‘ve been asked a lot recently – and my answer is an emphatic yes! Despite releasing over 3 years ago, Pokémon Sword remains a rewarding and downright addictive RPG experience for both newcomers and series veterans in 2024.
Thoroughly Enjoyable Gameplay and Mechanics
At its core, Pokémon Sword features the classic and enduring Pokémon gameplay loop: catching wild Pokémon, battling trainers and gyms, and ultimately becoming the Galar region champion. This formula has worked brilliantly for over 20 years, and Sword/Shield proves it still feels fresh and fun even after so many iterations.
In my opinion, the new Dynamax and Gigantamax battle mechanics add an immensely satisfying twist to Pokémon battles. Seeing your tiny Chewtle transform into a towering, powerful behemoth is an absolute blast. These dynamic mechanics expand strategic options and keep gym battles exciting. According to HowLongToBeat, the main story delivers a thorough 25.5 hours of engaging gameplay for the average player.
On top of the highly enjoyable core mechanics, Sword/Shield introduced quality-of-life improvements that streamline certain annoying aspects that have historically hampered the series. For example, players can now access their Pokémon Boxes anywhere, rather than having to visit a Pokémon Center every time you want to switch your party. TMs are also no longer single-use consumables; once obtained, you can reuse them infinitely. These are just some of the many subtle yet impactful enhancements.
A Thriving Competitive Community
One of my favorite things about Pokémon is the competitive community surrounding online battles and trading. I‘m happy to report that in 2024, Pokémon Sword/Shield still features a highly active playerbase engaging in these online elements.
As of January 2023, there are still nearly 50,000 concurrent players interacting online in Sword/Shield per PlayerCounter. You can easily find other players to battle, trade with, and explore the Wild Area cooperatively using multiplayer features like Surprise Trade, Max Raid Battles, and Y-Comm.
The competitive scene has evolved beyond the main single player game, with players breeding for perfect IVs/EVs, collecting hidden ability Pokémon, and hotly contesting the Master Ball Tier ranked ladder. The continuing popularity of competitive Pokémon speaks to the engaging depth underlying Sword/Shield‘s mechanics.
Massive Post-Game Content and DLC
A common criticism of past Pokémon RPGs is a lack of compelling endgame content once you become champion. I‘m thrilled to report that Sword/Shield bucks this trend by offering a wealth of exciting post-game adventures and challenges exceeding 100 hours for the completionist player.
The Isle of Armor and Crown Tundra DLC expansions alone contribute a combined 15-20 hours of additional story content as you explore vast new Wild Areas. You can also continue hunting for rare Pokémon like shinies, filling out your Pokédex, breeding competitive-ready Pokémon, and battling online after completing the main campaign.
Furthermore, the Max Raid Battles provide an engrossing endgame activity that really leverages the Dynamax battle mechanic against powerful AI opponents. I‘d go so far as to say Sword/Shield finally delivers a complete-feeling Pokémon endgame that engages you for weeks after the credits roll.
Accessible for Newcomers but Still Rewarding for Veterans
As an industry veteran who has played every Pokémon generation, I appreciate that Sword/Shield offers enhancements making it the most accessible Pokémon RPG yet for newcomers to the series.
The Wild Area early on lets novice players catch powerful evolved Pokémon like Onix to cruise through early gyms. Streamlined battle and catching mechanics reduce friction compared to past games. Useful quality-of-life improvements like party-wide EXP Share further ease new players in.
At the same time, the challenge progressively ramps up during the late game, and veterans will appreciate small touches like the return of Pokémon abilities and held items. The game remains compellingly difficult during the climatic Champion Cup tournament. Ultimately, Sword/Shield strikes a masterful balance of being the most approachable Pokémon game yet while still rewarding seasoned players.
One of the Best Selling Pokémon Games Ever
The stellar critical and fan reception clearly shows that Pokémon Sword/Shield got the formula right. As of January 2023, Sword/Shield has sold a combined 25.37 million copies worldwide according to official figures, making it the second highest selling set of Pokémon games behind only Red/Blue.
To put into context how ridiculously popular Sword/Shield still is, its lifetime sales exceed those of classic PlayStation hits like God of War (21 million copies) and Uncharted 4 (17 million copies). For a three year old Nintendo Switch game, these sales numbers are just jaw-dropping. Pokémon continues breaking records!
Given the incredibly fun battle mechanics, active online community, sheer wealth of content, and approachable yet deep gameplay systems, I wholeheartedly recommend Pokémon Sword as an essential Switch RPG in 2024. Both casual fans and hardcore enthusiasts will find dozens of hours of enjoyment from this content-packed title.
For me personally, Sword stands alongside Pokémon Gold & Silver as one of the very best generations in the storied Pokémon franchise. Considering you can often find it discounted to $40 these days, playing Sword is an absolute no-brainer. Trust me and give this phenomenal RPG a shot if you haven‘t already!
