History VideoGame / PokemonSwordAndShield

** The map shows the region to be very straight and narrow. Given that the player's home is on the southern end, the protagonist is both figuratively and literally "working their way up" to become the Champion.

** You and Hop [[spoiler:battle Macro Cosmos employees]] on elevator ride up Rose Tower, some of whom have dialogue that advertises the technology of the elevator and their company's subsidiaries. In other words, they're giving you their elevator pitch.

* GodwinsLawOfFacialHair: Averted with Mr. Rime, who was based on Charlie Chaplin but Chaplin's famous toothbrush mustache was altered to a Lampshade mustache for Mr. Rime to avoid any Hitler comparisons.

* {{Irony}}: The Gigantamaxed forms of the three starters don't necessarily turn them as gigantic as other conventional Gigantamaxed Pokémon, but rather, their ''equipment'' is on the receiving end of the growth (Rillaboom's drumset, Cinderace's Pyro Ball, and Inteleon's [[TheLastOfTheseIsNotLikeTheOthers finger]]). However, some of their body parts do get larger (Rillaboom's hair, Cinderace's ears, and Inteleon's tail).

* ItsAllUpstairsFromHere: Towards the end of the main story, [[spoiler:Leon is missing after having promised to have dinner with you and Hop. You find out that he's with Rose at the top of Rose Tower, and you make your way to the top to find them, battling several Macro Cosmos employees on the way up. Although you don't so much climb the tower than simply take an elevator ride.]]

** The Escape Rope is now an infinite-use Key Item, rather than the consumable, purchasable item of past games. [[spoiler:It's only this way in this game, the next games either revert it back to what it was before or remove it entirely.]]

** The Escape Rope is now an infinite-use Key Item, rather than the consumable, purchasable item of past games.

* MusicalSpoiler: In the Crown Tundra DLC, the legendary bird trio from Kanto come back, but with new forms and a new battle theme. Why? As the Pokédex reveals, [[spoiler: the Galarian forms of the legendary birds aren't ''actually'' Zapdos, Moltres, Articuno, but distinct species named after them.]]

** Much of the darker-skinned NPC's in the game resemble those of Indian descent in real life - given India's status as a former British colony and long history of immigration, it makes sense. In addition, a curry dish ''is'' the United Kingdom's national dish, as is Galar's.

** Much of the POC in the game are coded to be of Indian descent - given India's status as a former British colony and long history of immigration, it makes sense. In addition, a curry dish ''is'' the United Kingdom's national dish, as is Galar's.

''Pokémon Sword'' and ''Pokémon Shield'' are the first set of Generation VIII games in the main ''Franchise/{{Pokemon}}'' series. Released for the UsefulNotes/NintendoSwitch on November 15th, 2019, they are the first original mainline ''Pokémon'' [=RPGs=] created for home consoles. [[note]]''VideoGame/PokemonColosseum'' was the first console RPG in the series, but it and [[VideoGame/PokemonXDGaleOfDarkness its sequel]] were Spin-Offs. And while ''VideoGame/PokemonLetsGoPikachuAndLetsGoEevee'' were the first mainline entries on a home console, released the previous year, they were just remakes of ''[[VideoGame/PokemonRedAndBlue Pokémon Yellow]]'' with elements from ''VideoGame/PokemonGo'', rather than an original adventure.[[/note]] The games are set in the Galar region, based on the UsefulNotes/UnitedKingdom.

** Following the trend from past games, a UsefulNotes/NintendoSwitch can be seen in the protagonist's room. The Joy-Con controllers attached will even be the same colors as the ones you're currently using to play the game!
** The ''Isle of Armour'' DLC takes it a step further by having a UsefulNotes/NintendoSwitch not only in Master Mustard's room, but he also sits down to ''play it'' at some point. A close look at the TV shows that he's playing ''VideoGame/PokemonQuest''.

** The "Top Secret" Pokéjob is the only 10 star job in the game and requests up to a whopping ''30'' Ghost-type Pokémon to be sent. Do so and have them do an "Exceptional" job, and you'll be rewarded with 15 [[ShopFodder Big Nuggets]], which can be sold for 300,000 Pokédollars. More than enough to purchase everything you could reasonably need for the rest of the game. Doing so also provides a massive experience payout (over 74,000 EXP) .

** You can sometimes get a suspicious-looking Pokéjob request asking for help with something, with the company name and title being this. As mentioned:

* AllThereInTheManual: The NPC that turns up in every Pokémon Center is called Jack by the Prima Strategy guide as a pun on "Jack of all trades" given he fills several roles such as allowing you to rename a Pokémon or have one of your Pokémon remember a move it forgot. (In the Japanese version, he's simply called Pokémon Center Staff.)

* DemotedToExtra: While the Rotom Pokedex regularly held conversations with the player in ''Sun and Moon'', in these games the Rotom Phone simply serves as an interface and doesn't communicate with words at all. That said, it can be communicated with and act on its own, as shown when Sonia greets it and it floats out of the protagonist's bag to acknowledge her. It sometimes will on its own come out when the trainer is receiving a phone call, or float about taking pictures in the case of Raihan's Rotom phone. Rotom do speak, however, and function as a group of [=NPCs=] at Pokémon Centers.

** Changing the system clock backwards, in addition to extending the reset timer for normal time-based events by 24 hours, also causes your Poké Job timers to reset to their maximum value.

** Winning the first gym battle without dynamaxing will cause other characters to comment on how impressive it is that you won without using Dynamax.

--> '''Raihan:''' (When Sunny Day has been used) "Pulling out a Sunny Day! Hah! That's not a bad countermeasure!"
--> '''Raihan:''' (When Hail has been used) "Ho? Not bad—changing the weather to Hail like that!"

** If you start a battle in the Isle of Armor after Mustard lets you have your first party Pokémon follow you, the player character will simply send their following companion forward instead of throwing their Pokéball.

** Mew can be brought into the game through Mystery Gift with a Pokéball Plus (if that particular Plus hasn't already sent a Mew to ''[[VideoGame/PokemonLetsGoPikachuAndEevee Let's Go]]''), but it will not show up in the Pokédex.

** A possible Pokè Job is with a company called "Cozy Fried Kitchen", whose name and logo are an obvious reference to ''UsefulNotes/KentuckyFriedChicken''.
** One of the Pokéball mascots [[https://www.reddit.com/r/twilightprincess/comments/lzn66f/was_playing_pokémon_shield_and_this_happened/ does a dance]] identical to [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KyBC5OqapPo that done by the Malo Mart costumers]] in ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaTwilightPrincess''.

** The "Top Secret" Pokéjob is the only 10 star job in the game and requests up to a whopping ''30'' Ghost-type Pokémon to be sent. Do so and have them do an "Exceptional" job, and you'll be rewarded with 15 [[ShopFodder Big Nuggets]], which can be sold for 300,000 Pokédollars. More than enough to purchase everything you could reasonably need for the rest of the game.

** You can also get Safari Balls and Sport Balls from the Cram-o-Matic by [[JustForPun cramming]] in any Apricorn. However, they have a ridiculously low spawn rate of ''0.1%'' and are functionally just reskinned default Poké Balls, so it combines this with TooAwesomeToUse.

** Several Pokémon that normally evolve by trading can be found out in the Wild Area as rare overworld spawns under certain weather conditions, mitigating the need to trade to complete the Pokédex. Some can also be found in Dens, such as Gengar.[[note]]Trade evolutions do still work, however. So don’t be surprised when that Machoke you get in a Surprise Trade evolves.[[/note]]

* FailedASpotCheck: Unless she does it on purpose and hides it well, it never seems to occur to the “scientist” Cara Liss that she isn't so much reviving ancient creatures as she is stitching together barely functional abominations from mismatched parts and inventing their back stories as she goes. If the Pokédex is of any indication, nobody else seems to be the wiser.

** Kommo-o lost Clangorous Soulblaze as Z-moves have been removed from Gen VIII onwards. However, it got a replacement option in Clangorous Soul, which does the same thing, but as a status move that [[CastFromHitPoints cuts Kommo-o's health by 1/3rd.]]

** There are two ways through Route 1: a straight path directly from Postwick to Wedgehurst, and a side path with tall grass. On the first time in the zone, you have no Pokémon, and are advised to stay away from the grassy path; on the second time, a flock of Wooloo are taking a nap in the middle of the road, forcing you to take the detour.

** The final fight's climax [[spoiler:involves fighting Eternamax Eternatus, a gigantic abomination resembling a giant hand with the heroes being aided by Zacian and Zamazenta: two wolf-like legendary Pokémon. Makes it highly likely this fight was inspired by the final boss fight from VideoGame/{{Okami}}.]]

** One of the characters who pass by you in Hulbury talks about [[Film/DetectivePikachu a Pokémon that's a great detective]].

** Gigantamax Gengar's appearance -- a massive mouth with a face and arms -- bears an uncanny resemblance to [[Franchise/FinalFantasy Atomos]] or [[Franchise/MegamiTensei Abaddon]].

* CreatorsCultureCarryover: Curry in these games is Curry rice which is a frequently eaten food in Japan, particularly on camping trips whereas in other countries, Curry refers to either curry powder or a meat dish.

** Several moves has been made unavailable from Gen VIII onwards, most notably Return, Hidden Power, and Pursuit.