The Pokémon Company has gone and dropped an information bomb on fans eagerly awaiting the release of this year’s Sword and Shield. The Switch duo, which is already jam-packed with new attractions such as giant-sized Dynamax Pokémon and raid battles, just got that little bit bigger following the release of today’s trailer. In addition to confirmation of a returning fan favourite feature from Sun and Moon, one other announcement causing a spur of hype among Pokéfans is Sword and Shield‘s brand new ‘form-changing’ mechanic.
As the name suggests, Pokémon endowed with this newfound power have the uncanny ability to morph between different forms on the fly, each with their own individual type and move sets. So far, just one of these peculiar Pocket Monsters has been revealed and you can steal yourself a first-look via the gallery below.
In regards to the catalyst responsible for triggering Morpeko’s drastic change in appearance, it’s all about food. In what is perhaps the most relatable ‘Mon to date, Sword and Shield‘s resident mouse Pokémon will flip flop between its Full Belly and Hangry (no, that’s not a typo) modes depending on how hungry it is. In gameplay terms, the feature is represented by a new move exclusive to Morpeko. When used in battle, Hunger Switch will make the critter swap between both entities each turn.
If you’re wondering what purpose this all serves in a heated head-to-head between Trainers, the answer is type. Electric-type in Full Belly mode and Dark-type in Hangry mode; the constant switch between elements will surely add an additional layer of strategy to encounters, forcing players to preemptively account for what type it will be, not what it currently is.
It’s still early days, but Pokémon Sword and Shield‘s latest reveal is certainly shaping up to be one of the most promising for the series in a long time. Expect more form changers to announce themselves closer to launch.