Pokémon Sword and Shield's new in-game event allows players to battle and capture Gigantamax Charizard, Venusaur, and Blastoise before the event ends on Saturday, February 27, or Pokémon Day 2022. This news comes via the Pokémon website and is one of the daily Pokémon announcements leading up to Saturday when many suspect a new game will be announced.
Before this limited-time event, players could either get one of the three starters from the story of the Isle of Armor DLC or all during the max raid battles of Dynamax Adventures in the Crown Tundra DLC. Now, these Pokémon are available, without having purchased either expansion, until 3:59 PM PT / 6:59 PM ET on Pokémon Day.
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If you'd like to get these starters for your own collection, connect the internet while playing Sword or Shield, choose "Mystery Gift" from the Main Menu, and select "Get the Wild Area News." Gigantamax encounters with Venusaur, Blastoise, and Charizard will now be more likely to occur specifically in the Wild Area. Chances of getting a shiny version of these Pokémon have been altered in no way, however.
The Gigantamax encounters are five-star battles with these starters at level 80 rather than 60—noticeably more difficult than the regular fare. They offer a chance for players who like a challenge to return to these games for a fun dose of the Wild Area again.
The Pokémon Company continues to support Sword and Shield as flagship Nintendo Switch games. Unfortunately, the window has just closed to obtain one of the shiny versions of Galarian Zapdos, Articuno, or Moltres, but events planned for March and April promise the other two as shiny giveaways.
For more Pokémon, check out How to Craft All Pokéballs in Pokémon Legends: Arceus.
Hello! I'm a freelance writer with a longtime interest in consoles and a developing passion for retro gaming. Pokémon, Zelda, Final Fantasy, and Mario—these are the games of my past, present, and future, and I'm happy to be able to say that with a fair amount of certainty. Otherwise, maybe you'll find me playing Stardew when I'm not writing my first novel or showering my dog with attention. 