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‘Pokémon Sword’ & ‘Shield’s’ New Starters Are Absolutely Adroable

By Shaan Joshi
Published on: 03:28 PST, Feb 27, 2019

Earlier today, Nintendo and The Pokémon Company lifted the curtain on the next pair of upcoming Pokémon games, and the internet has been going wild over the new announcement. As previously reported by The Inquisitr, Pokémon Sword and Shield were officially announced earlier today, in a Pokémon-themed Nintendo Direct presentation which streamed live on both YouTube and Twitch.

Aside from the reveal, which showcased the game’s 3D graphics and the newly-announced Galar region, Nintendo and developer Game Freak have also shed some light on the three new starters that Pokémon trainers will be able to choose from later this year.

As reported by Polygon, three new starters have been announced for PokémonSword and Shield, keeping in line with the main series long-running tradition. Later this year, players will be able to choose from three starting Pokémon: Grookey, Scorbunny, and Sobble.

Grookey is a grass-type chimp Pokémon and is described as a bit mischievous and full of curiosity. Looks-wise, Grookey resembles a small chimpanzee of sorts, albeit with green fur, with both dark and light brown appendages. In his debut photo (embedded below), the adorable chimp Pokémon is seen smiling and waving, with his large dark eyes being similar in size to his nose and mouth.

For those who prefer a more fiery companion, you might want to turn your attention towards Scorbunny, the newly-announced rabbit Pokémon. As seen in the game’s reveal trailer, Scorbunny is absolutely full of energy, as he jumps and runs around with an impressive sense of speed.

Last – but certainly not least – there’s Sobble, the water Pokémon. This timid lizard prefers to keep to himself, though his skills should not be underestimated.

It’s not entirely clear if fans are favoring one starter over another, but Sobble seems to be getting more love on Instagram. At the time of writing, the water-lizard Pokémon’s debut photo has accrued over 48,000 likes, while his fire and grass companions have only managed to rack up just north of 40,000 likes each.

As is standard for the series, each of the three starters is tied to one of the traditional Pokémon starting types – grass, water, and fire. In almost all core entries in the series, the player’s rival will choose a starting Pokémon that has a type advantage over the player’s. The only games to buck this trend were Pokémon Yellow, and last year’s Pokémon: Let’s Go, Pikachu! and Let’s Go, Eevee!, which saw players choosing from either series mascot Pikachu or the Normal-type Pokémon Eevee.

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