We’re now two months out from Pokémon Sword and Shield‘s release. Along with a bunch of other new games, Nintendo showed off some new features during their latest Nintendo Direct. However, before we talk about beverage-based Pocket Monster, let’s dive into some of the other features that were shown off during the presentation.

Customization: New Clothes, Who Dis?

Past Pokémon games haven’t been known for a wealth of choices when it comes to character customization. Recent entries, such as Sun and Moon and the Let’s Go series have made more of an effort to include some hair and clothing options, but these were fairly limited at best. Sword and Shield look as if it’ll be changing all that. With a much greater choice of outfits, hairstyles, and makeup, characters can get truly personalized.

One detail many may overlook is the female Pokémon Trainer can be seen wearing the outfit of the water type Gym Leader Nessa. This could indicate that beating gym leaders may unlock a clothing set based on them. This, of course, is a nice little bonus on top of a shiny new gym badge.

Speaking of battles, you’ll also be able to customize your own battle intros in the form of Battle Cards. Not only can you change the background on the card, but you can also have your trainer pull off different expressions and poses to show off.

But it’s not all about battling. Sometimes you just want to get away from it all.

Pokémon Camp: British Holiday Simulator 2019?

Another new feature showed off was the Pokémon Camp. This mechanic seems to combine elements from previous Pokémon games: Secret Bases from Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire and the Pokémon-Amie/Refresh System from X & Y and Sun and Moon, respectively.

Players can access the Pokémon Camp from anywhere in the Galar Region. For instance, they could set up a tent and displaying your current team of Pokémon so that you can interact with them. What more, interacting with Pokémon can help improve their battling skills. The more time you spend boosting their friendship towards you, the more likely they’ll dodge attacks. If previous iterations are anything to go by, they may even survive attacks that would normally make them faint.

But it’s not just your camp you’ll be able to visit. As you roam the wild areas between Galar Region’s towns, you’ll be able to come across other players’ camps and interact with their Pokémon. You can even bring along your little monsters for a playdate! It isn’t known whether there will be any specific mechanics tied to meeting with other players’ Pokémon just yet, but you will have something to cooperate with other trainers on.

Curry! Finally, A Trainer That Eats!

No camping experience would be complete without a bit of cooking – and Pokémon Sword and Shield have just the dish for it: curry!

By using a Pokémon Camp, you can now cook over 100 different curry recipes, using traditional ingredients like sausages and toast, as well as berries, so that your Pokémon can get a taste. Each new meal you make will be registered in the Curry Dex, meaning that if you get tired of trying to become a Pokémon Master. you can always fall back and become a master chef. You’ll also be able to cook curry with other players as well, but you know what they say about too many cooks.

The Moment We’ve All Been Waiting For, Polteageist Is Here and They Brought A Friend

Polteageist

With the Galar Region being based on the UK, seeing a stereotypically British Pokémon was inevitable.

The ghost-type Pokémon Polteageist looks like something you’d see in Beauty & The Beast. Be warned – this cute little guy also packs a punch with the ability Weak Armor. Whenever Polteageist gets hit with a physical attack, its defense lowers but its attack increases. This makes it a good Pokémon for maxing out attack and HP stats.

The Pokedex entry for Polteageist also reveals a little bit more about this charming Pokémon:

Polteageist’s body is made from black tea and is said to have a very distinct aroma and flavor. It will only allow a Trainer it trusts to sample its tea. However, drinking too much can lead to indigestion or an upset stomach, so be careful! Many Polteageist make their homes inside hotels and restaurants, disguising themselves and hiding among the tableware. They can pour their power into leftover tea and create even more of their kind, so they’re often treated as pests.

Cramorant

The Nintendo Direct held one final surprise for us in the form of Cramorant, the flying/water-type bird Pokémon.

Seemingly based on the seagulls and other sea birds that live around the UK, Cramorant boasts a unique ability called Gulp Missile. This ability triggers whenever the bird Pokémon uses a move like Surf or Dive. Cramorant, for instance, can return from its attack with a fish caught in its mouth. The next time it’s hit by an enemy attack, it can launch its meal at its foe in retaliation.

We also learn a little bit more about Cramorant through its Pokédex entry:

When it comes to food, it will try to swallow anything it can fit in its mouth. Sometimes it will swallow things that aren’t its intended prey, spitting them out in a hurry once it realizes its mistake. Cramorant can be forgetful, but it will never forget a Trainer it grows to trust. However, it seems that even Trainers will face fierce attacks from their Cramorant if they try to steal its food.

What do you think about the new features added to Pokémon Sword and Shield? Are you excited to customize your trainer? Let us know in the comments below. Feel free to head on over to Twitter to ask me my thoughts on the Direct.