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Generation VIII · Galar

Generation VIII: Galar.

Galar is the British Isles generation. Football-stadium gyms, the trans-Pennine train system, and a metric ton of regional Pokémon variants and convergent forms. Sword and Shield drew controversy for the "Dexit" decision (only ~400 species playable), then the Crown Tundra DLC walked it most of the way back.

Release2019
HardwareNintendo Switch
New species96
Dex range#810-905

The mechanic that defined Gen VIII

Dynamax / Gigantamax, the Wild Area, open exploration.

Gen 8 launched Pokémon on Switch with Dynamax (a battle-only size-up that boosted HP and gave every move a Max equivalent) and Gigantamax (form-changing transformations for select species). The Wild Area opened the camera up for the first time, letting you see Pokémon overworld at scale.

Signature moves introduced this generation: Behemoth Blade, Behemoth Bash, Dragon Energy, Glacial Lance, Wicked Blow.

Starters

Grookey
No. 810
Grookey
Grass
BST 310
 Scorbunny
No. 813
Scorbunny
Fire
BST 310
 Sobble
No. 816
Sobble
Water
BST 310

Box legendaries

Zacian
No. 888
Zacian
Fairy Zamazenta
No. 889
Zamazenta
Fighting Eternatus
No. 890
Eternatus
Poison

Top 12 by base-stat total

Eternatus
No. 890
Eternatus
BST 690
 Zacian
No. 888
Zacian
BST 660
 Zamazenta
No. 889
Zamazenta
BST 660
 Dragapult
No. 887
Dragapult
BST 600
 Zarude
No. 893
Zarude
BST 600
 Regieleki
No. 894
Regieleki
BST 580
 Regidrago
No. 895
Regidrago
BST 580
 Glastrier
No. 896
Glastrier
BST 580
 Spectrier
No. 897
Spectrier
BST 580
 Enamorus
No. 905
Enamorus
BST 580
 Urshifu
No. 892
Urshifu
BST 550
 Ursaluna
No. 901
Ursaluna
BST 550

Key dates

  • Sword and Shield launch globally on Switch, the first mainline Pokémon on a home console.
  • The Isle of Armor DLC adds the Dojo and Kubfu.
  • The Crown Tundra DLC adds Dynamax Adventures and returning legendaries.
  • Pokémon Legends: Arceus releases, retconning Sinnoh in the same Gen 8 line.

Iconic trainers: Nessa, Raihan, Leon (Champion), Marnie (Rival), Hop (Rival).

Games in this generation: Sword, Shield, Brilliant Diamond, Shining Pearl, Legends: Arceus.

Full roster (96 Pokémon)

Grookey No. 810 Grookey Thwackey No. 811 Thwackey Rillaboom No. 812 Rillaboom Scorbunny No. 813 Scorbunny Raboot No. 814 Raboot Cinderace No. 815 Cinderace Sobble No. 816 Sobble Drizzile No. 817 Drizzile Inteleon No. 818 Inteleon Skwovet No. 819 Skwovet Greedent No. 820 Greedent Rookidee No. 821 Rookidee Corvisquire No. 822 Corvisquire Corviknight No. 823 Corviknight Blipbug No. 824 Blipbug Dottler No. 825 Dottler Orbeetle No. 826 Orbeetle Nickit No. 827 Nickit Thievul No. 828 Thievul Gossifleur No. 829 Gossifleur Eldegoss No. 830 Eldegoss Wooloo No. 831 Wooloo Dubwool No. 832 Dubwool Chewtle No. 833 Chewtle Drednaw No. 834 Drednaw Yamper No. 835 Yamper Boltund No. 836 Boltund Rolycoly No. 837 Rolycoly Carkol No. 838 Carkol Coalossal No. 839 Coalossal Applin No. 840 Applin Flapple No. 841 Flapple Appletun No. 842 Appletun Silicobra No. 843 Silicobra Sandaconda No. 844 Sandaconda Cramorant No. 845 Cramorant Arrokuda No. 846 Arrokuda Barraskewda No. 847 Barraskewda Toxel No. 848 Toxel Toxtricity No. 849 Toxtricity Sizzlipede No. 850 Sizzlipede Centiskorch No. 851 Centiskorch Clobbopus No. 852 Clobbopus Grapploct No. 853 Grapploct Sinistea No. 854 Sinistea Polteageist No. 855 Polteageist Hatenna No. 856 Hatenna Hattrem No. 857 Hattrem Hatterene No. 858 Hatterene Impidimp No. 859 Impidimp Morgrem No. 860 Morgrem Grimmsnarl No. 861 Grimmsnarl Obstagoon No. 862 Obstagoon Perrserker No. 863 Perrserker Cursola No. 864 Cursola Sirfetch'd No. 865 Sirfetch'd Mr. Rime No. 866 Mr. Rime Runerigus No. 867 Runerigus Milcery No. 868 Milcery Alcremie No. 869 Alcremie Falinks No. 870 Falinks Pincurchin No. 871 Pincurchin Snom No. 872 Snom Frosmoth No. 873 Frosmoth Stonjourner No. 874 Stonjourner Eiscue No. 875 Eiscue Indeedee No. 876 Indeedee Morpeko No. 877 Morpeko Cufant No. 878 Cufant Copperajah No. 879 Copperajah Dracozolt No. 880 Dracozolt Arctozolt No. 881 Arctozolt Dracovish No. 882 Dracovish Arctovish No. 883 Arctovish Duraludon No. 884 Duraludon Dreepy No. 885 Dreepy Drakloak No. 886 Drakloak Dragapult No. 887 Dragapult Zacian No. 888 Zacian Zamazenta No. 889 Zamazenta Eternatus No. 890 Eternatus Kubfu No. 891 Kubfu Urshifu No. 892 Urshifu Zarude No. 893 Zarude Regieleki No. 894 Regieleki Regidrago No. 895 Regidrago Glastrier No. 896 Glastrier Spectrier No. 897 Spectrier Calyrex No. 898 Calyrex Wyrdeer No. 899 Wyrdeer Kleavor No. 900 Kleavor Ursaluna No. 901 Ursaluna Basculegion No. 902 Basculegion Sneasler No. 903 Sneasler Overqwil No. 904 Overqwil Enamorus No. 905 Enamorus

Legacy

Gen 8 is structurally pivotal: the Wild Area was the prototype for the open-region design that Scarlet and Violet would take all the way. Legends: Arceus, technically a Gen 8 spinoff, reinvented Pokémon catch mechanics for the first time since 1996 (real-time, throw-based, stealth-friendly). Both directly seeded Gen 9.