The latest Game Freak rumors in the main Pokemon series are almost here, with Pokemon Sword and Shield's release date fast approaching. With all the much controversy over the games over the lack of a national Pokedex and "culled" Pokedex families, fans of the series are probably wondering: How many Pokemon are there in Sword and Shield? Due to some leaks and datamines, we are able to provide the number of Pokemon in Sword and Shield and a complete Dex list of Pokemon Sword and Shield returning Pokemon.
What is the total number of Pokemon in Sword and Shield?
While fans were ready to see many of their favorite Pokemon left out of Sword and Shield after Game Freak revealed that the games would not have National Dex (meaning you can't transfer all old Pokemon to Sword and Shield) , Game Freak never announced exactly how many Pokemon would be featured in Sword and Shield. According to the leaks and datamines, it turns out that the final number is quite low compared to the previous rumors.
ALSO: Pokemon Sword and Shield's volume controls are "locked" behind the in-game item
A previous Pokemon Sword and Shield Pokedex leak reported that the game would have exactly 400 Pokemon in the regional Galede Pokedex - just three fewer than Pokemon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon (the previous entry in the main series). Pokemon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon also had access to the national Pokedex, however, which means that while not all Pokemon could be caught in the game, all 807 Pokemon in existence at the time were playable (whether transferred from past games or otherwise obtained from al outside the games). Pokemon Sword and Shield don't have this ability, indicating that players would be limited to just 400 Pokemon, less than half of the franchise's total roster. This has caused controversy in the Pokemon community, with fans angry at the missing rumors.
It looks like some of the most fan-lost monsters will actually be obtainable in some way, however. A new datamine from Twitter user Kurt (@Kaphotics), who has a history of datamining Pokemon titles, has reported that 35 additional Pokemon are included in the Sword and Shield files. This brings the total number of Pokemon in Sword and Shield to 435. These 35 Pokemon are not listed as part of the Galar Regional Numbered Pokedex, so they will likely not be able to be caught in the wild, instead likely introduced through special events. Kurt also noted that the code indicates the possibility of introducing two new Mythic Pokemon via DLC or other means in the future.
Neither the numbers 400 or 435 seem to include Gigantamax forms or other alternate forms of Pokemon. If you include every single Pokemon form available in Sword and Shield (including genre modules, alternate types like Silvally, and cosmetic module variants like Alcremie), the total number is 569.
What old Pokemon are returning in Sword and Shield?
With only 435 Pokemon available, many Pokemon have been banned from the latest games. This means fans of the series are bound to wonder which Pokemon are actually in Sword and Shield. According to Kurt's datamine, the 35 Pokemon not listed include fan favorites such as the Bulbasaur start line (which fans cried especially after learning about Galar's 400 Pokemon Pokedex), the Squirtle start line, the starters of Alolan (including Super Smash Bros. Ultimate's Incineroar), Mewtwo, several Alolan legendaries and the mythical Pokemon Melmetal, introduced in Pokemon Let's Go, Pikachu! and Eevee! Below you can find the complete list of unnumbered Pokemon, according to Kurt's datamining.
Generation 1
- Bulbasaur
- ivysaur
- Venusaur
- Squirtle
- wartortle
- Blastoise
- Mewtwo
- Meow
Second generation
Third generation
Generation 5
- cobalion
- Terracion
- virizion
- Reshiram
- Zekrom
- Kyurem
- Keldeo
Generation 7
- Rowlet
- Dartrix
- Decidueye
- Litten
- Torracat
- Incineroar
- Popplio
- Brionne
- Primarina
- cosmog
- Cosmoem
- Solgaleo
- Lunala
- Necrozma
- Marshadow
- Zeraora
- Meltan
- Melmetal
In addition to these 35 unlisted monsters, Pokemon Sword and Shield reportedly include 326 other returning Pokemon, according to Sprite's datamined collection. The full list of returning numbered monsters is available below (includes the Alolan modules, but does not include the Galarian or Gigantamax modules). For information on new Pokemon, check out our new Pokemon in Sword and Shield guide.
Generation 1
- Charmander
- Charmeleon
- Charizard
- Caterpie
- Metapod
- butter free
- Pikachu
- raichu
- Alolan raichu
- Clefairy
- Clefable
- vulpix
- Alolan vulpix
- Ninetals
- Alolan Ninetales
- Oddish
- darkness
- Vileplume
- Diglett
- Alolan diglett
- dug trio
- Alolan Dugtrio
- Meowth
- Alolan meowth
- Persian
- Alolan Persian
- growlithe
- Arcanine
- machop
- Machoke
- machamp
- ponyta
- rapidash
- Farfetch'd
- shellder
- cloyster
- Gastly
- Haunter
- gengar
- Onyx
- Krabby
- Kingler
- hitmonlee
- hitmonchan
- coffee
- Weezing
- Rhyhorn
- Rhydon
- goldeneen
- seaking
- Mr mime
- Magikarp
- Gyarados
- Lapras
- Idem
- Eevee
- Vaporeon
- Jolteon
- Flareon
- Snorlax
Second generation
- Hoothoot
- Noctowl
- Chinchou
- Lanturn
- Pichu
- Cleffa
- Togepi
- Togetic
- Natu
- Xatu
- Bellossom
- Sudowoodo
- Wooper
- Quagsire
- Espeon
- Umbreon
- wobuffet
- Steelix
- Qwilfish
- Shuckle
- Sneasel
- Swinub
- Piloswine
- Corsola
- Remoraid
- Octillery
- Delibird
- Mantine
- Tyrogue
- Hitmontop
- Larvitar
- Pupitar
- Tyranitar
Third generation
- Zigzagoon
- Linoone
- Lotad
- The shadow
- Ludicolo
- Seedot
- Nuzleaf
- Shiftry
- Wingull
- Pelipper
- Ralts
- Kirlia
- gardevoir
- nincada
- ninjasky
- Shedinja
- Sableye
- Mawile
- Electricity
- Manectric
- Rosalia
- Wailmer
- Wailord
- Torkoal
- trap inch
- Vibrate
- Flygon
- Lunatone
- Solrock
- barboach
- Whiskey
- Corphish
- Crawdaunt
- Baltoy
- Claydol
- feebas
- Milotic
- Duskull
- Dusclops
- Wynaut
- Snorunt
- glalie
Generation 4
- budew
- roserade
- Warp
- vespiquen
- cherubi
- Cherim
- shellos
- gastrodon
- Driflon
- Driftblim
- stunky
- skunk tank
- Bronzer
- Bronze
- Bonsley
- mime jr.
- munchlax
- Riolu
- Lucario
- Hippopotamus
- hippowdon
- Crusted
- Drapyon
- Croagunk
- Toxicros
- Mantyke
- Snover
- abomasnow
- weavile
- Rhyperior
- Togekiss
- Leafeon
- Ice cream
- mamoswine
- gallade
- dusknoir
- frolass
- Rotom (all shapes)
Generation 5
- Purrloin
- liepard
- Munna
- musharna
- Pidove
- Tranquillo
- Unfezant
- Rye rola
- boldore
- gigalith
- woobat
- swoobat
- drillbur
- excadrill
- Timburr
- gurdurr
- Competition durr
- Tympole
- palpitoad
- seismitoad
- throh
- Sawk
- cottonee
- Whimsicott
- Basculin
- Darumaka
- darmanitan
- cacnea
- Dwebble
- Crustle
- thin
- Scrafty
- Sigilyph
- Yamask
- Cofagrigus
- Trubbish
- Garbodor
- Minccino
- Cincinnatus
- gothita
- Gothorite
- Gothitelle
- soloosis
- duosion
- Reuniclus
- vanillite
- vanilla
- Vanilluxe
- Karrablast
- Escavalier
- frilly
- Jellicent
- joltik
- galvantula
- ferroseed
- Ferrothorn
- Klink
- Klang
- Sound
- I'm alive
- Beheyem
- litwick
- lamp
- Chandelure
- Ax
- Fraxure
- Haxorus
- Cubchoo
- Beartic
- Shelmet
- Accelgor
- Stunfisk
- golett
- golurk
- pawniard
- Bisharp
- rufflet
- bravery
- vullaby
- mandibuzz
- heatmor
- During
- Deino
- Zweilous
- Deino
Generation 6
- Bunnelby
- Diggersby
- Pancham
- pangoro
- Spurr
- Meowstic
- Honedge
- Doublade
- aegislash
- syringe
- Aromatisse
- Swirlix
- slurpuff
- Inkay
- malamar
- binary
- barbaracle
- Helioptile
- Heliolisk
- SYLVEON
- Hawlucha
- goomy
- Sliggoo
- goodra
- phantump
- Trevenant
- Pumpkaboo
- gourmet
- Bergmite
- Avalugg
- noibat
- Noivern
Generation 7
- Grubbin
- Charjabug
- Fault
- Cutiefly
- Ribombee
- Wishiwashi (and school module)
- Mareanie
- Toxapex
- mudbray
- Mudsdale
- Dewpider
- araquanid
- Morelull
- Chinese
- Salandit
- Salazzle
- stufful
- wear
- Bounsweet
- Steenee
- Tsareena
- oranguru
- passimian
- Wimpod
- Golisopod
- Pyukumuku
- Type: null
- Silvally (all forms)
- Turtonator
- Togedemaru
- Mimikyu
- DramaPa
- Dhelmise
- Jangmo-o
- Hakamo-o
- Commo-o
