Pokémon has only gotten weirder since its inception more than two decades ago, and we have truly reached peak strangeness with the latest Pokémon Sword and Shield trailer. If you’ve ever wondered if Pokémon can get “hangry” and deliver devastating attacks in frustration, wonder no longer. The creature with that ability is called Morpeko, and it’s not even the strangest thing in the trailer.
New to the Galar region, Morpeko can change forms, resulting in different types of moves available during battle. In its Full Belly mode, the Pokémon resembles Pikachu crossed with a bird, and utilizes a mix of dark and electric moves. One of these is a rolling “Aura Wheel” of electric energy.
When Morpeko is hungry, however, watch out. The monster goes into Hangry mode, altering the Aura Wheel from an electric attack to a dark attack. Someone get this Pokémon down to Red Robin before it’s too late!
Just as Sun and Moon offered new forms based on existing monsters, so too will Sword and Shield. Galarian forms alter Pokémon with wacky new twists, including turning Weezing into a fairy and poison monster with smokestacks coming out of its head. We quite like the mustache and eyebrows it has received as a result of the transformation. Zigzagoon, meanwhile, closely resembles a skunk and can utilize dark and normal moves.
Another change is that some types of Pokémon can only be obtained by evolving a Galarian form. Obstagoon, for instance, evolves from Galarian Linoone, and cannot be obtained by evolving the standard version of Linoone. Obstagoon excels at countering his opponents’ attacks, preferring not to make the first move during battles.
Your rivals in the game will be Bede and Marnie, the latter of whom sports a classic U.K. punk aesthetic. You will also have to contend with “Team Yell,” a gang made up of Marnie’s fans. They’ll act as her adoring audience during battles, cheering her on as you probably destroy her Pokémon with your superior roster.
Pokémon Sword and Shield will be available exclusively for Nintendo Switch on November 15. A special new Pokémon edition of the Nintendo Switch Lite will release on November 8, so you can have it ready to go when the games launch.
