Pokémon Sword & Shield pushes the long-running series into new territory — the Nintendo Switch! The first main series entry to escape the handheld, this is a giant leap forward for fans, even if certain limitations have caused an uproar in the fan community.
While this game doesn’t have the deluge of hidden stuff found in the previous game, Pokémon Sun & Moon, there’s still a lot of weird wrinkles you might’ve missed when you first started exploring. There’s a lot of hidden stuff in Pokémon Sword & Shield, and we’re going to try and collect it all here — whether it’s hidden forgery Pokémon, Joy-Con Easter eggs, or secret references, we’re going to list everything that’s available right here.
More Pokémon Sword & Shield guides:
How To Evolve All The New Galar Region Pokémon | Evolution Guide | What’s Exclusive To Each Version? | How To Catch Shiny Pokémon | Pick This Starter Pokémon For An Early Advantage | How To Easily Evolve Farfetch’d Into Sirfetch’d | Brilliant Aura System | How To Catch Improved Pokemon | Combo & Ultimate Moves | Move Tutor Locations | How To Catch Pokemon Easier | False Swipe & Hypnosis Guide
Easter Eggs, References & Secrets
There’s A Switch In Your Room | Joy-Cons Change Color
The first Easter egg, you’ll find right in your room at the start of the game. There a Nintendo Switch console connected to your character’s TV — and the Joy-Cons will always match the colors you’ve got attached to your personal Switch. It’s a cute little detail that follows in the long tradition of including a Nintendo console in your MC’s room.
Spin Around To Perform A Fancy Move
Running around in circles finally has a benefit. Now when you spin enough, your character will perform a twirl and pose — matching everyone’s favorite Galarian Champion Leon. Leon’s signature move is your’s to perform at will.
Not only does this perform a fancy spin, it’s also the only way to evolve the new Pokemon Milcery. Equip Milcery with a sweet and different types of spins will result in unique Alcremie creations.
Named After The Voice Actors | Dynamax Pikachu & Eevee
In the German version of Pokémon Sword & Shield, you can encounter two NPC trainers that send out Dynamax Pikachu and Eevee. The trainers are named Ikue and Aoi — references to the real-life Japanese voice actresses Ikue Otani and Aoi Yuki who voice Pikachu and Eevee in almost all of the media.
Source: [u/Mistaarr]
Pokemon & The Forged Tea Set
The new Galarian Pokemon Polteageist has a sinister secret — it’s probably a forgery. This ghost-type Pokemon inhabits a very British tea set, and almost all of the nice china are fakes. Very rarely, it’s possible to actually find an authentic Polteageist, and the only way to identify it is by locating a tiny certificate of authenticity on the underside.
Learn more about this weird secret on our full Polteageist guide here.
The Secret Of The Jersey Numbers
Every Pokemon Gym Leader (and your trainer rivals) in the Galar Region have numbers on your uniforms. These numbers aren’t just random — they actually spell out little pun names for each trainer. Take the numbers, match them with Japanese hiragana, and you’ll spell little words.
For example, Milo the Grass Type trainer’s number is 8-3-1: Ya-Sa-I = Vegetable.
The fighting-type trainer’s number (193) translates to ‘battle’! While Nessa, the water-type trainer’s number (049) translates to ‘swim’. It’s a cute little detail that most players will never recognize.
Sources: [u/Mindstormandy], [u/geebraprint]
Birthday Secrets
At the start of the game, you’ll have to set your birthday. Whatever day you set, you’ll get a few special in-game events when the date arrives. First, you’ll encounter a special surprise party event whenever you first enter a Pokemon Center — complete with a Pokeball cake! You’ll also find a birthday candle on your curry whenever you cook at the Pokecamp.
That’s all the major Easter eggs and secrets we’ve found so far! Are we missing something? Let us know!
