Pokemon SwordandPokemon Shield, the latest games in Game Freak’s long-running series, brought several new features to the franchise. Set in the British-themed Galar region, the games' protagonist must rise through the Pokemon league by catching, battling and trading. The latter of these is especially important for trainers trying to catch them all, as there are some Pokemon that are exclusive to eitherSwordorShield.
The only way to gain theseexclusive Pokemonwith a copy of the other game is to trade them. Before now, this was quite a difficult process if a player didn’t have a friend to arrange trades with. But this all changed when the community came up with the idea of fixed codes. These are special codes to ensure that players get exactly what they want. Some of these codes are even for Pokemon that are holding special items, and here’s how to get them.
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Link Codes
There are six codes available inPokemon SwordandShieldwhich will allow players to gain a Pokemon with aspecial item. These have been chosen because of their unique properties, such as the combination of Onix and a Metal Coat. An Onix traded with the Metal Coat item will immediately evolve into a Steelix upon arrival, which is the only way to evolve one.
How to Trade
To use Link-Trading, first a player needs to make sure they’re connected to the internet, denoted by a sign at the top of the trade screen. Next, press Y to open the trade menu, then select Link Trade and Set Link Code. Enter thedesired code, and select the Yes button. Don’t be alarmed if the game doesn’t seem to do anything, depending on the Code some trades can take time to go through.
When another player using the same code has been found, the match will be formed. Each player will then select the Pokemon they agreed to send, with the option to view its stats if they have duplicates, before sending it. There will be one last chance to confirm the trade, and we recommend players make sure they’re not accidentally sending a veryvaluable Pokemon, or getting the wrong one in return.
Pokemon SwordandShieldare available now exclusively for Nintendo Switch.
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