With the recent release of the Isle of Armor DLC Expansion, over a hundred past-generation Pokémon made their triumphant return to Sword & Shield. Fan-favorites like Lycanroc, Bulbasaur and Squirtle, and Jigglypuff are finally back and available to the players who love them.
However, there are still quite a few Pokémon that have been cut from the series that fans are heartbroken over. Many are hopeful that their faves will return in the upcoming Crown Tundra Expansion, slated for later this year. Though some datamines have potentially leaked the list of returning Pokémon, we can still hope that our favorites will return. Here are 10 Pokémon that had better return in the Crown Tundra.
10 Vivillon
Vivillon, the resident early-game Bug-type from Generation VI, is a fascinating Pokémon. This butterfly, which evolves from Spewpa (which itself evolves from Scatterbug), comes in 20 different forms or patterns. From an all-stark-white Icy Snow Pattern to a gorgeous navy and purple Polar Pattern, Vivillon has many dazzling appearances that can make a collector beam with joy.
These forms were originally locked to the real-life location of the player's 3DS. It would be awesome to see this implemented in-game as a form change based on each different area of the Crown Tundra.
9 Absol
Every kid going through their emo phase when Ruby & Sapphire released instantly fell in love with Absol. This Dark-type from Hoenn embodied all the angst, darkness, and moody sideswept bangs energy that many tried to emulate at the time.
Since then, Absol has remained a widely-beloved Pokémon, even receiving a Mega Evolution in Generation VI. It has been sorely missed in Generation VIII, though, especially since its friends Mawile and Sableye are both around. It would be great to see this great Pokémon in the Crown Tundra.
8 Starters
With the new updates to Sword & Shield, Bulbasaur and Squirtle are now easily obtainable for the players with the expansion pass. The Generation VII starters, Litten, Rowlett, and Popplio, are also obtainable. This, plus the Gen VIII starters, means three of the eight sets of starter Pokémon.
Rumors are swirling that the Generation III starters are going to come in the Crown Tundra. This means half of all the available main series starters. Why not appease fans and just add the rest, as well, from generations II, IV, V, and VI?
7 Carbink
Carbink is one of those forgotten Pokémon that always kind of pop up and remind you that they exist. Despite this, they're a pretty interesting Pokémon in general. As a Rock/Fairy-type, Carbink definitely has an interesting type combination. They also have some usability in the competitive scene in some ways.
Diancie, the Mythical Pokémon, is also said to be a mutated Carbink, which is a cool connection. Even aside from all of this, Carbink just looks like it would fit thematically in an icy wonderland.
6 New Pokémon
Some fans were a little disappointed that the Isle of Armor DLC didn't come with too many new Pokémon. Kubfu and its evolution, Urshifu, are of course fantastic new additions to the series and the Expansion's mascots.
Other than this evolutionary family and, in a sense, Zarude, there wasn't any new Pokémon added to the series. One can count Galarian Slowpoke and Slowbro as new Pokémon, but they also bring up the fact that there wasn't really too many Galarian forms added, which also would have been nice. Hopefully, Crown Tundra will bring some more new Pokémon beyond the few we've seen already.
5 Pidgey
What's a Pokémon game without Pidgey? These early-game bird Pokémon have long been the plague of many players' games, popping up constantly without a break throughout the entire playthrough.
Pidgey is one of the original common spawn Pokémon that players grow sick of almost immediately due to their prevalence. This arguably makes their absence from Sword & Shield even more noticeable than other missing Pokémon. This poor little guy deserves to claim its throne as an invasive species of Galar.
4 Aurorus
There might not be a single Pokémon design that is so thematically matched to an expansive, icy tundra than Aurorus. This Fossil Pokémon from Generation VI is an Ice/Rock-type that evolves from Amaura.
This Pokémon is like a large icy sauropod dinosaur with a color palette and detailing inspired by the Aurora Borealis or Aurora Australis. It's very easy to picture Aurorus standing beneath this wintry light phenomenon in a starry sky on an icy tundra dotted with pine trees.
3 Dewgong
Few Pokémon conjure up an image of icebergs, cold, wintery blizzards, and frozen lakes like Dewgong. Based directly on real-life manatees and seals, Dewgong and its pre-evolution, Seel, have long been associated with the Ice-type, being introduced in Generation I alongside other classic Ice-types like Cloyster.
Sure, they should have made a fitting appearance in Circhester Bay on Galar's mainland, but it would still be really great to see them on the Crown Tundra DLC.
2 Walrein
What's a tundra covered in ice on an island without an icy beach covered with lazing walruses? Walrein, the large, blubbery walrus Pokémon from Generation III, is an easy choice for the Crown Tundra.
As a Water/Ice-type three-stage line, Walrein is also a competitively viable Pokémon. It's also definitely a memorable Pokémon, being a difficult opponent in Hoenn's Elite Four and evolving from the unbearably adorable Spheal. Walrein has to come back, otherwise the Crown Tundra might be a complete lie.
1 Snubbull
Sure, Snubbull might not thematically be the most obvious choice for the Crown Tundra, but it's an outrage that it wasn't included in either the base game of Sword & Shield OR the Isle of Armor. This is because it's arguably the most "British"-looking Pokémon in the entire series, and Galar is based on the U.K.
This small pink Fairy-type is based directly on an English Bulldog, with inspiration from the Celtic mythological creature called Cù-sìth. It's baffling that it wasn't included in the base game, and it would be only right for it to be brought back in the Crown Tundra.