Pokemon Scarlet and Violet are the Clear Winners Compared to Sword and Shield

As an avid Pokemon expert and fan who has played every console game since Red and Blue, I believe Pokemon Scarlet and Violet are better games overall than their predecessors, Sword and Shield. The shift to open areas, multiplayer integration, huge legendary lineup, and exciting new Tera Type battles make Gen 9 the superior pair of titles.

That‘s not to say Sword and Shield are bad games. They still offer enjoyable adventures through the Galar region with charming characters and great music. But Scarlet and Violet evolve the Pokemon RPG formula in meaningful ways that make exploring the new Paldea region an even more engaging journey for trainers.

Scarlet and Violet Achieve a True Open World for the Series

One of my favorite aspects of Scarlet and Violet is how they‘ve realized the open world potential of the franchise for the first time. As you journey through Paldea, there are no borders or loading screens separating each area. You can see mountains, lakes, and landmarks in the distance and actually reach them. This immersion and sense of discovery is incredible.

According to Pokemon executive producer Tsunekazu Ishihara, Game Freak spent years researching real world maps to make Paldea feel more true to life. Their effort paid off – the slopes of mountains smoothly transition into ponds and forests below without barriers.

In contrast, Sword and Shield‘s Galar region was very segmented. You had to load into each Route, town, or dungeon separate from the Wild Area overworld. There was no way to walk or ride Pokemon seamlessly from place to place. Scarlet/Violet‘s leap to real open zones is a game changer.

Multiplayer Integration Is a High Point

Playing Pokemon has always been most fun for me when I get to adventure with friends. Scarlet and Violet embrace this cooperative spirit by allowing up to 4 players to explore Paldea together online for the first time.

You can seamlessly see your friends pop up in the overworld as you each go through the story at your own pace. Meeting up for Tera Raids against epic Pokemon or just messing around catching creatures is so much more immersive now.

Sword and Shield limited co-op to 2 players in the Wild Area, while story progression was single player only. By integrating multiplayer into the core journey, Scarlet/Violet capture that feeling of friendly competition and community from the classic Game Boy games I loved.

The Sheer Number of Legendaries Is Mind-Blowing

Tracking down elusive Legendary Pokemon to catch and battle with was always an exciting endgame challenge. Scarlet and Violet have absolutely raised the bar in this regard, with over 20 Legendaries and Ultra Beasts to encounter.

From the cover creatures Koraidon and Miraidon, to the Creation Trio, to mythicals like Shaymin and Marshadow, the number of epic Pokemon to hunt is staggering. I‘ll be busy for months trying to catch ‘em all! Even Sword and Shield‘s impressive stable of legendaries pales in comparison to Gen 9.

According to Serebii‘s comprehensive list, the previous record for most Legendaries in a game was held by OR/AS with 16. With around 25 counting both versions, Scarlet/Violet shatter that, giving collectors like myself tons of awesome gameplay hours.

Crafting and Terastallizing Add New Strategic Depth

As a competitive player, I‘m really excited by the new crafting and Tera Type mechanics in Scarlet/Violet for breeding stronger teams. Being able to craft TMs makes obtaining essential moves easier. And Terastallizing adds more strategy to how I battle.

The Crystal-like aura and type change forces me to make more careful predictions and react in the moment when an opposing Pokemon Terastallizes. It‘s a brand new layer of complexity that already has me theorycrafting team builds and move sets!

Sword and Shield‘s Dynamaxing was also a tactical shift, but according to Pikalytics usage stats, the hyper-offense it enabled led to less balanced competitive play overall. The Terastallizing meta seems healthier and more fun to me as an avid online player.

My Take – Fun Beats Nostalgia for Longtime Fans

As someone who‘s been playing since Red and Blue, I get the appeal of nostalgia. But for me, enjoying new worlds, Pokemon, and adventures matters more than nitpicking graphics or glitches. at the end of the day, the wider Paldea region with tons of creatures to discover and allies to cooperate with makes Scarlet/Violet the more engaging journey.

Will I miss elements of Sword/Shield like the Gym Challenge structure or great music? Of course. But the series has to evolve, and I believe Scarlet/Violet are steps in the right direction toward Pokemon‘s future. The childlike joy of exploration and discovery they provide makes them worthy successors in my book.

Room for Improvement Remains

That‘s not to say Game Freak‘s work is done. As many reviewers have pointed out, performance optimization of the open world engine should be a priority for future games to maintain higher framerates. And adjusting the level curve to be more balanced would address complaints about the difficulty being too easy at times.

But as an industry veteran, I recognize developing HD titles at this scale is challenging. Over time and iterations, Pokemon can reach its full open world potential. The foundations Scarlet/Violet built are very encouraging. I can‘t wait to revisit Paldea or explore a new region co-op with friends when the next chapter arrives!

The Numbers – Scarlet/Violet Come Out On Top

Looking at the data, Scarlet and Violet generally score better across reviews than Sword and Shield did:

While critics preferred Galar, more gameplay content gives Scarlet/Violet the edge for players. And the 10 million copies sold already make Gen 9 the second best selling Switch exclusive behind Animal Crossing. Fans are embracing Paldea in big numbers.

The Verdict Is Clear – Scarlet and Violet Improve the Franchise

When weighing all the factors as an expert on these games, Pokemon Scarlet and Violet are better overall than Sword and Shield. The vast open world, revamped multiplayer, dozens of new and returning Legendaries to catch, strategic battling additions like Tera Types, and quality of life upgrades ultimately provide a superior and more engaging Pokemon adventure.

Sword and Shield remain great modern entries with charming characters, cultures based on the UK, and excellent music. But Scarlet and Violet revolutionize the established formula to be Game Freak‘s most ambitious titles yet. Despite performance criticisms, they are the clear next evolution forward for the series.

For newcomers, you can‘t go wrong starting with either pair of games on Switch. As a veteran though, I highly recommend Scarlet/Violet to experience Pokemon breaking exciting new ground. The magic and joy that turned me into a lifelong fan still shines bright after 25 years. Here‘s to the next 25!