Isle Of Armor: 10 Highlights From Pokemon's First Expansion

Collectibles have gotten a bad name over the years, thanks in no small part to Ubisoft's insistence that their games feature little besides collectibles. But when limited to a single type and rewarded appropriately, they're a special kind of joy that adds density to a map as well as rewarding and encouraging exploration. And something Sword & Shield's sparser and decidedly less interesting maps could have done with.

On the Isle of Armor, you'll be tasked with tracking down one lone Hiker's missing 150 Alolan Diglett, who can be identified by the three blonde hairs poking out of the ground. It's a daunting task, but you'll quickly stumble across a few dozen during the story, and the rest are all happily placed on random islets and coastal inlets you'll inevitably run to for no reason.

The rewards of Alolan native Pokemon are neat, and paced appropriately, but the ease to track your progress is welcome; there's a little sign next to the Hiker telling you how many are still to be found in each section of the map and the game will give you an update each time you find one. It's still no small task, but the game guides you through happily that enriches the Expansion Pass experience for all.