Pokémon Sword & Shield: 10 Pokémon You Won't Believe Aren't In The Game

4. Johto Legendaries

Yep not just Generation 2's Legendary Bird equivalents in Raikou, Suicune, Entei, but Ho-Oh, Lugia and Celebi are all absent from Sword and Shield.

While the first three are maybe understandable given their Kanto counterparts also missing out, Lugia and Ho-Oh are arguably two of the biggest shocks of all. Both fronted their own copies of the game over their generation's starters and both have become some of the most popular figures in the history of the franchise.

In Japan especially, Ho-Oh and Lugia are almost as synonymous with the game as Pikachu. Frequently adorning merchandise and even having enormous models of themselves hung in Nintendo stores over the years. Given their respective backstories of being world travelers and bringing with them varying weather patterns, their post-game potential was massive.

Along with Mewtwo they've got DLC written all over them which, while being nice, will be scant consolation to anyone who forks out for the initial release.