Pokemon Sword and Shield Edition Nintendo Switch Lite Announced

Nintendo announced on Wednesday that not only will it be releasing a smaller version of the Nintendo Switch that it’s calling the Nintendo Switch Lite, it’ll also have a special edition of its console. Tapping one of its biggest and most popular brands, the special edition] of this consoles will channel Pokemon Sword and Shield. Specifically, it’ll feature Zacian and Zamazenta, the two Legendary Pokemon from the new games, on the backs of the more compact Switch.

The Zacian and Zamazenta Editions of the Nintendo Switch Lite were revealed in the tweet below from the Nintendo of America account shortly after the Nintendo Switch Lite itself was revealed. The console is all silver save for the face buttons, d-pad, and control sticks which are all colored after the two Legendaries that’ll be featured in the game. Flip the Switch Lite over and you’ll see drawings of both Legendary Pokemon on their respective sides.

Though the Nintendo Switch Lite itself will be launching on September 20th, this special edition of the console will be available a bit later. The Zacian and Zamazenta Edition will be available on November 8th just a week before Pokemon Sword and Shield releases on November 15th. If you’re planning on getting just the normal version of the Switch Lite will have yellow, gray, and turquoise options to pick from.

“November is shaping up to be a big month for Pokemon fans, with the arrival of this special hardware followed by the launch of the Pokemon Sword and Pokemon Shield games one week later,” said Nintendo of America President Doug Bowser. “The Nintendo Switch Lite Zacian and Zamazenta Edition will be a great gift for Pokémon fans who want to play the latest games on the go.”

Nintendo’s video above explains some of the Nintendo Switch Lite’s features that differentiate it from the Switch that players have become accustomed to. It’s smaller overall with a smaller display as well that’s just 5.5 inches across, and it lacks the IR camera as well as the rumble function feature the Joy-Cons boast. There’s also no dock for this Switch Lite, so it can only be played in handheld mode.

The Zacian and Zamazenta edition is the first to be revealed for the Switch Lite, but knowing Nintendo, we can expect to see other versions of the console revealed in the future as other big-name games are released.