The Crown Tundra DLC for Pokemon Sword and Pokemon Shield has finally dropped and fans are scrambling to catch the new Pokemon this content-packed DLC has to offer. While some of the new Pokemon simply appear in the wild, there are a number of harder to find Pokemon that fans may need some help discovering in Sword and Shield.
The three Legendary birds of Kanto; Articuno, Zapdos, and Moltres, make a return with all-new Galarian forms that not only give them a new aesthetic, but also an all-new typing that vastly differs from their original Ice, Electric, and Fire forms, respectively. However, much like their debut in their original games, these Galarian Legendaries are not quit as easy to find as other Pokemon.
To get things started, fans will need to trigger a specific event to even unlock the ability to find the birds. As trainers navigate their way through the Crown Tundra, they'll likely see a large, pink tree in the south called the Dyna Hill Tree. Stumbling across this tree will trigger a cut-scene featuring the birds in battle before being let loose into the various areas of the Pokemon world. Each has their own unique location, and this guide will focus on Zapdos specifically.
After his release, Galarian Zapdos will fly to the Wild Area of the Galar mainland. In other words, he'll fly to the Wild Area that players could traverse prior to the Crown Tundra's release. Unlike the Crown Tundra, the Wild Area doesn't have many obstacles and isn't very big, so the real challenge is catching up to the speedy bird because this version of Zapdos runs fast. Fans will need their bike to ensure they catch up to him.
Galarian Zapdos is quite easy to spot. After flying to the mainland Wild Area, simply bike around until Galarian Zapdos is spotted. Get close to him and make good use of the game's whistle or bell to get his attention (fans can trigger the bell with the left joystick) until his battle is triggered.
The hardest part in this encounter is definitely discovering Zapdos, while the battle itself is quite easy. After adding Galarian Zapdos to their party, fans can now enjoy going throughout the game with their all-new friend, who looks just like Final Fantasy's Chocobos.
The Crown Tundra DLC is available now on Pokemon Sword and Pokemon Shield.