Pokemon Sword and Shield brings trainers back to explore the brand new Galar region. Along the way, they will encounter many changes and Pokemon being introduced in Generation 8. At the same time, many familiar Pokemon from previous entries return, but with a regional variant different from their original forms. And one of these Pokemon with a face that trainers know and love is Meowth, but with a makeover.
Meowth first debuted as a Kanto region native in Generation 1. The Scratch Cat Pokemon would have an even bigger role in the anime, appearing in every season as the third member of Team Rocket. In Generation 7, Meowth received further attention as one of the returning Pokemon to have an Alolan variant, which changed its type from Normal to Dark. This time around, Meowth has another regional form which is Steel-type and has a brand new evolution in Perrserker. In Pokemon Sword and Shield, trainers can get Meowth in both its original and Galarian forms.
Where to Find Galarian Meowth
In-game, Galarian Meowth can only be found in one place throughout the region. This location is Route 4 where trainers can encounter Galarian Meowth through both Overworld spawns or random encounters in the grass. Note that Meowths in the Overworld have a 23% chance to spawn and will range from Level 14-16. On the other hand, Meowths will have a 35% chance to be encountered in the grass and range from Level 13-15.
Either way, trainers should be able catch Galarian Meowth fairly quickly. After obtaining this Meowth variant, raising it to Level 28 will evolve it into Perrserker. However, trainers can also keep Galarian Meowth for another purpose.
Trading for Kanto Meowth
Because only Galarian Meowth can be found in the wild, that means the Kanto version of Meowth and Persian cannot be obtained through normal gameplay. But fear not, there is a way for trainers to trade for it in-game.
Inside the Turffield Stadium is a young boy that wants to trade a Galarian Meowth for his Kanto Meowth. Considering Turffield is located right next to Route 4, trainers can easily pick up another Galarian Meowth nearby. After the trade is complete, the trainer's new Kanto Meowth will be at Level 18 and have to be raised up to Level 28 to evolve into the Kanto version of Persian.
Gigantamax Meowth
Finally, trainers that buy Pokemon Sword and Shield before January 15th can obtain a Gigantamax Meowth for free. This version of Meowth can grow to an enormous size during gym or raid battles and can help trainers earn a lot of money in-game. To claim it, trainers only need to go into their menu by pressing X. From there, select the 'Mystery Gift' option, 'Get a Mystery Gift', and then 'Get via Internet'. After connecting to the internet, press A to receive the Gigantamax Meowth gift.
Pokemon Sword and Shield is out now for the Nintendo Switch.