Alice's excitement is palpable as she fetches four more games from her collection. My eyes are immediately drawn to the iconic images of Dialga and Palkia adorning the covers. A sense of familiarity washes over me, and a spark of recognition ignites an idea.

With a smile, Alice holds up two games, the artwork gleaming under the room's light. "In Generation 8, we have these two: Sword and Shield," she explains, pointing to the covers where Zacian and Zamazenta stand proudly, guardians of their stories set in the Galar Region.

Golly, always the enthusiast, chimes in with a knowing look. "And these," he says, gesturing towards the other two games, "are the Diamond and Pearl remakes: Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl. I'm sure you remember them."

With a wistful sigh, I confess, "You know... I never got the chance to challenge the Galar League because I became Professor Cerise's research assistant alongside Goh and Chloe at that time." My voice trails off as I add, "And then there was the World Championships."

Alice's eyes light up with admiration. "We know, it was incredible when you beat Leon and Cynthia back then," she smiles warmly. "Anyway, starting with this generation, due to certain issues, not all Pokémon are available on the Switch currently. But despite these challenges, Sword and Shield are still quite enjoyable."

Golly, always keen to dive into the specifics, nods enthusiastically. "In Sword and Shield, they introduced the Wild Area—a vast expanse where Pokémon encounters vary with the weather. And they've implemented two types of encounters: visible ones and those in the grass. It seems Dad was inspired by Let's Go, opting for Pokémon to pop up visibly to reduce the annoyance of random grass encounters."

Nodding in agreement, I comment, "Well, that definitely sounds more intriguing. Dealing with those random encounters can be quite tedious."

"Now, let's dive into the Pokémon," Golly begins with a hint of excitement in his voice. "Not only do we have Regional Forms like in Alola, but some of these forms can even evolve." He glances at me knowingly. "Though you're already familiar with that, considering you have a Sirfetch'd..."

"Yeah, I know about the evolutions. Maybe we could talk about the version exclusives?" I suggest, eager to steer the conversation towards new details.

"Sirfetch'd itself is a version exclusive, along with its counterpart Cursola. There are others too, like Stonjourner and Eiscue, and even Galarian Rapidash and Darmanitan," Alice chimes in, listing them off with a casual flick of her wrist.

"But the real twist," Golly adds, leaning in for emphasis, "is that even the gyms have version exclusives."

My curiosity peaks. "Gyms? Version exclusives? How does that work?" I ask, puzzled by the concept.

"Let's shift our focus to the gyms," Golly begins, sparking a fresh wave of excitement. "We start with Milo, Nessa, and Kabu—the first three gym leaders, each specializing in Grass, Water, and Fire, respectively. But it's the fourth gym in Stow-on-Side where things really start to get interesting. You remember that gym, right?"

A nostalgic smile crosses my face as memories flood back. "Yeah, I remember quite a lot about that place. I used that gym to battle Bea, and Allister even let us borrow the field once to try out my Gigantamax Gengar," I recall fondly.

"In the Sword version, the gym is Fighting type with Bea as the leader. However, in Shield, it switches to Ghost type, and Allister takes the helm," Alice clarifies, illustrating how the game diverges.

Understanding dawns on me as I nod appreciatively. "Oh, I see..."

"After conquering the Fairy challenges presented by the quiz-loving Opal in her gym, the sixth gym introduces another twist with version-exclusive leaders," Golly explains. "In Circhester, you face a decision: battle Gordie, who specializes in Rock types, or his mother, Melony, who commands Ice types."

"Gordie and Melony? I've never met them before, but that sounds thrilling," I respond, my interest clearly piqued.

"Next up is Piers for the seventh gym, and finally, Raihan as the eighth," Alice continues, her enthusiasm infectious. "And here's something fun about these gyms— you can Dynamax your Pokémon."

"Dynamax and Gigantamax are big in the Galar Region, so that's not too surprising. Though I remember that Spikemuth doesn't support Dynamax..." I muse, recalling the unique situation.

Alice nods, ready to shift the topic. "Yeah, and now, let's dive into the story plot," she says, signaling a move deeper into our discussion.

"You see, you can choose either Victor or Gloria as your player character, and your rival is Leon's little brother, Hop. Interestingly, it's Chairman Rose, not the Professor, who introduces the game this time," Golly explains, setting the scene with a hint of intrigue.

"Chairman Rose..." I echo, a frown creasing my brow as I recall his role in unleashing the Darkest Day, which nearly brought disaster.

Golly nods, picking up on my concern. "Yes, and it's Leon who hands out the Starter Pokémon. You'll need an endorsement to challenge the gyms, but given your status as a Champion, that shouldn't pose much of a problem," he remarks with a reassuring smile.

"Yeah, though it's a shame I never got to try that out," I sigh, feeling a pang of regret. "I mean, if I hadn't become the Alolan Champion, I might try it out for like the eighth attempt..."

Alice quickly continues, "You also have two other rivals, Marnie and Bede. Bede, adopted by Chairman Rose, ends up quite arrogant. After he attempts to destroy the mural in Stow-on-Side, Rose abandons him. Opal then takes him under her wing to train as the new Fairy leader."

"As for Marnie, you're familiar with her—Team Yell's favorite idol, intent on bringing glory to her hometown. Because of her, Team Yell frequently tries to disrupt the gym challenges."

I nod slowly, a rueful smile forming. "I can tell... they almost cost me the match with Marnie," I sigh, recalling the intense encounters.

"After the gym challenge, the game deepens your understanding of Galar's rich history. It's also the first game to adapt the Pokémon League format you're familiar with. However, due to Galar's heightened difficulty level, imagine a League with only four competitors," Golly elucidates, adding depth to the game's challenges.

"That is harsh..." I wince, the notion striking a chord of sympathy for the challengers.

"Yeah, and there's no Elite Four either," Alice adds, her tone mixing surprise and excitement. "Instead, you face a selection of gym leaders who use Elite Four-caliber teams in a tournament setting. The winner of this tournament then earns the right to challenge Leon."

"Wow..." I murmur, impressed and somewhat daunted by the formidable structure laid out before the players.

"After winning the tournament, things take a familiar turn," Alice explains. "Chairman Rose summons Eternatus, plunging Galar into chaos. In response, you and Hop venture into the Slumbering Weald to retrieve the Rusty Sword and Shield. Depending on which version you're playing, you'll take one, and Hop will take the other."

"I see... So it's similar to my adventures with Goh, but with Hop stepping into that role," I mutter, drawing parallels to my own experiences.

Golly's face lights up with enthusiasm as he brings up another aspect of the game. "And the best part is actually the DLC. Instead of releasing a third version like they did with Platinum following Diamond and Pearl, they opted to enrich the existing game. A few months after its initial release, they rolled out additional content—but only after you pay for it."

"So what kind of content is included?" I inquire, curiosity piqued.

Alice outlines the additions enthusiastically. "There are two major expansions. The first is the Isle of Armor, where you train under the tutelage of Master Mustard and encounter the mysterious Pokémon known as Urshifu." She pauses for effect, then continues, "The second is the Crown Tundra, where you team up with Chairman Rose's brother, Peony, to uncover the secrets of Galar's Legendary Pokémon."

"I'm not too familiar with the Isle of Armor, but I definitely know about the Crown Tundra. That's where Lillie found her father," I recall, nodding in recognition.

"Yes, the Crown Tundra is rich with lore," Alice agrees. "It's home to Calyrex and his steeds, which unveil more about the region's past. Then there are the Regis, including the new additions, Regieleki and Regidrago. And don't forget the Galarian forms of the legendary birds, which roam across the Wild Area, Isle of Armor, and Crown Tundra."

Golly jumps in with another feature. "There's also the Dynamax Adventures—a challenging mode where you can catch Legendary Pokémon in their Dynamax forms."

"That sounds extensive, but incredibly exciting," I respond, impressed by the scope of the content.

"Alice frowns slightly. "In my opinion, Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl were the most disappointing remakes."

Curious, I probe further, "Why is that? Aren't all the games generally fun?"

"True, but these remakes missed an opportunity by not adapting Platinum. They kept the gym challenges and most features the same as in Diamond and Pearl, with the main change being the shift to 3D graphics."

Golly jumps into the discussion. "They did add the Great Underground, which introduces Wild Area-like encounters, adding a fresh element to the exploration. However, it would have been even better if they had included Pokémon from Generation 5 or later..."

Puzzled, I clarify, "So it's just Gen 1 to 4 Pokémon then?"

"Yep," Alice confirms with a nod.

"But at least they added a new feature called Ramanas Park, which allows you to capture Legendary Pokémon. There are also special events that let you acquire Mythical Pokémon like Mew, Jirachi, and even Arceus," Alice explains, her voice tinged with a hint of excitement.

Surprised, I inquire, "So you can normally get these Pokémon in those games?"

Alice nods, but with a caveat. "Yes, but only if you've played other games and have their data saved on this Switch. For instance, you can get Mew if you've played Let's Go, Eevee or Pikachu. For Jirachi, it's linked to having Sword and Shield data."

Intrigued, I press further, "What about Arceus?"

"We'll delve into that later," Alice promises, "but even with these perks, completing the national dex is tough. You can't get Celebi or Deoxys without transferring from other consoles. Though, Celebi did have its event in Sword and Shield, along with Zarude."

Thinking aloud, I connect the dots, "Oh... and that's where Pokémon Home becomes really useful?" I ask, glancing down at my phone.

Alice nods, summarizing the situation with a note of resignation. "Of course, you can transfer Pokémon from older games by paying for Pokémon Home, but it's important to remember that not all Pokémon, like Pansage, can be moved to the latest games. They have to stay put in the Home app."

Puzzled, I question further, "So, Pansage is one of those Pokémon that isn't included in the Switch games?"

"Yeah," Golly confirms, his tone tinged with disappointment. "There are several Pokémon that didn't make the cut, which is quite frustrating for collectors and trainers alike."

As our discussion winds down, the complexities of Pokémon transfers and exclusivities hang in the air, a reminder of the evolving nature of the games we love.

Here is a new chapter, and I know that there is also the Legends Arceus, but I want to put it in the next chapter because only Scarlet and Violet is not enough for a chapter. And these are also my reactions about the games if you want to know for sure. I hope you like it.