Pokemon Sword and Shield gets a new mythical monkey called Zarude

(Image credit: Nintendo)

The mystery Pokemon Sword and Shield mythical Pokemon has been revealed to be Zarude, the Dark / Grass type rogue monkey. 

A short trailer has been posted of the new mythical addition to the Galar region, along with a post detailing the abilities and nature of Zarude. Interestingly, it states that you can't find the rogue monkey Pokemon through "regular gameplay," and it doesn't stipulate how you can add it to your party yet. 

Zarude is able to grow its own vines at will from the soles of its feet, as well as from its neck and wrists. The multifunctional vines, which are described as being strong and flexible, are used to move around by attaching them to trees, grabbing berries from a distance, and healing wounds. 

The imposing monkey lives in a pack deep in the heart of dense forests and will be hostile to anyone or anything outside of its pack. From the sounds of it, you won't want to get too close to this Pokemon unless you're asking for a vine to the face. 

With a quick wit that helps it excel in battle, it'll swing around during fights using trees and branches. Its hostility makes other Pokemon fear it, and honestly I can't blame them for being a little apprehensive to get too close. After all, it also has sharp claws that it'll use to relentlessly attack its foes. 

A few weeks ago, Nintendo posted a silhouette for the new mythical Pokemon, and promised to unveil it to the world on February 27. It's no coincidence that the reveal lands on this particular day, since it's officially Pokemon Day 2020. As a celebration of the 24th anniversary of the release of Pokemon Green and Red, the day sees special events take place across Pokemon Sword and Shield and Pokemon Go. 

Want to stay on top of all of the latest releases? Here are all of the upcoming Switch games to get excited about. 

Heather Wald
Senior staff writer

I started out writing for the games section of a student-run website as an undergrad, and continued to write about games in my free time during retail and temp jobs for a number of years. Eventually, I earned an MA in magazine journalism at Cardiff University, and soon after got my first official role in the industry as a content editor for Stuff magazine. After writing about all things tech and games-related, I then did a brief stint as a freelancer before I landed my role as a staff writer here at 12DOVE. Now I get to write features, previews, and reviews, and when I'm not doing that, you can usually find me lost in any one of the Dragon Age or Mass Effect games, tucking into another delightful indie, or drinking far too much tea for my own good.