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Pokemon Sword and Shield – How to Battle Friends, Play Multiplayer Online

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Pokemon Sword and Shield allows you to battle against friends and play multiplayer online once you’ve reached a short way into the game.  Like the online trading features with friends, you will need to have reached Route 2 and get access to the Y-Comm.  Once you have access to the Y-Comm you will have access to the ability to battle against friends and play multiplayer online.

To play against friends online in Pokemon Sword and Shield you simply need to open the Y-Comm menu by pressing the Y button.  If you want to play locally you can connect between your friend and you by selecting the Link Battle option in the Y-Comm Menu.  If your friend is not nearby, you will need to connect to the internet by pressing the + button.

To make sure that you and your friend can connect to each other to battle you will need to make sure that you’ve both set the same Link Code in your game.

  • Select Link Battle
  • Press + to Set Link Code
  • Choose Single, Double, or Multi Battle

Single Battles are a two-player battle where each player sends one Pokemon into battle.  Double battles have players sending two Pokemon into battle.  Multi-Battles is a four-player battle with two trainers per side.  Each player sending one Pokemon into battle at a time.

If you don’t set a Link Code, you will be broadcasting to everyone that you are looking for an online battle in Pokemon Sword and Shield and there’s no telling who will show up for the fight.

That’s all there is to it when trying to battle friends and play online multiplayer in Pokemon Sword and Shield.


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