The world of Pokémon Sword and Shield is full of colorful critters to capture. Yet while the Pokédex grows more diverse, so do the methods of finding and evolving Pokémon. Even experienced trainers might never be able to guess how some of these little guys turn into big and scary guys. So our team of professors at TheGamer have decided to compile our own GamerDex for your use.

This work-in-progress guide will show you where to find the beginnings of each Pokémon family and how to evolve them. Scroll on to begin your journey to Pokédex completion or competitive domination.

Generation 1 Pokémon

You can’t beat the classics. Charmander leads the pack of returning Kanto Pokémon with its Gigantamax form.

  • Bulbasaur-Venusaur: How To Get Bulbasaur Into Pokémon Sword & Shield Squirtle-Blastoise: How To Get Squirtle Into Pokémon Sword & Shield Charmander-Charizard:  How To Get Charmander & Gigantamax Charizard Caterpie-Butterfree: How To Find & Evolve Caterpie Into Butterfree Growlithe-Arcanine: How To Find & Evolve Growlithe Into Arcanine Poliwag-Poliwrath: How To Find & Evolve Poliwag Into Poliwrath Abra-Alakazam: How To Find & Evolve Abra Into Alakazam Machop-Machamp: How To Find & Evolve Machop Into Machamp Vulpix-Ninetails: How To Get A Level 10 Ninetails In Pokémon Sword Meowth-Persian: How To Get The Different Versions Of Meowth Krabby-Kingler: How To Find & Evolve Krabby Into Kingler Farfetch’d-Sirfetch’d: How To Evolve Galarian Farfetch’d Ponyta-Galarian Rapidash: How To Evolve Ponyta To Galarian Rapidash Mr. Mime-Mr. Rime: How To Evolve Mr. Mime Into Mr. Rime Mewtwo: How To Get Mewtwo Into Pokémon Sword & Shield Mew: If You Didn’t Claim Your Pokémon Let’s Go! Mew, You Can Claim It In Sword & Shield

Generation 2 Pokémon

The Johto team represents with a few returning favorites in Sword & Shield.

  • Hoothoot-Noctowl: How To Find & Evolve Hoothoot Into Noctowl Wooper-Quagsire: How To Find & Evolve Wooper Into Quagsire Eevee-Espeon/Umbreon: How To Find And Evolve Eevee Into Espeon And Umbreon Tyrogue-Hitmonchan/Hitmonlee/Hitmontop: How To Find Tyrogue & Evolve It To Hitmonchan, Hitmonlee, And Hitmontop

Generation 3 Pokémon

The Pokémon of Hoenn are now eligible for Pokémon Home, but catching them in Sword and Shield might be easier than transferring from old GBA games.

  • Nincada-Ninjask/Shedinja: How To Find & Evolve Nincada Into Ninjask/Shedinja Lotad-Ludicolo: How To Find & Evolve Lotad Into Ludicolo Jirachi: How To Get Jirachi Into Pokémon Sword & Shield

Generation 4 Pokémon

Sinnoh needs a remake, but until then here’s how to catch Gen 4 Pokémon in Galar.

  • Rotom: How To Find Rotom And Unlock Every Form Combee-Vespiquen: How To Find & Evolve Combee Into Vespiquen Stunky-Skuntank: How To Find & Evolve Stunky Into Skuntank

Generation 5 Pokémon

The controversial Unova Pokémon get their due respect in Sword & Shield by having counting for much of the Galar dex and getting some cool Galarian forms. Take a look at the gen that’s way more than ice cream and a trash bag.

  • Minccino-Cinccino: How To Find & Evolve Minccino Into Cinccino Elgyem-Beheeyem: Where To Find The Elusive Elgyem Shelmet-Accelgor: How To Find & Evolve Shelmet Into Accelgor Karrablast-Escavalier: How To Find & Evolve Karrablast Into Escavalier Deino-Hydreigon: How To Find & Evolve Deino Into Hydreigon Virizion: How To Get Virizion Into Pokémon Sword & Shield Cobalion: How To Get Cobalion Into Pokémon Sword & Shield Terrakion: How To Get Terrakion Into Pokémon Sword & Shield

Generation 6 Pokémon

Kalos changed the game by dropping a brand new type, the Fairy-type. It also rocked the competitive scene by introducing heavy hitters like Greninja and Aegislash. You’ll want to have at least one of these Pokémon on your team.

  • Eevee-Sylveon: How To Find And Evolve Into Sylveon Honedge-Aegislash: How To Find & Evolve Honedge Into Aegislash Goomy-Goodra: How To Find & Evolve Goomy Into Goodra

 Generation 7 Pokémon

Alola’s wild and wacky Pokédex was the series’ final goodbye to the DS. See what gen seven looks like in HD in Sword & Shield.

  • Rowlet-Decidueye: How To Get Rowlet Into Pokémon Sword & Shield Litten-Incineroar: How To Get Litten Into Pokémon Sword & Shield Popplio-Primarina: How To Get Popplio Into Pokémon Sword & Shield Grubbin-Vikavolt: How To Find Grubbin & Evolve It To Vikavolt Jangmo-o-Kommo-o: How To Find & Evolve Jangmo-o Into Kommo-o Drampa: How To Find Drampa Zeraora: How To Get Zeraora Into Pokémon Sword & Shield Meltan-Melmetal: How To Get Meltan Into Pokémon Sword & Shield

Generation 8 Pokémon

The newbies introduced in Sword & Shield are adorable, awesome, and just plain weird. Here’s where to find Galar’s additions to the Pokédex.

  • Grookey-Rillaboom: How To Find & Evolve Grookey Into Rillaboom Scorbunny-Cinderace: How To Find & Evolve Scorbunny Into Cinderace Sobble-Inteleon: How To Find & Evolve Sobble Into Inteleon Rokidee-Corviknight: How To Find & Evolve Rookidee Into Corviknight Wooloo-Dubwool: How To Find & Evolve Wooloo Into Dubwool Nickit-Thievul: How To Find & Evolve Nickit Into Thievul Morpeko: How To Find Morpeko Sizzilpede-Centiskorch: How To Find & Evolve Sizzlipede Into Centiskorch Galarian Meowth-Purrserker: How To Get The Different Versions Of Meowth Toxel-Toxtricity: How To Find Toxel And Get Both Toxtricity Forms Milcery-Alcremie: Guide To Evolving Milcery Into All 63 Forms Of Alcremie Impidimp-Grimmsnarl: How To Find & Evolve Impidimp Into Grimmsnarl Applin-Flapple/Appltun: How To Find And Evolve Applin Sinistea-Polteageist: How To Find And Evolve Sinistea Into Polteageist Stonjurner: How To Find Stonjourner Snom-Frosmoth: How To Find And Evolve Snom Into Frosmoth Eiscue: How To Find Eiscue Dracozult, Arctozult, Dracovish, and Arctovish: Fossil Pokémon Guide Dreepy-Dragapult: How To Find Dreepy And Evolve It To Dragapult

Galarian, Alolan, And Other Special Forms

  • Galarian Zigzagoon-Obstagoon: How To Evolve Zigzagoon To Obstagoon Ponyta-Galarian Rapidash: How To Evolve Ponyta To Galarian Rapidash Galarian Slowpoke: How To Find Galarian Slowpoke Galarian Mewoth: How To Get The Different Versions Of Meowth Galarian Darumaka-Darmanitan: How To Find & Evolve Galarian Darumaka Galarian Yamask-Runerigus: How To Find & Evolve Galarian Yamask

Stay tuned! This guide will be updated regularly until we’ve catalogued them all! More are also coming with the Expansion Pass!

NEXT: Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot – The Complete Guide