Pokémon Sword & Shield have given Pokémon the power to turn into giants with the help of the new Dynamax and Gigantamax transformations and it's possible to claim three of them straight away under certain circumstances. All players can claim a Meowth that can turn into a very long cat, while the people who enjoyed the Pokémon: Let's Go! games can claim a bushy maned Eevee or a very chubby Pikachu.
It was revealed in a trailer for Pokémon Sword & Shield that five Pokémon would receive bizarre Gigantamax forms. Pokémon in the Galar can undergo a Dynamax transformation for three turns that greatly increases their power, but some Pokémon can take on a Gigantamax form that gives them new abilities. The early adopters for Pokémon Sword & Shield and the fans of the previous Pokémon games for Nintendo Switch can claim some Gigantamax Pokémon early on in the story of the latest game, so long as they know how to do it.
How To Claim Gigantamax Meowth
Gigantamax Meowth was an instant source of memes, as its appearance was similar to that of the ancient "Longcat" meme from the old days of the Internet. The special Meowth that is capable of using the Gigantamax transformation is available to everyone who purchases Pokémon Sword & Shield, so long as they have Internet access and can claim it before January 15, 2020.
Once the player has chosen their starter Pokémon in Pokémon Sword & Shield, the Mystery Gift icon will appear on the menu. Simply select Mystery Gift, Get a Mystery Gift, Get via Internet, then select Yes to save the game and connect to the Internet. Select the Meowth and it will appear in the player's party or in one of their boxes if the party is full.
The Meowth claimed through this method cannot evolve into Persian.
How To Claim Gigantamax Eevee & Pikachu
In order to claim the Gigantamax Eevee or Pikachu, the player will need to have corresponding save data from either Pokémon: Let's Go, Eevee! or Pokémon: Let's Go, Pikachu! for the Nintendo Switch. The save can be from anywhere in the game, so the player will be eligible to acquire the Pokémon if they borrow a physical copy of one of the Let's Go games from a friend and save straight away.
The player needs to go to a specific place in order to claim the free Eevee or Pikachu and it doesn't take long to get there. Once the player and Hop take the train journey to the Wild Area, they will depart at a station that has a couple standing in the corner. In order to claim the Eevee, the player needs to talk to the man with brown hair and a grey jacket. In order to claim the Pikachu, the player needs to talk to the lady with the blonde hair and the grey shirt. Unlike the Gigantamax Meowth, these characters are not timed and will be part of the game for the foreseeable future, so people who purchase the Let's Go games after finishing Pokémon Sword & Shield can go back and visit the couple afterward to claim their Pokémon.
Like the Meowth mentioned above, the Eevee and Pikachu cannot evolve.
Pokémon Sword and Pokemon Shield are available for Nintendo Switch.