Pokemon Sword and Shield’s online and local functionality have been discussed at length, but we’re finally getting an idea of how things work in practice. Here are five things you can do locally and online in Pokemon Sword and Shield.
It’s worth noting that while, in theory, online works exactly the same as local play we haven’t been able to test it ourselves yet. We’ll update this article when Pokemon Sword and Shield is released and the servers are live.
Trade, Seamlessly, in the Background
You can easily Link Trade or Surprise Trade with other players locally or over the internet. A Link Trade is a direct trade where you know exactly which Pokemon you’re getting in exchange. Just open the Y-Comm (by pressing Y), select Link Trade, and then “Start Trading.”
Source: IGN.com Pokemon Sword and Shield Online and Local Gameplay Explained