《寶可夢 盾》（英文:Pokémon Shield，日文：ポケットモンスター シールド）是由Game Freak開發、任天堂與The Pokémon Company於2019年聯合發行的角色扮演遊戲，作為《寶可夢》系列的第八世代作品之一，首次登上Nintendo Switch平台與其姊妹作《寶可夢 劍》共同推出。不僅代表主系列進入家用主機領域，更在畫面、探索與戰鬥系統上進行多項革新，為系列打開嶄新篇章。

故事背景設定在全新虛構地區「伽勒爾地區」（Galar），這是一個受英國文化啟發而設計的廣大地圖，包含鄉村、工業城市、雪原、礦山與摩天都市等多樣化地形。主角是來自小村莊的新任寶可夢訓練家，踏上旅程的目標是收集八個道館徽章，挑戰寶可夢聯盟冠軍，但與傳統的「四天王」設計不同，伽勒爾地區採用職業體育競技風格，戰鬥場景仿如球場，觀眾席、轉播與應援氛圍更為鮮明。主角將與競爭對手霍普（Hop）——也是現任冠軍丹帝（Leon）的弟弟——一同冒險，途中將揭開一段有關神獸、伽勒爾歷史與能源異變的故事。

劇情圍繞一種名為「極巨化」（Dynamax）的現象展開，這是伽勒爾地區特有的現象，可使寶可夢在戰鬥中短暫變巨大並大幅提升戰鬥力。在挑戰道館或特定地點時會體驗這一全新機制，也牽扯到地區背後古老的傳說。隨著主線推進，將面對名為「瑪麗」（Marnie）與「彼得」（Bede）的競爭者，同時揭露企業贊助體制與能量控制機關「宏集團」（Macro Cosmos）背後的陰謀。雖然劇情整體偏向輕鬆少年冒險風格，但在後段仍有象徵性的主題探討，包括英雄的虛構與歷史的曲解。

操作方面，基本上延續傳統回合制戰鬥與野外探索系統，但做出幾項重大改變。最大亮點是加入「曠野地帶」（Wild Area），這是開放式場域，可自由旋轉視角、操控鏡頭，並依據不同天氣、時間出現不同種類的寶可夢。曠野地帶設有連線合作要素，例如四人組隊挑戰巨大寶可夢的「極巨團體戰」（Max Raid Battles），融合單人探索與多人對戰樂趣。在一般地圖上，可直接看到寶可夢在草叢中移動，大幅減少隨機遇敵的煩躁感，提升蒐集與捕捉的主動性與沉浸感。

戰鬥方面保留經典的六隻寶可夢輪替與屬性相剋系統，但每場道館戰皆採大場面演出，並強調極巨化的策略使用。部分寶可夢還擁有「超極巨化」形態（Gigantamax），不只是變大，也會改變外型與技能特效。與過去不同的是，主角的裝備與髮型可自訂，服飾店與理髮店可讓玩家打造獨一無二的形象。此外，也導入「寶可夢營地」功能，與寶可夢互動、煮料理（咖哩飯）來提升親密度，讓整體冒險過程更具生活感。

在Switch平台推出後，獲得廣泛關注與銷售佳績，首週全球銷量突破600萬套，成為寶可夢系列最快銷售的作品之一。媒體評價整體正向，Metacritic平均分數約為80分，IGN給予9.3分，讚賞遊戲畫面提升、角色設計出色、戰鬥節奏順暢，並肯定曠野地帶的創新設計與極巨戰的新鮮感。但也有部分負面聲音指出，雖是系列首次進入高性能主機，但在畫質細節、動畫表現與寶可夢總數縮減（未包含全國圖鑑）等方面仍顯不足，引發部分資深玩家批評。此外，劇情節奏對於經驗豐富的玩家可能略顯平淡，挑戰性也偏低。

總體而言，《寶可夢 盾》是一次大膽嘗試與保守融合的作品，未能徹底打破系列框架，但成功引入曠野地帶與極巨化等新要素，讓探索與戰鬥更加動態且多元。適合新世代玩家初次接觸寶可夢，也為老玩家帶來一定程度的新鮮體驗。對於希望在掌機與家用機間靈活遊玩的Switch玩家來說，無疑是內容豐富、節奏明快且充滿奇幻氛圍的冒險RPG。

Pokémon Shield (Japanese: ポケットモンスター シールド) is a role-playing game developed by Game Freak and jointly published by Nintendo and The Pokémon Company in 2019. As one of the main titles of the series' eighth generation, it was released alongside its counterpart Pokémon Sword, marking the first time the core Pokémon series appeared on the Nintendo Switch. This transition not only brought the series to a home console but also introduced significant innovations in visuals, exploration, and combat systems, opening a new chapter for the franchise.

The story is set in the newly created Galar region, a vast land inspired by British culture, featuring diverse environments such as rural villages, industrial cities, snowy plains, mines, and futuristic skyscrapers. The protagonist is a new Pokémon Trainer from a small village who embarks on a journey to collect eight Gym Badges and challenge the Champion of the Pokémon League. Departing from the traditional "Elite Four" format, Galar adopts a professional sports atmosphere for battles, with stadium-like arenas, live broadcasts, and cheering crowds. Alongside your rival Hop—the younger brother of reigning Champion Leon—you'll uncover a story involving legendary Pokémon, the history of Galar, and an energy anomaly.

The plot revolves around a phenomenon known as Dynamax, unique to the Galar region, which temporarily enlarges Pokémon during battle and significantly boosts their power. This mechanic plays a major role in Gym challenges and special locations, tying into ancient myths of the region. As the story unfolds, players face off against rivals Marnie and Bede, while uncovering a deeper conspiracy involving the corporate sponsor system and the energy conglomerate Macro Cosmos. While the overall narrative retains a lighthearted, shonen-style adventure tone, it subtly touches on symbolic themes in its later stages—such as the fabrication of heroism and the distortion of history.

In terms of gameplay, Pokémon Shield retains the series’ classic turn-based combat and field exploration systems but introduces several key innovations. The most prominent addition is the Wild Area, an open-world-like zone where players can freely control the camera and encounter different Pokémon depending on the weather and time of day. The Wild Area also features multiplayer components like Max Raid Battles, where up to four players team up to take down giant Dynamaxed Pokémon—blending solo exploration with cooperative strategy. Unlike older entries, wild Pokémon are now visible in the overworld, reducing the frustration of random encounters and enhancing immersion and engagement in collecting.

Battles continue to use the familiar six-Pokémon team system and type-based strategies, but Gym battles are now larger-scale spectacles that emphasize Dynamax usage. Some Pokémon have unique Gigantamax forms that not only change their size but also alter their appearance and moves. For the first time, players can customize their character's clothing and hairstyle through boutiques and salons, creating a more personalized experience. The game also introduces Pokémon Camp, where players can interact with their Pokémon, cook curry, and increase affection, adding a cozy, life-simulation element to the journey.

Upon its release on the Switch, Pokémon Shield garnered significant attention and commercial success, selling over 6 million copies worldwide in its first week—making it one of the fastest-selling titles in Pokémon history. The game received generally positive reviews, with a Metacritic average score around 80 and a 9.3/10 from IGN, which praised its improved visuals, strong character design, smooth battle flow, and the innovative Wild Area and Dynamax mechanics. However, there was some criticism: despite launching on a high-performance console, the game was seen by some as lacking in visual detail and animation polish. The exclusion of the full National Pokédex also sparked controversy among veteran fans. Additionally, experienced players found the story progression somewhat simplistic and the overall difficulty low.

In conclusion, Pokémon Shield represents a blend of bold innovation and cautious tradition. While it doesn't completely break away from the established Pokémon formula, it successfully introduces new features like the Wild Area and Dynamaxing that bring more dynamism and variety to exploration and combat. It's a solid entry point for newcomers and offers a refreshing experience for long-time fans. For players seeking a content-rich, fast-paced, and whimsical RPG that bridges handheld and console play on the Switch, Pokémon Shield delivers a memorable adventure.