Topic: Pokemon Sword/Shield trade with different versions

Hello all,
Does anyone have experience to tell me if you can trade and/or battle between versions of sword/shield that are on different updates e.g. one with the expansion and one out the box vanilla on day one version?

Thanks all!

Online functionalities are usually restricted if the games detect they’re out of date.

Not sure about completely local interactions. But if you’ve connected to the internet at any point, chances are the games will know they’re out of date regardless.

Thanks for the response, yes, should have specified this is for local trading. And actually with offline consoles.

Yeah was my worry. Ok thanks for the help!
I get the same with local link on mario. Though you do get an option to update if you're . I'm not sure if that will be the same with two offline versions and only one with the expansion

The updated game will likely know the other one hasn’t been updated and stop the process. Though if you’re able to test, it would be nice if you could! Just to confirm.

Yeah I'd like to test and if I'm able I'll post back, however I don't have either so buying both may be pricey. Plus the expansion cart is hard to find

Update on this: unfortunately it turns out there are multiple versions on the carts in the boxed vanilla versions so can confirm that different versions cannot trade and can't match update offline as the 'share update in a group' option won't work between sword and shield.

The '+ expansions' retail version may work with vanilla if both are same version but not tested.
Thanks!

@mrjelly : Nintendo generally updates the versions that are on the cartridges in subsequent pressings of their games (with the possible exception of Smash Ultimate as that would now require a 32GB cartridge after updates), so it is very unlikely that any recently procured copies of the games will contain Version 1.0 (the first pressings of the expansion editions contained Version 1.3 from memory).

Even if your friend has an out-of-date version (or vice versa) you can update your version locally (without an internet connection) so that you are both using the same version (and you will be able to trade/battle without issue).

@CactusMan : Ah, I see. Of course. In that case, you are unfortunately out of luck unless you can get both consoles to connect to the internet and download the updates for both games. Is there any reason why you can't just do that? Unfortunately, you won't be able to trade otherwise.

Thanks all, yes looks like we need a rethink.
The offline version match would work a treat but Pokemon is the exception!

Just an update here, and with thanks to @Zendero from this thread:
https://www.nintendolife.com/forums/nintendo-switch/question_...

Pokemon Sword with the code printed on the back (not embossed) ending in 000 has 1.0.0
Pokemon Sword ending in 005 has version 1.3.1
Pokemon Shield ending 002 has 1.1.1

this is only testing one cart of each, however looks like if I wanted version 1.3.1 of Sword I'd want the code ending 005. I hope that Sword and Shield have the same corresponding codes.

in case it's of interest.