

All of these elements are intrinsically tied up with the spirit, history, and lore of Alola, making Alola one of the most culturally interesting and distinct regions we’ve seen to date.īoth Alolan forms of Kanto Pokemon and new Pokemon alike boast a wide array of interesting typings and ability combinations that will keep even hardened veterans on their toes. The evil team–well, you’ll have to wait and see about that one. The plucky rival is less an occasional roadblock and more of a fleshed-out traveling companion, offering friendship and encouragement as you travel. Trials are far more than just gyms with a fancier name–you’ll have to solve puzzles, answer quiz questions, defeat overpowered wild Pokemon, and even take pictures to advance alongside the usual challenging boss battles. Like the majestic Alolan Exeggutor, each of these seemingly drab aspects you see in every Pokemon game have grown exponentially under the brilliant Alolan sun. Along the way, there’s the usual evil team harming Pokemon, the plucky rival, and various legendary Pokemon waiting to challenge you. You and your Pokemon team will have to tackle seven “trials” on the four islands of Alola, each with a different typing and theme, in order to complete the challenge and become an island champion. You’re an 11-year-old (11! still!) kid who has just moved to the tropical Alolan region from Kanto with your mom, a lifestyle change that becomes interesting before you can even unpack when you’re whisked away to get your first Pokemon and take on the Alolan Island Challenge. How will Sun and Moon shake up the tried and true Pokemon recipe, and will it be enough? Or perhaps too much?Ĭredit: Game Freak Your very own Pokemon adventure New forms for old Pokemon have been revealed, and mysterious creatures called Ultra Beasts make us question what a Pokemon really is anymore. Previews and the demo version point to an upheaval of familiar institutions such as Gyms and HMs. To this end, Sun and Moon have their work cut out for them. Since X and Y, Pokemon has been working to draw all trainers together–across international boundaries via wireless communication, across cultural barriers via a shared love of the fandom, and across the generation gap by reminding older fans of why they loved the original games.
Pokemon sun and moon release date series#
But most importantly, the Pokemon series as a whole is undergoing a gradual but dramatic shift in tone. Nintendo has few other major titles lined up for the holiday and the Switch isn’t until next year, meaning Pokemon Sun and Moon will be the shining star on the shelves for Nintendo’s Christmas shoppers. For one, people worldwide are still fueled by the hype generated from Pokemon GO. The stars are aligned for a new Pokemon game to be a great success.
