As promised, today The Pokémon Company confirmed a demo and more details for Pokémon Sun and Moon. Today's info drop featured information on evolutions for the Starter Pokémon, and also new online and in-game features. There's little doubt that the new generation of Pokémon is eager to push new ideas, albeit while holding onto some established features.
As always we thought we'd gather the latest information from the official website in one place, including the latest trailer. If you're trying to avoid information like this then stop reading now. Otherwise, keep going for plenty of art and details.
Enjoy!
Pokémon Sun and Moon Demo
Play the Pokémon Sun and Pokémon Moon Special Demo Version
Beginning October 18, Pokémon Sun and Pokémon Moon Special Demo Version will be available in Nintendo eShop. This is your chance to meet the Pokémon that can be found in November 18's Pokémon Sun and Pokémon Moon! Ash-Greninja, the Pokémon that appears with the hero Ash in the animated TV series Pokémon the Series: XYZ, will also appear in this game as a member of your team—you can adventure together!
Bring Ash-Greninja into Pokémon Sun or Pokémon Moon
You can bring this Greninja, which is able to turn into Ash-Greninja, to your full version of Pokémon Sun or Pokémon Moon (after launch) once you've completed your adventure together in the Pokémon Sun and Pokémon Moon Special Demo Version.
Ash-Greninja has powered up thanks to the strength of its bonds with Ash. This is the form Greninja takes when it has gained new power due to the miraculous occurrence known as the bond phenomenon. This can be brought on by the bonds between people and Pokémon. It seems that it has only known to have occurred once—several hundred years ago.
Ash-Greninja's leg strength has been enhanced compared to an ordinary Greninja, making it difficult to see because of the speed at which it can move. It takes its enemies out in a flash! It becomes able to make giant Water Shurikens on its back, and it can throw them in rapid succession.
Greninja that can become Ash-Greninja have an Ability that no Pokémon has ever had before—Battle Bond. The Battle Bond Ability triggers this Pokémon's form change to Ash-Greninja after it causes an opponent's Pokémon to faint. When the battle ends, the Pokémon returns to its original Greninja form. This form is only for battles where it needs to break the limits!
The Festival Plaza
Join the Fun at the Festival Plaza
In Pokémon Sun and Pokémon Moon, communication features such as battling and trading are all gathered together in Festival Plaza. This is a place where the festivities never stop, as Pokémon Trainers from around the world meet and mingle.
As you progress through your adventure, you'll become able to use Festival Plaza, where you can welcome other people and take requests to keep things hopping. Talk to your visitors to liven things up!
Show visitors around so they can enjoy the festival!
Connect with Other Players
People playing Pokémon Sun or Pokémon Moon near you and players from around the world who are connected to the Internet will visit Festival Plaza, and you can enjoy playing with them using a variety of communication features, including battling and trading.
Shop with Festival Coins
By talking to people and listening to their requests, you can receive Festival Coins, which you can spend in Festival Plaza. There are all kinds of cool stores in Festival Plaza, such as goody shops where you can get deals on items, bouncy houses for Pokémon to train in, and dye houses where you can dye your clothes new colors.
The rank of your Festival Plaza increases based on the number of Festival Coins you gather. As its rank goes up, you'll receive rewards—and the things that you can do in Festival Plaza will also increase!
Tackle Missions as a Team
As your Festival Plaza's rank goes up, you'll gain the ability to host missions, where multiple players can try to complete a certain goal together. Missions can be attempted with other players you connect to via local wireless or the Internet. It also seems that global missions will sometimes be held, in which everyone playing Pokémon Sun and Pokémon Moon can work together to achieve a goal!
Poké Pelago — A Paradise for Pokémon in PC Boxes
In Pokémon Sun and Pokémon Moon, there's a feature known as Poké Pelago, which Pokémon that have been placed in Boxes can enjoy. Poké Pelago consists of a variety of isles where Pokémon can go exploring, play on athletic equipment, and enjoy other fun activities. If you send many Pokémon to Poké Pelago, you can develop the facilities on your isles—and develop new kinds of isles as well. As these isles are developed and increase in number, you'll be able to do things like obtain items or raise your Pokémon.
Mega Evolution Returns in Pokémon Sun and Pokémon Moon
A select number of Pokémon were able to Mega Evolve in Pokémon Omega Ruby, Pokémon Alpha Sapphire, Pokémon X, and Pokémon Y. As long as you're in possession of the proper Mega Stone, any of these Mega-Evolving Pokemon that can be caught in the Alola region will be able to Mega Evolve in Pokémon Sun and Pokémon Moon, as well. The Mega Stones for Pokémon that appear in the Alola region may be received from people in the game or obtained from special shops.
What Is Mega Evolution?
Mega Evolution is an Evolution that goes beyond all previous Pokémon Evolutions. Pokémon that Mega Evolve temporarily unleash the power hidden within them, tapping into a strength that would be beyond imagining in regular Evolution.
There are two conditions that must be fulfilled for Mega Evolution to occur. First, Trainers must wear a special item called a Key Stone, while Pokémon must hold a specific Mega Stone for their particular species. Second, a Trainer must have a strong bond with his or her Pokémon in order for these two items to resonate with each other.
Mega Evolution can only be triggered once per battle, and deciding which Pokémon to Mega Evolve—and when—can be crucial in deciding the outcome of a battle.
Pokémon Global Link
Rating Battles against Trainers around the World
Rating Battles are where the Trainers of the world battle with their favored Pokémon to decide who's the strongest Trainer of all. After becoming a member of the Pokémon Global Link and registering your Pokémon Sun or Pokémon Moon game, you'll be able to use the website. There will be some changes in the battle formats and methods with the update for Pokémon Sun and Pokémon Moon. Details below!
Battle Rules
The three existing sets of battle rules for Rating Battles (Single, Double, Special), will be increased to four with the addition of a new set of battle rules for the Championships Battle format.
Single
Trainers send Pokémon into battle one at a time.
Double
Trainers send Pokémon into battle two at a time.
Special
Each season, a set of special rules takes effect, allowing Trainers to experience a form of battle different from the usual Single or Double Battles.
In a special Season 1, which will begin November 18, this special format is anticipated to be a Single Battle format where you'll be able to participate with Pokémon that cannot take part under other battle rules: the Legendary Pokémon Solgaleo and Lunala, the Magearna that can be obtained through the QR Scanner, the Ash-Greninja obtainable through the Special Demo Version, and others!
New Rules for Championship Battles
The new fourth set of rules will allow Trainers to play year-round using the official rules set for the Pokémon World Championships, the competition that's held every year to decide the world's strongest Pokémon Trainers. You'll be able to experience the WCS2017 rules right from the start, beginning on Friday, November 18.
The main points of the Pokémon WCS 2017 rules are
"Your Time" System for Rating Battles A new system being introduced to the battle time settings is "Your Time." When using this method of time accounting, players will have a maximum of 60 seconds each turn to select a move or Pokémon, and they will also each be awarded 10 minutes of "Your Time." Under these rules, if a player runs out of their 10 minutes before the battle ends, that player loses the match. This will mean matches can be decided more quickly than in the past, allowing players to enjoy thrilling battles.
- Double Battle format is limited to Pokémon that appear in the Alola Region Pokédex (excluding some Legendary and Mythical Pokémon).
- Use of Mega Stones is not allowed.
- Only Pokémon that can be obtained in Pokémon Sun and Pokémon Moon may be entered.
Note: The exclusion of certain Legendary and Mythical Pokémon from Single and Double Battle regulations remains the same as in the past.
Note: In addition to the Pokémon obtainable in Pokémon Sun and Pokémon Moon, Pokémon obtainable in Pokémon X, Pokémon Y, Pokémon Omega Ruby, and Pokémon Alpha Sapphire will also become eligible to use under the regulations for Single and Double Rating Battles for a set time after the update to Pokémon Bank in January 2017.
Note: At a later date, special rules are anticipated for Rating Battles and Live Competitions that will allow the use of Pokémon brought into Pokémon Sun or Pokémon Moon from the Nintendo 3DS Virtual Console software titles Pokémon Red, Pokémon Blue, and Pokémon Yellow: Special Pikachu Edition.
Global Missions Are Starting!
Global missions are limited-time events that give Trainers around the world a shared mission via Festival Plaza in Pokémon Sun and Pokémon Moon, and they will be held at regular intervals. The theme of the first global mission will be "Catch a lot of Pokémon!" It's expected to go live in late November. What's it all about? Why, this mission is about catching a lot of Pokémon—regardless of their species!
The number of Pokémon needed, along with other goals to achieve, will be announced on the Pokémon Global Link immediately before the mission goes live. Keep an eye peeled for the reward you can receive for completing the mission—and remember to invite your friends to join in, too!
Note: You must register your game on the PGL to see your global mission results reflected.
Note: To help celebrate the opening of the PGL, we hope to give out a special gift to all PGL members after our first successful global mission!
Host Your Own Friendly Competitions
On the new PGL, you'll be able to compete in official Online Competitions as in the past, but now there's more! A new Friendly Competition feature has been constructed that will allow you to become a competition host yourself and host original competitions where you set the regulations. Friendly Competitions allow you to hold competitions in two different styles. Recruit your friends and enjoy climactic battles!
Online Competitions
In these Internet competitions, you'll battle other participants you've been matched with and compete for the best rating. These competitions can be open to Pokémon Trainers all around the world, or they can be set to only allow pre-approved Trainers to enter. When the number of participants exceeds a certain number, Pokémon ranking will also be calculated, just as in official Online Competitions.
Live Competitions
Live Competitions allow you to host a competition where you gather together with friends and others in the same space. The Digital Player ID that contains the regulations will be created as a QR Code, and by scanning in that QR Code, participants will be able to battle according to the competition's regulations.
Starter Pokémon Evolutions
Rowlet evolves into...
Dartrix is extremely sensitive to other presences in the area and can detect opponents behind it and throw feathers to strike them without even seeing them. This Pokémon conceals sharp-bladed feathers inside its wings, showing astounding precision as it sends them flying in attack. And it goes beyond propelling its blade quills in simple straight lines—it can even bend these feathers to change their trajectories!
Revealing a certain snobbiness in its personality, Dartrix cares a great deal about its appearance, grooming its feathers in every spare moment. In truth, it's also a bit of a birdbrain, with a tendency to bungle things up. Once it makes a mistake, it sometimes gets into a desperate struggle to gloss over the situation and ends up making a bigger mess than ever.
At times, this Pokémon feels so bothered by its dirty or ruffled feathers that it can't focus on battle. When it loses its focus, it sometimes even retires from the battle on the spot! It's up to each Trainer to help Dartrix overcome this troublesome stage. If this Pokémon is with a Trainer who helps it through, its strength will grow hugely!
Litten evolves into...
The bell-like object attached at the base of Torracat's neck is a flame sac, an organ that can produce flames. Torracat's emotions cause a rise in the organ's temperature, and when the organ spits flames, it rings with the high, clear sound of a bell. Torracat attacks using the flames emitted from this bell.
Torracat's mane serves as an excellent sensory organ, and it can sense what's going on around it—even in the dark! It can also detect the presence of hidden enemies.
Torracat has a great love for battle and will attack so relentlessly that its opponents lose the will to fight. And yet it sometimes behaves like spoiled child in front of Trainers or Pokémon with whom it has built a relationship of trust.
The cat punch that this Pokémon can dish out with its strong forelegs is extremely powerful. It can bend iron bars and knock out large men with a single blow!
Popplio evolves into...
Brionne learns its dances by imitating the other members of its colony. It sometimes even learns dances from humans. This Pokémon is a hard worker and pours itself into its efforts until it has memorized each dance. As it dances, Brionne creates balloon after balloon. In battle, it first sends its opponent into disarray with its dancing, and then slaps its balloons into its target, causing the balloons to explode and deal damage.
Brionne can dance in perfect time with others, even if they have only just met. On moonlit nights, you can sometimes see throngs of Brionne dancing as one, in perfect fluidity.
Brionne always acts cheery and positive. Even when it's feeling sad, this Pokémon doesn't allow its sorrow to show. It's said that Brionne will only reveal a sad expression to a Pokémon or Trainer to whom it has opened its heart completely.
[source pokemon-sunmoon.com]
Comments 40
This demo seems much more interesting than the previous one.
Also the exclusive prize is actually exclusive and not just a thing you can get normally which is great.
Lots of good info today.
I'm really pleased with this new info. I genuinely believe Sun and Moon could be the best Pokémon games yet; we'll just have to see.
Really hope litten stay on 4 legs in the end and I also want rowlet to be an archer
The Spanish site apparently leaked Ice Stones, could be how you evolve Alolan Vulpix into Ninetales.
Waaaaahhh... they kept megas. Otherwise, awesome!
The Festival Plaza and Poké Pelago both sound very interesting, and I'm glad they confirmed that The Festival Plaza can connect with people through the internet.
A few of my friends said they don't like a lot of the recent announcements for Sun and Moon... but I love them. Not only do the new Pokemon look cool, but the plethora of new features are appreciated and I like how they switching the formula up from the typical eight gyms system without completely changing Pokemon from what it is. They're spicing the formula up without changing what the game is... something other Nintendo franchises couldn't do.
Appearently some spanish people noticed a new ice stone in their video.
Honestly, not a fan of megas coming back or about Ash's Greninja making it to the game. I know Pokémon Yellow exists, but keep the anime and the games separate, thanks.
Other than that, everything's good. Can't remember the last time I liked all three mid-evos. I hope the focus on online functionality doesn't mean they're placing less resources on the single-player adventure.
If Gamefreak manages to bring back the exploration of the early titles and keeps the scripted NPC interruptions to a minimum, these titles could put Pokémon on the right track again.
I'm liking everything I've read about Sun and Moon so far they sound freaking AWESOME.., simply can't wait to play.
@SanderEvers You can't do both - they both require a hold item. The exception is obviously Mega Rayquaza, who doesn't need to hold a Mega Stone to Mega Evolve.
So with Poke Pelago, basically, Pokemon can go somewhere where they are well taken care of (like at prof. Oak's in the anime) instead of being stuck as digital data in the PC. Nice touch.
The post game is looking very fruitful in Sun and Moon. I was actually hoping for buddies to actually jump into each other's games and just explore the region together. Yourself and up to three friends. But... guess we'll never see that, huh?
Still, this is an okay alternative. Gotta see how it plays out before actually passing judgement, but looks cool so far.
Also, I can't believe there is a demo coming. In, what? Two weeks from today? We're so close, it's unreal! The months have just flown by!
Did anyone else notice that you need BP to get mega stones which you can only get at the battle frontier or maison. I really hope that they bring back the battle frontier, I loved that in Emerald! Listen Game Freak!!!
@Piersen I always assumed that the PC created a digital world for them to bide their time and have fun in anyway, and that's what the whole point of setting a backdrop is for. What you see and what they see are different, essentially.
Wow! I can't wait for this game to release. I'll be playing the demo as soon as it's available.
@HyrulianOfHyrule "The cat punch that this Pokémon can dish out with its strong forelegs is extremely powerful. It can bend iron bars and knock out large men with a single blow!"
And Mallow was shown in the art well before we knew of her.
Honestly, anybody still denying the Chinese leak is deluding themselves. This mid-forms line up perfectly- Rowlet has gained sharp feathers in its wings that it uses as projectiles, Popplio has taken on a more feminine and dance focused form rather than straight-up circus performing, and Litten has the flame sac on it's neck and what I posted above.
@Tsurii Literally first thing I thought when I read that.
What I would give for PokemonsterHunter.
@Pants98 Let's just hope they didn't leave the entire pokedex for dataminers to find cough like X and Y cough and ORAS.
-Use of Mega Stones is not allowed.
-Only Pokémon that can be obtained in Pokémon Sun and Pokémon Moon may be entered.
When I was thinking that maybe VGC was going to be entertaining again without all that power creep, then they said that they will allow pokemon from oras and X/Y when pokebank updates for S&M in january, so, hello again primal party poopers.
Let's see if those "later date special rules" have anything to do with banning those things -.-
Still curious about Festival Plaza.
Will that place much like Tortimer Island ACNL ?
I mean, we can meet with other players, see other players swarming around and chatting ?
I'm actually really hyped for Ash-Greninja. The XY&Z anime has been really good, and Ash-Greninja is part of that. For all the naysayers out there, just watch (from 14:00 on) this link: https://youtu.be/mLLO2mFy4MU
Edit: Make sure to turn the volume on, the battle music is awesome!
Great now I can be like Ash, but seriously if the level difficulty is anything close to FR, LG and Platinum, the bad guys are persistent like Team Rocket, the post game actually exists and the battle froniter returns then this could be the greatest game ever.
I would seriously like for the VS Seeker to return and work just like the old games with stronger trainer level's
Am I the only one that WANTS Mega evolution to stay? I'm just disappointed we might not get new megas, so many Pokémon can benefit from them...
Also, rowlet's evolution line is growing on me now that I've seen people point out the DW resemblance. Ugh, but I'm Team Litten, I already have friends getting the other two starters...
Also this better have decent post game content, X and Y were so weak in that regard...
@kotag I think they banned Megas specifically because they're all for Pokemon that aren't in the Alolan Pokedex. Their reasoning for making it Alola only is to give their new Pokemon a chance in competitive play.
SO MUCH THINGS!!!
I think I will pick the starter that is the least popular...I'm a sucker for the underdog.
Looking forward to the demo, hoping it's better than the one for ORAS.
Is no one worried that the demo will get dumped and hacked and everything will get leaked before the official release date? ORAS was majorly spoiled because of its demo.
Ash-Greninja is marking the first major influence from the anime: seriously, Pokémon Yellow has nothing on this.
I don't know if that's effectively a good thing.
This is definitely one of the better news dumps. Poke Pelago and Festival Plaza both look like cool features, and Mega Evolution is returning (though I would have been surprised if that battle mechanic had been removed). I never do anything with the Global Link, so that doesn't interest me.
As for the starter evos, I love Torracat and Dartrix is passable. Brionne though...nope. Unfortunately, they seem to give more credit to the Chinese leaks.
Seriously, we knew megas would be back. You don't introduce something one generation and not get back it for the next. Demo's too soon for my liking, too, though I'll probably download it November 18th to make up for the five day delay in the european release.
I can't wait for this game! I'm going to keep replaying the demo until it comes out, haha!
The Festival Plaza reminds me of the Join Avenue from Black 2 and White 2, but better which is nice because I enjoyed the facilities it had to offer from having online/local people set up shop.
Not too sure how I feel about Ash-Greninja at the moment since I haven't seen the anime lately, but I suppose my opinion might change once the games release. The post-game content is shaping up to be at least along the lines of Black 2 and White 2 for post-game content, if so I'm going to really enjoy Sun and Moon as I remember spending a bunch of time with White 2.
Does this mean that we won't be able to just use online features on the bottom screen like we could in OR/AS? It sounds like we have to go to a specific location now which could be fun but kind of frustrating at the same time.
The demo comes out on my birthday so it's a great present for me. Can't wait for these games. I think once the demo comes out I won't be clicking on any article or website that has spoilers for Sun & Moon. Hope those leaks are wrong abot the final evos because they are ugly. Festival Plaza should be fun. I wish they would make a demo that's kind of like Bravely Default's. Separate from the main game like a prequel so it doesn't spoil the game too much.
It may be nothing, but I just noticed that the Nintendo UK site refers to Dartix, Torracat and Bionne as 'first-partner Pokemon evolutions' rather than simply 'starter evolutions' as you'd expect.
Could mean that we don't actually get our 'first-partner' at the start of the game (hence calling them starter Pokemon' would be inaccurate), perhaps using a borrowed Pokemon until that point (maybe a Rockruff that's more of a family pet, which would explain the mention of it having something in common with the 'first-partners').
@Igetin 4chan's already vowed to hack it open.
These are the people who pulled FEif: Revelation off of the Japanese servers hours after the base game released and weeks before it was supposed to be available officially.
Pretty much nothing will stop them.
Before seeing the starter evolutions, I was evenly split between all three. Knowing now what they all end up like - the Grass type is far and away my first choice. I don't dislike any of them, though.
I guess it is weird to have starters be so strongly gender-coded (check out the leaked final evos if you're interested). Emboar and Braixen were kind of out there too, which felt about as weird when they were revealed. Imo starters should have as broad appeal as possible since they're the player's first Pokémon choice.
But still, they're all pretty cool and fun-looking!
@GoldenGamer88 well they are supposedly taking out battest other than the normal single and double battles in Sun and Moon, so anything can hey yanked at any time.
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