For a franchise that has changed bit by bit in its twenty-year history, Pokémon Sun and Moon is a huge leap forward. While the core of the series is still intact: you get a starter Pokémon, run around the world, catching as many of them as you in order to be the very best, and you’ll even compete against the elite four and attempt to become the champion. There is also a lot of new content that easily works to make this one of the freshest experiences for returning players in a long time.
No longer do you run around the in-game world, defeating gym leaders to gather their badges and reach the elite four. Instead, on the tropical region of Alola, you’ll be pit against several captains who will you give you little trials over the course of four islands. Some of the trials are battles, but a lot of them are clever little mini-games that you have to complete in order to complete the challenge. There aren’t even badges in the game anymore. Each challenge nets you something called a Z-stone. These Z-stones allow you to use super powerful moves once per battle. So now even the “badges” have a use outside of making sure your Pokémon listen to you.
There are a lot of quality of life improvements in the game that are simple but effective. You’ll find that you no longer have to select a poke ball out of you bag, you can simply press a button now. As you cycle through each ball will easily display what their function is and how to use them best. You won’t be forced to own certain types of Pokémon. It used to be that you needed a flying Pokémon, a water Pokémon, and so on in order to learn the HM moves like fly, surf, etc. Now, you’ll be given a device called the Poke Rider. Using this, you can summon a Pokémon like Charizard to take you anywhere on the map you’ve previously visited. Or you can call for a Machamp and he’ll use strength to move giant boulders out of the way. Things like this allow for greater freedom in choosing your party. I had a few moments where I wasn’t sure what Pokémon to put in my party because I’m so used to always needing at least a flying Pokémon and a water Pokémon.
Aside from these improvements to the base, there are a number of new features introduced in this iteration. The most important of which is called Poke Refresh. It’s a similar system to the caring system in Pokémon X & Y, except with more layered on top. While this works to help you evolve Pokémon that require a certain happiness level, it goes much further than that.
Make your Pokémon happy enough and you’ll gain a ton of battle benefits. Pokémon with high affection can dodge attacks, have a greater chance for critical hits, and can also cure themselves of status ailments. Unfortunately the game makes none of this apparent to the player. I discovered it by accident because I was attempting to evolve my Eevee into an Umbreon and raised its happiness level to almost as high it could be.
Unfortunately this inability to explain certain new features is a common theme in this game. The major multiplayer feature in the game is called the Festival Plaza. What it does, aside from get you into Pokemon battles with your friends, I couldn’t say. The game attempts to explain it with a brief tutorial, but it never explains the end goal of the feature, or the purpose of any of the little shops in the Plaza. Aside from new colors for your clothing, I couldn’t say what’s in the Plaza. It’s a shame too, because it seems like a deep enough feature, I just have no idea what I’m doing there.
Alongside the journey to defeat the elite four, you’ll also encounter the Aether Foundation and Team Skull. Both are large factors in the other main story of the game. Team Skull is basically the Team Rocket of the game. That is, if Team Rocket was made up of angry internet trolls. No one takes them seriously, even the characters in the game. Everyone makes fun of them and isn’t close to being afraid of them. It’s a hilarious and fresh take on that kind of villain, where they’re usually something to be feared by characters in the game.
Meanwhile, the Aether Foundation will be your introduction to the concept of Ultra Beasts. If you ever imagined what the Old Gods of the Pokémon world would look like, then the Ultra Beasts will show you. Beyond that would delve into spoilers, but the story is more interesting than it lets on at first. It’s definitely one of the better stories the series has seen in quite a while. And it actually held my interest past the general idea of leveling up my Pokémon.
Aside from occasionally leaving you in the dark about its new features, Pokémon Sun and Moon does a pretty good job easing you into things. This may work against it in a few places though, where players familiar with the series might be anxious to get to meat of the game. But for new players, the first few hours will do a wonderful job of acquainting you with how these games work.
Alongside the addition of a whole new generation of Pokémon, some of the old original 151 were remixed and given Alola versions. For example, Vulpix and Ninetales were originally fire type Pokémon. They’re now given new looks and are ice types. About thirty or so of the original set of Pokémon have been given this treatment. It’s a fun new way to keep the older Pokémon fresh and interesting.
Overall Pokémon Sun and Moon are the best Pokémon games in a long time. X and Y took some steps in right direction and Sun and Moon have taken them all the way and then some. Regardless of if you’re a newcomer to the series or someone who has been with the series from the beginning, you’ll find something to love in Pokémon Sun and Moon.
Game was played on a regular model 3DS, game version is Pokemon Sun.
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