Pokémon Sun and Moon

Pokémon Sun Pokémon Moon
North American packaging artwork for Pokémon Sun, depicting the Legendary Pokémon Solgaleo
Developer(s)	Game Freak
Publisher(s)	The Pokémon Company
Distributor(s)	Nintendo
Director(s)	Shigeru Ohmori
Producer(s)	Junichi Masuda Shin Uwai Takato Utsunomiya Hitoshi Yamagami
Designer(s)	Shigeru Ohmori
Programmer(s)	Sosuke Tamada
Artist(s)	Takao Unno
Writer(s)	Toshinobu Matsumiya Suguru Nakatsui Kenji Matsushima Masafumi Nukita
Composer(s)	Minako Adachi Go Ichinose Junichi Masuda Hitomi Sato Tomoaki Oga Hideaki Kuroda
Series	Pokémon
Platform(s)	Nintendo 3DS
Release date(s)	WW: November 18, 2016 EU: November 23, 2016
Genre(s)	Role-playing video game
Mode(s)	Single-player, multiplayer

Pokémon Sun and Pokémon Moon (ポケットモンスター　サン・ムーン, Poketto Monsutā San & Mūn) are role-playing video games developed by Game Freak and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo 3DS. They are the first installments in the seventh generation of Pokémon games. First announced in February 2016 through a special Nintendo Direct, both Sun and Moon were released worldwide in November 2016, commemorating the franchise's 20th anniversary.

As with previous installments, each game follows the journey of a young Pokémon trainer (and the trainer's friends) as they train Pokémon. This time, the game takes place in the Alola region—based on Hawaii—with the object of the game being to thwart the schemes of the nefarious criminal organization Team Skull, all while attempting to challenge various Pokémon trainers of gradually increasing difficulty. Sun and Moon introduced several dozen new Pokémon species, and includes new features such as Alolan forms of previous generation Pokémon, powerful moves known as Z-Moves, new, powerful creatures known as Ultra Beasts, updated battle and training mechanics, and improved polygonal 3D graphics. The games also adopted the previously introduced battle mechanic known as Mega Evolution, which was first introduced in Pokémon X and Y. Although Sun and Moon are mostly independent of each other, both feature largely the same plot, and while either can be played separately, trading Pokémon between the two games is allowed.

Upon release, the game received positive reviews from critics, and shipped over 10 million units worldwide within a week, becoming one of the fastest selling games in Nintendo's history.

Gameplay

Pokémon Sun and Moon are role-playing video games with adventure elements, based in the fictional Alola region (which itself is loosely based on Hawaiian and Pacific Islander culture), presented in a third-person, overhead perspective. The player controls a young trainer who goes on a quest to catch and train creatures known as Pokémon, and win battles against other trainers. By defeating enemy Pokémon in turn-based battles, the player's Pokémon gains experience, allowing them to level up and increase their battle statistics, learn new battle techniques, and in some cases, evolve into more powerful Pokémon. Alternatively, players can capture wild Pokémon, found during random encounters, by weakening them in battle and catching them with Poké Balls, allowing them to be added to their party. Players are also able to battle and trade Pokémon with other human players using the Nintendo 3DS's connectivity features. Like in previous games in the series, certain Pokémon are only obtainable in either Sun or Moon, with players encouraged to trade with others in order to obtain all Pokémon from both versions.

Features

Pokémon Sun and Moon, like their predecessors, are presented in fully three dimensional (3D) polygonal graphics, allowing for more interactivity with the overworld and more dynamic action during battles.^[1] Players are also able to customize their Pokémon trainer's appearance, choosing gender, skin tone and hair color at the start of the game, and can later acquire outfits and accessories to change their character's look. Joining the previous generations of Pokémon are all new species, such as the new Starter Pokémon; Rowlet, Litten, and Popplio, and the Pokémon that are, within the fictional Pokémon world, described as legendary, namely Solgaleo and Lunala.^[2][3]

Concept art shown during the initial announcement of the games indicated that Pokémon Centers and Poké Marts would receive updates to their respective designs. IGN and Kotaku noted an abundance of vehicles in the concept art, including a fire engine, a pickup truck, and an ambulance, some of them ridden in by Pokémon.^[4][5] Pokémon Sun and Moon is the first entry in the series to be available in Chinese, both Simplified and Traditional, along with English, French, Spanish, Italian, German, Japanese and Korean, for a total of nine playable languages.^[6] In a video centered on the games on May 10, 2016, the games' starter Pokémon were revealed as Rowlet (Grass-Flying), Litten (Fire), and Popplio (Water). The packaging artwork for each title was also unveiled, depicting the legendary Pokémon, named Solgaleo and Lunala.^[7] A later video revealed certain Pokémon having different forms to adapt to the climate of Alola, changing appearance, typing, and abilities, known as "Alola forms".^[8]

On August 1, 2016, a new type of move known as Z-moves was announced as a powerful move that can only be used once during battle.^[9] On September 6, 2016, a new feature was revealed, the "Poké Finder" allows players to take photos of their Pokémon, similar to Pokémon Snap. In addition, the two games' clocks are set 12 hours apart from each other, with Sun operating on the 3DS time, and Moon 12 hours ahead.^[10][11] It was also revealed the two games would feature creatures known as "Ultra Beasts".^[12] Character customization as previously seen in X and Y returns in Sun and Moon. A new "Pokémon Refresh" feature, which allows players to care for and feed their Pokémon was also announced.^[13] Mega Evolution, a concept first introduced in X and Y returns in Sun and Moon.^[14] During a Nintendo financial briefing on October 27, 2016, a Pokémon League was announced allowing users access to the Battle Tree, which allows them to battle or team up with past Pokémon Champions.^[15]

Compatibility

Pokémon Sun and Moon are compatible with the Pokémon Bank, an online Pokémon storage system introduced during the previous generation of Pokémon games. In a special Pokémon Direct on February 26, 2016, Tsunekazu Ishihara from The Pokémon Company announced that Pokémon caught in the Virtual Console versions of Red, Blue, and Yellow are transferable to Sun and Moon via Pokémon Bank. Pokémon caught in X, Y, Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire are also transferable.^[16] Compatibility for Pokémon Bank will become available in January 2017.^[13]

Setting

Official artwork for the Alola Region

The Alola Region was heavily inspired by Hawaii, with Game Freak staff visiting the islands to conduct research for the game.

The games take place on the tropical islands of the Alola region, composed entirely of islands. Joe Skrebels of IGN describes it as "Pokémon's take on Hawaii".^[17] During an interview at E3 2016, Shigeru Ohmori noted that Game Freak staff took trips to Hawaii to conduct research for Sun and Moon.^[18]

The leading scientist in the Alola region is Professor Kukui, whose name comes from the kukui, also known as the candlenut, the Hawaiian state tree, continuing the trend of Pokémon professors being named after trees. Team Skull is the name of the villainous group for Alola.^[19][20] The Aether Foundation is an organization which studies Ultra Beasts, mysterious creatures from another dimension.^[21] Professor Oak does not appear in Sun and Moon, his cousin Samson Oak taking his place.^[22]

Promotion and release

On February 25, 2016, the existence of the two games was leaked when Nintendo's trademarks for them were found on the website of the European Union Intellectual Property Office.^[23][24] IGN pointed towards the recent introduction of a new Pokémon, Magearna, as indication the two games would be revealed.^[25] The games were officially announced the following day in a Nintendo Direct presentation that also commemorated the franchise's 20th anniversary.^[26] The games launched with support for nine languages.^[16] On May 10, more information on the game was released through a new trailer, including new Pokémon, box art, and release dates. Pokémon Sun and Pokémon Moon released in Japan, North America, and Australia on November 18, 2016, and in Europe on November 23, 2016.^[27] A comic based on Pokémon Sun and Moon launched alongside an edition of CoroCoro magazine on September 15, 2016.^[28] Early purchasers of the games received a special Munchlax holding "Snorlium Z", enabling it to use an exclusive Z-move unique to Snorlax, Munchlax's evolution, via wireless event distribution with their game.^[29] On November 30, 2016, a four-disc official soundtrack was released.^[30] A Japanese trailer was unveiled on September 8, 2016.^[31] A Pokémon Sun and Moon themed New Nintendo 3DS XL was released on October 28, 2016.^[32]

Similar to Pokémon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire, a special demo was released on October 18, 2016.^[33] On October 27, 2016 during Nintendo's Financial Briefing, the demo was downloaded more than 3.5 million times, being the most popular and fastest "selling" demo in 3DS history.^[34] Pokémon Sun and Moon are the most pre-ordered games in Nintendo's history.^[35]

Days before the game's release, the game's files were leaked over the internet, giving software pirates access to the full game, including online functions before the release. Nintendo took action against those who used the internet features afterward, banning those involved from not only using the online features of the game (even if playing the genuine release), but also from accessing other 3DS online services, such as the eShop and Miiverse.^[36] According to Nintendo of America, Sun and Moon are also the fastest-selling titles in Nintendo's history.^[37]

Reception

Pokémon Sun and Moon received critical acclaim. Both Pokémon Sun and Moon received a score of 87/100 on Metacritic based on 31 reviews, indicating "generally positive reviews".^[38][39] Video game review site IGN gave the game a 9/10, and said that the games "switch up the formula to create an engaging adventure that improves on its predecessors."^[40] Nintendo Life called them the best Pokémon games ever produced.^[41]

Pokémon Sun and Moon sold over 1.9 million copies in Japan in its first three days on the market.^[42] During a GameStop Q3 earnings conference call, Pokémon Sun and Moon was said to have the most pre-orders for any video game in the last five years.^[43] It is GameStop's best-selling game of 2016, outselling Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare.^[44] On its first day of release, Pokémon Sun and Moon shipped 10 million units worldwide.^[45] Pokémon Sun and Moon are Nintendo's biggest game launch of all time in Europe. The United Kingdom launch was double the size of Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire. The games sold during the first week in Europe 1.5 million copies and in the United Kingdom 368,000 copies.^[46] In North America, the games sold over 3.7 million units in less than two weeks after initial release.^[47]

References

External links

• Official website