The Nintendo E3 event has just finished the Pokémon Sun & Moon segment and with it (along with a newly released trailer!) we’ve got a tonne of new features and Pokémon for the games. Read on to find out more!
New Pokémon
Pikipek/ツツケラ (Tsutsukera) – Woodpecker Pokémon – Normal/Flying – Keen Eye/Skill Link Abilities
Pikipek has two evolutions.
Yungoos/ヤングース (Yangoose) – Loitering Pokémon – Normal – Stakeout/Strong Jaw Abilities
Grubbin/ – Larva Pokémon – Bug – Swarm Ability
New Abilities
Stakeout – The Pokémon’s moves can deal twice the normal damage to any Pokémon that switch in or enter the field mid-battle
Soul Heart – Magearna’s Sp. Atk raises by 1 each time another Pokémon in the area faints. This is a new Ability—one that can be put to good use in battle
Battle Royals
“In a Battle Royal, four Trainers are jumbled in battle together, but the rules are simple.
Each of the four Trainers chooses three Pokémon and sends one Pokémon into battle at a time. The battle is over at the end of any turn when all of the Pokémon of one Trainer have fainted. The players are ranked, and a victor is declared based on the number of Pokémon each defeated and the number of Pokémon each has remaining in play.
While these rules are simple, they also allow players a new way to enjoy Pokémon battles—one where many new strategies may be born, as each player must try to predict who will attack whom, or weigh acting to save a player who’s in a pinch in order to aim for the number-one position!”
Nintendo Treehouse Information Write-up
- Junichi Masuda is the producer of Sun & Moon, whilst Shigeru Ohmori is directing
- Sun and Moon were chosen as the names of the games as the sun is the source of all life on our planet, and they want the two new games to feel as though they are teeming with life
- Solgaleo and Lunala are the emissaries of the sun and the moon respectively. They will play a legendary Pokémon role like we’ve never seen before
- Zygarde and its forms will appear in Sun & Moon in a “special” way
- The starters received special attention in their movements. They wanted them to look super cute in game. They are also meant to be universally relatable and easy to understand – Grass-type is green, etc
- The climate in Alola is extremely warm, as such character designs are reflective of this in that they are lightly dressed, especially compared to older characters
- The bracelets the trainers are wearing will be discussed at a later date
- The playable character is new to the Alola region
- Old Pokémon are present in the game. Ledyba and Caterpie are available early on in the game
- There is a new lighting engine in the game. This new engine allows the time of day to be reflected in changing light conditions
- The camera is much more dynamic in battles this time around
- The battle interface is now more user friendly. Players can find information buttons displaying detailed information on each move, in addition to this tapping an icon can display the stat changes to both your own and your opponent’s Pokémon
- The Pokédex has been redesigned in order to really encourage Trainers to complete it
- When the player begins to approach an area where another trainer is likely to battle, the screen becomes vignetted in order to create a sense of drama
- All trainers have unique actions and emotions thanks to the 3D
- Each island in the Alola region has a Guardian Pokémon
- Players will battle their rival Hau early on as part of a festival that is meant to kick off both of your own Pokémon journeys
- Popplio learns Disarming Voice at Level 8
- The games feature a new Battle Royal mode
- Trainer customisation makes a return, more will be discussed at a later date