The islands of Alola, the tropical paradise in Pokémon Sun & Moon,
beckon us to take in their maps at a relaxed pace,
so we’ve spent months training, breeding, fishing, nurturing,
and hunting down elusive Pokémon,
especially the updated versions of classic designs.
How essential is this RPG vacation for 3DS owners
and longtime followers of the series?
The journey to become a Pokémon champion in Sun & Moon
takes you across four islands.
On each, you have to challenge a wise Kahuna
and one or more Captains who host their own trials.
Each event often has a lesson to teach and a story to tell.
Despite sticking to an oceanic theme,
the environments keep changing as you travel.
Progression is tied to Trial Challenges.
These typically end in confronting a super-sized Totem Pokémon,
but each trial’s requirements are varied and fun to figure out.
Finishing them unlocks various Z-Moves,
new ultimate abilities that correspond to a Pokémon’s element
and can be used once per battle.
The story is light and positive.
Your rival crew, a boisterous band of hip hop lovers called Team Skull,
is disorganized and not very threatening.
There are powerful forces to overcome in Sun & Moon,
but the bad vibes are kept to a minimum.
We enjoy the peaceful ambiance, but wish the villains were more compelling.
Their motivations are basic and their demeanor is unintimidating.
For the first time, your Pokédex has a pulse.
Your mentor, Professor Kukui, fuses it with a particularly chatty Rotom.
It functions as a map of Alola, a quest tracker,
a Pokémon finder, and a gateway to other modes.
Previously hidden information is now more accessible than ever,
like enemy strengths and weaknesses displayed directly above Pokémon abilities,
if you’ve already retired or caught a type you’re battling.
This might annoy veterans who have most of this knowledge
downloaded into their brains already,
but it makes selecting a competent team that much easier.
Handling status effects and keeping Pokémon happy has also been streamlined.
You care for each Pokémon by feeding them Poké Beans,
removing harmful residue from battle, or just petting them affectionately.
The more your team adores you,
the more likely they are to resist poison in the middle of a fight
or stay conscious after an attack that would have otherwise knocked them out.
It’s convenient, but it also helps create a bond
between you and the Pokémon you favor.
Another addition to simplify the act of raising Pokémon is the Poké-Pelago.
This bean-powered chain of islands
unifies some of the franchise's elements that may have felt like chores before,
like growing berries, increasing happiness, hatching eggs,
and tinkering with your party's particular EV stats.
Combine this with the series’ longstanding breeding methods,
and there are more tools than ever when building the team you want,
if you’re patient enough.
HMs that grant world-exploring abilities
have typically been a hassle to keep track of in past games.
Now, Pokémon like Tauros and Lapras are attached to a Ride Pager,
so you don’t have to evolve a Charizard to fly on one.
It’s a creative way to shed that burden of wasting ability slots
on moves you only use occasionally.
There’s a Festival Plaza you can visit that lets you compete with other trainers
to break global records, chat with trainers you’ve met locally or online,
and unlock special items.
Quick Link puts you one tap away from trading or battling someone close by,
and battle videos let you save skirmishes for later or share them with your friends.
Finishing the game opens up interesting bonus stories and truly challenging battles,
along with familiar franchise goals like completing each island’s Pokédex.
All of these updates bring you closer
to the new, Hawaii-inspired, cast of Pokémon.
Some of them look different depending on what island they’re caught on
and whether they appear, or evolve within, Sun or Moon.
Even a few favorites from older generations have been styled to fit the Alolan climate.
These new forms, along with sunny beaches and stunning ocean views,
make Sun & Moon the best looking handheld Pokémon games yet.
They tell their stories with a cinematic flair that brings each event to life.
It highlights the important moments
and makes meeting every new character and boss memorable.
Z-Moves are visually satisfying
when you want to deliver some extra punishment,
and the soundtrack mixes the usual Pokémon-pep
with tropical influences to create an authentic sound.
Sun & Moon is far from over when the credits roll.
Even while making common Pokémon activities quicker and easier,
this is still an adventure than can take up a considerable amount of your time.
What’s most impressive is the fact that all these updates have been implemented
without changing what makes these games so addictive.
If you’re a newcomer to the series,
this is an excellent opportunity to learn the fundamentals in a laid-back setting.
If you're a pro, you'll relish the new options in place
for making your Pokémon all they can be.
Sun & Moon is a Pokémon vacation we’d gladly take again.
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For more coverage on Pokémon, don’t miss our 5-part interview series,
Brandon Sun, Kyle Moon.