Following confirmation last month that more details would be revealed in August, new gameplay for Pokemon Sun and Moon was released earlier today, showcasing several brand new mechanics to be included in the seventh generation 3DS titles. If you’ve a hard time following all the flashy new features that were unveiled in the video (above) then don’t worry, you’re not the only one – there’s a lot here to cover, but we’ve done our best to go through it all below.
Alola Forms
Alola forms, like Mega Evolutions, are a new way to change the appearance and abilities of existing Pokemon without evolving them. The trailer shows brand new forms for classic Generation 1 critters Exeggutor, Vulpix, Ninetales, Sandshrew and Sandslash, all of which have different types in relation to their original brethren. Ninetales’ Alola form, for example, is pure white and has an Ice/Fairy typing.
New Pokemon
Punctuating the middle part of the announcement, the new bird-type Pokemon Oricorio was revealed, which has the special ability to change type and appearance depending on which of the four islands it’s used. Following that is a creature called Minior, which, when its skin is shed, can have several different appearances and abilities. Others shown include base forms of those seen in earlier footage, including Mudbray and Gumshoos.
Z-Moves
Ending with a bang, Z-Moves appear to function similarly to how Mega Evolution has been handled in past games. These finisher attacks, for which there appears to be one of each elemental type, can only be used once per battle and look powerful enough to make your poor little handheld explode in a shower of color.
So, that’s all of the big stuff, but not everything. It appears that, once again, trainers will be able to mount various different types of Pokemon to swim, fly and gallop across the Alola region, and a few small tidbits were shown in regards to how the player will progress this time around. While there’s no confirmation yet, it appears that traditional Gyms have been replaced with so-called Trials of Passage which, when complete, culminates in a fight with each island’s ‘Kahuna’.
To make better sense of all those words you just read, you can watch the trailer above. Pokemon Sun and Moon launch for the Nintendo 3DS this November.