The Pokémon Company International and Nintendo revealed powerful Z-Moves in addition to new characters and Pokémon that can be found in the highly anticipated Pokémon Sun and Pokémon Moon video games, available exclusively on the Nintendo 3DS family of systems. These fascinating Alola region characters and Pokémon will appear in the latest generation of Pokémon video games that will launch in North America on November 18.
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Z-Moves
Z-Moves are a new element that has been introduced into the Pokémon battles in Pokémon Sun and Pokémon Moon. Z-Moves are powerful moves that can only be used once during battle. The explosive force of a Z-Move is the result of both the Trainer and Pokémon releasing their full power together when their wishes resonate with each other. All Pokémon are capable of using Z-Moves in battle.
To use Z-Moves, two key items are required: a Z-Ring and a Z-Crystal. The Z-Ring fits on a Trainer’s arm, and Z-Crystals are set into it. If a Pokémon holds the same variety of Z-Crystal as its Trainer, the two will be able to resonate with one another.
Z-Ring
TOMY International will be releasing the Z-Ring for sale at participating retailers. When a player uses a Z-Move in Pokémon Sun or Pokémon Moon, their real-life Z-Ring will light up, vibrate, and play sounds to go along with the video and sounds in the game.
Alola Region and Trials
Pokémon Sun and Pokémon Moon take place on an archipelago of tropical islands—four nature-filled islands and one man-made island. The Alola region is known as a resort area that attracts tourists from all over the world.
Alola is surrounded by the sea and has a diverse ecology made up of Pokémon that are native to the region along with Pokémon that have more recently arrived in Alola from other regions. In Alola, humans and Pokémon coexist in a very close relationship and a culture has developed that is different from that in other regions.
One aspect of the unique Alola culture is the island challenge, an adventurous rite that involves traveling through each of the four islands. This event helps young people grow into fine Pokémon Trainers. As the main character of Pokémon Sun and Pokémon Moon, each player is destined to attempt this island challenge. To complete the island challenge, young trial-goers must overcome the trials on each of the four islands. These trials are not limited to battling with Pokémon. They take a variety of forms including finding items or completing tests of knowledge.
At the end of each trial, a mighty Pokémon known as a Totem Pokémon will be waiting. A Totem Pokémon is much larger than others of its species, and its body is enveloped in a special aura. When Totem Pokémon battle, they summon ally Pokémon to join them. With the support of these allies, the Totem Pokémon become more powerful. Pokémon other than Totem Pokémon also sometimes call on allies to aid them.
The final trial on each island is called the grand trial where Pokémon battle against the kahuna who leads that island. If a trial-goer succeeds in clearing this grand trial, they will be publicly recognized as having cleared all of the island’s trials and can move on to the next island.
Captains
Each trial has a captain whose role is to provide guidance to trial-goers. All of the captains are Trainers who undertook trials in their own island challenge several years earlier.
Lana is a captain who is an expert with Water-type Pokémon. She is dedicated to her family and is a reliable older sister who watches over her younger sisters. Captain Mallow is an expert with Grass-type Pokémon. She loves cooking, but it seems that sometimes her taste is a bit particular. Specializing in Electric-type Pokémon, Captain Sophocles is good with mechanics and has invented various machines. Captain Kiawe’s expertise is in Fire-type Pokémon, and together with his Marowak, he studies the traditional dances that have been passed down in the Alola region.
Kahunas
Each of Alola’s four islands has a leader, called the island kahuna, who governs the island. Kahunas are chosen by the Pokémon known as guardian deities, which are also found on each island. Hala is the kahuna of Melemele Island, where the main character has just moved to, and he is also the rival character Hau’s grandfather. Hala’s skill is renowned in the Alola region. He gives the player their first partner Pokémon and expects great things from them.
Poké Ride
In the Alola region, certain Pokémon help people reach places that are not accessible using human strength alone. This practice of traveling on Ride Pokémon is typical of the culture of the Alola region, where humans and Pokémon are closely bound together. These Pokémon do not join the player’s team, but they can be called upon anytime for help.
New Pokemon
Fomantis
Type: Grass
Fomantis is nocturnal, and it performs photosynthesis while it sleeps during the day by spreading out its leaves in all directions. Because of the danger of staying in the same location two days in a row, Fomantis begins its search for the next day’s spot as soon as the sun sets.
For Fomantis, photosynthesis is not just a source of energy—it is a necessity to achieve the strength and brilliant coloration of its evolved form. Photosynthesis is precious to Fomantis, and it will fiercely attack those who get in the way of that process.
Fomantis excel at long-range attacks like Razor Leaf and Solar Beam. Solar Beam is indeed a powerful move, but since it uses up the energy that the Pokemon has stored through photosynthesis, Fomantis rarely uses it.
Lurantis
Type: Grass
Lurantis draws opponents near to itself with its flowerlike appearance and aroma—and then it takes them down. It’s said to be the most gorgeous of all Grass-type Pokemon, due to its brilliant coloration and elegant moves. Lurantis’s appearance is maintained through detailed grooming. It will trust a Trainer who does a good job of caring for it, but it will apparently have a difficult time growing closer to a lazy Trainer.
Lurantis can learn Solar Blade, a move that releases a blade-shaped beam to mince up its foes. The blade is so sharp it is said it can slice a rock in half! Solar Blade is a move that no Pokemon has been able to learn before. With Solar Blade, Lurantis absorbs energy from the sun on the first move and then unleashes a powerful attack on the second turn. Lurantis is the Totem Pokemon of Lush Jungle, the site of an Akala Island trial. It will overwhelm trial-goers with the powerful combos it unleashes with the Pokemon allies it calls.
Gumshoos
Type: Normal
Gumshoos’s method of targeting prey is the exact opposite of Yungoos’s strategy. While Yungoos prowls around, Gumshoos stakes out its prey’s usual routes and waits patiently for it to come by.
Gumshoos has a tenacious personality, which is why it targets one prey for so long without wavering. But when the sun goes down, it runs low on stamina, falling asleep right on the spot. Gumshoos can withstand a great deal of hunger. It’s able to stay perfectly still while waiting for its prey, keeping watch without eating a thing.
Minior
Type: Rock/Flying
Minior are formed in the stratosphere and live by absorbing the detritus around them. When they’ve consumed a large quantity of particles, their bodies become heavy, and they fall toward the planet’s surface. Minior has a hard and heavy outer shell with a core inside it. The Meteor Pokemon seems to be made in such a way that if its shell breaks, it becomes lighter and can deal out quick attacks.
When its shell breaks, the core in its center is revealed. You won’t know what color will appear until this happens!
Minior has the new Shields Down Ability, which no other Pokemon has had before. With the Shields Down Ability, it will have excellent defensive capabilities as long as its shell is intact. It will also be protected from status conditions. But when its HP drops below half, its shell will break, and it will change to a form better suited to attacking.
Minior’s core will change color depending on the particular color of the debris it has absorbed. Its pastel coloration has a cute look, so this Pokemon is often used as a design motif for clothing and accessories.
Mudbray
Type: Ground
Mudbray could once be found all over the world, but it was overhunted and ended up on the verge of extinction. It’s said that the Alola region is the only place in the world where Mudbray can still be found in the wild.
Mudbray boasts superhuman strength—a surprise, considering its small body. Mudbray can carry loads up to 50 times its own weight on its back or dragging behind it.
Mudbray loves playing in the mud. It’s easy to live in harmony with this Pokemon, as long as you provide an environment where it can play in the mud. If it can’t frolic in the mire, however, Mudbray will become stressed and may stop listening to orders.
Oricorio (Baile Style)
Type: Fire/Flying
Oricorio changes its form by sipping the nectar of certain flowers. Since it has four different forms—the same as the number of islands in Alola—it would seem that different Oricorio live on each of the islands.
The Baile Style Oricorio is very passionate, and power fills its body when it dances. It sends downy fluff flying during its intense dances. By igniting this fluff, it can unleash a fiery dance attack.
Oricorio has the new Dancer Ability that no other Pokemon has had before. If another Pokemon in the field uses a dancing move, then Oricorio will be able to use the same move immediately afterward, thanks to its Dancer Ability.
Revelation Dance is a move that only Oricorio can learn, and its type changes based on Oricorio’s current style.
Oricorio (Pom-Pom Style)
Type: Electric/Flying
Oricorio changes its form by sipping the nectar of certain flowers. Since it has four different forms—the same as the number of islands in Alola—it would seem that different Oricorio live on each of the islands.
The Pom-Pom Style Oricorio is very friendly toward people, and it uses dancing to encourage Trainers who are feeling glum. When it dances, its feathers are charged with static electricity. It can attack with these charged feathers, and sometimes it unleashes a powerful electric shock.
Oricorio has the new Dancer Ability that no other Pokemon has had before. If another Pokemon in the field uses a dancing move, then Oricorio will be able to use the same move immediately afterward, thanks to its Dancer Ability.
Revelation Dance is a move that only Oricorio can learn, and its type changes based on Oricorio’s current style.
Oricorio (Pa’u Style)
Type: Psychic/Flying
Oricorio changes its form by sipping the nectar of certain flowers. Since it has four different forms—the same as the number of islands in Alola—it would seem that different Oricorio live on each of the islands.
The Pa’u Style Oricorio acts at its own pace, which sometimes makes it difficult to deal with. It sharpens its spirited moves through dance, which increases its psychic power. It’s said that this dance expresses its gratitude to the guardian deity Pokemon.
Oricorio has the new Dancer Ability that no other Pokemon has had before. If another Pokemon in the field uses a dancing move, then Oricorio will be able to use the same move immediately afterward, thanks to its Dancer Ability.
Revelation Dance is a move that only Oricorio can learn, and its type changes based on Oricorio’s current style.
Oricorio (Sensu Style)
Type: Ghost/Flying
Oricorio changes its form by sipping the nectar of certain flowers. Since it has four different forms—the same as the number of islands in Alola—it would seem that different Oricorio live on each of the islands.
The Sensu Style Oricorio is quiet and collected. By means of its dance, it gathers the spirits drifting about in an area and borrows their power to fight. People who migrated from Kanto feel a great liking for this Pokemon because its dance reminds them of their homeland.
Oricorio has the new Dancer Ability that no other Pokemon has had before. If another Pokemon in the field uses a dancing move, then Oricorio will be able to use the same move immediately afterward, thanks to its Dancer Ability.
Revelation Dance is a move that only Oricorio can learn, and its type changes based on Oricorio’s current style.
Pokemon Adapted to the Alola Region
Alolan Sandshrew
Type: Ice/Steel
Sandshrew have historically lived in desert areas. But the frequent eruptions of nearby volcanoes drove the Sandshrew to abandon the desert and migrate to snowy mountains, where they took on this form.
Sandshrew’s body changed to adapt to the harsh environment of the snowy mountains. The Alolan Sandshrew has a shell of ice covering its skin, which is like hard steel. It excels defensively, but it lacks flexibility and can’t curl its body into a ball like a Ground-type Sandshrew can.
Its heavy weight makes the Alolan Sandshrew slower than a normal Sandshrew, but the claws on its hands and feet allow it to move across ice without slipping. When it wants to move quickly, it uses its stomach to slide across the ice like a curling rock.
Alolan SandslashType: Ice/Steel
The Alolan Sandshrew of the snowy mountains evolve into Alolan Sandslash with spiny backs that are covered in ice. Thanks to their icy coating, these spines are large and sharp. Alolan Sandslash hide themselves in the snow when strong enemies appear, leaving only their needles exposed and ready for business.
The weight of the ice that covers its body makes these Alolan Sandslash heavier than normal Sandslash, and this causes them to be slower. Yet in snow fields and on ice, they move by creating a path with their claws, and so they’re able to move with swiftness.
The sprays of snow kicked up by Alolan Sandslash’s movements are so beautiful that many photographers head for the snowy peaks to capture the moment. However, Sandslash live deep in the mountains, and there is great danger of becoming stranded, so it’s forbidden to climb the mountains without permission.
Alolan Vulpix
Type: Ice
It is said that Vulpix came to the Alola region together with humans, but the Fox Pokemon moved to the snowy mountain peaks to avoid the normal habitats of other Pokemon, and thus it ended up taking on this form.
These Alolan Vulpix live on high mountains that remain covered in snow year-round. They live in small packs of two to five individuals, helping one another survive.
Alolan Vulpix can freeze anything solid by expelling breath at a temperature of ?58 degrees Fahrenheit (?50° C) from its mouth. It doesn’t fare well in the heat, but when the temperature gets too high, it produces ice from its tail to lower the surrounding temperature.
Alolan Ninetales
Type: Ice/Fairy
Alolan Ninetales live on a snowy peak that is revered in the Alola region as a holy mountain. They are treated as sacred emissaries, and people meet them with awe and fear. This Pokemon’s personality is extremely gentle, and at times it has helped humans who seem to be in distress. However, it shows no mercy at all to anyone or anything that dares to damage its territory!
The Alolan Ninetales is able to produce ice crystals from the fur that covers its body. It can use these ice crystals to block attacks, or it can form balls of ice with them, which it fires like bullets at opponents. The power of these ice missiles is great enough to pulverize rock!
Alolan Exeggutor
Type: Grass/Dragon
The environment of the Alola region, where strong sunlight pours down all year round, brought about this change in Exeggutor’s form. The people of Alola boast that the Alolan Exeggutor is the true form of Exeggutor.
Unlike other Exeggutor, the Alolan Exeggutor has a fourth head—on its tail! This fourth head controls the tail independently and can take on opponents to the rear that can’t be reached by the main heads’ attacks.
This Pokemon excels at whipping its long neck like a lash to attack with its hard heads. But that neck can sometimes become a weakness…
For more information, visit Pokemon.co.uk/SunMoon.