New Pokémon Sun and Moon gameplay is being shown at the E3 Treehouse Live event!
The proportions in this game are immediately noticeable, being more realistic than any other game previously in the series. The detail in the environments is also incredible, with the texture and colors vibrant and exciting.
We see the hero trainer, who is yet to get a canon name, exit his room into the bottom floor of his house and then outside into the tall grass. Right away, the visuals are outstanding – the tropical setting lends itself well to the Pokémon series and if you’re anything but excited about it you need to reevaluate your feelings.
We also get a glimpse at the battle system, which is still largely the same as the other games, though there are a few differences. It’s exciting to get to see the new battle interface which is innovative and accessible to both new and old players.
The interface allows immediate info lookup for any moves of the Pokémon you’re battling with, as well as showing you stat changes that have occurred during the battle. The registration page when you catch a new Pokémon has also changed, which is said to encourage players to really try to catch them all.
Environmentally, the trainer is always standing behind the Pokémon during battles and it’s really nice to see the more realistic take on battles. Again, all the visuals are gorgeous and offer a lot of personality, making the game super warm and exciting.
The movement in the overworld is a little different as well. With the diverse terrain in the Alola region, watching your trainer walk up hills or around tall grass is really fun. The trainers in the overworld also move, such as the lasses and how they’ll toss their Poké Balls in the air as they wait for you to approach. It’s a nice touch that offers a breath of fresh air to the rather static overworld of the previous games.
The music in the game feels very familiar while still being new, refreshing, and exciting to hear.
We also get to see the Professor and his assistant Lillie, as well the rival Hah. Interestingly enough, Hau chooses the Pokémon that’s weak to your starter, which implies there may be another rival you’ll have to fight against.
During the battle with Hau, Popplio grows to level 8 and learns Disarming Voice – while this isn’t definitive at all, it could potentially point to a Fairy-type evolution.
An all new feature called Battle Royal has been shown off as well, which is a free-for-all, four-way Pokémon battle. During a Battle Royal, the first person to run out of Pokémon ends the battle, and the winner is decided based on a combination of how many Pokémon you’ve defeated as well as how many you have remaining. The battle is limited to 60 minutes, and will offer and interesting new take on competitive battling, especially considering strategy.
Also, during the Battle Royal showoff, trainer outfit customization has been confirmed! Each trainer in the gameplay can be seen with different outfits, and all four look equally adorable.
Two new Pokémon have also been revealed during the gameplay: Yungoos and Pikipek. Pikipek was originally teased in the first ever announcement of Sun and Moon, and you can read about them further in the articles dedicated to each!
Unfortunately, nothing about amiibo support has been mentioned, but excitingly (and surprisingly enough), there’s also no mention of the game running better (or exclusively) on the New 3DS.
Make sure to get excited for November 18th, when Pokémon Sun and Moon launch on the 3DS!
Pre-order Pokémon Sun on Amazon today!
Pre-order Pokémon Moon on Amazon today!
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Written by George Comatas
As a wannabe social media personality and professional in the world of sarcasm, George does his best to always adapt to the changing world around him. He considers himself a maverick: a true-to-heart gamer with the mind of a pop star. Whether this makes him revolutionary or a setback, he's yet to find out. But one thing’s for sure; he's one-of-a-kind.
