This Summer wrought one of the strangest phenomena I am proud to have witnessed. Everyone and their grandma was out crowding around libraries, covering city streets, even wading into the ocean all in the pursuit of twenty year-old digital creatures. No one can deny Pokemon Go’s tremendous success. It dragged a series that had been charming a relatively niche fan base for years, kicking and screaming into the mainstream media. This is not to say that the attention the series got was malevolent. It’s quite the contrary; millions of old time fans picked up the game alongside many who just wanted to see what the fuss was about. Among these, many stopped playing with the end of the summer but a decent few decided they wanted to see what was up with the main series Pokemon games, the games that follow the actual formula of Pokemon and are released on Nintendo portable consoles, and would be considered the “real” games. This number that was pulled in by the Pokemon Go craze was enough to boost the sales of the most recent release of the series, Pokemon Sun and Pokemon Moon, to an 85% increase over the last installment of the series and made it the most pre-ordered Nintendo game ever. If you happen to have been a player of Pokemon GO with any interest at all in maybe seeking out the full Pokemon experience, I highly urge you to check them out.

These new installments in the series are some of the most highly rated within the whole of all Pokemon games ever released with a dazzling 9/10 from IGN.com and an 8.5/10 from Polygon.com. Pokemon Sun and Pokemon Moon add the Seventh Generation of Pokemon. This means this is the seventh original region with its own unique set of new pokemon. It pushes the number total of pokemon to just a pinch above eight hundred. Don’t let this number overwhelm you though, the game itself contains maybe a few over two hundred and fifty with the rest of the eight hundred being a challenge mostly for hardcore fans. The focus has shifted over the years from being about “catch[ing] em all” to just enjoying your journey through the game.

Sun and Moon, taking place in the Hawaii-inspired Alola region, features a dynamic story with fun and interesting characters. The new additions to the growing roster of pokemon are all very unique and fun. They are scattered within a reasonable assortment of pokemon from the previous six generations and tend to be fun surprises to seek out within different areas of the region. If any of this catches your attention, again, I urge you to check these games out. Beware though, Sun and Moon are in many ways different from the original pokemon games. Over the years the series has accrued many changes, Sun and Moon itself adds several other changes over the original formula.

Changes made over the years include:

• A day and night cycle has been added that orients itself to the internal clock of your 3DS. Be aware that in Pokemon Moon specifically the day-night cycle is reversed; it will be night time in-game when it is daytime in the real world and vice-versa. Certain Pokemon can only be found at certain times of the day.
• Breeding Pokemon is a feature that was added around the third generation. Pokemon of similar characteristics, specifically of the same “egg-group” can be bred to produce a level-one Pokemon of the female’s base-form. This is useful for getting more of a rare species to trade or for creating Pokemon with unique movesets that they can only get by breeding.
• TMs or Technical Machines, special items that are used to teach Pokemon certain moves, were made fully reusable. You need only find the item once and you can teach that move to as many Pokemon as you wish.
• The GTS or Global Trade System was implemented back when the DS first became internet capable. This allows people to offer up Pokemon for other specific Pokemon of certain species and levels. As the name implies it allows anyone to trade Pokemon with anyone across the land. No need to search far and wide.
• Wondertrade is a nifty feature that was meant to be a fun gamble-trade feature that wound up symbolizing karmic balance for all who participate in it. Wondertrade is a feature where you forsake any pokemon you wish to anyone at random in the world who has selected the same fate for one of their own pokemon. At first people would put up nothing but low-level, highly common Pokemon to try to smuggle off with something better, but as time went on it became more apparent that everyone was getting stung so this practice became less common. As I mentioned before, it has come to symbolize karmic balance in the Pokemon community.
• A new typing was added last generation. The Fairy typing was created to counteract the Dragon typing that had been dominating the competitive field. Dragon types were originally these special pokemon that were hard to find, difficult to evolve, but resulted in tremendously powerful beasts. As time went on, competitive battling became far more plausible and popular due to internet access. These late-blooming monsters dominated the fields with their overbearing resultant strength so the GameFreak company stepped in with the new Fairy typing that specifically targeted the Dragon type as they are super effective against it.
• The last generation also added another wild feature called “Mega Evolution.” Although no new ones were added in Sun and Moon, Mega Evolutions are temporary forms that pokemon can take on during battle by holding its species-specific mega stone. They even add temporary fourth-stage evolutions to pokemon that already evolve twice, although the form change is not quite as dramatic as a regular evolution. Among the roughly forty mega evolutions out there, prominent ones include Mega Venusaur, Mega Blastoise, and Mega Charizard X and Y.
• Character customization was added in the last generation. Players can pick a skin tone, change their eye color, and buy in-game clothing with in-game money. No actual money involved.

Those are most of the continuing changes made to the games over the years. Now here’s what Pokemon Sun and Moon specifically change.

• Z-moves are a new feature where Pokemon can use a powered up version of one of its regular attacks as long as it is holding the proper Z-crystal. These Z-crystals are collected throughout the story of the game. Z-moves may only be used once per battle.
• There are no gyms in this game. Instead of gyms, there are things called “trials.” To progress through the story you must complete trials that consist of a minigame followed by a battle against a “Totem Pokemon,” a physically larger, powered up version of a specific Pokemon that can even call weaker Pokemon to fight for it, putting the odds against you.
• Certain pokemon from the first one-hundred and fifty pokemon have received what are called “Alola Forms.” These are the same species of pokemon but they have adapted to the Alola region and have different typings and altered designs. For example, there is the Alolan Meowth which has darker fur, different animations and is Dark type instead of Normal type.
• A major graphical overhaul, pokemon no longer battle on little circles. Pokemon sit, fully 3D modeled and animated, in fleshed-out 3D environments that change according to one’s location. Opposing trainers can be seen standing behind their pokemon.
• Neat Features have been added like Pokemon Refresh, based on the last generation’s Pokemon Amie, allows you to pet, play with, feed, and groom your pokemon to raise a stat called “Affection” that may cause your pokemon to do things like endure an extra hit, shake off being poisoned, or land critical hits all out of affection for you, the player. It adds a neat layer of depth to the pokemon and makes them feel a bit more real. These effects are only seen in the single-player game, not in online battling.
• Another new feature, Pokemon Pelago, is an in-game feature that allows pokemon kept in storage to do things like search for items, build friendliness, or just gain levels while you aren’t using them.
• Festival Plaza is another new feature that has taken over for the online interface to a degree and allows you to interact with other players globally and complete small missions for points that can be used for special items and services in the Festival Plaza.
• Lastly, among the new pokemon are creatures known as “Ultra-Beasts” or UBs. These creatures feature prominently in the story, which I do not seek to spoil, so I will say only that they are very powerful creatures from another dimension. It is uncertain if they are even pokemon.

Here are a few of the new additions to the total roster of Pokemon:

• Wishiwashi: A new fish pokemon with a unique ability that allows it to transform into a much more powerful “bait-ball beast” by schooling. It loses this form after its health drops past a certain point.

• Tapu Koko: A powerful electric pokemon that serves as the first of four “Island Guardian” Pokemon

• Lurantis: A florid Praying Mantis Pokemon with a unique move, “Solar Blade” which functions similar to the classic move “Solar Beam,” only it attacks the physical defensive stat rather than the special defensive stat.

If I’ve succeeded in persuading you to buy this game, and I hope I have, then please know that your buying options include many different sites but your best bet is probably going to be Amazon.com which lists each game at $33.99. I must make it perfectly clear that you need to own a Nintendo handheld system to play this game. Although they do not cost as much as any PS4 or XBOXONE, they are not ridiculously cheap. There are three options for handheld console to play this game, the Nintendo 3DS, the Nintendo 2DS, or the New Nintendo 3DS. The Nintendo 2DS is cheaper than the 3DS and the New Nintendo 3DS at around $130 new, but it will be slower than the New Nintendo 3DS, does not run 3D, although 3D is not needed for this game, and is a different, bulkier shape than the 3DS and New Nintendo 3DS. An important note to make is that the new Nintendo 3DS and the Nintendo 3DS are two separate consoles. The “new” Nintendo 3DS is an upgraded console released not too long ago. It is slightly more expensive (about $170 to the 3DS’s typical $150) but features a few key advantages over the Nintendo 3DS. It has more processing power which has become important in some newer 3DS games, Sun and Moon included. It has a “C-stick” which is useful for games like Hyrule Warriors for convenient camera movement and can be used in Super Smash Bros. for 3DS for control schemes. The new Nintendo 3DS also features 3-Dimensionality when being viewed from any angle, if your head moves in relation to the 3DS it will adjust so you are still seeing 3D. This feature will not be necessary at all for Pokemon Sun and Moon though. There are plenty of different colors and editions of each online, so shop around and you are likely to find a good deal.

Lastly, for anyone who gets this far, has decided to play Sun and Moon and is coming back from a long period of not playing pokemon, I’d like to highlight a few characteristic pokemon of each of the generations you may have missed.

Generation 2: Johto Region

• Ampharos: An electric type from a sheep-based evolution line based on Androids dreaming of electric sheep. Received a mega evolution with a beautiful mane in generation 6.
  
  

• Tyranitar: A powerful pokemon of the then-new Dark typing. It too received a mega-evolution in generation 6 that made it even more monstrous.

• Unknown: A weird, psychic-type pokemon with one form for each letter. It became a staple alphabet-code to write hidden message puzzles for the player. This one is the letter “F.”

Generation 3: Hoenn Region

• Gardevoir: A powerful psychic-type pokemon whose base-form was found as a rare capture in the early game of generation 3. Despite appearing to some like a feminine figure in a dress, it is actually based on a loyal knight.

• Blaziken: The powerful dual-type Fire-Fighting pokemon evolves from the fire type starter of the Hoenn region.

• Wailord: This gargantuan pokemon is based on a Blue Whale and is the largest of all pokemon. It’s kind of its thing.

Generation 4: Sinnoh

• Luxray: A Powerful Electric type based on what I believe to be a lynx. It’s a personal favorite of mine thanks to its sleek and cool design.

• Magmortar: This pokemon is one of many evolutions that generation four added onto pokemon lines that were lacking. Magmortar is the third stage evolution added to complete the Magmar line. It is possibly the only other pokemon aside from Blastoise to feature cannon-like appendages.

• Arceus: Due to a pokedex entry that suggests that it created the universe and birthed two pokemon, Dialga and Palkia, rulers of time and space, it is widely regarded by fans as the “god pokemon.” It was very rare due to being exclusive to an event that required that you go to a real-life store during a period of a few months to unlock its in-game event. It can change to any of the now eighteen types by holding a special plate of each type.

Generation 5: Unova

• Excadrill: A Ground-Steel type Mole pokemon that stands out among the many generation 5 pokemon that seemed somewhat redundant.

• Zoroark: This pokemon, based on the japanese kitsune, has a special ability called “illusion” that allows it to come out into battle appearing like another pokemon in one’s party of six. This made it a particularly interesting catch.

• Garbodor: A very unfortunate pokemon indeed. It is indicative of the style and art direction of generation 5 but is sadly often pointed to as evidence that the pokemon company is “running out of ideas.”

Generation 6: Kalos

• Sylveon: This pokemon is the eighth evolution option for the pokemon Eevee and was first shown without mention of its type. This left fans in speculation for months before it was finally revealed that they were adding the new Fairy type.

• Aegislash: Clearly based on a sword and shield, this pokemon stirred more anger from people who sought traditional, animal-based pokemon designs. Despite this, it was highly used competitively for its ability to switch between a form that boosts its defense and a form that boosts its attack with each time it either attacks or defends.

• Hawlucha: One of the most groundbreaking additions of generation 6, hawlucha is a Fighting-Flying type. Being a dual typed pokemon is not really that special anymore but what is uncommon, in fact totally unique to this pokemon, is its signature move, Flying Press, which is the only move in the game that is dual-typed, specifically, Flying-Fighting.

Chances are, if your decision to buy this game is being influenced by this article at all, you probably are not going to catch them all. That’s alright; that’s really not the goal anymore. Pokemon’s slogan “gotta catch ‘em all” came out at a time when “‘em all” was contained in one game and included only 15(1) pokemon. Nowadays you have to backtrack through older games, wait for special events that distribute pokemon, and trade like a maniac to get every pokemon there is to get. Do not look at this game thinking “oh god there are eight hundred of these little hellions.” The purpose has shifted and playing the game is more about the story, the characters, and the pokemon you decide to catch and spend time with. You will enjoy this game immensely even with just one PC box full by the end of it.