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102-530: Each main-series Pokémon game features a player character protagonist or set of protagonists, one or more rival characters, a hometown "Pokémon professor" who introduces the mechanics of the game, and a large selection of fellow Pokémon trainers, " Gym leaders ", and villainous teams to battle against. Characters that were introduced in the video games Pokémon Red , Green , Blue (1996), Yellow (1998), FireRed , LeafGreen (2004), and Let's Go, Pikachu! and Let's Go, Eevee! (2018), which are set in

204-462: A GameStop Q3 earnings conference call, Pokémon Sun and Moon were said to have had the most pre-orders for any video game in the last five years. It is GameStop's best-selling game of 2016, outselling Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare . On its first day of release, Pokémon Sun and Moon shipped 10 million units worldwide. The games sold over 1.9 million copies in Japan in its first three days on

306-485: A battle; she later helps the group fight against Team Galactic. Cyrus (Akagi ( アカギ ) ) is the nihilistic Leader of the villainous Team Galactic and the main antagonist of the Sinnoh games. Although he seems to want to work with his team to create a new dimension, his true goal is to create a dimension solely for himself; devoid of emotions that he sees as weak and useless. " Looker " ("Handsome" ( ハンサム , Hansamu ) )

408-408: A broad category of action games, referring to a variety of games that are driven by the physical actions of player characters. The term dates back to the golden age of arcade video games in the early 1980s, when the terms "action games" and "character games" began being used to distinguish a new emerging genre of character-driven action games from the space shoot 'em ups that had previously dominated

510-527: A game mechanic first introduced in X and Y , returns in Sun and Moon . The Battle Tree is a location which allows players to battle or team up with Pokémon trainers, including Kanto region trainers Red and Blue. Players can trade or battle with other players online. From a location called the Festival Plaza, players can participate in "Global Missions", where people from across the world work towards

612-742: A group of elite-level trainers at the end of the game, which is called the Elite Four. This team includes the Ice-themed Lorelei ( カンナ ), Fighting-themed Bruno ( シバ ), Ghost-themed Agatha ( キクコ ), and Dragon-themed Lance ( ワタル ). Giovanni (Sakaki ( サカキ ) ) is the Leader of the villainous Team Rocket. He runs the Viridian City Gym in Pokémon Red , Blue , Green , Yellow , and their remakes. He later disappears and

714-621: A group of player characters for the player to choose from, allowing the player to control one of them at a time. Where more than one player character is available, the characters may have distinctive abilities and differing styles of play. A player character may sometimes be based on a real person, especially in sports games that use the names and likenesses of real athletes. Historical figures and leaders may sometimes appear as characters too, particularly in strategy or empire building games such as in Sid Meier 's Civilization series. Such

816-498: A heavy rainfall that will flood the landmasses and expand the oceans. Characters that were introduced in the video games Pokémon Diamond , Pearl (2006), Platinum (2008), Brilliant Diamond , and Shining Pearl (2021), which are set in the fictional Sinnoh region. Lucas ( コウキ , Kōki ) and Dawn ( ヒカリ , Hikari ) are the male and female protagonists of Pokémon Diamond , Pearl , Platinum , Brilliant Diamond , and Shining Pearl . Barry ( ジュン , Jun )

918-488: A larger number of player characters to choose from, with some basic moves available to all or most characters and some unique moves only available to one or a few characters. Having many distinctive characters to play as and against, all possessing different moves and abilities, is necessary to create a larger gameplay variety in such games. Similarly to MOBAs, hero shooters emphasize pre-designed "hero" characters with distinctive abilities and weapons that are not available to

1020-654: A player character is more properly an avatar as the player character's name and image typically have little bearing on the game itself. Avatars are also commonly seen in casino game simulations. In many video games, and especially first-person shooters , the player character is a "blank slate" without any notable characteristics or even backstory . Pac-Man , Crono from Chrono Trigger , Link from The Legend of Zelda , Chell from Portal , and Claude from Grand Theft Auto III are examples of such characters. These characters are generally silent protagonists . Some games will go even further, never showing or naming

1122-413: A player typically creates or takes on the identity of a character that may have nothing in common with the player. The character is often of a certain (usually fictional) race and class (such as zombie , berserker , rifleman , elf , or cleric ), each with strengths and weaknesses. The attributes of the characters (such as magic and fighting ability) are given as numerical values which can be increased as

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1224-520: A set target — such as catching 100 million Pokémon collectively. Pokémon caught or obtained in Pokémon X , Y , Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire can be transferred to Sun and Moon . The games are also compatible with Pokémon Bank , an online Pokémon storage system introduced during the previous generation of Pokémon games. In a special Pokémon Direct on 26 February 2016, Tsunekazu Ishihara from The Pokémon Company announced that Pokémon caught in

1326-637: A sick Ampharos named Amphy that provides light for the city lighthouse . She challenges the player after they get Amphy proper medicine from Cianwood City. Jasmine reappears as a minor character in Pokémon Diamond , Pearl , Platinum , Brilliant Diamond , and Shining Pearl , giving HM07 Waterfall in Pokémon Diamond , Pearl , and Platinum , or TM99 Waterfall in Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl . She

1428-690: A side-scrolling playfield. Examples include beat 'em ups like Kung-Fu Master and Double Dragon , ninja action games like The Legend of Kage and Shinobi , scrolling platformers like Super Mario Bros. and Sonic the Hedgehog , and run and gun shooters like Rolling Thunder and Gunstar Heroes . "Character action games" is also a term used for 3D hack and slash games modelled after Devil May Cry , which represent an evolution of arcade character action games. Other examples of this sub-genre include Ninja Gaiden , God of War , and Bayonetta . Fighting games typically have

1530-472: A team of several Pokémon of similar type or theming. Particularly notable Gym leaders of the Kanto-based games are: In addition to Brock and Misty, the other gym leaders are Lt. Surge ( マチス ), Erika ( エリカ ), Sabrina ( ナツメ ）), Koga ( キキョウ ), Blaine ( カツラ ), and Giovanni ( サカキ ). Each main-series Pokémon game, aside from Pokémon Sword and Shield and Pokémon Legends Arceus , also includes

1632-548: A total of nine available languages. The games introduce variants of Pokémon introduced in older games with new typings and appearances, known as Alolan Forms. Alolan Vulpix and Ninetales, which are Fire types in other regions, are respectively Ice and dual Ice and Fairy types. Alolan Sandshrew and Sandslash, which are Ground types in other regions, are Ice and Steel types. Alolan Meowth and Persian, which are Normal types in other regions, are Dark types. Some Pokémon evolutions have gained dual typings as well, such as Alolan Marowak which

1734-456: A tropical archipelago, a group of islands known as the Alola region. Joe Skrebels of IGN describes it as " Pokémon ' s take on Hawaii ". During an interview at E3 2016 , Shigeru Ohmori noted that Game Freak staff took trips to Hawaii to conduct research for Sun and Moon . The leading scientist in the Alola region is Professor Kukui, whose name comes from the kukui , also known as

1836-464: A tropical island feel. On 30 November 2016 the Nintendo 3DS Pokémon Sun and Moon Super Music Complete , a four-disk soundtrack containing 169 songs, 160 from the games and 9 special tracks, was released in Japan. The international release, known as Pokémon Sun & Pokémon Moon: Super Music Collection , was released on iTunes on the same date. On 25 February 2016, the existence of the two games

1938-560: A wild Pokémon and drops his bag, resulting in the player having to use one of his Pokémon to save him. In the anime, he gives May her Torchic. In the Pokémon Adventures manga, he is the father of Sapphire. Norman (Senri ( センリ ) ) is the Petalburg City Gym Leader and an expert on Normal-type Pokémon. In the games, Norman is the protagonist's father. In the anime, he is the father of May and Max . In

2040-413: A wireless distribution event. A Japanese trailer was unveiled on 8 September 2016. A Pokémon Sun and Moon -themed New Nintendo 3DS XL was released on 28 October 2016. Similar to Pokémon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire , a special demo was released on 18 October 2016. On 27 October 2016 during Nintendo's Financial Briefing, they stated the demo had been downloaded more than 3.5 million times, being

2142-696: A young Pokémon Trainer's journey around the Alola region—based on Hawaii —with the objective of the games being to complete the island challenge and prevent the schemes of Team Skull, and later the Aether Foundation, all while attempting to challenge various Pokémon Trainers of gradually increasing difficulty. Sun and Moon introduced 81 new Pokémon species, and new features such as Alolan forms of previous generation Pokémon, powerful moves known as Z-Moves, alien creatures known as Ultra Beasts, updated battle and training mechanics, and improved polygonal 3D graphics . While largely independent of one another,

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2244-518: Is a Pokémon Professor who studies Pokémon Trainers and the dreams of Pokémon. The player encounters her when Team Plasma abducts a Munna from her research facility to use its Dream Mist powers. She gives access to the games' wireless capabilities and online systems . Alder (Adeku ( アデク ) ) is the former Champion of the Unova Region, who helps the player battle Team Plasma throughout Unova. N successfully challenges him to battle and wins, forcing

2346-557: Is a Pokémon Researcher and the grandfather of Blue in the Kanto-based games. He is described as the leading Pokémon expert, specializing in Pokémon behavioral science. Alongside his research, he is also authorized by the Pokémon League to give new Pokémon Trainers one of the three starter Pokémon: Bulbasaur , Squirtle , or Charmander . In the anime, he gives Ash Ketchum his Pikachu after he arrives too late to receive one of

2448-529: Is a function of the Rotom Pokédex which allows players to take photos of Pokémon in the wild, similar to Pokémon Snap . In addition, the two games' clocks are set 12 hours apart from each other, with Sun operating on the 3DS' time and Moon operating 12 hours ahead. Character customization as previously seen in X and Y returns in Sun and Moon . A new "Pokémon Refresh" feature enables players to care for and feed their Pokémon. Mega Evolution ,

2550-695: Is a member of the Interpol who appears in Pokémon Platinum, where he is investigating Team Galactic. He appears again in Black and White , seeking the player's assistance in apprehending the seven sages of Team Plasma. In X and Y , he poses as a detective to investigate a Team Flare scientist. In Sun and Moon , he comes to Alola to assist the player with capturing the Ultra Beasts that were unleashed there. Characters that were introduced in

2652-529: Is a playable character in a video game available only after either completing the game or meeting another requirement. In some video games, characters that are not secret but appear only as non-player characters like bosses or enemies become playable characters after completing certain requirements, or sometimes cheating . Pok%C3%A9mon Sun and Moon Pokémon Sun and Pokémon Moon are 2016 role-playing video games developed by Game Freak and published by The Pokémon Company and Nintendo for

2754-567: Is being given a mission briefing or debriefing; the player is usually addressed as "general", "commander", or another military rank. In gaming culture, such a character was called Ageless, Faceless, Gender-Neutral, Culturally Ambiguous Adventure Person, abbreviated as AFGNCAAP; a term that originated in Zork: Grand Inquisitor where it is used satirically to refer to the player. Character action games (also called character-driven games, character games or just action games) are

2856-515: Is defeated, he helps the group reform. He returns in Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon , helping the player character defeat Team Rainbow Rocket in the post-game story. He has a larger and more antagonistic role in the anime, as he builds a device that would allow Ghetsis to control Reshiram and takes control of various Pokémon, including Team Rocket's Meowth . Characters that were introduced in the video games Pokémon X and Y (2013), which are set in

2958-514: Is identified by Ho-Oh as being pure of heart. He is the son of Giovanni, with the Celebi event in HeartGold and SoulSilver showing their past. Professor Elm (Professor Utsugi ( ウツギ博士 , Utsugi-hakase ) ) is an absent-minded Pokémon Researcher and former student of Professor Oak. In Pokémon Gold , Silver , and Crystal , he is authorized by the Pokémon League to give new trainers one of

3060-482: Is interested in finding new Pokémon to make the perfect Pokémon Dance Team. Player character A player character (also known as a playable character or PC ) is a fictional character in a video game or tabletop role-playing game whose actions are controlled by a player rather than the rules of the game. The characters that are not controlled by a player are called non-player characters (NPCs). The actions of non-player characters are typically handled by

3162-500: Is not seen again, though Team Rocket attempts to locate him in Pokémon Gold , Silver , Crystal , and their remakes . He also appears as the main antagonist of Pokémon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon 's postgame story. Giovanni is a recurring character in the Pokémon anime series, where he is the boss of Team Rocket. Jessie (Musashi ( ムサシ ) ) and James (Kojirō ( コジロウ ) ) are a pair of Team Rocket grunts who originate from

List of Pokémon characters - Misplaced Pages Continue

3264-522: Is now a Fire and Ghost type and Alolan Raichu, an Electric and Psychic type. Throughout the game, players utilize a Rotom -possessed Pokédex on the bottom touchscreen , which displays a mini-map containing markers for story objectives. Pokémon Sun and Moon introduce a powerful new type of move known as Z-Moves which can only be used once per battle. Hidden moves, which were used to navigate terrain in past games, have been replaced by specialized Pokémon that can be summoned at will. The "Poké Finder"

3366-628: Is one of the rival characters in Pokémon Black and White, and is one of the player's childhood friends. He is intelligent and trustworthy, often giving the player character advice and battling them to test his skills. Like the player, he aims to become Champion. Two years later, in Black 2 and White 2 , he becomes Aspertia City's Gym Leader. His name is derived from the Bulgarian word for black: черен ( cheren ). Bianca ( ベル , Bel )

3468-473: Is the Leader of Team Plasma. He is a mysterious Pokémon Trainer who shows up throughout the player's journey and believes that humans and Pokémon should be separated. He was forced to grow up with abused Pokémon, as a plot by his adoptive father Ghetsis, so that he would want to liberate Pokémon from humans. By following through with the plan, he befriends Zekrom in Black or Reshiram in White to help him alter

3570-542: Is the Pokémon Professor in the Pokémon Diamond and Pearl games, having returned to Sinnoh after four years of traveling abroad. He is a senior researcher to and old friend of Professor Oak, and is known for his research on Pokémon evolution. He is authorized to give trainers one of three Sinnoh starter Pokémon, Turtwig , Chimchar , or Piplup . In the anime, he gives Dawn her Piplup. He has an assistant, either Lucas or Dawn, depending on which player character

3672-646: Is the adoptive father of N, Anthea, and Concordia, He initially appears as one of the Seven Sages devoted to Team Plasma's cause. During the climax of the first games, it is revealed he manipulated N and Team Plasma as part of his plan to rule over the world via N. He is arrested after being beaten by the player, but escapes thanks to the Shadow Triad. He returns in the sequels as the leader of Neo Team Plasma, wanting to use Kyurem to freeze and rule over Unova. He reveals himself after Colress' defeat and retreats to

3774-418: Is the deepest and most ambitious Game Freak has dared attempt", he also called them the best Pokémon games ever produced, commenting that Alola's design felt natural and organic, praising Game Freak for successfully balancing additional mechanics without alienating existing fans. Chris Tapsell of Eurogamer said the games were "the best generation in more than a decade". They earned an "essential" ranking from

3876-519: Is the grandson of Professor Oak and the player character's childhood friend. He is pushy and competitive, but generally a good Pokémon Trainer. He briefly precedes the player character as the Champion of the Kanto Region, waiting for the player to challenge him. Blue is the basis for Gary Oak in the anime. IGN listed Blue as the 98th best villain in video games, though they stressed that it

3978-486: Is the other rival in Pokémon Black and White , and alongside Cheren is one of the player's childhood friends. She is spontaneous and sometimes unreliable, but she develops over the course of the journey. She also has a strong side, which she shows when she goes on a Pokémon journey against her father's wishes. Her father wants her to stay at home, believing the world to be unsafe, until Elesa eventually convinces him to let keep Bianca go on her own journey. Two years later, in

4080-506: Is the rival character in Pokémon Diamond , Pearl and Platinum . He is often impatient and is determined to be the best Pokémon Trainer. He is best friends with the player, who he aids throughout their journey. His father, Palmer , owns the Battle Tower in Sinnoh. He tends to accidentally crash into people, and often tries to fine people for being too slow. Professor Rowan (Professor Nanakamado ( ナナカマド博士 , Nanakamado-hakase ) )

4182-630: Is the rival of the Johto-based games. He steals his first Pokémon from Professor Elm and tends to see Pokémon as tools to use and discard. Unlike Blue before him, Silver is depicted as a mediocre trainer, though the Sprout Tower sage and Lance see talent and great potential in him. He eventually realizes his wrongdoings and changes his ways by treating his Pokémon with respect. Silver also appears in Pokémon Masters EX , in which he

List of Pokémon characters - Misplaced Pages Continue

4284-634: The Pokémon Adventures manga, he is the father of Ruby and a close friend of Professor Birch. Wallace (Mikuri ( ミクリ ) ) is the Sootopolis City Gym Leader in Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire . He is an expert on Water-type Pokémon , a skilled artist and Pokémon Contest star. In Pokémon Emerald , Wallace becomes the Hoenn Pokémon League Champion, leaving the post of Gym Leader to his mentor, Juan . In

4386-684: The Nintendo 3DS . They are the first installments in the seventh generation of the Pokémon video game series . First announced in February 2016, Sun and Moon were released worldwide on 18 November 2016, commemorating the franchise 's 20th anniversary. A pair of enhanced versions, Pokémon Ultra Sun and Pokémon Ultra Moon , were released for the same consoles on 17 November 2017. The titles began development following completion of Pokémon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire , with increased emphasis on Pokémon interactions, and relationships. They follow

4488-662: The Pokémon anime series. They appear as antagonists in Yellow , Let's Go, Pikachu! and Let's Go, Eevee! . Their English names are a reference to outlaw Jesse James . Their Japanese names are references to two famed swordsmen in Japanese history, Sasaki Kojirō and Miyamoto Musashi , who famously fought each other on the Island of Ganryū in 1612, resulting in Musashi's victory and Kojirō's death. Characters that were introduced in

4590-499: The Virtual Console versions of Red , Blue , and Yellow are transferable to Sun and Moon via Pokémon Bank . Compatibility with Pokémon Bank was initially planned to be available at the games' launch but was delayed and later became available on 24 January 2017. Tomy also released a peripheral interactive toy resembling a Z-Ring, which synchronizes with the use of Z-Moves in the games. The games take place on

4692-465: The arcades in the late 1970s. Classic examples of character action games from that period include maze games like Pac-Man , platformers like Donkey Kong , and Frogger . Side-scrolling character action games (also called "side-scrolling action games" or "side-scrollers") are a broad category of character action games that were popular from the mid-1980s to the 1990s, which involve player characters defeating large groups of weaker enemies along

4794-684: The candlenut , the Hawaiian state tree, continuing the trend of Pokémon professors being named after trees. Team Skull is the name of the villainous group in Alola. The Aether Foundation is an organization which studies Ultra Beasts, mysterious creatures from another dimension. Though Profesor Samuel Oak does not appear in Sun and Moon , his cousin Samson Oak takes his place. The player starts off moving from Kanto region to Melemele Island of Alola region with their mother. After meeting Lillie and rescuing her special Pokémon she calls Nebby,

4896-436: The 5th and 6th highest-rated 3DS games in 2016, and the 19th and 20th on the console of all time. The move from the gym system received widespread praise from critics, some of whom saw the change as a major step towards future developments of the franchise. Japanese magazine Famitsu gave the pair a 38/40 rating. Writing for video game review site IGN , Kallie Plagge gave the games a 9/10, and said that they "switch up

4998-401: The Elite Four members. In the last match, they defeated Kukui to become the first-ever Alola Pokémon League Champion. In the credits, the player battles Melemele's guardian deity Tapu Koko after a celebration, with Lillie and Lusamine departing Alola region for Kanto region the following day. After becoming the first-ever Alola Pokémon League Champion, the player is contacted by two members of

5100-549: The Giant Chasm with Kyurem. After his attempt to freeze the protagonist is interrupted by N and his legendary Pokémon, he uses the DNA Splicers he armed Kyurem with to merge them both. After beating it and Ghetsis, he snaps completely and is transported away by the Shadow Triad. Colress (Achroma ( アクロマ , Akuroma ) ) is an independent Pokémon Researcher and a proxy Leader of Neo Team Plasma, who works to learn about

5202-650: The International Police: Anabel, who was head of the Battle Tower in Pokémon Emerald , and Looker, a recurring detective since Pokémon Platinum . The player assists the two with handling the wild Ultra Beasts that Lusamine let loose into Alola in a series of quests. Following the final quest, Looker reveals that he saw another Ultra Beast, although Anabel dismisses this. If the player then travels to Ten Carat Hill, they will encounter Necrozma . Game director Shigeru Ohmori stated that

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5304-479: The Internet features, banning users involved from not only using the online features of the games — even if later playing the official release — but also from accessing other 3DS online services, such as the Nintendo eShop and Miiverse . Pokémon Ultra Sun and Pokémon Ultra Moon are enhanced versions of Pokémon Sun and Moon developed by Game Freak and published by The Pokémon Company and Nintendo for

5406-517: The Nintendo 3DS' connectivity features. As with previous games in the series, certain Pokémon are only obtainable in either Sun or Moon , with players encouraged to trade with others in order to obtain all Pokémon from both versions. Pokémon Sun and Moon are presented in fully three dimensional (3D) polygonal graphics , like their predecessors, allowing for more interactivity with the overworld and more dynamic action during battles. However,

5508-472: The Nintendo 3DS. They were announced on 6 June 2017 during a Pokémon -themed Nintendo Direct presentation and were released worldwide on 17 November 2017. They feature an alternate storyline set in Sun and Moon ' s world, and include Pokémon and locations not available in the original games. Pokémon Sun and Moon received a score of 87/100 on Metacritic based on 84 reviews, indicating "generally favorable reviews". This placed Sun and Moon as

5610-695: The anime, he does not appear until the Pokémon: Diamond and Pearl anime series , where he is a Contest Master from the Hoenn region who holds a Contest called the Wallace Cup. Steven Stone (Daigo Tsuwabuki ( ツワブキ・ダイゴ , Tsuwabuki Daigo ) ) is the Champion of the Hoenn Region in Ruby , Sapphire , Omega Ruby , and Alpha Sapphire . He is the son of the president of Devon Corporation and aids

5712-403: The app and the main series. Ohmori added that during the development of Sun and Moon they "completely redesigned the system, and actually ended up pushing the 3DS even further to what [they] thought was the most [they] could draw out of it." With a team of around 120, the games took about three years to develop, which is comparable with other new-generation games. Later on, Kazumasa Iwao, who

5814-420: The character models in Sun and Moon possess more realistic proportions compared to chibi -styled models used in Pokémon X and Y or Pokémon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire . Players are also able to customize their Pokémon trainer's appearance, choosing gender, skin tone and hair color at the start of the game and can later acquire outfits and accessories to change their character's appearance. Joining

5916-417: The choice of Sun and Moon as title was inspired by the two celestial bodies’ metaphorical representation of human relationships. Hawaii was chosen as the basis for the game's region following the title's determination, due to its clear nights and plentiful sunshine. Development started immediately after Pokémon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire was completed and Ohmori kept his game director position. Since

6018-510: The events of Black 2 and White 2 , she becomes an assistant to Professor Juniper and gives the player their starter Pokémon. Her English name is derived from the Italian word for white, while her Japanese name "Bel" is derived from the Russian word for white: бел ( bel ). Hugh ( ヒュウ , Hue ) is the sole rival in Pokémon Black 2 and White 2 . He is from Aspertia City and one of

6120-757: The fictional Alola region (loosely based on Hawaii), presented in a third-person , overhead perspective . The player controls a young trainer who goes on a quest to catch and train creatures known as Pokémon, and win battles against other trainers. By defeating opposing Pokémon in turn-based battles, the player's Pokémon gains experience , allowing them to level up and increase their battle statistics, learn new battle techniques, and in some cases, evolve into more powerful Pokémon. Players can capture wild Pokémon, found during random encounters , by weakening them in battle and catching them with Poké Balls , allowing them to be added to their party . Players are also able to battle and trade Pokémon with other human players using

6222-443: The fictional Kalos region. Calem ( カルム , Karumu ) and Serena ( セレナ , Serena ) are the male and female protagonists of Pokémon X and Y . Shauna ( サナ , Sana ) is one of the rivals/friends of the player character in Pokémon X and Y . She is energetic and curious, but is searching for a goal in life. She gives the player character a nickname at the outset of their journey. Tierno ( ティエルノ , Tierno )

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6324-688: The fictional Kanto region. Many of these characters recur throughout the Pokémon franchise. Red ( レッド , Red ) is the protagonist of Pokémon Red , Green , Blue and Yellow and the male protagonist of Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen . Red later appears in Pokémon Gold , Silver , and Crystal as a secret boss fight on Mt. Silver, and also appears in Pokémon Black 2 and White 2 , Pokémon Sun and Moon , and Pokémon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon , as well as in Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver , reprising his role from

6426-417: The former overclocking Nebby's powers, transporting them to Ultra Space, the Ultra Beasts' dimension. This causes Nebby to evolve into a cocoon-like form while Ultra Beasts are unleashed onto Alola's islands, forcing the island Kahunas and guardian deities to fight them. Proceeding to the final island, the player and Lillie perform a ritual to evolve Nebby into its final form — Solgaleo or Lunala depending on

6528-501: The formula to create an engaging adventure that improves on its predecessors", in addition to praising the streamlined battle interface and other mechanics. Many critics praised the story as one of the best in the franchise. Alex Donaldson of VG247 remarked that the story drew him in deeper, saying "I remain more engaged in this story than in any other Pokémon tale yet". Alex Olney of Nintendo Life said that "the plot in Sun & Moon

6630-412: The game itself in video games, or according to rules followed by a gamemaster refereeing tabletop role-playing games . The player character functions as a fictional, alternate body for the player controlling the character. Video games typically have one player character for each person playing the game. Some games, such as multiplayer online battle arena , hero shooter , and fighting games , offer

6732-556: The game play style different. Characters can learn new abilities or augment existing ones over the course of a match by collecting experience points. Choosing a character who complements the player's teammates and counters their opponents opens up a strategy before the beginning of the match itself. Playable characters blend a variety of fantasy tropes, featuring numerous references to popular culture and mythology . In both tabletop role playing games such as Dungeons & Dragons and role-playing video games such as Final Fantasy ,

6834-413: The gamer progresses and gains rank and experience points through accomplishing goals or fighting enemies. In many sports games , player characters are often modelled after real-life athletes , as opposed to fictional characters. This is particularly the case for sports simulation games , whereas many arcade-style sports games often have fictional characters instead. A secret or unlockable character

6936-562: The games was released through a new trailer, including new Pokémon, box art, and release dates. Pokémon Sun and Moon released in Japan, North America, and Australia on 18 November 2016, and in Europe on 23 November 2016. A comic based on Pokémon Sun and Moon launched alongside an edition of CoroCoro Comic on 15 September 2016. Early purchasers of the games received a special Munchlax holding Snorlium Z, enabling it to use an exclusive Z-Move unique to Snorlax , Munchlax's evolution, via

7038-429: The games were to be released on the franchise's 20th anniversary, Sun and Moon were developed comparatively from scratch with the application of more radical changes than its predecessor. Separately, he also mentioned that the games' intended to place more emphasis on the Pokémon and the nature of the games, in addition to the player's interactions with them. The first Pokémon of the seventh generation to be designed

7140-429: The island trials whose members include their leader Guzma, and enforcer Gladion. The player also encounters the Aether Foundation, an organization aiming to shelter Pokémon from various threats. During a visit to the Aether Foundation's base, Aether Paradise—a very large floating structure —a mysterious creature called an Ultra Beast emerges from a wormhole, but retreats before it can be defeated or captured. Later, after

7242-434: The lack of content beyond the primary plot. Upon release, the games became some of the fastest-selling games in Nintendo's history at that point. To date, Sun and Moon have sold over 16 million copies worldwide, making them the third-best-selling Nintendo 3DS titles, after Mario Kart 7 and their predecessors, Pokémon X and Y . Pokémon Sun and Moon are role-playing video games with adventure elements, set in

7344-462: The most popular and fastest "selling" demo in 3DS history. Pokémon Sun and Moon were the most pre-ordered games in Nintendo's history. The games were also the most anticipated 3DS releases in 2016, according to Nielsen Game Rank. Days before their release, the games' files were leaked on to the Internet, giving software pirates access to the full game, including online functions, before their release. Nintendo took action against those who used

7446-472: The originals. In Pokémon Adventures , he is the Champion of the Kanto Region. Leaf ( リーフ , Leaf ) is the female protagonist of Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen . Chase ( カケル , Kakeru ) and Elaine ( アユミ , Ayumi ) are the male and female protagonists of Pokémon: Let's Go, Pikachu! and Let's Go, Eevee! . Blue ( グリーン , Green ) is the rival character of Pokémon Red , Green , Blue , Yellow , FireRed , and LeafGreen . He

7548-417: The other character taking the role of the main rival. Wally ( ミツル , Mitsuru ) is an additional rival character. He is introduced as a sickly young boy who needs help catching Pokémon. Using a Zigzagoon borrowed from Norman , the player helps him catch a Ralts . He is later taken to Verdanturf Town, where the fresh air helps him recover, though he leaves to keep training his Pokémon. He later battles

7650-420: The other characters. Hero shooters strongly encourage teamwork between players on a team, guiding players to select effective combinations of hero characters and coordinate the use of hero abilities during a match. Multiplayer online battle arena games offer a large group of viable player characters for the player to choose from, each of which having distinctive abilities, strengths, and weaknesses to make

7752-449: The player character at all. This is somewhat common in first-person videogames, such as in Myst , but is more often done in strategy video games such as Dune 2000 , Emperor: Battle for Dune , and Command & Conquer series. In such games, the only real indication that the player has a character (instead of an omnipresent status), is from the cutscenes during which the character

7854-446: The player has defeated Team Skull at their base, Gladion reveals that Team Skull has been working for the Aether Foundation, kidnapping Nebby to use its powers in summoning Ultra Beasts. The player then proceeds to battle through Aether Paradise with Hau and Gladion's help, eventually defeating Aether president Lusamine, who is revealed to be Gladion and Lillie's mother. Despite this, Lusamine and Guzma manage to open an Ultra Wormhole, with

7956-473: The player in Victory Road. Professor Birch (Professor Odamaki ( オダマキ博士 , Odamaki-hakase ) ) is a Pokémon Researcher, known for his fieldwork and research on Pokémon habitual distribution. He is also the father of the rival character. In the games, Birch gives the player character and the main rival a starter Pokémon: Treecko , Torchic , or Mudkip . At the beginning of the games, he is attacked by

8058-424: The player in their battles against Teams Magma and Aqua. In Emerald , he has retired from competitive battling, but can be challenged for casual battles. Maxie (Matsubusa ( マツブサ ) ) is the Leader of Team Magma, which aims to awaken Groudon to cause a drought that will dry the oceans and expand landmasses. In contrast, Archie (Aogiri ( アオギリ ) ) is the Leader of Team Aqua, which aims to awaken Kyogre to cause

8160-423: The player obtains a starter Pokémon from local Professor Kukui and embarks on the island challenge, a coming-of-age custom spanning trials across Alola, along with local youngster Hau. Unlike in previous games, trials involve battles with powered-up Pokémon, followed by battles with each island's Kahuna upon completion of an island's trials. Throughout this, the player encounters Team Skull, a gang of people who quit

8262-437: The player to fight N instead. The player can later challenge Alder after finishing the main story of the game. While he does not specialize in a particular Pokémon type, half of his Pokémon are Bug-type and his signature Pokémon is Volcarona . He later reveals he had another Volcarona that died before the games begin. He has retired from his position in Black 2 and White 2 , having been succeeded by Iris. N ( エヌ , Enu )

8364-413: The player's childhood friends. Like the player characters, he also seeks to become a Pokémon Master. Throughout the game, the player helps Hugh retrieve his sister's Purrloin, which was stolen by Team Plasma years prior. Professor Aurea Juniper (Professor Araragi ( アララギ博士 , Araragi-hakase ) ) is the Pokémon Professor in the Pokémon Black and White games and the first female professor to appear in

8466-418: The powers of Pokémon and bring out the true strength within them. He battles the player several times throughout the game to test their abilities and the power of their Pokémon. He eventually aligns with Neo Team Plasma, as they will allow him to study Pokémon the way he wishes. In the main story of Black 2 and White 2 , he is the helmsman of Team Plasma's primary mode of transportation. After Neo Team Plasma

8568-506: The previous generations of Pokémon are all new species, such as the new starter Pokémon ; Rowlet , Litten and Popplio and the Pokémon that are, within the fictional Pokémon world, described as legendary, namely Solgaleo and Lunala . Pokémon Sun and Moon are the first entries in the series to be available in Chinese, both Simplified and Traditional , along with English, French, Spanish, Italian, German, Japanese and Korean, for

8670-419: The primary storyline although the games had "the most memorable Pokémon journey in years". According to Nintendo of America, Sun and Moon were the fastest-selling titles in Nintendo's history at the time. As of 31 March 2023 , Sun and Moon have sold 16.30 million copies, ranking them as the third-best-selling Nintendo 3DS titles behind both Mario Kart 7 and Pokémon X and Y . During

8772-419: The site. On the other hand, Tapsell also remarked that the first few hours of the games included too many tutorials and protected gameplay. Jeremy Parish of USGamer assessed that "Z-Moves feel underwhelming" taking "way too long" despite being the most engaging campaign the series has offered in a long time, while Polygon ' s Allegra Frank criticized their linear gameplay and lack of content beyond

8874-483: The three starter Pokémon: Chikorita , Cyndaquil , or Totodile . He specializes in research regarding Pokémon breeding and is credited with the discovery of Pokémon eggs, even gifting the player character a Togepi egg for research. Jasmine (Mikan ( ミカン ) ) is the Olivine City Gym Leader and an expert on Steel-type Pokémon . She initially refuses the player's challenge because she is tending to

8976-445: The trend between newer generations of the main series, the designers of Sun and Moon focused on the motions on the full 3D models from X and Y in order to create livelier creatures. Despite the successes of Pokémon Go , the developers stated that it did not affect the development of Sun and Moon , although it did improve public awareness of the franchise in general and that they were working to develop interactivity between

9078-487: The two games follow a similar plot, and while each can be played separately, trading Pokémon between the two games is necessary to complete the Pokédex. Pokémon may also be traded in from other games just like in previous installments. The games received generally positive reviews from critics, who welcomed the change from the formula used by prior Pokémon games and praised the gameplay of Sun and Moon while criticizing

9180-437: The usual three starter Pokémon. In Pokémon Yellow , he gives Red a Pikachu after Blue takes an Eevee . A younger version of the character has a major supporting role in the movie Pokémon 4Ever . Each main-series Pokémon game, with the exception of Pokémon Sun and Moon and their 3rd and 4th versions , includes a group of eight "Gym leaders", who award the player character a badge upon defeat. Each Gym leader possesses

9282-505: The version — at the island's Altar. With Nebby's newfound power, the player and Lillie travel to Ultra Space and find Lusamine who, not wanting to be rescued, allows herself to be taken over by the Ultra Beast they encountered earlier, forcing the player to battle her in self-defense. After defeating the crazed Lusamine, the player returns to Alola and ascends Mount Lanakila to challenge the newly formed Alola Pokémon League and defeating

9384-465: The video games Pokémon Black and White (2010) and their sequels Pokémon Black 2 and White 2 (2012), which are set in the fictional Unova region. Hilbert ( トウヤ , Tōya ) and Hilda ( トウコ , Tōko ) are the male and female protagonists of Pokémon Black and White . Nate ( キョウヘイ , Kyōhei ) and Rosa ( メイ , Mei ) are the male and female protagonists of Pokémon Black 2 and White 2 . Cheren ( チェレン , Cheren )

9486-478: The video games Pokémon Gold , Silver (1999), Crystal (2000), HeartGold , or SoulSilver (2009), which are primarily set in the fictional Johto region. Gold/Ethan ( ゴールド/ヒビキ , Gold/Hibiki ) is the protagonist of Pokémon Gold and Silver , and the male protagonist of Pokémon Crystal , HeartGold , and SoulSilver . Kris ( クリス , Kris ) was introduced in Pokémon Crystal , and

9588-405: The video games. She specializes in research involving the origins of Pokémon. She gives the player character, Bianca and Cheren one of the game's starter Pokémon: Snivy , Tepig , and Oshawott . In the anime, she gives Trip a Snivy and allows Ash to keep an Oshawott that escapes from her lab. Her father, Cedric Juniper , was a Pokémon Professor and has since retired. Fennel (Makomo ( マコモ ) )

9690-467: The world. N returns in Black 2 and White 2 in a supporting role, enabling the games' mascot Kyurem to transform. His full name is Natural Harmonia Gropius ( ナチュラル・ハルモニア・グロピウス , Nachuraru Harumonia Guropiusu ) . Ghetsis Harmonia Gropius (G-Cis Harmonia Gropius ( ゲーチス・ハルモニア・グロピウス , Gēchisu Harumonia Guropiusu ) is the true Leader of Team Plasma and the main antagonist of the Unova games. He

9792-413: Was Jangmo-o . Regarding the various other designs of the generation, Ohmori mentioned that "For the 20th anniversary, we wanted to have a lot of special surprises… we wanted a funny element". Pokémon from Red and Blue were the only ones to receive Alolan forms—according to Ohmori, this was as a special surprise for long-time players and simply due to the older Pokémon being more recognizable. Following

9894-737: Was difficult to view him as a villain. He reappears in Pokémon Gold , Silver , Crystal and their remakes as the new Viridian City Gym Leader. Trace ( シン , Shin ) replaces Blue as the rival character of Pokémon: Let's Go, Pikachu! and Let's Go, Eevee! . The character is much kinder, offering advice and gifting the player items. When asked about this change, director Junichi Masuda said that Pokémon ' s evolving graphics make rude behaviors by rival characters more intense, and that he personally felt "those kinds of personalities these days are just not as accepted by players as they were back then." Professor Samuel Oak (Professor Yukinari Ōkido ( オーキド・ユキナリ博士 , Ōkido Yukinari-hakase ) )

9996-498: Was introduced to Pokémon Masters EX in 2020. Characters that were introduced in the video games Pokémon Ruby , Sapphire (2002), Emerald (2004), and Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire (2014), which are set in the fictional Hoenn region. Brendan ( ユウキ , Yūki ) and May ( ハルカ , Haruka ) are the male and female protagonists of Pokémon Ruby , Sapphire , Emerald , Omega Ruby , and Alpha Sapphire . The player can select which character they want to play as, with

10098-585: Was leaked when Nintendo's trademarks for them were found on the website of the European Union Intellectual Property Office . IGN pointed towards the recent introduction of a new Pokémon, Magearna , as indication the two games would be revealed. The games were officially announced the following day in a Nintendo Direct presentation that also commemorated the franchise's 20th anniversary. The games launched with support for nine languages. On 10 May, more information on

10200-585: Was not chosen by the player. Cynthia (Shirona ( シロナ ) ) is the Sinnoh Pokémon League Champion. She is interested in mythology and history and spends her time researching and exploring various sites associated with Legendary Pokémon of the Sinnoh region. In the games, she helps the protagonist against Team Galactic and assists them when Giratina appears in Platinum . In the anime, Ash first meets Cynthia after she defeats Paul in

10302-402: Was responsible for the battle systems in Sun and Moon , was recruited as director for Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon . According to composer Junichi Masuda , who co-produced the game, the soundtracks used in Sun and Moon were based on traditional Hawaiian music styles. However, while it utilizes their core rhythms, Alola's music employs "completely different" melodies while still invoking

10404-521: Was the first female player character in the Pokémon series. Though players at the time paid little attention to the addition of a female character, Kris is considered a meaningful addition by women who grew up with the game. Playing as the character was noted as a formative queer experience for transgender women. The character was replaced by Lyra ( コトネ , Kotone ) in Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver . Silver ( シルバー , Silver )

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