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181-675: Pokémon Sun and Pokémon Moon are 2016 role-playing video games developed by Game Freak and published by The Pokémon Company and Nintendo for 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

362-459: 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

543-490: A party , and attain victory by completing a series of quests or reaching the conclusion of a central storyline. Players explore a game world, while solving puzzles and engaging in combat. A key feature of the genre is that characters grow in power and abilities, and characters are typically designed by the player. RPGs rarely challenge a player's physical coordination or reaction time, with the exception of action role-playing games . Role-playing video games typically rely on

724-445: A turn-based system . The player may carry between one and six Pokémon in their active party; the first Pokémon in the lineup is automatically sent into battle. At the start of each turn, both sides may use a move , use an item , switch their active Pokémon out for another in their party, or attempt to flee from battle if against a wild Pokémon. Each Pokémon uses moves to reduce their opponent's Hit Points (HP) to zero, at which point

905-635: A Battle Frontier, identical to that of Platinum , where the Battle Tower was found in Crystal . After a series of battles in each venue, players encounter Frontier Brains who are challenged in the same fashion as the other battles in their respective venues, and the player will either earn a Symbol (in Emerald ) or a Commemorative Print (in Platinum ) for winning. The Frontier Brains can be challenged

1086-618: A Pokémon 10 EVs in a single stat, and certain berries removing 10 EVs in a stat in return for an increase in the Pokémon's friendship value. Pokérus , a condition introduced in Pokémon Gold and Silver , doubles the rate at which Pokémon gain EVs, as well as giving the Pokémon the ability to spread Pokérus to other Pokémon for a limited time. Individual values , or IVs , are additional hidden values for each Pokémon that help to determine

1267-494: A Pokémon is Stellar-type. Tera Starstorm, when changed into Stellar-type, hits all opponents in Double Battles instead of just one. Both Stellar-type moves are super effective against other Terastallized Pokémon. Like the characters in many role-playing video games , Pokémon can learn a wide variety of moves. These moves may inflict damage, induce status problems, restore health, or perform actions that in some way affect

1448-511: A Pokémon is holding a Mega Stone that corresponds to its species, that Pokémon will be able to Mega Evolve during battle. Every Pokémon capable of Mega Evolution has one Mega Evolved form, with the exception of Charizard and Mewtwo, both of which have two. A similar ability known as Primal Reversion was introduced in Pokémon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire , exclusively for Kyogre and Groudon. Pokémon Sword and Shield introduced

1629-558: A Pokémon's Tera Type when it Terastallizes. In The Indigo Disk , a new type, called the Stellar type, was introduced. The Stellar type can only be brought out when a Pokémon with this Tera Type Terastallizes. While Pokémon retain their original weaknesses while in the Stellar type, all of their moves will be boosted, but only once; after a Stellar-type boosted move is used, that move loses its boost. It also applies to Pokémon who have two moves of similar typing. For example, if Dazzling Gleam

1810-470: A Pokémon's Tera Type while it is Terastallized, as well as dealing physical damage over special damage if the Pokémon's physical attack stat is higher (and vice versa). However, when not Terastallized, Tera Blast remains a Special category Normal-type move. After defeating and catching Terapagos in The Indigo Disk , a new Tera Type is unlocked, called "Stellar". Unlike most types, it only exists as

1991-1005: A Pokémon's statistics or weaken a foe, inflict status effects such as paralysis or poisoning, or perform other effects. Some Abilities may also grant immunities or resistances. Most Abilities can only be activated during a battle, however, some Abilities have effects outside of Pokémon battles. For example, a Pokémon with the Ability Intimidate will cause the player to encounter lower-level wild Pokémon less often. All Pokémon have six statistics that affect their performance in battle. These are HP, Attack, Defense, Special Attack, Special Defense, and Speed. These statistics can be temporarily modified during battle by Abilities, items, and moves. There are also two other statistics, Accuracy and Evasiveness, which are not affected when Pokémon level up. No Pokémon has innately higher Accuracy or Evasiveness than any other, but they can be modified during battle like other statistics. Increasing Accuracy makes

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2172-425: A Tera Type, and thus does not have a set of strengths or weaknesses (instead retaining only the strengths of its original type(s)). When Terastallized, it grants STAB to all of a Pokémon's moves, but only once per move type. Terapagos ignores this weakness, and has STAB for all moves for the full duration of its Terastallized state. Tera Blast and Tera Starstorm (Terapagos' signature moves) become Stellar-type moves when

2353-426: A benefit on the user before executing the move. Some Pokémon can learn Z-Moves exclusive to their species using a special Z-Crystal. Hidden Machines, commonly abbreviated as HMs, can be used to teach moves to Pokémon, including some moves that they would otherwise not learn by increasing in level. HMs are often vital, or even required, to progress in the games, as they have important effects outside of battle, allowing

2534-450: A big open world , and let you do whatever you like [which makes it] difficult to tell a compelling story." Hironobu Sakaguchi noted that "users like to categorise" WRPGs as "a sort of different style, born from first person shooters." In recent years, some have also criticized WRPGs for becoming less RPG-like, instead with further emphasis on action. Christian Nutt of GameSpy states that, in contrast to JRPGs, WRPGs' greater control over

2715-409: A finite number of points to the attributes of their choice. Gaining experience will also unlock new magic spells for characters that use magic. Some role-playing games also give the player specific skill points , which can be used to unlock a new skill or improve an existing one. This may sometimes be implemented as a skill tree. As with the technology trees seen in strategy video games , learning

2896-524: 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

3077-549: A gamemaster. Exploring the world is an important aspect of many RPGs. Players will walk through, talking to non-player characters , picking up objects, and avoiding traps. Some games such as NetHack , Diablo , and the FATE series randomize the structure of individual levels, increasing the game's variety and replay value. Role-playing games where players complete quests by exploring randomly generated dungeons and which include permadeath are called roguelikes , named after

3258-449: A greater degree in the early 1990s. As console RPGs became more heavily story-based than their computer counterparts, one of the major differences that emerged during this time was in the portrayal of the characters. Console RPGs often featured intricately related characters who had distinctive personalities and traits, with players assuming the roles of people who cared about each other, fell in love or even had families. Romance in particular

3439-536: A highly developed story and setting, which is divided into a number of quests. Players control one or several characters by issuing commands, which are performed by the character at an effectiveness determined by that character's numeric attributes. Often these attributes increase each time a character gains a level , and a character's level goes up each time the player accumulates a certain amount of experience. Role-playing video games also typically attempt to offer more complex and dynamic character interaction than what

3620-647: A hold as they had in the West due to their cost; there was little market for Western-developed games and there were a few Japanese-developed games for personal computers during this time such as The Black Onyx (1984) which followed the Wizardry / Ultima format. With the release of the low-cost Famicom console (called the Nintendo Entertainment System overseas), a new opportunity arose to bring role-playing games to Japan. Dragon Quest (1986)

3801-815: A large number of Western indie games are modelled after JRPGs, especially those of the 16-bit era , partly due to the RPG Maker game development tools . Another oft-cited difference is the prominence or absence of kawaisa , or "cuteness", in Japanese culture, and different approaches with respect to character aesthetics. WRPGs tend to maintain a serious and gritty tone, whereas JRPG protagonists tend to be designed with an emphasis on aesthetic beauty, and even male characters are often young, androgynous , shōnen or bishōnen in appearance. JRPGs often have cute characters, juxtaposed with more mature themes and situations; and many modern JRPGs feature characters designed in

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3982-641: A little box doesn't mean it belongs there." Nick Doerr of Joystiq criticizes the claim that JRPGs are "too linear", pointing out that non-linear JRPGs are not uncommon—for instance, the Romancing SaGa series. Likewise, Rowan Kaiser of Joystiq points out that linear WRPGs were common in the 1990s, and argues that many of the often mentioned differences between Eastern and Western games are stereotypes that are generally "not true" and "never was", pointing to classic examples like Lands of Lore and Betrayal at Krondor that were more narrative-focused than

4163-423: A major challenge in order to progress to the next area, and this structure can be compared to the boss characters at the end of levels in action games . The player typically must complete a linear sequence of certain quests in order to reach the end of the game's story. Many RPGs also often allow the player to seek out optional side-quests and character interactions. Quests of this sort can be found by talking to

4344-459: A mixed class, such as a fighter who can cast simple spells. Characters will also have a range of physical attributes such as dexterity and strength, which affect a player's performance in combat. Mental attributes such as intelligence may affect a player's ability to perform and learn spells, while social attributes such as charisma may limit the player's choices while conversing with non-player characters. These attribute systems often strongly resemble

4525-435: A move more likely to hit, while increasing Evasiveness makes the opponent's move more likely to miss. Another stat called "Critical Hit Rate" also exists, and affects the chance that a Pokémon's moves will land a critical hit. This stat can only be raised, not lowered, and methods of changing it are much less common than methods to change the other 7 (not including HP) stats. In Pokémon Red , Green , Blue , and Yellow , both

4706-419: A non-player character, and there may be no penalty for abandoning or ignoring these quests other than a missed opportunity or reward. Players can find loot (such as clothing, weapons, and armor) throughout the game world and collect it. Players can trade items for currency and better equipment. Trade takes place while interacting with certain friendly non-player characters, such as shopkeepers, and often uses

4887-466: A number of user-configurable settings. Fallout Tactics: Brotherhood of Steel and Arcanum: Of Steamworks and Magick Obscura offered players the option to play in either turn-based or RTwP mode via a configuration setting. The latter also offered a "fast turn-based" mode, though all three of the game's modes were criticized for being poorly balanced and oversimplified. Early Ultima games featured timed turns: they were strictly turn-based, but if

5068-442: A particular action will increase. Many role-playing games allow players to play as an evil character. Although robbing and murdering indiscriminately may make it easier to get money, there are usually consequences in that other characters will become uncooperative or even hostile towards the player. Thus, these games allow players to make moral choices, but force players to live with the consequences of their actions. Games often let

5249-483: A particular skill in the tree will unlock more powerful skills deeper in the tree. Three different systems of rewarding the player characters for solving the tasks in the game can be set apart: the experience system (also known as the "level-based" system), the training system (also known as the "skill-based" system) and the skill-point system (also known as "level-free" system) Older games often separated combat into its own mode of gameplay, distinct from exploring

5430-581: A positive-feedback cycle that is central to most role-playing games: The player grows in power, allowing them to overcome more difficult challenges, and gain even more power. This is part of the appeal of the genre, where players experience growing from an ordinary person into a superhero with amazing powers. Whereas other games give the player these powers immediately, the player in a role-playing game will choose their powers and skills as they gain experience. Role-playing games usually measure progress by counting experience points and character levels. Experience

5611-402: A result, Japanese-style role-playing games are held in disdain by some Western gamers, leading to the term "JRPG" being held in the pejorative. Some observers have also speculated that JRPGs are stagnating or declining in both quality and popularity, including remarks by BioWare co-founder Greg Zeschuk and writing director Daniel Erickson that JRPGs are stagnating—and that Final Fantasy XIII

Pokémon Sun and Moon - Misplaced Pages Continue

5792-415: A rival character, who receives the Pokémon whose type is advantageous against the player's starter Pokémon. By traveling around the region, catching and evolving Pokémon, and defeating other Trainers in battle, the player increases the size and strength of their Pokémon collection. A major subplot of most games is to defeat a criminal organization, whose intents are usually trying to take over the world through

5973-915: A second time to more advanced versions of the Symbols or Prints (advancing from Silver to Gold). The Frontier Brains have very powerful Pokémon, often including Legendary Pokémon, making a victory even more difficult than in the main storyline. A Pokémon's type is an elemental attribute determining the strengths and weaknesses of each Pokémon and its moves. These types interact in rock–paper–scissors -style relationships: Pokémon take double damage from attacking moves of types they are weak to and half damage from moves of types they resist. In Pokémon Red , Blue , and Yellow , there were only 15 types: Normal, Fire, Water, Grass, Electric, Ice, Fighting, Poison, Ground, Flying, Psychic, Bug, Rock, Ghost, and Dragon. The Dark and Steel types were introduced in Gold and Silver , and

6154-517: 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

6335-474: A short description will be added to a player's Pokédex. Each region has its own Pokédex, which differs in appearance, species of Pokémon catalogued, and functions. In Pokémon Legends: Arceus , which takes place long before any other Pokémon games, players are tasked with assembling the first-ever Pokédex. The National Pokédex allows Pokémon from all regions to be catalogued. After its removal from Pokémon Sword and Shield , many fans were upset, due to

6516-442: A side-scrolling view. Most notably since Ultima Underworld (1992), role-playing games started implementing true three-dimensional (3D) graphics, where players typically navigate the game world from a first or third-person perspective. However, an isometric or aerial top-down perspective is common in party-based RPGs, in order to give the player a clear view of their entire party and their surroundings. Role-playing games require

6697-494: A single paragraph) spread across 13 booklets, while the second contains 50,000 paragraphs spread across 14 booklets. Most of the games from this era are turn-based, although Dungeon Master and its imitators have real-time combat. Other classic titles from this era include The Bard's Tale (1985), Wasteland (1988), the start of the Might and Magic (1986–2014) series and the continuing Ultima (1981–1999) series. Later, in

6878-409: A smaller set of possible actions, since computers can't engage in imaginative acting comparable to a skilled human gamemaster. In exchange, the typical role-playing video game may have storyline branches, user interfaces, and stylized cutscenes and gameplay to offer a more direct storytelling mechanism. Characterization of non-player characters in video games is often handled using a dialog tree . Saying

7059-415: A specialized trading screen. Purchased items go into the player's inventory. Some games turn inventory management into a logistical challenge by limiting the size of the player's inventory, thus forcing the player to decide what they must carry at the time. This can be done by limiting the maximum weight that a player can carry, by employing a system of arranging items in a virtual space, or by simply limiting

7240-463: A spell, as ammunition is consumed by a gun, most games offer players a finite amount of mana which can be spent on any spell. Mana is restored by resting or by consuming potions. Characters can also gain other non-magical skills, which stay with the character for as long as the character lives. Role-playing games may have the player focus only on a single character throughout the game; the character may be joined by computer-controlled allies outside of

7421-641: A time. The Pokémon which is battling can be switched out with the other two without using up a turn. In addition to the Pokémon Gyms and other battles to advance the plot, side games and post-game areas have been introduced in subsequent editions of the Pokémon games that extend the gameplay. First introduced in Pokémon Crystal , the Battle Tower , Battle Subway , Battle Maison , and Battle Tree are game features accessible outside of

Pokémon Sun and Moon - Misplaced Pages Continue

7602-547: 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

7783-454: 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

7964-405: 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

8145-482: A variety of options unique to each game. Pokémon Abilities are special attributes that were introduced in Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire . Specific species of Pokémon have one to three possible Abilities, with individual Pokémon exhibiting one Ability each. Unlike the moves a Pokémon knows, its Ability cannot normally change (Except for when an Ability Patch or Ability Capsule is used). Abilities can strengthen

8326-534: A way to demonstrate the new color capabilities of the Game Boy Color system. These are Pokémon that have a different coloration than normal; in earlier games, this was often done by means of a palette swap . Encountering a Shiny Pokémon is extremely rare; the probability under normal conditions is 1 in 4,096 (1 in 8,192 prior to Pokémon X and Y ). The term "Shiny" used to be unofficial. The first time it fell into official use in an English-language game

8507-409: 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

8688-478: A young Pokémon, usually of the lowest stage in its mother's evolutionary line . Players have the ability to trade their Pokémon with one another by connecting two compatible games. Because of the Pokémon series revolving around catching as many Pokémon as possible, trading is considered an important aspect of Pokémon . Certain Pokémon are only able to evolve by trading, with the exception of Pokémon Legends: Arceus , where some of these Pokémon can evolve with

8869-595: Is a video game genre where the player controls the actions of a character (or several party members) immersed in some well-defined world, usually involving some form of character development by way of recording statistics. Many role-playing video games have origins in tabletop role-playing games and use much of the same terminology , settings , and game mechanics . Other major similarities with pen-and-paper games include developed story-telling and narrative elements, player character development, complexity, as well as replay value and immersion. The electronic medium removes

9050-525: 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 ,

9231-559: Is available, which allows a player to trade a Pokémon for a random Pokémon from another player who also attempted a Wonder Trade. Certain Pokémon and items can be obtained through events. Mystery Gift , a feature introduced in Gold and Silver , allows players to receive in-game rewards during limited-time events. While some rewards are distributed with online serial codes or online functionality, others are exclusive to in-person events. Shiny Pokémon ( 光るポケモン , Shining Pokémon ) were first introduced in Gold and Silver as

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9412-484: Is found in other video game genres. This usually involves additional focus on the artificial intelligence and scripted behavior of computer-controlled non-player characters . The premise of many role-playing games tasks the player with saving the world, or whichever level of society is threatened. There are often twists and turns as the story progresses, such as the surprise appearance of estranged relatives, or enemies who become friends or vice versa. The game world

9593-496: Is largely predefined for the sake of telling a specific story, many role-playing games make use of a character creation screen. This allows players to choose their character's sex, their race or species, and their character class. Although many of these traits are cosmetic, there are functional aspects as well. Character classes will have different abilities and strengths. Common classes include fighters, spellcasters, thieves with stealth abilities, and clerics with healing abilities, or

9774-492: Is not even really an RPG; criticisms regarding seemingly nebulous justifications by some Japanese designers for newly changed (or, alternately, newly un-changed) features of recent titles; calls among some gaming journalists to "fix" JRPGs' problems; as well as claims that some recent titles such as Front Mission Evolved are beginning to attempt—and failing to—imitate Western titles. In an article for PSM3 , Brittany Vincent of RPGFan.com felt that "developers have mired

9955-492: Is notable for introducing automapping and in-game scrolls providing hints and background information. They also released Pool of Radiance in 1988, the first of several " Gold Box " CRPGs based on the Advanced Dungeons & Dragons rules . These games feature a first-person display for movement, combined with an overhead tactical display for combat. One common feature of RPGs from this era, which Matt Barton calls

10136-517: 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"

10317-621: Is often rooted in speculative fiction (i.e. fantasy or science fiction ), which allows players to do things they cannot do in real life and helps players suspend their disbelief about the rapid character growth. To a lesser extent, settings closer to the present day or near future are possible. The story often provides much of the entertainment in the game. Because these games have strong storylines, they can often make effective use of recorded dialog and voiceover narration. Players of these games tend to appreciate long cutscenes more than players of faster action games . While most games advance

10498-417: 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

10679-518: Is used with the Stellar boost, then any other Fairy-type moves aside from Dazzling Gleam will also lose the boost. Evolution is a sudden change in form of a Pokémon, usually accompanied by an increase in stat values. There are several different conditions that can trigger evolution in different species; the most common is gaining enough battle experience and leveling up. There are many other factors that can determine if, when, and into what, different Pokémon will evolve. The original alternate methods were

10860-406: Is usually divided so that each game location is an opportunity to reveal a new chapter in the story. Pen-and-paper role-playing games typically involve a player called the gamemaster (or GM for short) who can dynamically create the story, setting, and rules, and react to a player's choices. In role-playing video games, the computer performs the function of the gamemaster. This offers the player

11041-451: Is usually earned by defeating enemies in combat, with some games offering experience for completing certain quests or conversations. Experience becomes a form of score , and accumulating a certain amount of experience will cause the character's level to go up. This is called "levelling up", and gives the player an opportunity to raise their character(s)'s attributes. Many RPGs allow players to choose how to improve their character, by allocating

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11222-465: The Pokémon: Let's Go! games, players catch Pokémon without battling them, instead throwing Poké Balls directly, sometimes aided by berries. The Poké Ball ( モンスターボール , Monsutā Bōru , lit. "Monster Ball") is a spherical device used by Pokémon Trainers to catch wild Pokémon. When a Poké Ball is thrown at a Pokémon, the Pokémon shrink themselves to fit inside of it. Pokémon breeding

11403-584: The Dungeons & Dragons ruleset. Some role-playing games make use of magical powers , or equivalents such as psychic powers or advanced technology. These abilities are confined to specific characters such as mages, spellcasters, or magic-users. In games where the player controls multiple characters, these magic-users usually complement the physical strength of other classes. Magic can be used to attack, defend, or temporarily change an enemy or ally's attributes. While some games allow players to gradually consume

11584-1263: The Dynamax mechanic, which vastly increases a Pokémon's size and HP for three turns. While Dynamaxed, all of a Pokémon's moves get replaced with a corresponding "Max Move", which are more powerful and have secondary effects, with the exception of Max Guard, which protects against all attacks. Certain Pokémon take on a different appearance when Dynamaxed, known as Gigantamaxing . Additionally, Gigantamaxed Pokémon gain access to special "G-Max Moves", which possess different secondary effects than those of typical Max Moves. There are 32 known species of Pokémon that can perform this transformation: Venusaur, Charizard, Blastoise, Butterfree, Pikachu, Meowth, Machamp, Gengar, Kingler, Lapras, Eevee, Snorlax, Garbodor, Melmetal, Rillaboom, Cinderace, Inteleon, Corviknight, Orbeetle, Drednaw, Coalossal, Flapple, Appletun, Sandaconda, Toxtricity, Hatterene, Grimmsnarl, Alcremie, Copperajah, Duraludon, and both forms of Urshifu . Players can fight Dynamaxed Pokémon, as well as obtain Pokémon capable of Gigantamaxing, by participating in Max Raid Battles with other players. Pokémon Scarlet and Violet introduced

11765-543: The Nintendo DS have had more original and experimental Japanese RPGs released in recent years. Western RPGs have also received criticism in recent years. They remain less popular in Japan, where, until recently, Western games in general had a negative reputation. In Japan, where the vast majority of early console role-playing video games originate, Western RPGs remain largely unknown. The developer Motomu Toriyama criticized Western RPGs, stating that they "dump you in

11946-430: The Pokémon series takes place in a fictional region of the Pokémon world, typically based on a real-world location, and begins with the player receiving a starter Pokémon, usually from that region's Pokémon Professor. Players have the option to choose one of three different types of Pokémon: a Grass-type, a Fire-type, and a Water-type, though many starter Pokémon gain an additional type upon evolution. Many games include

12127-727: The Sharp X1 computer in 1983 and later ported to the MSX in 1984, the NES in 1985 and the Sharp X68000 as New Bokosuka Wars . The game laid the foundations for the tactical role-playing game genre, or "simulation RPG" genre as it is known in Japan. It was also an early example of a real-time , action role-playing game . In 1986, Chunsoft created the NES title Dragon Quest (called Dragon Warrior in North America until

12308-574: The Terastal mechanic, which gives a Pokémon a crystalline appearance and changes its type. Each individual Pokémon has a secret "Tera Type" that is unknown to the opponent. Most Tera Types correspond to a main type, but occasionally can be an unrelated type. When a Pokémon Terastallizes, its main type(s) gets replaced with its Tera Type. This also changes the weaknesses of a Pokémon to fit the new typing, and boosts any moves it has of that type. A move called "Tera Blast", learned through TMs, changes type to

12489-504: The Ultima series, employed duplicates of the miniatures combat system traditionally used in the early role-playing games . Representations of the player characters and monsters would move around an arena modeled after the surrounding terrain, attacking any enemies that are sufficiently close. Earlier role-playing video games used a two-dimensional top-down view or tile-based first-person view. Early action-based role-playing games often used

12670-496: 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

12851-680: 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,

13032-500: The eighth game ), which drew inspiration from computer RPGs Ultima and Wizardry and is regarded as the template for future Japanese role-playing video games released since then. Also in 1986 The Legend of Zelda was released for the NES , while not generally considered an RPG itself did inspire many aspects of future action-RPGs. In 1987, the genre came into its own with the release of several highly influential console RPGs distinguishing themselves from computer RPGs, including

13213-528: The stats of a Pokémon. Every Pokémon has IVs in every stat, ranging from 0 to 31. IVs can be inherited through breeding, as well as being randomly generated . Mega Evolution is a mechanic introduced in Pokémon X and Y and returning in Pokémon Legends: Z-A , which further increases the abilities of specific Pokémon. If the player character possesses an item called the Key Stone and

13394-436: The " Golden Age " of computer RPGs, is the use of numbered "paragraphs" printed in the manual or adjunct booklets, containing the game's lengthier texts; the player can be directed to read a certain paragraph, instead of being shown the text on screen. The ultimate exemplar of this approach is Sir-Tech 's Star Saga trilogy (of which only two games were released); the first game contains 888 "textlets" (usually much longer than

13575-416: The 1980 video game Rogue . The game's story is often mapped onto exploration, where each chapter of the story is mapped onto a different location. RPGs usually allow players to return to previously visited locations. Usually, there is nothing left to do there, although some locations change throughout the story and offer the player new things to do in response. Players must acquire enough power to overcome

13756-422: The 1990s, and became known for being more heavily story and character-based, American computer RPGs began to face criticism for having characters devoid of personality or background, due to representing avatars which the player uses to interact with the world, in contrast to Japanese console RPGs which depicted characters with distinctive personalities. American computer RPGs were thus criticized for lacking "more of

13937-431: 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

14118-500: 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,

14299-598: The Elite Four is replaced by the Champion Cup, a single-elimination tournament that determines who gets the right to challenge the Champion). Gyms are absent in Sun , Moon , Ultra Sun, and Ultra Moon , being replaced by trials that serve a similar purpose. Once the player completes the goal of conquering all 8 Gyms (or all Trials) or if the player's Pokémon are strong enough, the player then learns more about

14480-401: 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

14661-509: The Fairy type was introduced in X and Y . Some types have special properties unrelated to the damage chart; for example, Electric-types are immune to being paralyzed. When a Pokémon uses a move that is the same type as the user, there is a 50% increase in power due to "STAB", a colloquial acronym for "same-type attack bonus". When developing the types for the original games, generalized ones such as Normal and Fire were conceived before

14842-595: The Flying type was created. As a result Flying was added as a secondary type to many Pokémon, an aspect repeated in later games in the franchise. Pokémon Scarlet and Violet introduced Terastallization, which allows a Pokémon to change its type to match its "Tera Type" when activated, as well as giving the Pokémon a crystalline appearance. Terastallization also allows Pokémon to gain a STAB boost on moves of their Tera Type, while retaining STAB boost on moves of their original type(s). The move Tera Blast changes type to match

15023-649: 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

15204-476: 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

15385-647: The Linking Cord item. Other Pokémon require to be traded while holding an item to evolve, and Shelmet and Karrablast need to be traded with each other to evolve. In certain games, the Global Trading System (GTS) is available, allowing players to place requests for a specific Pokémon in return for another Pokémon, able to be fulfilled by players across the world. In other games, Wonder Trading (known in Sword and Shield as "Surprise Trading")

15566-515: 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,

15747-467: 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

15928-451: The PCs enter these locations or perform certain actions. Combat options typically involve positioning characters, selecting which enemy to attack, and exercising special skills such as casting spells. In a classical turn-based system, only one character may act at a time; all other characters remain still, with a few exceptions that may involve the use of special abilities. The order in which

16109-415: The Pokémon faints and is unable to battle. When an opponent's Pokémon faints, the player's Pokémon receives experience points ; when a Pokémon accumulates enough, then its level increases. If the player's Pokémon faints, they may select another Pokémon from their active party to battle; in battles against wild Pokémon, the player may attempt to flee instead. If all of a player's Pokémon faint, the player loses

16290-625: The Ravager and Menzoberranzan , transferred the AD&;D license to several different developers, and eventually gave it to BioWare , who used it in Baldur's Gate (1998) and several later games. By the 2000s, 3D engines had become dominant. The earliest RPG on a console was Dragonstomper on the Atari 2600 in 1982. Another early RPG on a console was Bokosuka Wars , originally released for

16471-516: The Special Attack and Special Defense stats were a single stat, named the "Special" stat, which determined both attack and resistance against special attacks. When Pokémon level up, their statistics increase, as determined by the Pokémon's base stat values, effort values, Pokémon Nature, and individual values. These variables working in tandem provide each Pokémon with its unique stats. Effort values , or EVs , are hidden values that affect

16652-589: The ability to pause the game and issue orders to all characters under his/her control; when the game is unpaused, all characters follow the orders they were given. This "real-time with pause" system ( RTwP ) has been particularly popular in games designed by BioWare . The most famous RTwP engine is the Infinity Engine . Other names for "real-time with pause" include "active pause" and "semi real-time". Tactical RPG maker Apeiron named their system Smart Pause Mode (SPM) because it would automatically pause based on

16833-437: The ambitious scope of Final Fantasy VII raised the possibilities for the genre, with its dozens of minigames and much higher production values. The latter includes innovations such as the use of 3D characters on pre-rendered backgrounds, battles viewed from multiple different angles rather than a single angle, and for the first time full-motion CGI video seamlessly blended into the gameplay, effectively integrated throughout

17014-400: 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

17195-418: The battle. All moves have power, accuracy, and a number of Power Points (PP). Each move is classified as one of the 18 Pokémon types. Additionally, since Diamond and Pearl , moves that deal damage are classified as either physical or special according to which stats of the attacking and defending Pokémon they use to calculate damage. The moves that one Pokémon may learn are different from another depending on

17376-953: The battle. This causes the player to lose some money and return to the last Pokémon Center they visited. Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire introduced Double Battles, in which the opposing teams battle with two Pokémon at a time. Though the basic mechanics remain the same, certain moves may affect multiple targets at once, and some affect the ally as well as the opponents. Additionally, some Abilities work only in Double Battles. Multi Battles were also introduced, with four Trainers in teams of two. The third-generation games only included Double Battles against other Trainers, but Diamond and Pearl introduced Double Battles with wild Pokémon under certain circumstances. Black and White also introduced Triple Battles and Rotation Battles. In Triple Battles, both teams send out three Pokémon at once, with all three battling simultaneously. In Rotation Battles, both sides send out three Pokémon at once, but only use one at

17557-544: The category," pointing to Chrono Trigger (which he also worked on) and the Mana games. He further noted that there have been "other games similar to the style of Chrono Trigger ," but that "it's probably because the games weren't localised and didn't reach the Western audience." Xeno series director Tetsuya Takahashi , in reference to Xenoblade Chronicles , stated that "I don't know when exactly people started using

17738-419: 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

17919-643: The characters act is usually dependent on their attributes, such as speed or agility. This system rewards strategic planning more than quickness. It also points to the fact that realism in games is a means to the end of immersion in the game world, not an end in itself. A turn-based system makes it possible, for example, to run within range of an opponent and kill them before they get a chance to act, or duck out from behind hard cover, fire, and retreat back without an opponent being able to fire, which are of course both impossibilities. However, tactical possibilities have been created by this unreality that did not exist before;

18100-460: The characters within a tile-based graphics system . Dragon Quest was highly successful in Japan, leading to further entries in the series and other titles such as Final Fantasy that followed the same simplifications made in RPGs for Dragon Quest . Because of these differences, the role-playing genre began to be classified into two fairly distinct styles: computer RPG and console RPG . By

18281-415: 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

18462-408: The development and customization of playable characters has come at the expense of plot and gameplay, resulting in what he felt was generic dialogue, lack of character development within the narrative and weaker battle systems. He also states that WRPGs tend to focus more on the underlying rules governing the battle system rather than on the experience itself. Tom Battey of Edge Magazine noted that

18643-520: The earliest role-playing video games on a microcomputer was Dungeon n Dragons , written by Peter Trefonas and published by CLOAD (1980). This early game, published for a TRS-80 Model 1, is just 16K long and includes a limited word parser command line, character generation, a store to purchase equipment, combat, traps to solve, and a dungeon to explore. Other contemporaneous CRPGs (Computer Role Playing Games) were Temple of Apshai , Odyssey: The Compleat Apventure and Akalabeth: World of Doom ,

18824-437: The early 2000s, the distinction between platforms became less pronounced as the same games appeared on both console and computer, but stylistic differences between Western role-playing games (WRPGs) and Japanese role-playing games (JRPGs) remained, rooted in the earlier distinctions. Though sharing fundamental premises, WRPGs tend to feature darker graphics, older characters, and a greater focus on roaming freedom, realism, and

19005-613: The end game. Examples include the Battle Palace's prohibition on choosing what moves the Pokémon uses and the Battle Factory's random rental Pokémon. Instead of prizes, the player is awarded Battle Points (BP) which can be traded for rare items or TMs. The Diamond and Pearl Battle Towers use this same system, and it is replaced by a Battle Frontier in Pokémon Platinum . HeartGold and SoulSilver also have

19186-754: 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

19367-478: 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

19548-499: 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

19729-559: The game remains virtually open-ended, with the ultimate goal of the player being to obtain at least one member of each of the different species of Pokémon, thus completing the Pokédex . Battles between Pokémon are the central game mechanic of the Pokémon games. Within the game, they are used to train Pokémon to gain experience and become stronger, earn prize money, and to progress through the game's story. Battles can also be done between players by connecting two game systems. Pokémon uses

19910-435: The game world. More recent games tend to maintain a consistent perspective for exploration and combat. Some games, especially earlier video games, generate battles from random encounters ; more modern RPGs are more likely to have persistent wandering monsters that move about the game world independently of the player. Most RPGs also use stationary boss monsters in key positions, and automatically trigger battles with them when

20091-521: The game. The game was soon ported to the PC and gained much success there, as did several other originally console RPGs, blurring the line between the console and computer platforms. Computer-driven role-playing games had their start in Western markets, with games generally geared to be played on home computers. By 1985, series like Wizardry and Ultima represented the state of the art in role-playing games. In Japan, home computers had yet to take as great

20272-560: 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

20453-427: 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

20634-537: The genre-defining Phantasy Star , released for the Master System . Shigeru Miyamoto 's Zelda II: The Adventure of Link for the Famicom Disk System was one of the earliest action role-playing games , combining the action-adventure game framework of its predecessor The Legend of Zelda with the statistical elements of turn-based RPGs . Most RPGs at this time were turn-based. Faxanadu

20815-429: 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

20996-539: The key features of RPGs were developed in this early period, prior to the release of Ultima III: Exodus , one of the prime influences on both computer and console RPG development. For example, Wizardry features menu-driven combat, Tunnels of Doom features tactical combat on a special "combat screen", and Dungeons of Daggorath features real-time combat which takes place on the main dungeon map. Starting in 1984 with Questron and 50 Mission Crush , SSI produced many series of CRPGs. Their 1985 game Phantasie

21177-520: The label "JRPG" is most commonly used to refer to RPGs "whose presentation mimics the design sensibilities" of anime and manga, that it's "typically the presentation and character archetypes" that signal "this is a JRPG." Modern JRPGs are more likely to feature turn-based battles; while modern WRPGs are more likely to feature real-time combat. In the past, the reverse was often true: real-time action role-playing games were far more common among Japanese console RPGs than Western computer RPGs up until

21358-731: The lack of a National Pokédex meaning that not every Pokémon would be transferable to Sword and Shield . Although the National Pokédex returned in Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl , albeit only allowing Pokémon existing in the original Diamond and Pearl games, it has remained absent in non-remakes. Pokémon Bank is an application which allows players to store up to 3,000 Pokémon in an online cloud storage service . Players can deposit and withdraw Pokémon from both physical and downloaded versions of compatible games, allowing players to exchange Pokémon between

21539-434: 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

21720-437: The late 1990s had become more cinematic in style (e.g. Final Fantasy series). At the same time, WRPGs started becoming more novelistic in style (e.g. Planescape: Torment ), but by the late 2000s had also adopted a more cinematic style (e.g. Mass Effect ). One reason given for these differences is that many early Japanese console RPGs can be seen as forms of interactive manga or anime wrapped around Western rule systems at

21901-415: The late 1990s have had a stronger focus on extensive dialog tree systems (e.g. Planescape: Torment ). On the other hand, JRPGs tend to limit players to developing pre-defined player characters , and often do not allow the option to create or choose one's own playable characters or make decisions that alter the plot. In the early 1990s, JRPGs were seen as being much closer to fantasy novels , but by

22082-934: The late 1990s, due to gamepads usually being better suited to real-time action than the keyboard and mouse. Some journalists and video game designers have questioned this cultural classification, arguing that the differences between Eastern and Western games have been exaggerated. In an interview held at the American Electronic Entertainment Expo , Japanese video game developer Tetsuya Nomura (who worked on Final Fantasy and Kingdom Hearts ) emphasized that RPGs should not be classified by country-of-origin, but rather described simply for what they are: role-playing games. Hironobu Sakaguchi , creator of Final Fantasy and The Last Story , noted that, while "users like to categorise" JRPGs as "turn-based, traditional styles" and WRPGs as "born from first-person shooters ," there "are titles that don't fit

22263-428: The late 1990s, which saw the rise of optical disks in fifth generation consoles. The implications for RPGs were enormous—longer, more involved quests, better audio, and full-motion video . This was first clearly demonstrated in 1997 by the phenomenal success of Final Fantasy VII , which is considered one of the most influential games of all time. With a record-breaking production budget of around $ 45 million,

22444-488: The legend of the region and can open the opportunity to summon, battle, and catch the mascot Legendary Pokémon at a certain location. Additionally, completing the main storyline opens up other features in the games; this is primarily done by allowing passage into otherwise inaccessible places. Many games also have facilities dedicated to battling, such as the Battle Frontier, Battle Tower, and Battle Maison. Afterward,

22625-517: The main storyline where the player faces several Trainers in succession with a limited set of their Pokémon and receive prizes in the form of otherwise rare items. The Battle Frontier was introduced in Pokémon Emerald , replacing the Battle Tower as found in the Ruby and Sapphire games. In addition to having its own Battle Tower with the same rules as the previous ones, the Battle Frontier adds several other game mechanics that make battles unique in

22806-638: The market and are Nintendo's biggest game launch of all time in Europe, with the United Kingdom and France launches selling 368,000 and 450,000 copies respectively within a week out of the continent's 1.5 million sales. The European sales rose past the 2 million mark within the following week. In North America, the games sold over 3.7 million units in less than two weeks after initial release, climbing to 4.5 million by mid-January. Role-playing video game A role-playing video game , role-playing game ( RPG ) or computer role-playing game ( CRPG )

22987-461: The mid-1970s, as an offshoot of early university mainframe text-based RPGs on PDP-10 and Unix -based computers, such as Dungeon , pedit5 and dnd . In 1980 , a very popular dungeon crawler , Rogue , was released. Featuring ASCII graphics where the setting, monsters and items were represented by letters and a deep system of gameplay, it inspired a whole genre of similar clones on mainframe and home computers called " roguelikes ". One of

23168-591: The middle to late 1990s, isometric, sprite-based RPGs became commonplace, with video game publishers Interplay Entertainment and Blizzard North playing a lead role with such titles as the Baldur's Gate , Icewind Dale and the action-RPG Diablo series, as well as the dialogue-heavy Planescape: Torment and cult classics Fallout and Fallout 2 . This era also saw a move toward 3D game engines with such games as Might and Magic VI: The Mandate of Heaven and The Elder Scrolls: Arena . TSR , dissatisfied with SSI's later products, such as Dark Sun: Wake of

23349-551: The misuse of the game's legendary Pokémon. Various facilities can be found throughout the Pokémon world such as Pokémon Centers, Poké Marts, and Pokémon Gyms. At a Pokémon Center, the player can have their Pokémon healed for free and access the PC, where players can organize their collection of Pokémon, store and withdraw items, and have their Pokédex rated. Before X and Y , this is also where players can link up with other game cartridges or cards to battle or trade with other players. Poké Marts are shops where players can buy items with

23530-576: The modern JRPG in unoriginality", citing Square Enix CEO Yoichi Wada who stated that "they're strictly catering to a particular audience", the article noting the difference in game sales between Japan and North America before going on to suggest JRPGs may need to "move forward". This criticism has also occurred in the wider media with an advertisement for Fallout: New Vegas ( Obsidian Entertainment ) in Japan openly mocked Japanese RPGs' traditional characteristics in favor of their own title. Nick Doerr of Joystiq noted that Bethesda felt that JRPGs "are all

23711-495: The money they win during battles; certain cities may have specialized shops, like a pharmacy or a department store. Periodically, a town will contain a Pokémon Gym, which houses a powerful Trainer known as a Gym Leader that functions as a boss . Victory against them grants the player a Gym Badge; after collecting eight Gym Badges, the player may challenge the region's Elite Four and Champion (in Pokémon Sword and Shield ,

23892-421: The more fantasy novel approach of Squaresoft console RPGs such as Final Fantasy IV . However in 1994, game designer Sandy Petersen noted that, among computer gamers, there was criticism against cartridge-based console JRPGs being "not role-playing at all" due to popular examples such as Secret of Mana and especially The Legend of Zelda using "direct" arcade-style action combat systems instead of

24073-656: The more "abstract" turn-based battle systems associated with computer RPGs. In response, he pointed out that not all console RPGs are action-based, pointing to Final Fantasy and Lufia . Another early criticism, dating back to the Phantasy Star games in the late 1980s, was the frequent use of defined player characters , in contrast to the Wizardry and Gold Box games where the player's avatars (such as knights, clerics, or thieves) were blank slates. As Japanese console RPGs became increasingly more dominant in

24254-459: 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

24435-427: The necessity for a gamemaster and increases combat resolution speed. RPGs have evolved from simple text-based console-window games into visually rich 3D experiences. Role-playing video games use much of the same terminology, settings and game mechanics as early tabletop role-playing games such as Dungeons & Dragons . Players control a central game character, or multiple game characters, usually called

24616-459: The number of items that can be held. Most of the actions in an RPG are performed indirectly, with the player selecting an action and the character performing it by their own accord. Success at that action depends on the character's numeric attributes. Role-playing video games often simulate dice-rolling mechanics from non-electronic role-playing games to determine success or failure. As a character's attributes improve, their chances of succeeding at

24797-547: The number of times players can move before the opponent can, and the strong style does the opposite. Once per battle in Pokémon Sun , Pokémon Moon , Pokémon Ultra Sun , and Pokémon Ultra Moon , if a Pokémon holds a Z-Crystal, a powerful object usually obtained from completing island trials, it can use an upgraded version of one of its moves, called a Z-Move. Z-Moves based on attacking moves tend to have much higher power than normal; those based on status moves usually incur

24978-554: The platform divide between consoles and computers , respectively. Finally, while the first RPGs offered strictly a single player experience, the popularity of multiplayer modes rose sharply during the early to mid-1990s with action role-playing games such as Secret of Mana and Diablo . With the advent of the Internet, multiplayer games have grown to become massively multiplayer online role-playing games (MMORPG), including Lineage , Final Fantasy XI , and World of Warcraft . The role-playing video game genre began in

25159-424: The player control an entire party of characters. However, if winning is contingent upon the survival of a single character, then that character effectively becomes the player's avatar . An example of this would be in Baldur's Gate , where if the character created by the player dies, the game ends and a previous save needs to be loaded. Although some single-player role-playing games give the player an avatar that

25340-608: The player determines whether the loss of immersion in the reality of the game is worth the satisfaction gained from the development of the tactic and its successful execution. Fallout has been cited as being a good example of such a system. Real-time combat can import features from action games , creating a hybrid action RPG game genre. But other RPG battle systems such as the Final Fantasy battle systems have imported real-time choices without emphasizing coordination or reflexes. Other systems combine real-time combat with

25521-446: 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

25702-432: The player is presented with a choice of one of three starter Pokémon at the beginning of the game. Each starter Pokémon has a different type , being either Grass, Fire, or Water. Catching is one of the most recognizable and important aspects of the Pokémon franchise . In most Pokémon games , players aim to weaken wild Pokémon in battle to then throw a Poké Ball. In Pokémon Go , Pokémon Legends: Arceus , and

25883-423: 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

26064-549: The player to change the party's character classes during the course of the game. Another "major innovation was the introduction of day/night cycles; certain items, characters, and quests are only accessible at certain times of day." In 1989, Phantasy Star II for the Genesis established many conventions of the genre, including an epic , dramatic, character-driven storyline dealing with serious themes and subject matter. Console RPGs distinguished themselves from computer RPGs to

26245-896: The player to manage a large amount of information and frequently make use of a windowed interface. For example, spell-casting characters will often have a menu of spells they can use. On the PC, players typically use the mouse to click on icons and menu options, while console games have the player navigate through menus using a game controller. The role-playing video game genre began in the mid-1970s on mainframe computers , inspired by pen-and-paper role-playing games such as Dungeons & Dragons . Several other sources of inspiration for early role-playing video games also included tabletop wargames , sports simulation games, adventure games such as Colossal Cave Adventure , fantasy writings by authors such as J. R. R. Tolkien , traditional strategy games such as chess , and ancient epic literature dating back to Epic of Gilgamesh which followed

26426-571: The player to traverse certain obstacles. For example, Pokémon who learn the HM move Surf can transport the protagonist over water, which is necessary to reach island locations. When a Pokémon learns an HM move, the move cannot be deleted or replaced unless the player uses the services of an NPC known as the Move Deleter. HMs were eventually phased out in Pokémon Sun and Moon , being replaced by

26607-435: The player waited more than a second or so to issue a command, the game would automatically issue a pass command, allowing the monsters to take a turn while the PCs did nothing. There is a further subdivision by the structure of the battle system; in many early games, such as Wizardry , monsters and the party are arrayed into ranks, and can only attack enemies in the front rank with melee weapons. Other games, such as most of

26788-406: The player's control. Other games feature a party that the player can create at the start or gather from non-player characters in the game, coming into partial or full control of the player during the game. Although the characterization of the game's avatar will develop through storytelling, characters may also become more functionally powerful by gaining new skills, weapons, and magic. This creates

26969-461: The players, to be as exciting as the Japanese imports", and lacked the arcade and action-adventure elements commonly found in Japanese console RPGs at the time. In the early 1990s, American computer RPGs also began facing criticism for their plots, where "the party sticks together through thick and thin" and always "act together as a group" rather than as individuals, and where non-player characters are "one-dimensional characters", in comparison to

27150-410: The plot when the player defeats an enemy or completes a level, role-playing games often progress the plot based on other important decisions. For example, a player may make the decision to join a guild, thus triggering a progression in the storyline that is usually irreversible. New elements in the story may also be triggered by mere arrival in an area, rather than completing a specific challenge. The plot

27331-437: The precursor to Ultima . Some early microcomputer RPGs (such as Telengard (1982) or Sword of Fargoal ) were based on their mainframe counterparts, while others (such as Ultima or Wizardry , the most successful of the early CRPGs) were loose adaptations of D&D . They also include both first-person displays and overhead views, sometimes in the same game ( Akalabeth , for example, uses both perspectives). Most of

27512-504: 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

27693-415: 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

27874-756: The problems often cited against JRPGs also often apply to many WRPGs as well as games outside of the RPG genre. BioWare games have been criticized for "lack of innovation, repetitive structure and lack of real choice." WRPGs, such as Bethesda games, have also been criticized for lacking in "narrative strength" or "mechanical intricacy" due to the open-ended, sandbox structure of their games. Starter Pok%C3%A9mon Pokémon involves catching and training fictional creatures called " Pokémon " and using them to battle other trainers' Pokémon. Each successive generation of games builds upon this concept by introducing new Pokémon, items, and gameplay concepts. Each game in

28055-409: The right things to the right non-player characters will elicit useful information for the player, and may even result in other rewards such as items or experience, as well as opening up possible storyline branches. Multiplayer online role-playing games can offer an exception to this contrast by allowing human interaction among multiple players and in some cases enabling a player to perform the role of

28236-436: The same basic structure of setting off in various quests in order to accomplish goals. After the success of role-playing video games such as Ultima and Wizardry , which in turn served as the blueprint for Dragon Quest and Final Fantasy , the role-playing genre eventually diverged into two styles, Eastern role-playing games and Western role-playing games , due to cultural differences , though roughly mirroring

28417-414: 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 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

28598-492: The same style as those in manga and anime . The stylistic differences are often due to differing target audiences: Western RPGs are usually geared primarily towards teenage to adult males, whereas Japanese RPGs are usually intended for a much larger demographic, including female audiences , who, for example, accounted for nearly a third of Final Fantasy XIII 's playerbase. In 2015, IGN noted in an interview with Xenoblade Chronicles X 's development team that

28779-598: The same" and "too linear", to which he responded that "[f]or the most part, it's true" but noted there are also non-linear JRPGs such as the Romancing SaGa series. Such criticisms have produced responses such as ones by Japanese video game developers , Shinji Mikami and Yuji Horii , to the effect that JRPGs were never as popular in the West to begin with, and that Western reviewers are biased against turn-based systems. Jeff Fleming of Gamasutra also states that Japanese RPGs on home consoles are generally showing signs of staleness, but notes that handheld consoles such as

28960-416: 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

29141-493: The species of Pokémon; even those that evolve from others do not necessarily learn all the same moves that their predecessors learn. Each Pokémon may only know a total of four moves at any one time. Moves may be learned through leveling up, using TMs and HMs , breeding and move tutors ( NPCs that teach moves). In Pokémon Legends: Arceus , each move can be used in either "agile style" or "strong style". The agile style decreases accuracy, power, and effect duration while increasing

29322-424: The strengths of a Pokémon in particular statistical areas. Each Pokémon can be assigned 510 EVs, with a maximum of 252 EVs in a single stat . Pokémon can gain EVs with a variety of methods, like defeating other Pokémon or using " vitamins ". Each Pokémon will give out one or more EVs in a specific stat corresponding to its species when defeated. Items can also affect a Pokémon's EVs, with vitamins being used to give

29503-496: The term 'JRPG,' but if this game makes people rethink the meaning of this term, I'll be satisfied." The writer Jeremy Parish of 1UP.com states that " Xenoblade throws into high relief the sheer artificiality of the gaming community's obsession over the differences between" Western and Japanese RPGs, pointing out that it "does things that don't really fit into either genre. Gamers do love their boundaries and barriers and neat little rules, I know, but just because you cram something into

29684-503: The time, in addition to the influence of visual novel adventure games . As a result, Japanese console RPGs differentiated themselves with a stronger focus on scripted narratives and character drama, alongside streamlined gameplay. In recent years, these trends have in turn been adopted by WRPGs, which have begun moving more towards tightly structured narratives, in addition to moving away from "numbers and rules" in favor of streamlined combat systems similar to action games. In addition,

29865-583: The traditional role-playing " offered by Japanese console RPGs, which instead emphasized character interactions. In response, North American computer RPGs began making a comeback towards the end of the 1990s with interactive choice-filled adventures. Several writers have criticized JRPGs as not being "true" RPGs, for heavy usage of scripted cutscenes and dialogue, and a frequent lack of branching outcomes. Japanese RPGs are also sometimes criticized for having relatively simple battle systems in which players are able to win by repetitively mashing buttons. As

30046-444: 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

30227-487: 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

30408-621: The two versions without the need for a second system. Additionally, an application called the Poké Transporter allows players to upload Pokémon from Pokémon Black , White , Black 2 and White 2 to the Pokémon Bank, after which they can be imported into newer games. Intended for release on December 27, 2013, Pokémon Bank was postponed due to unforeseen traffic levels on the Nintendo Network service. Pokémon Bank

30589-513: The typical Western-style RPGs of the time. Due to the cultural differences between Western and Japanese variations of role-playing games, both have often been compared and critiqued by those within the video games industry and press. In the late 1980s, when traditional American computer RPGs such as Ultima and Defender of the Crown were ported to consoles, they received mixed reviews from console gamers, as they were "not perceived, by many of

30770-448: The underlying game mechanics (e.g. "rules-based" or "system-based" ); whereas JRPGs tend to feature brighter, anime -like or chibi graphics, younger characters, turn-based or faster-paced action gameplay, and a greater focus on tightly-orchestrated, linear storylines with intricate plots (e.g. "action-based" or "story-based" ). Further, WRPGs are more likely to allow players to create and customize characters from scratch, and since

30951-456: The use of items called "evolutionary stones" or trading the Pokémon to another player. Later additions to the pool of conditions for evolution include dependence on the Pokémon's friendship level, the time of day in the game, carrying a unique item while being traded, the gender, or the area in the game where the Pokémon levels up. In each mainline Pokémon game (with the exception of Pokémon Yellow , Let's Go, Pikachu! , and Let's Go, Eevee! ),

31132-504: 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

31313-411: 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

31494-446: Was a theme that was common in most console RPGs at the time but absent from most computer RPGs. During the 1990s, console RPGs had become increasingly dominant, exerting a greater influence on computer RPGs than the other way around. Console RPGs had eclipsed computer RPGs for some time, though computer RPGs began making a comeback towards the end of the decade with interactive choice-filled adventures. The next major revolution came in

31675-451: Was another early action RPG for the NES, released as a side-story to the computer action RPG Dragon Slayer II: Xanadu . Square 's Final Fantasy for the NES introduced side-view battles, with the player characters on the right and the enemies on the left, which soon became the norm for numerous console RPGs. In 1988, Dragon Warrior III introduced a character progression system allowing

31856-400: Was fully released on the Nintendo eShop on January 22, 2014, in Japan, February 4, 2014, in Europe and February 5, 2014, in North America. In an update released on January 24, 2017, Pokémon Sun and Moon became compatible with Pokémon Bank . The update allows players to transfer and deposit their Pokémon between Bank and Sun and Moon , though when transferred, they cannot return to

32037-410: Was in a 2009 event distribution of a Shiny Milotic . The Pokédex ( ポケモン図鑑 , Pokémon Zukan , lit. : Pokémon Encyclopedia ) is an electronic device designed to catalog and provide information regarding the various species of Pokémon. The name Pokédex is a portmanteau of Pokémon and index . In the video games, whenever a Pokémon is first caught, its height, weight, species type, and

32218-515: Was introduced in Pokémon Gold and Silver . Pokémon can be bred in-game at a Pokémon Day Care. These are businesses generally run by an elderly person or couple, which raise Trainers' Pokémon for a fee. If two compatible Pokémon are left there, they will eventually produce a Pokémon Egg, which the Trainer can pick up for free. After being carried by the Trainer for some distance, the Egg will hatch into

32399-581: 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

32580-401: 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

32761-541: Was the first such attempt to recreate a role-playing game for a console, and requires several simplifications to fit within the more limited memory and capabilities of the Famicom compared to computers; players in Dragon Quest controlled only a single character, the amount of control over this character limited due to the simplicity of the Famicom controller, and a less-realistic art style was chosen to better visualize

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