The Pokémon Sun and Moon demo was released in Japan last night, and has already been datamined.
Most of the information has been scrubbed, including stats, typing and names for the Pokémon. However, those datamining the game were able to uncover the sprites for what is possibly the entire Sun and Moon Pokedex, along with new Pokémon, Alolan forms, and some new moves.
From this point forward there are major spoiler alerts, so please continue at your own risk.
Now due to possible copyright violations (which several websites have been threatened with) no images will be shown here, but all sources will be linked, including videos and lists of the entire Pokedex.
The biggest reveals show off 81 new Pokémon in Sun and Moon, including Alolan forms and Ultra Beasts. Official numbers by the dataminers state there is 802 new Pokémon total for the series, with less than 200 for the Alolan Pokedex.
The new Alolan forms include images for Alolan Persian, the Alolan Diglett and Dugtrio, and the Alolan Golem Line. Persian has been speculated for some time now, while the Alolan Dugtrio and Golem lines are brand new, and apparently the last of the Alolan forms in the game. There is, however, another special form, the Ash-Pikachu form which has a Pikachu wearing the hat from the Anime's Ash Ketchum.
The remainder of the Pokémon revealed show off the Pikipek evolution line, which evolves into a Toucan, evolutions for Morelull, Crabrawler, Wimpod and Salandit, an Anchor Pokémon, a spider-looking Pokémon, and a sea urchin Pokémon that was also leaked yesterday, in picture form only in the new Sun and Moon card game set.
The biggest confirmation is the final evolutions for the three starters has now been confirmed, evolving into an archer, wrestler, and siren, respectively. Another big reveal is the fact that Solgaleo and Lunala also receive pre-evolutions, something not done for Legendary Pokémon since Phione and Manaphy in Pokémon Diamond and Pearl. Marshadow has also been confirmed, along with the reveal of the three other island guardians that coincide with Tapu Koko, and each of them are speculated to be Fairy/Fire, Psychic and Ghost, respectively.
The last sprites revealed were for the rest of the Ultra Beasts, which include a beast made out of live wires, a bamboo-swordsman, and an alien-looking xenomorph beast.
Now it should be noted that some sprites were completely removed from the demo. It is currently believed that the sprites removed are representing the totem Pokémon, and are not new monsters for the game. That is still not confirmed, although it is unlikely that new Pokémon are in the game at this time.
In addition to these sprites, we also have confirmation of new Pokémon moves. The first is called Psychic Terrain, which will allow Pokémon on the ground to be protected by priority moves, as well as boost Psychic attacks, Aurora Veil, which halves the power of all physical and special moves for five turns, Laser Focus, which will make the next move used be a critical hit, and Throat Chop, which will prevent Pokémon from using sound-based moves for two turns.
In total, it is speculated that 100 new moves have been added to the game, bringing the total number of moves up to 720. This also includes Z-moves, which grow in power depending on the base power of the move used by your Pokémon.
Several full videos from youtube have already broken down the new information below, and released elsewhere to the public.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I_KfjwyVaoY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GwpIhRkAlRw
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mJnB7EHQ2XU
Quick Take
It is amazing that all of this information was found again. Game Freak did a lot of data scrubbing, but leaving in the sprites for the entire Pokedex is a major mistake...or a purposeful one. Game Freak is known to throw in easter eggs at the last minute from time to time, perhaps this was a gift for the fanbase to speculate on for the next month. Who knows, it may not even be the whole Pokedex, although that is unlikely at this point.I am a bit disappointed by the low number of Pokémon though, especially considering they revealed over half of the entire Pokedex this time around, instead of the standard 1/3 like previous generations. Still, the designs are solid for the most part, and I am looking forward to actually playing the game and uncovering all the secrets still left in the game, including how all of these Ultra Beasts fit into the plot.
What are you looking forward to in Pokémon Sun and Moon? What do you think about the Pokedex reveal? Leave your comments below.
