New starter Pokémon information and demo announced!

The Pokémon Company has again released a slew of new information regarding their two upcoming game releases – Sun and Moon. This time around we are finally presented with more details on the three starter Pokémon’s first evolutions, as well new game play mechanics, the return of a familiar game feature. and last (but of course, not least) the release of a demo version with an in-game bonus for those who play.

First off let’s begin with our starter evolutions, Dartrix, Torracat, and Brionne.

The fan favourite Rowlet evolves into Dartrix, a Grass/Flying type Pokémon who attacks its foes by throwing knife-edged feathers in conjunction with its razor sharp senses. Dartrix’s high level of perception allows it to sense enemies from behind and strike without the need to sight them first. This Pokémon is very proud of its appearance and uses every spare moment it possesses to constantly groom itself.

Torracat, the evolved form of Litten, is purely a Fire type Pokémon who uses the glowing bell sac, attached to the base of its throat, to produce flames for attack. It has a great love for battle and will attacks its enemies with little mercy. Torracat’s mane acts as a sensor, allowing it to detect the presence of hidden enemies and grants it the ability to move around in the dark with apparent ease.

Finally we have Brionne; Popplio’s evolved form and one of the softer looking water starters in quite some time. Brionne can dance in perfect time with others, and is said to always be cheery and positive. Its cheery disposition doesn’t deter it from working hard to learn it’s dance moves, performed by it’s colony; Brionne can even learn dances performed by humans. As Brionne dances, it creates balloons and slaps them into its target; these explode upon impact and cause substantial damage.

A new feature of Pokémon Sun and Moon, which combines online communication features, is the Festival Plaza. Trainers will be able to see other people playing around them, or other players who are connected to the internet via battle or trade. Communicating with those found in the Festival Plaza, or taking on their requests will earn players Festival Coins. This new form of currency will be able to be spent in unique stores, such as dye houses, item shops (where rare and valuable items are sold), and even a bouncy castle for Pokémon to train in. As players progress and collect more coins, they’ll be granted the opportunity to level up their plaza, gain rewards and grant them new ventures to explore. Regular players will even be able to host missions, where multiple players can work as a team to achieve their goals.

Another new feature announced in the trailer was Poké Pelago, a reminiscent nod to Pokémon Black and White’s Dream Isle. In Poké Pelago, Pokémon that are stored in the PC box are able to explore various islands, train with athletic equipment, or enjoy other interesting activities. The more Pokémon a player sends to Poke Pelago, the more facilities they can discover, and isles to develop. Playing this mini regularly will also grant players certain bonuses, such as discovering rare items or befriending new Pokémon to add to your team.

Mega Evolution makes a return as well. Pokémon that were able to Mega Evolve in previous Pokémon games will also be able to Mega Evolve in Pokémon Sun and Moon. The Mega Stones for Pokémon with the capability to Mega Evolve that appear in the Alola region may be received from characters in the game or obtained from special shops.

Finally, for those who simply can’t wait till November to play Sun and Moon, there is a Special Demo Version that will be able to be directly downloaded from the Nintendo eShop from October 18. This demo will introduce players to the Alola region and feature a very special version of one of X and Y’s starters – Ash-Greninja. Upon purchase of either Sun or Moon after the 23rd of November, you’ll be able to transfer Ash-Greninja to your game and add him to your permanent team.

With all this info and just a little over a month until release, Pokémon Sun and Moon looks chock-full of in game content to keep players coming back for more.