Released in November 2016, Pokémon Sun and Moon may not be ranked very high among the Pokémon video games, but they are still better than they’re given credit for. The seventh generation of Pokémon games marked the 20th anniversary of the franchise, also releasing Pokémon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon in 2017, followed by Let’s Go, Pikachu! and Let’s Go, Eevee! in 2018. These titles were the last of the Pokémon games released for the Nintendo 3DS, and the first to launch on the Switch. The Generation 7 Pokémon games were all about taking risks and creating a game that wasn’t identical to its predecessors.
Sun and Moon featured the Pokémon mainline region of Alola, a series of tropical islands based on Hawaii. These games brought with them 80 new Pokémon (not including Alolan forms), 41 new abilities, 98 new moves, the Team Skull villains, and a new battle mechanic known as Z-moves. Pokémon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon brought improvements to many of Sun and Moon’s new features, such as expanding the Rotom Pokédex, new fashion items, and a new post-game story. Finally, the Let’s Go! games introduced the ability to change nicknames at any point, the Pokémon Box for placing Pokémon, and Exp. Share went from being an item to being an automatic process from the beginning of the game. Since its release, changes brought on in the seventh generation have caused a divide among fans.
Some of these changes, however, are exactly what makes the seventh generation so much better than it’s given credit for. Starting on Alola's Route 1 in Pokémon Gen 7, rather than a hometown, lets the player immediately begin gameplay. The introduction of the effectiveness level shown on moves during an attack on a Pokémon was a much-needed improvement. Beginning in the seventh generation, players were able to put every Pokémon recently caught into a party, rather than having to wait until reaching a Pokémon Center. Pokémon Boxes became accessible from the main menu, too. These changes proved to be so beneficial for gameplay, they returned in Gen 8.
Generation 7 Was A Transitionary Period For Pokémon Games
Though they had mixed reception, Pokémon Sun and Moon were vital to expanding the Pokémon video game franchise. Gen 7 was the first generation (and so far only) to see main series games release on different consoles. The last of the Nintendo 3DS generation, Pokémon Sun and Moon were an important stepping stone for the franchise to build its way toward the next console, the Switch. Let’s Go, Pikachu! and Let's Go, Eevee! set a Switch sales record, and saw Pokémon take the plunge into new console territory.
In Pokémon Sun and Moon, players got to experience a region that didn’t have a traditional league at the beginning of the game. By the finale, a new league was established and players witnessed a story unlike any other in the Pokémon universe. There are so many features that make the seventh generation games unique. Pokémon developers were taking a huge risk with these entries, and while the Let’s Go! games might not be the most engaging in the series, they are great games for beginners. The seventh generation, including Pokémon Sun and Moon, marked the end of one era and the beginning of a new era within just three years.