The Pokémon Company International and Nintendo showcased new information for the latest games in the Pokémon franchise, Pokémon Sun and Pokémon Moon, available in Europe on 23 November and available exclusively for the Nintendo 3DS family of systems.
The following new Pokémon were officially revealed:
Alolan Diglett
Type: Ground–Steel
The Mole Pokémon Alolan Diglett live near volcanic areas, so they have few places to hide themselves away. It’s said they developed the hairlike metallic whiskers which grow from the top of their heads as a survival mechanism for the hostile volcanic environment. Their whiskers enable them to sense surrounding areas without exposing their face above ground. Alolan Diglett can have the Tangling Hair Ability, which is a new Ability that no other Pokémon has previously had. With the Tangling Hair Ability, opponents that hit this Pokémon with a move that makes direct contact will have their speed lowered by 1.
Alolan Dugtrio
Type: Ground–Steel
Alolan Dugtrio is the evolved form of Alolan Diglett. Alolan Dugtrio’s whiskers grow throughout its life at a very slow rate, shining with a brilliance akin to that of golden hair. In the Alola region, this Pokémon is revered as an incarnation of the god of the land, and it’s treated with great importance. Removing any of this Pokémon’s whiskers is strictly prohibited. There is a superstitious belief that many Alolan Dugtrio come out of their burrows on a day when a volcano will erupt.
Also revealed were the following new Ultra Beasts:
UB-05 Glutton
This beast has an astounding appetite, and it will completely devour anything in front of its eyes. It’s said that it devours not only objects, but the ground, rivers, and even the seas. There is a belief that it converts the abnormal amount it eats entirely into energy to sustain itself, leaving no waste product behind. Whether this is true or not is a mystery.
UB-03 Lighting
Another of the Ultra Beasts is known as UB-03 Lighting. More will be revealed during the players’ adventures around the Alola region.
The image of one additional Pokémon was also revealed, but players will have to pick up the games when they launch on 23 November to find out more about this mysterious Pokémon!
Each of the three Pokémon that you can choose as your first partner during your adventure have an exclusive Z-Move that they can use only after they fully evolve. These moves are:
Z-Move: Sinister Arrow Raid
Pokémon: Decidueye
Decidueye slices through the air together with a hail of arrow quills, crashing into the target before dealing the final blow with its arrows.
Z-Move: Malicious Moonsault
Pokémon: Incineroar
With flames spouting from its flame belt, Incineroar leaps high into the sky and dives straight down onto its target.
Z-Move: Oceanic Operetta
Pokémon: Primarina
Primarina manipulates a huge balloon using its voice, then causes it to explode over its target’s head, dealing a lot of damage.
Z-Moves are special moves that a Pokémon can use when it’s holding a Z-Crystal that corresponds to its move’s type. Their effects vary greatly depending on whether they’re based on attack moves or status moves. Z-Moves based on attack moves have far greater power than standard moves, but how powerful they will be seems to depend on the power of the original move that a Z-Move is based on. Since Z-Moves are full-powered attacks, they also seem to be impossible to fully ward off with moves like Protect and Detect—they still do some damage. When you use your Z-Power based on a status move, it will be powered up with additional effects. These effects come in many varieties, including raising your own Pokémon’s stats, healing the next Pokémon to switch in and more!
A special QR Code is also planned for distribution via the Pokémon TV app from 6 December in Europe. Once scanned in the game, the code enables players to obtain the Mythical Pokémon Magearna. Not only that, but players who purchase Pokémon Sun and Pokémon Moon and connect to the internet between 23 November 2016 and 11 January 2017 can obtain a special Munchlax and a Snorlium Z via the Mystery Gift function. You can even start your adventure early with the Pokémon Sun and Pokémon Moon Special Demo Version—available now for download from Nintendo eShop at no charge. Players can transfer their Greninja from the demo version to their full game version of Pokémon Sun and Pokémon Moon when it launches later this month.