Ever since Pokémon Sun and Moon was first announced with its traditional three starter Pokémon, fans have been eagerly waiting for news on their evolved forms. This week’s Pokémon news not only brought us the first evolved forms of the trio, but also new in-game features and a unique demo version.
Dartrix is the first evolved form of Rowlet. Dartrix rocks some side-swept bangs and an adorably pompous attitude.
Litten evolves into Torracat, a bigger, more wild Fire Cat that looks more lynx than house cat. Apparently it shoots fire out of its bell-like collar, which is really a “flame sac organ.”
Brionne is the even more sugary-sweet evolved form of Popplio. The water seal sports a tu-tu outfit and loves to dance.
Festival Plaza is the new multiplayer hub introduced in Pokémon Sun and Moon. It’s host to a variety of mini-games. You can win coins and train your Pokémon by fulfilling the requests of other players. This looks like the most extensive multiplayer feature in any main Pokémon game.
Poké Pelago gives your Pokémon who are stuck waiting in your storage PC something to do. There are three different islands you can send them too, where you Pokémon are represented by their 2D sprites.
Isle Abeens gives them a chance to attract other wild Pokémon. Isle Aphun lets them find items in a cave – including rare evolutionary stones. Pokémon left at Isle Evelup can be given drinks to train their base stats, or simply level up.
The Pokémon Sun and Moon Special Demo Version was also announced. The Demo Version lets you play with a unique Greninja, one of the evolved starters from X/Y (and popularized from the anime and Super Smash Bros.). This Greninja has the Battle Bond ability, which lets it evolve into Ash-Greninja (Ash’s Greninja from the anime) when it achieves a high level of trust with its trainer.
You can then import this unique Ash-Greninja into the full game, giving a nice incentive to play it before the game’s full release. It’s not clear how long or what all you can do in the demo, but it is apparently a separate adventure from the full game.
The Special Demo Version will be available on the Nintendo eShop on October 18, exactly one month before Pokémon Sun and Moon on November 18.
