A few weeks ago, we got our hands on the first gameplay trailer for Pokémon Sun and Moon, and we learned about the new starter Pokémon, the Alola region, and the new game-specific legendary Pokémon. There were rumors about the names of the legendaries, and now, in a new trailer, those rumors have been confirmed: Meet Solgaleo and Lunala.
Solgaleo, the cover star of Sun, is a Psychic/Steel type who has the new Full Metal Body ability, meaning its stats “will not be lowered by the effects of an opponent’s moves or Ability.” It also knows a new move called Sunsteel Strike, via Serebii.net.
Moon‘s mascot Lunala is Psychic/Ghost type with the new ability Shadow Shield, meaning it will “take less damage from an attack that lands when the Pokémon has full HP.” Lunala also knows a new move called Moongeist Beam.
There’s also more official biographical info available about the new legendary Pokémon. From the Pokémon Sun and Moon website:
“Since ancient times, Lunala has been honored as an emissary of the moon. It is referred to with reverence as ‘the beast that calls the moon.’ Lunala is constantly absorbing light and converting it into energy. With its wings spread to absorb the surrounding light and glittering like a crescent moon, it resembles a beautiful night sky. Lunala’s signature Moongeist Beam attack releases an ominous beam of light that disregards the target’s Ability.”
“Since ancient times, Solgaleo has been honored as an emissary of the sun. It is referred to with reverence as ‘the beast that devours the sun.’ Solgaleo’s body holds a vast amount of energy, and it shines with light when it’s active. It has a flowing mane with a remarkable resemblance to the sun. Its signature move is Sunsteel Strike, an attack that charges at an opponent with the force of a meteor, disregarding the target’s Ability.”
Aside from that, it’s also been revealed that this generation’s Pokédex is possessed (in a good way) by Rotom, making the device a more hands-on and hand-holding experience that will guide the player through the game, per its official description:
“In Pokémon Sun and Pokémon Moon, your character receives a special Pokédex from Professor Kukui to support you in your travels. It’s known as the Rotom Pokédex, and it’s inhabited by Rotom, a Pokémon with the power to reside in various electronic appliances. It does much more than record Pokémon info—it sparkles with its own personality. The Rotom Pokédex shows your current location and your next destination, and it also gives you advice on where to go next, based on the conversations you have with others! It’s likely to be of great help to you in many parts of your adventure.”
Lastly, here’s a very brief look at the Alola region, via the Japanese Pokémon YouTube channel, which shows off the tropical island environment which features varied terrain:
Now for some speculation: It seems possible that Alola might not be the only region in the game. According to Serebii.net, a video from the Japanese Pokémon website shows the Pokédex as containing the Alola Pokédex and the MeleMele Pokédex. In the Hawaiian language, melemele means yellow, blonde, or amber, so interpret that as you will. Maybe MeleMele will be a new post-game area accessible after becoming the Pokémon League champion?
That’s a lot to take in, so pour over it all again and let us know in the comments if this pre-game roll out has you as giddy as it has us. As cool as these legendary Pokémon may look, not every new species has been met with universal acclaim…
Image: The Pokémon Company
