How to Prepare for ‘Pokémon Sun’ and ‘Moon’
The new versions are right around the corner.
Both Pokémon Sun and Moon are set to bring a plethora of new features like Island Challenges, Hyper Training, and Z-Moves to the playing field. But, before the games release on November 18, there’s still plenty of things you can do to prepare for your next trip to the Pokémon League.
Pick Your Starter
Regardless of the generation, every Pokémon game in the franchise has always followed the tradition of starter Pokémon. Sun and Moon are no different. When you first get started, you’ll be able to choose from Rowlet (Grass), Litten (Fire), and Popplio (Water) for your first companion. Instead of keeping their final evolution a secret, Nintendo has revealed them all this time around, to help you best choose your starting Pokémon. Make sure to consider each and pick which one is right for you based on their typing and evolution.
Decide What Version to Grab
Like every generation, Sun and Moon come with two separate versions that you can experience. The version you pick will decide a few things about how the game plays out, with the obvious one being the legendary Pokémon you will receive during your journey. Each version also features a unique selection of Pokémon which are entirely exclusive, meaning you’ll want to play through both or trade with a friend if you’re hoping to collect them all. Be sure to check out our guide if you’re having any trouble figuring out which version best fits you … or just snag them both to experience!
Complete the Demo
If you haven’t had a chance to download the Sun and Moon Special Demo Version yet, make sure to spend the time to do so before diving straight into the new games. Like previous special demos, the one for Sun and Moon features a few exclusive rewards that you can transfer to the full version once unlocked, including Ash-Greninja. The entire demo takes less than an hour to complete and the rewards are well-worth the time.
Prep Your Collection for Transfer
One of the most daunting tasks to complete before transferring over to Pokémon Sun and Moon from previous generations is to prepare your entire Pokémon collection for transfer using the Pokémon Bank application available from the Nintendo 3DS eShop. If you haven’t used the Pokémon Bank application before, it’s essentially just a digital transfer system that allows you to pull your entire Pokémon collection over from one version to the next. It can also be used for storage, but sometimes you won’t be able to transfer Pokémon back to a previous version if theyve been transferred into bank storage. It looks like this will be the case with Sun and Moon, unfortunately.
That said, the Pokémon Bank is still worth spending some time getting ready for if you’re all set to upgrade from your previous versions. Head over to the Nintendo eShop and download it to your 3DS to get started on your collection transfer. Keep in mind you need to pay a $4.99 fee per year to use the bank (though you get 30 days free), and that you do have some time to get this done since you won’t be able to transfer anything over to the new versions until January. But, if you’re like me and have what feels like thousands of unorganized Pokémon, it’s better to get started on the entire process now, before you are consumed by the new versions!
