Generation VII
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Theseventh generation (Japanese:第七世代seventh generation) ofPokémongames, commonly referred to by fans asGeneration VII, is the seventh installment of the Pokémon video game series starting withPokémon Sun and Moon, continuing withPokémon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon, and ending withPokémon: Let's Go, Pikachu! and Let's Go, Eevee!. Unlike previous generations, the core series games of the seventh generation were released on two different Nintendo platforms, with the Alola-based games released on theNintendo 3DS and the Kanto-based games released on theNintendo Switch. It is the last generation released on the 3DS and the first one on the Switch.
History
The seventh generation of Pokémon was announced with the reveal ofPokémon Sun and Moon onFebruary 27, 2016, thePokémon 20th Anniversary, through aPokémon Direct. These are the first pair of games in the generation and were released worldwide on November 18, 2016, except in Europe where they were released on November 23, 2016.
The second pair of games in this generation,Pokémon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon, were revealed through aPokémon Direct held on June 6, 2017. The games take place in Alola once again, but with a new story and includes Pokémon that cannot be found in Sun and Moon. The games were released worldwide on November 17, 2017.
The third and final pair of games,Pokémon: Let's Go, Pikachu! and Let's Go, Eevee!, were revealed at thePokémon 2018 Video Game Press Conference held on May 30, 2018. The games take place inKanto and are inspired byPokémon Yellow. The games were released worldwide on November 16, 2018.
Connectivity
Pokémon Sun and Moon and Pokémon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon can communicate with the applicationPokémon Bank, via which Pokémon from theGeneration VI games can be received. By way ofPoké Transporter, Pokémon Bank can also receive Pokémon from theGeneration V games and theVirtual Console releases of theGeneration II andGeneration I games, from which they can be moved to Generation VII games. Combined with otherinter-generational transfer methods, this makes the seventh generation the first generation since Generation II able to communicate with all previous games.
Pokémon: Let's Go, Pikachu! and Let's Go, Eevee! can communicate with the mobile appPokémon GO and is able to receive Pokémon that originate from the app. It cannot communicate with other Generation VII games.
In-game continuity
Pokémon Sun and Moon occurs two years after the events ofBlack 2 and White 2 andX and Y. Various characters from previous generations such as:Sina,Dexio,Looker,Anabel,Colress,Red, andBlue make appearances, with many of them looking significantly older than in previous games.
During the postgame missions in Sun and Moon, it is revealed that Anabel fell into an Ultra Wormhole prior to the events of Sun and Moon and became aFaller, which are individuals who have passed through Ultra Wormholes, and is hinted to be the same Anabel that appeared inPokémon Emerald'sBattle Tower, however, she suffers fromretrograde amnesia.Professor Burnet who originated from the side game,Pokémon Dream Radar, is revealed to be living in Alola and is researching the phenomena surrounding Ultra Wormholes.
Pokémon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon are set in analternate universe similar, but slightly different, to Sun and Moon. The events of Pokémon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon follow those of the first games, but slightly diverge in its details. Some of the worlds that the player may visit through theUltra Warp Ride are hinted at being alternate versions of Alola, such as: theUltra Space Wilds, and theUltra Ruin, the latter being a world that is thoroughly hinted at being a destroyedHau'oli City from an alternatedimension. InEpisode RR,Team Rainbow Rocket takes over theFestival Plaza andAether Paradise in hopes of taking over other worlds using the Ultra Wormhole technology developed by the Aether Foundation. Team Rainbow Rocket is later revealed to be composed of thevillainous team leaders from previous generations, withTeam Aqua andTeam Magma's leaders,Archie andMaxie, appearing as they did inPokémon Ruby and Sapphire. It is also revealed that each of the villainous team leaders are from alternate universes where they were able to successfully achieve their plans; further cementing the concept of alternate universes. Colress plays a major role in Episode RR by sending all of the villainous leaders back to their original worlds; when Ghetsis is being confronted, he and Colress recognize each other, despite being from alternate worlds, showing that Colress had involvements withTeam Plasma in both universes.
Pokémon: Let's Go, Pikachu! and Let's Go, Eevee! seem to take place in an alternate universe fromPokémon Red and Blue andPokémon FireRed and LeafGreen as Team Rocket was never disbanded, and Red and Blue have already defeated theIndigo League and are now renowned Pokémon Trainers. Because of this, the player characters are now composed ofChase andElaine, with Blue's role as rival being replaced byTrace.
Since Let's Go, Pikachu! and Let's Go, Eevee! are remakes ofPokémon Yellow, characters fromPokémon the Series likeJessie andJames make appearances and similar events from the animated series occur. The games seem to occur less than five years before Sun and Moon, asMina, albeit slightly younger, makes an appearance inVermilion City. Despite this, the overall continuity between these games and those that precede them is not clear.
Advances in gameplay
- The addition of81 new Pokémon, bringing the total to 802.
- The addition of80 new moves, bringing the total to 701.
- The addition of41 new Abilities, bringing the total to 232.
- A new region to explore, theAlola region, based onHawaii.
- The return of different overworld music depending on thetime of day, which was originally introduced inGeneration IV.
- A newvillainous team,Team Skull.
- EighteenGeneration I Pokémon have a form unique to Alola known as aregional form; this aspect of Generation VII is based onselective pressures which occur in thereal world.
- The addition of the Rotom Pokédex, a specialPokédex inhabited by aRotom that doubles as a real-time map on the bottom screen of theNintendo 3DS.
- The 3D models used for characters on the overworld are refined, and Trainers can be seen behind their Pokémon during battle, similar toPokémon Colosseum,XD: Gale of Darkness, andBattle Revolution.
- Several NPC Trainers are shown to keep their Pokémon inPoké Balls other than the standardPoké Ball.
- It is now possible to see stat changes during a battle.
- A new battle mechanic,Z-Moves, powerful moves that Pokémon can learn and perform once per battle.
- The addition of theisland challenge, a traditional rite in the Alola region involving trials guided bycaptains, battlingTotem Pokémon, and battles withisland kahunas.
- The introduction ofGreninja'sAsh-Greninja form andZygarde'sfour alternate forms, previously shown in theXY&Z arc ofPokémon the Series: XY.
- Six newPikachuforms based onAsh's Pikachu.
- Two new battle modes:
- A battle that takes part between four Trainers called aBattle Royal, where each participating Trainer aims to defeat each other. The battle ends when all of one Trainer's Pokémon areknocked out, with the winner being the Trainer who has the highest combined number of knockouts and number of remaining Pokémon.
- A battle wherewild Pokémon can summon allies to assist them called anSOS Battle.
- The newQR Scanner allows players to register Pokémon in their Pokédex and receiveevent Pokémon.
- The addition ofPoké Rides, which allow players to summon Pokémon that they can ride to access otherwise inaccessible areas.
- The addition ofHyper Training, a system that allows players to exchange specialBottle Caps to maximize theIVs of theirLevel 100 Pokémon.
- The introduction of theZygarde Cube, an item that allows the player to collect Zygarde Cells and Cores scattered across the region to assemble their ownZygarde.
- The addition of theFestival Plaza, a hub accessible from themenu that allows the player to interact with other players locally or via the internet, as well as access various shops similarly toJoin Avenue.
- The addition of thePoké Pelago, an option accessible from themenu that allows the player to send Pokémon that are stored in aPCBox to various islands, allowing them to gather items, discoverwild Pokémon, and even raise theirlevels andstatistics.
- The player can now replace one of theirparty Pokémon with a newlycaught Pokémon without having to use aPC.
- One new variant ofPoké Ball, theBeast Ball, retaining the twenty-six found in previous games.
- The introduction of a newEvolution stone, theIce Stone.
- During aPokémon battle, the bottom screen now displays a move'stype effectiveness once the player has encountered the Pokémon again.
- During a wild battle, the player can now press the Y button to automatically bring up aBag submenu consisting only of different types ofPoké Balls.
Alterations from Generation VI
- The player can move freely in any direction in any area of the game, as opposed to the eight-directional grid of the previous generation.
- The player now has to open doors manually, as opposed to them opening automatically on approach.
- Several Pokémon can learn new moves uponEvolution.
- Pokémon-Amie is replaced byPokémon Refresh.
- ThePlayer Search System is replaced and incorporated into the Festival Plaza.
- The abandonment of the following elements:
- Counting how many of each species of Pokémon the player has encountered.
- TheNational Pokédex, with Pokémon from outside the Alola Pokédex having no Pokédex entry at all.
- Horde Encounters,Sky Battles,Inverse Battles*,Triple Battles, andRotation Battles.
- Super Training,O-Powers, andPoké Miles.
- Contest Spectaculars,Cosplay Pikachu,Super-Secret Bases,Mirage spots,Soaring, and theDexNav fromPokémon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire.
- TheHall of FamePC function.
- The experience formula once again accounts for the difference between the level of the Pokémon defeated and the Pokémon receiving experience.
- A Pokémon's Speed afterMega Evolution is used to determine the turn order, not its Speed before.
- The followingstatus conditions have been altered:
- Moves can no longer be usedoutside of battle.
- Twenty-six Pokémon from earlier generations receive an increase in one or more of their base stats. These includeArbok,Dugtrio, MegaAlakazam,Farfetch'd,Dodrio,Electrode,Exeggutor,Noctowl,Ariados,Qwilfish,Magcargo,Corsola,Mantine,Swellow,Pelipper,Masquerain,Delcatty,Volbeat,Illumise,Lunatone,Solrock,Chimecho,Woobat,Crustle,Beartic, andCryogonal.
- Thecredits no longer replay upon every subsequent defeat of thePokémon League.
- The game must now be saved before drawing a ticket at theLoto-ID.
- The Language selection screen now adds Simplified and Traditional Chinese. Each language is also displayed in its own name (such as Français for French or Deutsch for German) instead of being displayed in the game’s default language (such as French or German in an English copy)
- An empty slot in the party is no longer required to accept anEgg.
Further additions in Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon
- An altered story from Sun and Moon.
- A new post-game scenario,Episode RR, featuring a new villainous team,Team Rainbow Rocket, an alliance between the leaders of the teams of the previous generations.
- Five new Pokémon are introduced:Poipole,Naganadel,Stakataka,Blacephalon, and theMythical PokémonZeraora, bringing the total to 807.
- The introduction of several newforms.
- Three newforms forNecrozma, which plays a central role in the story inPokémon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon.
- An additionalPikachuform based on Ash's Pikachu as it appeared in themovieI Choose You!.
- An additionalform forLycanroc which debuted inPokémon the Series: Sun & Moon.
- The addition of three new moves (Mind Blown,Photon Geyser, andPlasma Fists) and six new Z-Moves (Splintered Stormshards,Let's Snuggle Forever,Clangorous Soulblaze,Searing Sunraze Smash,Menacing Moonraze Maelstrom, andLight That Burns the Sky), bringing the total to 710.
- One newAbility is introduced: UltraNecrozma'sNeuroforce, bringing the total to 233.
- An expandedAlola Pokédex, bringing the total to 403.
- A fleshed outRotom Pokédex, including theRoto Loto feature.
- Newhairstyles and clothing.
- The expansion ofUltra Space and several new locations in Alola.
- The introduction of a newPoké Ride and mini-game:Mantine Surf.
- The introduction of theAlola Photo Club.
- The introduction of theBattle Agency, an addition to theFestival Plaza.
- The replacement of Zygarde Cells and Cores withTotem Stickers, which the player can redeem to receive special,Totem-like Pokémon.
Further additions in Let's Go, Pikachu! and Let's Go, Eevee!
- Doors now open automatically again.
- Two new Mythical Pokémon are introduced,Meltan andMelmetal, bringing the total to 809.
- The introduction ofPartner Pokémon forms for thefirst partner PokémonPikachu andEevee. These are stronger than their regular counterparts, cannot evolve, and can be customized with clothes and accessories.
- Partner Eevee has a new gender difference, with the female having a heart pattern on her tail.
- The addition of 14 new moves: Partner Pikachu'sZippy Zap,Splishy Splash,Floaty Fall, andPika Papow; Partner Eevee'sBouncy Bubble,Buzzy Buzz,Sizzly Slide,Glitzy Glow,Baddy Bad,Sappy Seed,Freezy Frost,Sparkly Swirl,Veevee Volley; and Melmetal'sDouble Iron Bash, bringing the total to 724. Double Iron Bash is not exclusive to Let's Go, Pikachu! and Let's Go, Eevee!.
- The removal of wild battles, which are replaced by catching Pokémon similar toPokémon GO.
- Wild Pokémon now appear in the overworld.
- By catching multiple Pokémon of the same species and a row, the game will start aCatch Combo, which gives more items and experience, as well as having a higher chance of finding rarer Pokémon andshinies.
- The implementation of motion controls. TheJoy-Con is used to throwPoké Balls. In handheld mode, wild Pokémon are caught by aiming the Poké Ball with motion controls.
- The introduction of two-player simultaneous multiplayer.
- The return ofWalking Pokémon, working as replacements for Ride Pokémon.
- Secret Techniques are implemented as replacements forHMs.
- Nicknames can be changed at any time.
- The implementation of the Pokémon Box, a replacement for thePokémon Storage System that is accessible from the player's bag.
- TheExp. Share no longer exists as an item, but its effects are now present from the start of the game and can no longer be turned off.
Region
Alola
- Main article:Alola
TheAlola region was introduced inPokémon Sun and Moon. This island region is made up of four main islands and one artificial island.
First partner Pokémon
The first partner Pokémon of the seventh generation follow the traditionalGrass/Fire/Water trio setup. At the beginning of the game, the player must choose between the Grass andFlying-typeRowlet, the Fire-typeLitten and the Water-typePopplio.
 Rowlet |  Litten |  Popplio | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grass | Flying | Fire | Water | ||
 | Dartrix |  | Torracat |  | Brionne |
| Grass | Flying | Fire | Water | ||
 | Decidueye |  | Incineroar |  | Primarina |
| Grass | Ghost | Fire | Dark | Water | Fairy |
Captains and Totem Pokémon
In Sun and Moon, there are sevencaptains and eightTotem Pokémon, Pokémon which are bigger than the rest of their species and have "auras" that increase one of theirstats at the beginning of battle. Upon a Totem Pokémon's defeat, the player will get the correspondingZ-Crystal of the same type of the trial.
In Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon, all of the trials are altered in some way. In addition, the final captain,Mina has a trial for the player to complete.
Grand trials
After the player completes all the trials on an island, they must battle the kahuna of the island.
| Grand trials | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Generation VII | Region:Alola | ||
| Island kahuna Japanese | Island | Location Japanese | Type |
 Hala ハラ Hala |  Melemele Island | Iki Town リリィタウン Liliʻi Town |  Fighting |
 Olivia ライチ Lychee |  Akala Island | Ruins of Life 命の遺跡 Ruins of Life |  Rock |
 Nanu クチナシ Kuchinashi |  Ula'ula Island | Malie City マリエシティ Malie City |  Dark |
 Hapu ハプウ Hapū |  Poni Island | Vast Poni CanyonSM ポニの大峡谷 Great Canyon of Poni |  Ground |
| Exeggutor IslandUSUM ナッシー・アイランド Nassy Island | |||
Kanto
- Main article:Kanto
In its fifth appearance, Kanto appeared inPokémon: Let's Go, Pikachu! and Let's Go, Eevee! in a capacity similar toGeneration I and its previousremakes,Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen.
First partner Pokémon
Unlike in other Pokémon games, thefirst partner Pokémon the player starts with corresponds with the game they are playing. Players of Let's Go, Pikachu! will start withPikachu, while players of Let's Go, Eevee! will start withEevee.
 Partner PikachuP |  Partner EeveeE |
|---|---|
| Electric | Normal |
Gym Leaders
For the most part, Kanto's Gym Leaders are the same as they were inGeneration I, butBlue takes control of Viridian Gym after the player becomesChampion and can be challenged.
| Indigo League | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Generation VII | Region:Kanto | ||||
| Gym Leader Japanese | Location Japanese | Type | Badge | ||
 Brock タケシ Takeshi | Pewter City ニビシティ Nibi City | Rock |  Boulder Badge | ||
 Misty カスミ Kasumi | Cerulean City ハナダシティ Hanada City | Water |  Cascade Badge | ||
 Lt. Surge マチス Matisse | Vermilion City クチバシティ Kuchiba City | Electric |  Thunder Badge | ||
 Erika エリカ Erika | Celadon City タマムシシティ Tamamushi City | Grass |  Rainbow Badge | ||
 Koga キョウ Kyou | Fuchsia City セキチクシティ Sekichiku City | Poison |  Soul Badge | ||
 Sabrina ナツメ Natsume | Saffron City ヤマブキシティ Yamabuki City | Psychic |  Marsh Badge | ||
 Blaine カツラ Katsura | Cinnabar Island グレンじま Guren Island | Fire |  Volcano Badge | ||
 Giovanni サカキ Sakaki |  Blue グリーン Green | Viridian City トキワシティ Tokiwa City | Ground | Various |  Earth Badge |
Alola thematic motif
The seventh generation focuses on themes of nature, alternate dimensions, tradition, and relationships. First and foremost,Z-Moves are said to be the physical manifestation of the bond between Trainer and Pokémon, in a similar vein toMega Evolution. The storylines of the Alolan games also focus various characters whose motives and story arcs revolve around family- or relationship-based issues. The Aether Foundation is an organization that wishes to heal and protect Pokémon from threats such asTeam Skull or predatory Pokémon likeMareanie. In fact, the Alolan Pokédex is filled with more examples of Pokémon predator-prey relationships than usual. In aninterview with Junichi Masuda and Shigeru Ohmori,Sun and Moon were named with the idea of the revolutions of the sun and the moon in mind, and how they influence life on the Earth, as a way to "celebrate life" and express Pokémon as living creatures. In the same interview, they mention the revolutions of the celestial bodies as being an interesting metaphor for relationships.
Title screens
English title screens
| Pokémon Sun | Pokémon Moon |
 |  |
| Pokémon Ultra Sun | Pokémon Ultra Moon |
 |  |
| Pokémon: Let's Go, Pikachu! | Pokémon: Let's Go, Eevee! |
 |  |
Japanese title screens
| Pokémon Sun | Pokémon Moon |
 |  |
| Pokémon Ultra Sun | Pokémon Ultra Moon |
 |  |
| Pokémon: Let's Go, Pikachu! | Pokémon: Let's Go, Eevee! |
 |  |
Trivia
- This is the onlygeneration:
- To introduceMythical Pokémon that are part of anevolutionary line.
- To have three different sets of pairedcore series games released.
- Where not all core series games are released exclusively on the same system.
- Where theplayer's home in the original games is located on aroute and not in a city or town.
- Where the player is the first recognizedChampion of a region.
- To feature aremake ofa previous generation that had already been remade inanother previous generation.
- To not introduce aPokémon withgender differences.
- It did, however, introduce a gender difference for an existing Pokémon,Eevee, for the first time sinceGeneration IV.
- To not introduce a notableIce-typespecialist.
- However,Sina, who was introduced inPokémon X and Y but couldn't be battled inGeneration VI, is revealed to be an Ice-type specialist in Generation VII.
- To not introduce any newGym Leaders.
- To not introduce a Pokémon in theHuman-LikeEgg Group.
- To not introduce a newside series game.
- Where all core series games are released in the same month for all major territories (November).
- This generation is tied with Generations VIII and IX for introducing the mostLegendary Pokémon, with eleven and tied with Generation IV for the mostMythical Pokémon, with five.
- Generation VII has the highest number of core series games of all generations, having a total of six.
- This is the first generation to:
- Introduce brand-new species of Pokémon later on in the generation that were not present when the generation began.
- Not featureBicycles,HMs,field moves, and theDowsing Machine.
- Not introduce a Pokémon that evolves throughtrading.
- IntroduceLegendary Pokémon that are part of anevolutionary line.
- Have aesthetic differences appear on the startup and title screens due to in-game actions, withPokémon: Let's Go, Pikachu! and Let's Go, Eevee! having these screens match thegender and outfit of thepartner Pokémon.
- Feature a core series game that does not include every Pokémon to have been introduced up to that point.
- Not havePokédex entries of every Pokémon known at the time in its core series games, as theNational Pokédex is removed from the core series and instead featured inPokémon Bank.
- Have all of its Pokémon debut in theanimated series within the generation.
- Introducefirst partner Pokémon whoseEgg cycle is shorter than the others.
- Not featureSteven Stone since his debut inPokémon Ruby and Sapphire.
- Not featureRunning Shoes since their debut inPokémon Ruby and Sapphire.
- Generation VII is the last generation to include a single game featuring all the known Pokémon species up to that point.
- Generation VII is the shortest generation in Japan, falling only three days short of being three years long.
References
Related articles
 | This game-related article is part ofProject Games, aBulbapedia project that aims to write comprehensive articles on thePokémon games. |
