New Pokémon, story details, gameplay features and much more announced for upcoming Pokémon Sun and Moon - 3DS

Newly revealed Pokémon include:

Null

Type: Normal
Type: Null is a Synthetic Pokémon which was constructed to synthesize the strengths of various Pokémon, making it adaptable enough to complete a mission that requires a Pokémon as strong as the Pokémon of mythology. The mask fitted to this Pokémon’s head is a piece of equipment designed to control its power. Type: Null is the partner Pokémon of a newly revealed character—Gladion, the taciturn enforcer of Team Skull, who places a high value on being strong in battle.

Jangmo-o

Type: Dragon
The Scaly Pokémon Jangmo-o has the pride of a warrior and never neglects its training in its pursuit of becoming stronger. This Pokémon uses the scales on its head as a weapon both offensively and defensively. It lives in harsh locales, like canyons, where it can train.

Alolan Raticate

Type: Dark/Normal
Raticate in Alola live in urban areas, leading to a higher-calorie diet than that of Raticate elsewhere. This means they have tough bodies but have gotten a lot fatter. They stockpile huge amounts of food in their nests and prefer fresh fruit and high-class ingredients. Alolan Raticate is the Totem Pokémon of the trial that takes place in Verdant Cavern on Melemele Island in Pokémon Moon.

Brand-new characters in the story were also announced—members of the Aether Foundation, an organization that works in the Alola region and conducts various research projects. Residing on Aether Paradise, the artificial island that they created, their goal is to care for and provide shelter to Pokémon that have been hurt. Members of the Aether Foundation include:

Lusamine

The beautiful Lusamine is the president of the Aether Foundation.

Faba

Faba can be identified by his signature accessory—green sunglasses. He is the Aether Foundation’s second-in-command.

Wicke

As the assistant branch chief of Aether Paradise, Wicke has a very caring personality and supports Faba. She is loved by all of the Aether Foundation’s employees.

Employees of the Aether Foundation
The staff members of the Aether Foundation appear to have various uniforms depending on which division they belong to.

All over Alola, rumours speak of creatures that possess mighty powers and pose a threat to humans and Pokémon. They’re called Ultra Beasts, and there are said to be multiple Ultra Beasts in existence. It seems that the Aether Foundation is conducting research on these Ultra Beasts, referring to each of them by a code name. UB-01 is an Ultra Beast that has a body composed of a glass-like substance. It constantly changes shape, and its movements resemble that of a young girl. Whilst evidence of something like a survival instinct can be observed in UB-01, no one knows whether it has a will of its own or any emotions at all.

Whilst exploring Alola in Pokémon Sun and Pokémon Moon, players will encounter Dexio and Sina. These two originally appeared in Pokémon X and Pokémon Y as the professor’s assistants. They will give you an item called the Zygarde Cube and ask you to collect Zygarde Cores and Zygarde Cells which can be found all around Alola. If you collect enough, the path to finding Zygarde may become clearer!

A brand-new feature called the Poké Finder will debut in Pokémon Sun and Pokémon Moon. This feature allows players to take pictures of the Pokémon they find. It’s loaded into the Rotom Dex and, when used in certain spots scattered throughout the Alola region, you can snap pictures of Pokémon. The pictures you take will be evaluated, and as you take better pictures, more features—like the ability to zoom—become available.

A huge difference between the two game versions—Pokémon Sun and Pokémon Moon—was also announced. In previous games, you could discover certain Pokémon in only one of the two versions of the game. Now, in addition to this feature, there will be a difference in the way time is set in the two games. The two worlds of Pokémon Sun and Pokémon Moon are 12 hours apart and are tied to the actual time in real life. Pokémon Sun operates on the same time as your Nintendo 3DS system, but time in the world of Pokémon Moon is shifted by 12 hours. Some Totem Pokémon which appear in the trials throughout the game will also be different in each version. Players will encounter different Pokémon on the same route depending on whether it is day or night, which means players will have different experiences according to their chosen version of the game.