Generation VII · Alola / Kanto
Sun & Moon
Alola island life, with a trial system instead of gyms.
At a glance
Developer
Game Freak
Publisher
Nintendo / The Pokémon Company
Platform
Nintendo 3DS
First released
18 Nov 2016 (Worldwide)
Genre
Role-playing game
Generation
Gen VII · Alola / Kanto
Release dates
Sun & Moon first released in Japan on 18 Nov 2016, rolling out across all regions over 5 days.
🇯🇵First
Japan
18 Nov 2016
🇺🇸Same day
North America
18 Nov 2016
🇦🇺Same day
Australia
18 Nov 2016
🇪🇺+5 days
Europe
23 Nov 2016
Key innovation
Regional variants, Z-Moves, and a more cinematic story structure.
Critical reception
87
Sun & Moon holds a Metascore of 87/100 on Metacritic, indicating generally favourable reviews for its original Nintendo 3DS release. See the reviews on Metacritic →
About Generation VII
Replaced traditional gyms with island trials and introduced regional variants, reimagining classic Pokémon for a tropical setting. Z-Moves added a new layer of one-time signature attacks, and the Let's Go duo later reimagined Kanto on Switch with Pokémon GO-style catching.