Barely a year after Sun and Moon, GAME FREAK went back to Alola with Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon. It isn’t a sequel, nor quite a remake: it is an alternate version of the same adventure, released on November 17, 2017 on Nintendo 3DS. It reuses the region, the structure and most of the characters, but rewrites the second half of the story around Necrozma and adds a considerable postgame. As the last mainline series installment on 3DS, the game stands as the console’s grand finale. The question remains whether you should play it if you’ve already played Sun or Moon, and whether you should start with it if you’re discovering Alola today.
A familiar story that takes another path
The first hours disorient series regulars: the move, the choice between Rowlet, Litten and Popplio, the meeting with Lillie and her Cosmog, all of it looks exactly like Sun and Moon. The differences set in gradually. Two strange characters in suits, members of the Ultra Recon Squad, burst in right from the introduction. Several Island Challenge trials change shape, Totem Pokémon or Captain. Then, on Poni Island, the narrative takes a sharp turn: Necrozma, a discreet figure in Sun and Moon, becomes the center of the plot. It absorbs Alola’s light, fuses with Solgaleo or Lunala, and the player chases it all the way to Ultra Megalopolis, a city deprived of light.
This rewrite works better on paper than in the game. The story of Lillie and Lusamine, which was the emotional strength of Sun and Moon, is partly sacrificed to make room for Necrozma, and some passages lose coherence. In exchange, the battle against Ultra Necrozma at the top of Megalo Tower is a real difficulty peak for the series, at a time when it was considered too easy. Many players remember it as the first boss that truly forced them to rethink their team.
A more populated region
The regional Pokédex goes from 302 to 403 Pokémon, and that is the most concrete improvement over Sun and Moon. Alola’s routes welcome species from other generations, new Ultra Beasts appear (Poipole, Naganadel, Blacephalon, Stakataka) along with a new Mythical Pokémon, Zeraora, and a Dusk Form for Lycanroc. Above all, the Ultra Warp Ride gives access to almost every Legendary Pokémon released up to then, which makes these versions a fantastic reservoir for anyone who wants to complete their collection before transferring it to Pokémon Bank and then HOME.
The Ultra Warp Ride itself is a good game idea: a flight on the back of Solgaleo or Lunala, with gyroscope or Circle Pad controls, collecting energy to get as far as possible down a cosmic tunnel. The greater the distance, the better the chances that the portals hide a Legendary Pokémon or a Shiny Pokémon. It’s simple, quick and a little addictive, even if you end up chaining dozens of identical trips.
Slightly richer battles
The battle system remains that of Sun and Moon, with its Z-Moves, its SOS battles and the welcome display of move effectiveness against Pokémon you’ve already encountered. The additions are targeted but pleasant. The Z-Power Ring, handed over during the adventure, gives access to new exclusive Z-Moves: those of Necrozma in its different forms, but also those of Mimikyu or Lycanroc. The chattier Rotom Dex becomes a true partner: the closer your bond with it grows, the more it helps you, even recharging a Z-Move already used during a battle.
The Totem Pokémon, those giant, powered-up versions that conclude each trial, have been partly renewed and are often tougher. The game remains accessible, but it punishes unbalanced teams more than its predecessor, particularly on Poni Island and at the League. Even the Elite Four changes: Molayne, Sophocles’s cousin, replaces Kahuna Hala there. Nothing revolutionary, but enough that veterans aren’t completely bored during the first half of the adventure.
A postgame finally up to the task
This is where the Ultra versions justify their existence. After the League, Episode RR stages Team Rainbow Rocket: Giovanni has gathered Maxie, Archie, Cyrus, Lysandre and Ghetsis in an Aether Paradise turned into a castle. The fan service is unashamed and effective: each leader comes with the music and the Legendary Pokémon of their original game. Next come the Ultra Recon Squad missions, Champion title defenses, the Battle Tree, the new Battle Agency and its rental Pokémon, a hundred stickers to collect in order to obtain Totem Pokémon, not to mention Mantine Surf, a surprisingly successful gliding mini-game that connects the islands’ beaches.
The Alola Photo Club, the new Rotom Dex features (Roto Loto and its temporary Rotom Power boosts, or the second Z-Move in battle) and the return of the Battle Buffet round out a very generous package. There are several dozen hours of play after the credits, and many more to fill the Pokédex.
The flaws inherited from Sun and Moon
The main complaint is repetition. For anyone coming from Sun or Moon, the first half of the game is almost identical, with the same introductory dialogue, the same long cutscenes and the same rhythm chopped up by interruptions. The game offers no way to speed up this part. Tutorials are numerous and the freedom to explore remains limited until Poni Island.
Technically, the Nintendo 3DS shows its limits: double battles and SOS battles make the framerate drop. Alola’s colorful, warm art style largely compensates, as does the soundtrack, which reprises and enriches that of Sun and Moon.
Should you play it?
If you’re discovering Alola, the answer is simple: start with Ultra Sun or Ultra Moon rather than Sun or Moon. You’ll find the same region, a richer Pokédex, better-balanced difficulty and an incomparable postgame. Only Lillie’s story, more touching in the original versions, might give you pause.
If you have already finished Sun or Moon, the appeal depends on what you’re looking for. For the story, the gain is modest. For collecting, the Ultra Warp Ride and Episode RR, it is real. The two versions differ in their exclusive Pokémon, their Legendary Pokémon and their Totem Pokémon: our page Differences Between Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon will help you choose.
Playing it today
Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon exist only on Nintendo 3DS and 2DS family consoles; they have been neither ported nor re-released on Switch. The 3DS Nintendo eShop closed in March 2023: it is no longer possible to buy the digital version, so you have to go through a used cartridge. The 3DS’s online features were shut down in April 2024, which removes remote battles and trades; local trades between two consoles still work. Pokémon Bank, which lets you transfer your Pokémon to Pokémon HOME, is announced as closing on February 26, 2027: if you plan to move your catches through it, don’t wait too long.
Our verdict
The best way to discover Alola, and the grand finale of the mainline series on 3DS. A game too close to Sun and Moon to excite those coming from the original versions, but of rare generosity for anyone who wants to complete their collection.
What we like
- Pokédex of 403 Pokémon and almost all Legendary Pokémon to catch
- Very rich postgame: Episode RR, Ultra Warp Ride, Battle Agency
- Ultra Necrozma, a real challenge
- Mantine Surf and Photo Club, two successful additions
What we like less
- First half almost identical to Sun and Moon
- Lillie’s story weakened by the rewrite
- Long introduction and many tutorials
- Lower framerate in double and SOS battles
