Differences Between Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon

Like any pair of main-series versions, the two games Pokémon Ultra Sun and Pokémon Ultra Moon come with their share of differences…

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Besides the obvious story variations, the games have quite a few differences:

Quick access:
• Version-exclusive Pokémon
• Different time of day
• Locations
• Ultra Recon Squad members
• Totem Pokémon
• Mina’s Trial
• Clothing and Festival Plaza facilities
• Battles against the Captains
• Opponents at the Battle Tree

Version-exclusive Pokémon

For easier comparison, this table lists the Ultra Sun exclusives in National Pokédex order and the Ultra Moon exclusives alongside their Ultra Sun counterparts.

Ultra Sun exclusives				Ultra Moon exclusives
37		Alolan Goupix	Glace	27		Alolan Sabelette	GlaceAcier
38		Alolan Feunard	GlaceFée	28		Alolan Sablaireau	GlaceAcier
105		Totem Alolan Ossatueur	FeuSpectre	752		Totem Tarenbulle	EauInsecte
138		Amonita (Fossil)	RocheEau	140		Kabuto (Fossil)	RocheEau
139		Amonistar	RocheEau	141		Kabutops	RocheEau
228		Malosse	TénèbresFeu	309		Dynavolt	Électrik
229		Démolosse	TénèbresFeu	310		Elecsprint	Électrik
243		Raikou	Électrik	244		Entei	Feu
250		Ho-Oh	FeuVol	249		Lugia	PsyVol
347		Anorith (Fossil)	RocheInsecte	345		Lilia (Fossil)	RochePlante
348		Armaldo	RocheInsecte	346		Vacilys	RochePlante
381		Latios	DragonPsy	380		Latias	DragonPsy
383		Groudon	Sol	382		Kyogre	Eau
408		Kranidos (Fossil)	Roche	410		Dinoclier (Fossil)	RocheAcier
409		Charkos	Roche	411		Bastiodon	RocheAcier
483		Dialga	AcierDragon	484		Palkia	EauDragon
485		Heatran	FeuAcier	486		Regigigas	Normal
546		Doudouvet	PlanteFée	548		Chlorobule	Plante
547		Farfaduvet	PlanteFée	549		Fragilady	Plante
550		Bargantua (Red-Striped)	Eau	550		Bargantua (Blue-Striped)	Eau
564		Carapagos (Fossil)	EauRoche	566		Arkeapti (Fossil)	RocheVol
565		Mégapagos	EauRoche	567		Aeropteryx	RocheVol
622		Gringolem	SolSpectre	343		Balbuto	SolPsy
623		Golemastoc	SolSpectre	344		Kaorine	SolPsy
627		Furaiglon	NormalVol	629		Vostourno	TénèbresVol
628		Gueriaigle	NormalVol	630		Vaututrice	TénèbresVol
641		Boreas	Vol	642		Fulguris	ÉlectrikVol
643		Reshiram	DragonFeu	644		Zekrom	DragonÉlectrik
692		Flingouste	Eau	690		Venalgue	PoisonEau
693		Gamblast	Eau	691		Kravarech	PoisonDragon
696		Ptyranidur	RocheDragon	698		Amagara	RocheGlace
697		Rexillius	RocheDragon	699		Dragmara	RocheGlace
716		Xerneas	Fée	717		Yveltal	TénèbresVol
735		Totem Argouste	Normal	20		Totem Alolan Rattatac	TénèbresNormal
738		Totem Lucanon	InsecteÉlectrik	777		Totem Togedemaru	ÉlectrikAcier
743		Totem Rubombelle	InsecteFée	784		Totem Ekaiser	DragonCombat
754		Totem Floramantis	Plante	758		Totem Malamandre	PoisonFeu
766		Quartermac	Combat	765		Gouroutan	NormalPsy
776		Boumata	FeuDragon	780		Draieul	NormalDragon
791		Solgaleo	PsyAcier	792		Lunala	PsySpectre
794		Mouscoto	InsecteCombat	795		Cancrelove	InsecteCombat
798		Katagami	PlanteAcier	797		Bamboiselle	AcierVol
800		Dusk Mane Necrozma	PsyAcier	800		Dawn Wings Necrozma	PsySpectre
806		Pierroteknik (UB Burst)	FeuSpectre	805		Ama-Ama (UB Assembly)	RocheAcier

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Different time of day

The passage of time follows your console’s clock. But in Pokémon Ultra Sun and Pokémon Ultra Moon, as in the two previous games, there is a major difference here. The time in Pokémon Ultra Moon is offset by 12 hours from that of the 2DS/3DS. Handy for getting nocturnal Pokémon, perhaps less so for daytime ones!

You can still visit the other version’s world by crossing the Ultra Wormhole. This is the only way to get Cosmog, which is then found in the middle of the Lake of the Sunne/Lake of the Moone.

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Locations

Most locations are identical in both games, except for two that change in connection with the legendary Pokémon.

• In Pokémon Sun, you will meet Solgaleo at the Altar of the Sunne (Poni Island). In Pokémon Moon, this location is logically the Altar of the Moone and hosts Lunala.
• There is also a Lake of the Moone (Sun) or Lake of the Sunne (Moon) at the end of Ula’ula Meadow.

When you cross the Ultra Wormhole at the Altar, you end up in the setting of the other version. This gives the lakes a purpose, since they are, to this day, the only place to obtain Cosmog and, through it, Cosmoem!

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Ultra Recon Squad members

The Ultra Recon Squad is a brand-new organization that operates in Alola and in Ultra Megalopolis, having come from the other side of the Ultra Wormhole. The change here lies in the members of the organization you will face:

• In Ultra Sun, you meet Dulse and Zossie (on the left), who want to help stop Necrozma.
• In Ultra Moon, you meet Soliera and Phyco (on the right), who instead want to control Necrozma’s power.

The two members who do not “match” your version can still be met in Ultra Megalopolis.

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Totem Pokémon

During the first trial, which takes place in Verdant Cavern under Ilima’s supervision, you face different Pokémon.

• In Pokémon Ultra Sun, it is Manglouton hiding in the dens and a Totem Argouste waiting in the clearing.
• In Pokémon Ultra Moon, Alolan Rattata hide in the cave and a Totem Alolan Rattatac crowns the trial.

But that’s not all in these games! Unlike Sun and Moon, you can be given Totem Pokémon for every 20 stickers you collect by gathering their Totem Stickers. With the exception of Wishiwashi (which is not included) and Mimikyu (80 stickers), each is available in only one version or the other:

• In Pokémon Ultra Sun, you will get Gumshoos, Alolan Marowak, Lurantis, Vikavolt and Ribombee.
• In Pokémon Ultra Moon, you will get Alolan Raticate, Araquanid, Salazzle, Togedemaru and Kommo-o.

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Mina’s Trial

Captain Mina’s brand-new trial oddly has you battle other Captains (and even a Kahuna), who differ from one game to the other:

• In Pokémon Ultra Sun, you battle Mallow and Sophocles.
• In Pokémon Ultra Moon, you battle Lana and Nanu.

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Clothing and Festival Plaza facilities

As with Sun and Moon, some clothing colors exist in only one version. In Pokémon Ultra Sun, these are red, yellow, orange, pink and beige. In Pokémon Ultra Moon, they are the cool colors: blue, navy blue, purple and gray.

To unlock the other version’s colors in your shops, you need to meet players who wear them. To do so, head to Festival Plaza, where you simply have to interact with those sporting the colors you are after.

The same mechanism applies to facilities: you must interact with players who have the facilities you want on their plaza. But be careful: for example, to raise the Apothecary’s rank in Moon, you must have met a Sun player whose Apothecary has the rank you are looking for. You cannot do it by yourself, even if you already have a lower-ranked Apothecary.

The colors you can choose at the dye shop also vary by version:

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Battles against the Captains

You can generally battle the Captains after you have triumphed in their Trial. As in Sun and Moon, however, there is an exclusive here too: Kiawe can only be battled in Pokémon Ultra Sun, and Mallow only in Pokémon Ultra Moon. Each of these battles can only be fought after Akala Island’s Grand Trial.

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Opponents at the Battle Tree

After defeating certain Trainers at the Battle Tree, you can team up with them. This takes place in a Multi Battle if you are not playing with a friend. Among these characters, six can only be battled and then partnered with in one version!

• Plumeria, Sina and Kiawe appear this way only in the Sun version.
• Guzma, Dexio and Mallow, meanwhile, are exclusive to the Moon version.

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