Pokemon Sun and Pokemon Moon will feature “regional variants” of classic monsters who have adapted to the Alola region.
Today’s Pokemon Sun and Pokemon Moon reveal included the introduction of new creatures that will be appearing in the games, as well as reimagined versions of familiar monsters. This includes ice variants of Vulpix, Ninetales, Sandshrew, and Sandslash, as well as a much taller Exeggutor.
“Some Pokemon have adapted to the distinctive microclimates of the Alola region and have taken on different forms than they have in other regions,” an accompanying press release reads. “These Pokemon are called regional variants. After taking root in the Alola region, they live like native Pokemon. These regional variant Pokemon can have different appearances and types, and their way of living can also differ from that of the forms previously known.”
Details of these variants were also included in the press release, and you can read more about them below.
Name: Alolan Exeggutor
Type: Grass/Dragon
Unlike other Exeggutor, the Alolan Exeggutor has a fourth head-on its tail! This fourth head controls the tail independently and can take on opponents to the rear that can’t be reached by the main heads’ attacks.
Name: Alolan Vulpix
Type: Ice
It is said that Vulpix came to the Alola region together with humans, but the Fox Pok?mon moved to the snowy mountain peaks to avoid the normal habitats of other Pok?mon, and thus it ended up taking on this form.
Name: Alolan Ninetales
Type: Ice/Fairy
Alolan Ninetales is able to produce ice crystals from the fur that covers its body. It can use these ice crystals to block attacks, or it can form balls of ice, which it fires like bullets at opponents. These ice missiles have enough power to pulverize rock.
Name: Alolan Sandshrew
Type: Ice/Steel
Sandshrew have historically lived in desert areas, but the frequent eruptions of nearby volcanoes drove the them to abandon the desert and migrate to snowy mountains where they took on this form.
Name: Alolan Sandslash
Type: Ice/Steel
The Alolan Sandshrew of the snowy mountains evolve into Alolan Sandslash with spiny backs that are covered in ice. Alolan Sandslash hide themselves in the snow when strong enemies appear, leaving only their needles exposed and ready for business.
Also introduced was Oricoria, which changes its forms by consuming nectar from certain flowers. A different form of Oricoria – Fire, Electric, Psychic, and Ghost – can be found on the four different islands in Alola.
Rounding out the reveal were Minior, Gumshoos, Fomantis, Lurantis, and Mudbray, who you can read about below.
Name: Minior
Type: Rock/Flying
Minior are formed in the stratosphere and live by absorbing the detritus around them. When they’ve consumed a large quantity of particles, their bodies become heavy, and they fall toward the planet’s surface. Minior has a hard and heavy outer shell with a core within.
Name: Gumshoos
Type: Normal
Gumshoos is the Evolution of Yungoos. It will call on Yungoos allies and stand in the way of trial-goers.
Name: Fomantis
Type: Grass
Fomantis is nocturnal, and it performs photosynthesis while it sleeps during the day by spreading out its leaves in all directions. Because of the danger of staying in the same location two days in a row, Fomantis begins its search for the next day’s spot as soon as the sun sets.
Name: Lurantis
Type: Grass
Lurantis draws opponents near to itself with its flowerlike appearance and aroma-and then it takes them down. It’s said to be the most gorgeous of all Grass-type Pok?mon, due to its brilliant coloration and elegant moves.
Name: Mudbray
Type: Ground
Mudbray could once be found all over the world, but it became endangered and is now a protected species. It’s said that the Alola region is the only place in the world where Mudbray can still be found in the wild.
Pokemon Sun and Pokemon Moon release on November 18.
