Vulpix ... Sandshrew ... Exeggutor ... They are classic Pokémon that fans know well at this point, as they have been around for decades. However, with the release of Pokémon Sun and Moon later this year, these three members of the original 151 pocket monsters will be getting some fresh new forms.
They are called Alola forms, as revealed in a new trailer for the games. These forms not only change the appearance of the various creatures, but also their types as well. Sandshrew, normally a ground type Pokémon, will be an ice and steel type in the Alola region. Vulpix and its evolution Ninetails, normally fire types, will be ice and fairy types in their Alola forms. Exeggutor is a grass and dragon type in its new Alola form.
So far, there's still a lot of unknowns. Do only the original Pokémon from the game's first generation have Alola forms? Will each pocket monster or only certain ones have an Alola form?
None of that is clear at this moment, but the game's new trailer does reveal plenty of brand new Pokémon as well. Oricorio is a unique dancing bird creature that comes in four different forms; Fire/Flying, Electric/Flying, Psychic/Flying and Ghost/Flying. Also introduced is rock and flying type creature Minior, the evolution of the previously-revealed Yungoos (called Gumshoos) and the mantis-like creatures Formantis and Lurantis.
Also revealed in the trailer is the ability to ride certain Pokémon to get around the world faster, as well as Z-Moves, new abilities gained by Pokémon according to various crystals that can be found by the player. Each elemental Pokémon type will have a unique Z-move. The trailer also puts the spotlight on some of the various NPC characters players will meet in their new journey. Watch the full trailer for the games below.
The introduction of new versions of classic creatures is, in all honesty, a brilliant move on the part of the Pokémon Company. The original 151 Pokémon are by far the most iconic of the bunch, the most widely-recognized and the ones for which fans have the most nostalgia. Finding a way to reincorporate the classics back into the series, yet in a new way, is certain to get more than a few fans of the game series excited.
Pokémon Sun and Moon release on Nov. 18.
