Honestly, looking back at 2016, the Alola region felt like a fever dream for long-time fans. After years of the same old "eight gyms and a linear path" formula, Game Freak basically threw the rulebook into a volcano. They gave us regional forms, deleted HMs, and introduced "Ultra Beasts" that looked more like eldritch horrors than pocket monsters.
Whether you’re revisiting the 3DS classics or trying to complete a Home dex in 2026, keeping track of the list of sun and moon pokemon is kind of a headache. There were 81 brand-new species added in the base Sun and Moon games. If you count the additions from Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon, that number jumps to 86.
But it’s not just about the new numbers. It’s about how they changed the "old" guys too.
The Starters and the Early Game Grind
You've got your standard trio, but Alola’s starters are famous for being... well, slow. Most of them have base speed stats that make a Snorlax look like a sprinter.
Rowlet starts as this adorable round owl, eventually becoming Decidueye, a Grass/Ghost archer. Litten turns into Incineroar, the Fire/Dark wrestler that has dominated the competitive VGC scene for nearly a decade. Then there’s Popplio, which evolves into the Water/Fairy siren Primarina.
The early routes are packed with "regional" versions of Kanto classics. You’ll find Alolan Rattata (which is Dark/Normal now because it’s nocturnal) and Alolan Meowth. The design shift was a lore choice—these Pokémon had to adapt to Alola’s specific ecosystem. It’s basically Darwinism, but with more sparkles and elemental powers.
The Complete New Species List (Gen 7)
If you're looking for the raw data, here are the heavy hitters and the weirdos that defined this generation. I’ve tried to group them by how they actually function in the game, rather than just a boring numerical list.
The Island Guardians (The Tapus)
Each island has a "deity" that protects it. They all share the Fairy typing and have abilities that automatically set up "Terrains" as soon as they hit the field.
- Tapu Koko: (Electric/Fairy) - Melemele Island's guardian.
- Tapu Lele: (Psychic/Fairy) - Akala Island's guardian.
- Tapu Bulu: (Grass/Fairy) - Ula'ula Island's guardian.
- Tapu Fini: (Water/Fairy) - Poni Island's guardian.
The "Is That Even a Pokemon?" Category (Ultra Beasts)
These things come from "Ultra Space." They all have the Beast Boost ability, which raises their highest stat every time they knock someone out. It's terrifying to play against.
- Nihilego: Looks like a glass jellyfish. (Rock/Poison)
- Buzzwole: A mosquito that spent too much time at the gym. (Bug/Fighting - Sun Exclusive)
- Pheromosa: An elegant, hyper-fast bug. (Bug/Fighting - Moon Exclusive)
- Xurkitree: Basically a bundle of sentient electrical wires. (Electric)
- Celesteela: A massive bamboo-rocket hybrid. (Steel/Flying - Moon Exclusive)
- Kartana: Tiny, paper-thin, and has the highest attack stat of almost any non-mega. (Grass/Steel - Sun Exclusive)
- Guzzlord: A giant mouth with legs. (Dark/Dragon)
The Alolan Regional Forms
This was the first time we saw existing Pokémon get a makeover. It was limited strictly to Generation 1 Pokémon in the original Sun and Moon games.
- Raichu: It's Electric/Psychic and surfs on its tail.
- Vulpix/Ninetales: They moved to the mountains and became Ice (and Ice/Fairy) types.
- Sandshrew/Sandslash: Swapped the desert for ice caps (Ice/Steel).
- Exeggutor: This is the meme one. It grew a neck so long it doesn't even fit on the 3DS screen. It's Grass/Dragon now.
- Marowak: Instead of a ground-dweller, it’s a Fire/Ghost fire-dancer.
Version Exclusives: What You Can't Get Without Trading
If you’re hunting the list of sun and moon pokemon on your own, you're going to hit a wall. Both games have specific monsters that refuse to show up in the other version.
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In Pokémon Sun, you get the "lion of the sun," Solgaleo (Psychic/Steel). Despite being the sun mascot, it’s actually weak to Fire. Don't ask me why; it’s a weird lore thing about it being an "emissary." In Pokémon Moon, you get Lunala (Psychic/Ghost), the giant skeletal bat.
Other major splits include:
- Passimian (Sun) vs. Oranguru (Moon).
- Turtonator (Sun) vs. Drampa (Moon).
- Cottonee/Whimsicott (Sun) vs. Petilil/Lilligant (Moon).
- Vulpix/Ninetales (Sun) vs. Sandshrew/Sandslash (Moon).
Also, the time of day is flipped. Pokémon Moon runs 12 hours ahead of your system clock. If you’re playing in your bedroom at noon, it’s midnight in the game. This affects evolutions, especially for Rockruff, who turns into "Midday Form" Lycanroc in Sun and "Midnight Form" in Moon.
The Secret Evolution of Legendaries
One thing most people forget about the Sun and Moon era is that it changed how Legendaries work. For the first time, a Legendary Pokémon could actually evolve.
You start with Cosmog, this tiny little "nebula" cloud that can’t even use an attacking move. It evolves into Cosmoem, which looks like a gold-encased orb. Depending on which game you have, that orb eventually turns into either Solgaleo or Lunala.
Later, in the Ultra versions, we met Necrozma. This guy is essentially a light-thief. It can physically fuse with Solgaleo or Lunala to become "Dusk Mane" or "Dawn Wings" Necrozma. If you give it an Ultra Necrozium Z-crystal, it turns into Ultra Necrozma, which is arguably one of the hardest boss fights in the history of the entire franchise.
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Myths and Mythicals
You can't talk about Alola without mentioning Mimikyu. It’s easily the most popular design from this generation. It’s a Ghost/Fairy type that hides under a ragged Pikachu costume because it just wants to be loved (or because looking at its real form kills people—depends on which Pokédex entry you believe).
Then there are the Mythicals. Magearna was the first, a mechanical soul-driven Pokémon that was actually given away via a QR code that (shockingly) still works today if you have a 3DS. Marshadow is the sneaky Fighting/Ghost type that hides in shadows, and Zeraora is the high-speed Electric tiger that showed up right at the end of the generation’s lifecycle.
Practical Tips for Completing Your Alola Dex
If you are actually trying to check off the list of sun and moon pokemon in 2026, you need a strategy.
First, get a Pokémon with the False Swipe move. Alola introduced "S.O.S. Battles" where wild Pokémon call for help. This is the only way to catch certain rare species like Mareanie (who only appears if a Corsola calls for help) or Salamence (which can rarely appear on Route 3 if a Bagon screams loud enough).
Second, use the Island Scan feature. By scanning QR codes with your 3DS camera, you can trigger spawns of non-Alolan Pokémon like Charmander or Klink that aren't usually in the game.
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Third, don't ignore the fossils. You buy them in Konikoni City, but you can only get the "Sun" fossils (Cranidos/Tirtouga) or the "Moon" fossils (Shieldon/Archen) in their respective versions.
To wrap this up, the Alola Pokédex is one of the most diverse and "alien" feeling lists in the series. It’s less about filling a book and more about surviving a tropical ecosystem where even the trees (Exeggutor) and the piles of sand (Palossand) are trying to battle you.
Your best bet for finishing the list is to start by evolving a female Salandit—remember, the males don't evolve into Salazzle, so don't waste ten levels figuring that out the hard way. Grab a version-exclusive trade partner early, and keep a close eye on the day/night cycle for those tricky Lycanroc forms.
Next Steps for You:
Check your 3DS system clock before starting a hunt for nocturnal Pokémon like Alolan Rattata or Dewpider, as the 12-hour offset in Pokémon Moon can make daytime hunting impossible during your actual lunch break.