Deciding between Alola’s final adventures is honestly a headache if you don’t know what’s tucked away in the code. You’re standing in the game aisle or staring at the eShop, and the only real difference seems to be a big psychic lion or a bat made of moonbeams. But it’s deeper. Pokemon Ultra Moon and Sun exclusives aren't just about the box art; they dictate the rhythm of your entire playthrough, from the time of day on your clock to which prehistoric fossils you’ll be digging up in the desert.
Let's get the big one out of the way. Time. It’s the weirdest mechanic Game Freak ever implemented. If you pick Ultra Sun, the game world matches your 3DS clock. Sun is out when you’re playing at noon. Buy Ultra Moon? The world is offset by 12 hours. You’ll be wandering through Lush Jungle under a starry sky while the sun is beating down on your actual house. It sounds like a small aesthetic tweak, but it affects evolution and encounter rates. Try evolving a Rockruff into a Midday Lycanroc in Ultra Moon without doing some serious clock-math. It’s a pain.
The Heavy Hitters: Legendary and Ultra Beast Splits
The core of the Pokemon Ultra Moon and Sun exclusives list starts with the gods of Alola. In Ultra Sun, you’re looking at the heavy physical hitters. Buzzwole is a massive mosquito that looks like it spends eight hours a day at the gym, and Kartana is a tiny paper sword that boasts one of the highest Attack stats in the entire franchise. Honestly, Kartana is a glass cannon nightmare in the competitive scene.
Ultra Moon goes the opposite direction. You get Celesteela, a massive steel bamboo rocket that is arguably one of the most annoying defensive walls to ever exist. It’s bulky. It’s versatile. It makes people want to throw their handhelds. You also get Pheromosa, which is basically the definition of "speed kills."
- Ultra Sun Exclusives: Dusk Mane Necrozma (fused with Solgaleo), UB Burst (Blacephalon), Buzzwole, Kartana, Turtonator, Alolan Vulpix.
- Ultra Moon Exclusives: Dawn Wings Necrozma (fused with Lunala), UB Assembly (Stakataka), Pheromosa, Celesteela, Drampa, Alolan Sandshrew.
Don't forget the "lesser" exclusives that actually fill out your Pokedex. Ultra Sun players get the Alolan Vulpix line. It’s adorable, sure, but Ninetales with the Snow Warning ability is a legitimate strategic powerhouse. Ultra Moon players get Alolan Sandshrew. It’s a Steel/Ice type that looks like an igloo, which is cool, but it’s arguably less useful in a casual run-through compared to the graceful blizzard-caller.
The Fossil Dilemma and Totem Sizes
You’d think fossils would be standard. Nope. Alola keeps its ancient history segregated. If you want the T-Rex (Tyrunt) or the classic fire-breathing snail (Omanyte), you have to go with Ultra Sun. Ultra Moon players get the "weird" ones—Amaura, the ice sauropod, and Shieldon.
Then there are the Totem Stickers. This was a new addition for the "Ultra" versions. You run around the islands peeling stickers off walls like a vandal, and in return, Samson Oak gives you oversized Pokemon. The catch? The species change. In Ultra Sun, you can get a giant Lurantis that towers over your trainer. In Ultra Moon, you’re getting a massive Salazzle. Since Salazzle is a female-only evolution that’s usually a chore to breed, getting a giant one for free is a massive win for the Moon crowd.
Why the Version Choice Still Matters for Collectors
There’s a nuanced layer to Pokemon Ultra Moon and Sun exclusives that most people forget: the Island Scan. This feature lets you scan QR codes to find non-Alolan Pokemon. While many are shared, the specific days they appear can feel restrictive depending on your schedule.
Also, look at the weather. Certain SOS encounters (where a Pokemon calls for help) are easier to trigger in specific versions because of the day/night cycle. If you're hunting for a shiny Umbreon versus an Espeon, that 12-hour time flip in Ultra Moon is either your best friend or your worst enemy.
The Competitive Edge
If you’re looking at this from a "I want to win battles" perspective, Ultra Sun has a slight edge because of Kartana and the physical prowess of Dusk Mane Necrozma. Dusk Mane is a Steel/Psychic monster that resists almost everything and hits like a freight train. It’s the gold standard for restricted legendary formats.
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However, Ultra Moon’s Stakataka—the living brick wall—is a Trick Room king. If you like playing slow and hitting hard, Moon is the play. It’s about playstyle. Do you want to outspeed everything, or do you want to outlast them?
Moving Toward a Full Alolan Pokedex
Completing the Pokedex in these games is impossible solo. That’s by design. The Pokemon Ultra Moon and Sun exclusives are balanced so that you have to find a friend or use the GTS (which, let's be real, is a bit of a lawless wasteland these days).
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- Check your fossils early. You can find them in Konikoni City at the jewelry shop, but only five are available per version.
- Hunt the Ultra Beasts in the Ultra Wormhole. This is where the exclusives get real. In the Ultra Ruin or Ultra Crater, you’ll only find your version’s specific beasts.
- Trade your version-exclusive mascot. Most people are willing to do a "touch trade" just for the entry, but if you want to keep a Lunala while owning Ultra Sun, you’re going to need to offer up a Solgaleo.
The reality is that Ultra Sun feels like the "standard" experience because of the clock, while Ultra Moon feels like a remix. If you work a 9-to-5 job and play in the evenings, Ultra Sun will actually look like night-time in the game, whereas Ultra Moon will be bright and sunny during your midnight sessions. It’s backwards. It’s weird. But that’s Alola for you.
Grab the version that has the aesthetic you prefer, but keep a friend on speed dial to trade for that Celesteela or Kartana you’re inevitably going to miss. To get moving, start by checking your 3DS clock settings to make sure your Alolan time-warp doesn't catch you off guard, then head to the first PokeCenter to start your Global Link setup for those inevitable trades.