You’re standing in the tall grass of Poni Island, your 3DS battery light is flickering red, and you’ve been hunting for a specific Alolan Vulpix for forty-five minutes. There’s just one problem. You’re playing Ultra Moon. You’re never going to find it. Honestly, it’s one of the most frustrating parts of being a fan of this franchise, but it's also what keeps the community alive. Version differences have been a thing since Red and Blue, but with Pokemon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon exclusives, Game Freak really leaned into the "alternate universe" vibe. They didn't just swap a few birds and bugs. They swapped entire legendary dynamics and, quite frankly, messed with the head of anyone trying to complete a Living Dex without a second console.
The Alola region is weird. It’s gorgeous, sure, but the day-night cycle is flipped in Ultra Moon, meaning if you’re playing at noon in real life, your character is squinting through the dark. That atmospheric shift is just the tip of the iceberg. Choosing between these two games isn't just about whether you prefer a lion or a bat; it’s about deciding which specific competitive tools and high-tier Ultra Beasts you’re willing to sacrifice. Let’s get into the weeds of what actually changes between these two titles because some of these omissions are honestly kind of brutal if you aren't prepared for them.
The Big Heavy Hitters: Box Legendaries and Ultra Beasts
The most obvious divide is the cover art. In Ultra Sun, you’re chasing Dusk Mane Necrozma (the one fused with Solgaleo), and in Ultra Moon, it’s Dawn Wings Necrozma (the Lunala fusion). But the real meat of the Pokemon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon exclusives list lies in the Ultra Beasts. These interdimensional weirdos are some of the strongest units in the game, and they are strictly divided.
If you’re rocking Ultra Sun, you get access to UB-02 Absorption, better known as Buzzwole. It’s a massive, muscular mosquito that hits like a freight train. You also get UB-04 Blade, or Kartana. Kartana is honestly terrifying. It has a base Attack stat that makes most Mega Evolutions look like jokes, though it’s basically made of paper if a Fire-type move even breathes in its direction. Ultra Sun players also get the exclusive New Ultra Beast, UB Burst (Blacephalon), which looks like a disco clown and specializes in blowing its own head up to deal massive damage.
Flip over to Ultra Moon, and the vibe shifts entirely. Instead of the physical powerhouse Buzzwole, you get UB-02 Beauty, Pheromosa. She’s incredibly fast—like, "blink and you missed the turn" fast—but she folds if she gets hit by a stiff breeze. Then there’s UB-04 Blaster, Celesteela. This thing is a literal space shuttle. It’s heavy, it’s a Steel/Flying type, and it’s one of the most annoying defensive pivots in the entire competitive scene. Ultra Moon’s exclusive new beast is UB Assembly (Stakataka), a giant stone fortress made of sentient bricks. It’s slow. It’s very slow. But in a Trick Room team? It’s a monster.
Legendaries from Previous Generations
The Wormhole is where things get really complicated. This was the big selling point for the "Ultra" versions—the ability to travel through space-time to catch old-school legends. However, they split the roster right down the middle.
Ultra Sun is the home of the "Dogs" (Raikou and Entei), the "Hoenn Titans" (Groudon and Latias), and the "Time/Space" heavyweights like Dialga and Heatran. You also get Xerneas and Reshiram. Basically, if the Pokemon looks like it would be the mascot of a "Sun" or "Fire" themed game, it’s probably in Sun.
Ultra Moon grabs the leftovers, which are actually some of the coolest designs in the series. You’re looking at Suicune (wait, actually Suicune requires both—more on that in a second), Lugia, Kyogre, and Latios. You also get Palkia, Regigigas, Zekrom, and Yveltal. If you’re a fan of the "darker" or "cooler" toned legendaries, Moon is usually the winner.
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Wild Encounters: The Frustrating Exclusives
Beyond the gods and the aliens, the everyday grass is full of version-specific roadblocks. This is where most casual players get tripped up. You want a Ninetales? If you’re in Ultra Moon, you’re out of luck unless you trade. The Alolan Vulpix line is a Sun exclusive. Conversely, the Alolan Sandshrew line—the icy igloo-looking dudes—are strictly for Moon players.
Here is the breakdown of the "regular" Pokemon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon exclusives that you'll run into during your Alolan journey:
Ultra Sun Exclusives:
- Vulpix and Ninetales (Alolan Forms)
- Houndour and Houndoom
- Cranidos and Rampardos (Fossil)
- Tirtouga and Carracosta (Fossil)
- Cottonee and Whimsicott
- Rufflet and Braviary
- Gumshoos (Daytime evolution)
- Passimian
- Turtonator
Ultra Moon Exclusives:
- Sandshrew and Sandslash (Alolan Forms)
- Electrike and Manectric
- Shieldon and Bastiodon (Fossil)
- Archen and Archeops (Fossil)
- Petilil and Lilligant
- Vullaby and Mandibuzz
- Raticate (Alolan Nighttime evolution)
- Oranguru
- Drampa
Passimian and Oranguru are the two that always get me. They are clearly designed as counterparts—one is a sporty lemur that plays football, the other is a wise sage that literally tells other Pokemon what to do. If you're building a doubles team, Oranguru's "Instruct" move is legendary, but you won't find him if you picked the Sun version. It’s these little choices that force you to engage with the Global Trade System (GTS), or at least what's left of the 3DS online community.
The "Third Option" Pokemon
There’s a weird mechanic in these games that most people forget about until they’re staring at a legendary they can’t catch. Some Pokemon only appear in the Ultra Wormhole if you have both version exclusives in your party. This is Game Freak's way of forcing you to be social.
For example, you cannot find Suicune in the wild in either game normally. To get Suicune to spawn, you have to have both Raikou (Sun) and Entei (Moon) in your team while you're flying through the wormhole. The same applies to Rayquaza (needs Kyogre and Groudon), Giratina (needs Dialga and Palkia), Kyurem (needs Reshiram and Zekrom), and Landorus (needs Tornadus and Thundurus).
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If you're a solo player, this is a nightmare. You basically have to catch your version's exclusive, trade it for the other version's counterpart, then trade back just so you have the right keys to unlock the "third" legendary. It's tedious, but catching a Rayquaza in a Luxury Ball feels pretty good, so most people suffer through it.
Why the Version Difference Actually Matters for Competitive Play
It isn't just about "which one looks cooler." If you're looking at the competitive VGC (Video Game Championships) history of the Alola era, the version you owned dictated your entire strategy.
Kartana (Ultra Sun) changed the game. Its speed and attack tier allowed it to shred through teams that weren't prepared with a solid Incineroar or a fast Fire-type. On the other hand, Celesteela (Ultra Moon) became the ultimate "stall" Pokemon. With Leech Seed and its massive defensive typing, it could sit on the field for ten turns and slowly drain the life out of an opponent.
Then you have the Totem Pokemon. In the Alola trials, you face "boss" Pokemon that are larger and have boosted stats. In Ultra Sun, you might face a Totem Lurantis, while in Ultra Moon, it could be a Totem Salazzle. While you can eventually get "Totem-sized" Pokemon for your own team by collecting Totem Stickers, the ones available to you are also version-dependent. If you want a giant, terrifying Gumshoos, stick with Sun. If you want the chunky Alolan Raticate, Moon is your home.
Rockruff and the Lycanroc Situation
One of the most confusing parts of Pokemon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon exclusives involves everyone's favorite rock puppy, Rockruff.
In the original Sun and Moon, Rockruff evolved into Midday Form in Sun and Midnight Form in Moon. In the Ultra versions, it gets more complex. Both games allow you to get the Midday and Midnight forms, but the Dusk Form—which was the big new addition—was originally a limited-time event. However, the game files treat the "Own Tempo" Rockruff as the key.
While not strictly a version exclusive in the traditional sense, the time of day matters. Because Ultra Moon's clock is shifted by 12 hours, evolving a Rockruff into a specific form requires you to pay very close attention to your 3DS clock. If you’re in Ultra Moon and want a Midday Form, you have to evolve it during the "night" of your real-world time. It’s a headache. It's quirky. It's Alola.
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The Totem Sticker Rewards
As you wander around slapping stickers off the sides of buildings, you’ll eventually be rewarded by Professor Samson Oak (the tan one with the long hair). He gives you "Totem-like" Pokemon. These are essentially larger versions of regular Pokemon that have different weights—which actually matters for moves like Low Kick or Grass Knot.
In Ultra Sun, you'll eventually get:
- Gumshoos
- Marowak (Alolan)
- Lurantis
- Vikavolt
- Ribombee
In Ultra Moon, your rewards are:
- Raticate (Alolan)
- Araquanid
- Salazzle
- Togedemaru
- Kommo-o
Getting a Totem-sized Kommo-o is a massive flex. It’s objectively one of the coolest rewards in the game, and it’s a strong argument for picking Ultra Moon if you’re on the fence. Salazzle is also a great pick because finding a female Salandit in the wild (the only ones that can evolve) is a notorious grind with a 12.5% encounter rate. Getting the Totem version bypasses that headache entirely.
Actionable Steps for the Aspiring Alolan Master
If you’re looking to finish your Pokedex in 2026, the strategy has changed since the game launched. The 3DS servers aren't what they used to be, and relying on the GTS is a gamble filled with "glitched" trades that can crash your game.
- Check your fossils immediately. You get two fossils in each game from the shop in Konikoni City. If you want the others (like Cranidos or Shieldon), you have to go through the Poke Pelago. This is a passive way to get stones and fossils, but it's slow. Start it early.
- Use Pokemon Bank. Even though the eShop has changed, Pokemon Bank is still the bridge between the 3DS and Pokemon HOME on the Switch. If you have both versions, use Bank to move your exclusives back and forth rather than trying to find a trade partner online.
- Sync your clock for the Wormhole. When you're hunting legendaries like Heatran or Regigigas, remember that some of these encounters are tied to the "rarity" of the wormhole you jump into. The color of the hole matters. Red holes usually have the flying types (birds/dragons), blue has the water/ice types, and yellow has the cavern-dwellers like the Regis.
- Prioritize the Ultra Beasts. Since you can catch multiple of some Ultra Beasts (like Pheromosa or Kartana), they are your best "currency" for trading. Catch five Kartana, put them on whatever trading forums are still active, and you’ll have a full set of Ultra Moon exclusives in an afternoon.
The choice between these two versions usually comes down to whether you prefer the "Sun" aesthetic or the "Moon" aesthetic, but the mechanical differences are real. Whether it's the 12-hour time flip or the specific Ultra Beasts, knowing the Pokemon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon exclusives beforehand saves you from wasting hours looking for a Pokemon that literally doesn't exist in your game's code. Grab your 3DS, find a charger that actually works, and get to the wormholes. Alola is still one of the best-designed regions in the series, even with the version-exclusivity headaches.